RENEWING OLD ACQUAINTANCES
"Well, Teddy, I must say you have made a good start," grinned Phil, after necessary explanations had been made and the young Circus Boy had been released by the policeman who had him in tow." A few minutes more and you would have been in a police station.I can imagine how pleased Mr.Sparling would have been to hear that."Teddy hung his head.
"Your clothes are a sight, too.How did--what happened? Did you fall in a creek, or something of that sort?"The lad explained briefly how he had been captured by the two men and ducked under the standpipe of the water tank.
"But I soaked him, too," Tucker added triumphantly." And I'm going to soak him again.The first man I come across whose name is Larry is going to get it from me," threatened the lad, shaking his fist angrily.
"You come over to the sleeper with me and get into some decent looking clothes.I'm ashamed of you, Teddy Tucker.""So am I," grinned the boy as they turned to go, Phil leading the way to the car number eleven, from which the performers were beginning to straggle, rubbing their eyes and stretching themselves.
The change of clothing having been made, the lads started for the lot, hoping that they might find the old coffee stand and have a cup before breakfast.To their surprise, upon arriving at the lot, they found the cook tent up and the breakfast cooking.
"Why, how did you ever get this tent here and up so quickly?" asked Phil after they had greeted their old friend of the cook tent.
"Came in on the flying squadron.This is a railroad show now, you know," answered the head steward, after greeting the boys.
"Flying squadron?What's that?" demanded Teddy, interested at once."The flying squadron is the train that goes out first.It carries the cook tent and other things that will be needed first.We didn't have that last year.You'll find a lot of new things, and some that you won't like as wellas you did when we had the old road show.What's your act this year?" "Same as last.""Elephant?"
"Yes, and the rings.My friend Teddy I expect will ride the educated mule again."While they were talking the steward was preparing a pot of steaming coffee for them, which he soon handed over to the lads with a plate of wafers, of which they disposed in short order.
It was broad daylight by this time, and the boys decided to go out and watch the erection of the tents.It was all new and full of interest to them.As they caught the odor of trampled grass and the smell of the canvas their old enthusiasm came back to them with added force.
"It's great to be a circus man, isn't it, Phil?" breathed Teddy.
"It is unless one is getting into trouble all the time, the way you do.I expect that, some of these days, you'll get something you don't want.""What?"
"Oh, I don't know.But I am sure it will be something quite serious." "You better look out for yourself," growled Teddy."I'll take care ofmyself."
"Yes; the way you did last night," retorted Phil, with a hearty laugh."Come on, now; let's not quarrel.I want to find some of our old friends.Isn't that Mr.Miaco over there by the dressing tent?""Sure."
Both lads ran toward their old friend, the head clown, with outstretched hands, and Mr.Miaco, seeing them coming, hastened forward to greet them.
"Well, well, boys!How are you?"
"Oh, we're fine," glowed Phil."And we are glad to be back again, let me tell you.""No more so than your old friends are to have you back.Same old act?""Yes."
"What have you boys been doing this winter?" "Studying and exercising.""Yes; I knew, from your condition, that you have been keeping up your work.Got anything new?""Not much.Trapeze."
"Good!I'll bet you will be in some of the flying-bar acts before the season is over.We have a lot of swell performers this season.""So I have heard.Who are some of them?" "Well, there's the Flying Four.""Who are they?" questioned Teddy.
"Trapeze performers.They're great--the best in the business.And then there's The Limit.""Talk United States," demanded Teddy."The Limit?Whoever heard of that?""In other words, the Dip of Death." Teddy shook his head helplessly.
"That is the somersaulting automobile.A pretty young woman rides in it, and some fine day she won't.I never did like those freak acts.But the public does," sighed the old circus man."The really difficult feats, that require years of practice, patrons don't seem to give a rap for.But let somebody do a stunt in which he is in danger of suddenly ending his life, then you'll see the people howl with delight.I sometimes think they would be half tickled to death to see some of us break our necks.There's a friend of yours, Phil.""Who?"
"Emperor, the old elephant that you rode last year.They are taking him to the menagerie tent.""Whistle to him, Phil," suggested Teddy.Phil uttered a low, peculiar whistle.
