"Wonderful!" breathed Mr.James Sparling."That boy is worth a thousand dollars a week to any show.""Have I forgotten how to jump?" demanded the Circus Boy exultingly, as the ring horse slowed down to a walk, Phil stepping along by the side of it looking up into the eyes of Little Dimples.
"Indeed you have not.It was wonderful.Don't you ever dare try it again, however.Why, suppose you had dropped on an iron tent stake? You would have at least been disabled for life.""I presume I should have been.I happened to know there were no stakes where I landed.I made sure of that before I made the leap.""You are a wise boy, even if an imprudent one.We try the shoulder stand next, do we not?""Yes."
"I haven't the routine in my mind yet.Don't you dare let me fall." "Supposing we save the shoulder stand until the last.Let's do thesomersault first," suggested Phil."Very well; I don't care."The music started and the little couple began their work again.
Dimples sprang up to the hip of the Circus Boy, leaning far out to one side, holding to one of Phil's hands, a very pretty though not perilous feat for a sure-footed ride.
This they varied by throwing themselves into several different poses."Now the turn," breathed Phil.
He deftly lifted the little woman down to the horse just in front of himself.Having done so, Phil grasped Dimples firmly about the waist with his strong, muscular young hands.
"If you drop me I'll never speak to you again." "I shall not drop you.You know the cue?" "Yes."The lad nodded to the ringmaster, indicating that the latter was to urge the horse on to a faster gallop.
"Now what are those two children going to do?" wondered the owner of the show."One is as daring as the other.It's a wonder they have gone along without knocking themselves out.I believe they are going todo a turn."
That was exactly what they were preparing."Now," said Phil sharply.
The pair rose from the back of the ring horse as one person.They leaped gracefully and deliberately into the air, doubled their legs under them and performed one of the most graceful somersaults that had ever been seen in the Sparling shows, landing lightly and surely on the resined back of the old ring horse.
Dimples sat down, and Phil, dropping lightly to the ground, threw a kiss to the audience.
The spectators, fully appreciating what had been done, went fairly wild in their enthusiasm.
Mr.Sparling was no less so.In his excitement he forgot time and place and ran into the ring, where he threw an arm about Phil Forrest, giving him a fatherly hug.
Dimples pouted prettily.
"That's what I call partiality," she complained.
Mr.Sparling promptly lifted her from the back of her horse, and stood the blushing little performer on the sawdust by the side of Phil.
How the spectators did applaud, many standing up in their seats waving hats and handkerchiefs in their excitement and enthusiasm!
Mr.Sparling was always doing these little, intensely human things, not with any idea of winning applause, but out of sheer big-heartedness.They did much toward spreading the reputation of the Sparling show and popularizing it as well.
"Ladies and gentlemen," announced the showman when quiet had once more been restored, "you will pardon me for interrupting the performance, but as the owner of the show I want to say a few words on behalf of my star performers, Little Dimples and Master Phil Forrest."The audience interrupted him with a cheer.
"The act which you have just witnessed is as great a surprise to me as it could possibly have been to you.It is the first time these two performers ever attempted it in public.I might say, also, that it is the first time to my own knowledge that any performers in the world eversucceeded in getting away with a feat of that sort.I thank you for your approval.The performance will now proceed."After the applause which this little speech elicited had died away the band once more began to play.
Phil and Dimples commenced a series of acts, jumping from and to the back of the horse whose speed was increased for the purpose.
In the next rest Dimples called the attention of her associate to the clown Diaz, who was not far from them at the moment.
Dimples had been in the show business so long that her intuition had become very keen.Nothing of consequence happened under the big top, or beneath the low-roofed dressing tents, that she did not know of, or at least surmise.Especially keen was she in all matters relating to Phil Forrest and Teddy Tucker, and her interest had in many instances served to save the lads from unpleasant consequence.
"I don't like that fellow, Phil," Dimples remarked, referring to Diaz."Why not?""I think he is a bad man."
"I hope not.He is impulsive and--" "Revengeful and ugly," finished Dimples.
"As I said, he is impulsive, like all of his race." "What has been going on with you lately, Phil?" "I don't understand what you mean?""Oh, yes, you do."
"You mean with regard to Diaz?"
"That's what I mean.Have you had any trouble?" "We had a slight disagreement," admitted the lad."Tell me about it.""Wait!There goes the music."
The ringmaster's whip cracked its warning and the gray horse started at a slow gallop.Phil was up beside his companion with agility and grace.The first round or two they stood poised on the horse, while Phil related briefly what had taken place between himself and Diaz.
"Come, aren't you two going to get to work?" demanded the ringmaster.
"You attend to your own work.We'll look out for ours," snapped Dimples.
"Yes, and if you think you can do better just come up and try," added Phil, with a good-natured laugh."Up, Dimples!"He threw her lightly to his shoulders, on which the woman stood poised, making as graceful and pretty a picture as had ever been seen in a circus ring.Fragile as she was, it seemed as if Phil were all too slender to support her weight.
The act brought a whirlwind of applause."You look out for him, Phil.I--" "Jump, Dimples!"The ring horse had suddenly stumbled, its nose plowing up the sawdust in a cloud.
Phil, with rare presence of mind, lifted the feet from his shoulders and hurled the girl far from him.
"Land on your feet!" he shouted, then Phil plunged off, head first.
