Teddy was going through his clown act when he first heard the rumor that Phil was back.Teddy waited until he had worked around to the entrance to the menagerie tent when he suddenly darted through, leaving his work and the ring, a most serious breach of discipline.Teddy, however, did not care.He was willing to be fined.He bolted through the main entrance like a miniature tornado, to the amazement of the door tenders.
"Where's Phil?" he shouted.
One of the doormen pointed to Mr.Sparling's office tent.The little clown was off on a run.
"Hey, Phil, you old rascal! Where have you been?" he demanded, dashing into the small tent.
"I have been out for a swim, old fellow.Did you miss me?""I nearly broke my neck thinking about you this afternoon.Landed on my head in the leaping act, and I've got a pain in my neck yet.""Young man, what are you doing here?" demanded the showman, sternly.
"Same thing you are.Seeing Phil." "Get back to your act!""I'm off.I'll see you later, Phil, then we will talk it over.""We will, Teddy," and Teddy was off at top speed to take up his performance where he had so abruptly left it a few minutes before.The ringmaster had not missed him, though he saw at once that the boy was not on his station, when Teddy began to work again.
"Now, Phil, we will hear all about it.How in the name of the Sparling shows did you get into that uniform?""The captain of the river boat that picked me up fitted me out." "So you really fell in?""I got _in,_ right." "Tell me all about it."The Circus Boy related his experiences from the time he found himself in the river, until his arrival in Memphis that morning.
"Marvelous--almost unbelievable," breathed Mr.Sparling as the tale was unfolded."I never heard anything to compare with it."When Phil told of his speech in the dining saloon of the river steamboat, Mr.Sparling leaned back with hands on his hips, laughing immoderately.
"Oh, Phil, you are the sort from which great showmen are made!"Phil handed over the Memphis paper with the account of his experience, which the showman glanced over briefly.
"That will give us another turn-away in Memphis.You can't stop them, after that.They will come to the show even if they have to fight their way in.That was a great stroke of enterprise, but I would rather it had not happened, of course.""What--the interview?"
"No, of course not.I mean your accident.""It is all right, Mr.Sparling.I am here now, and none the worse for my bath, but for a time I surely thought I was a goner.I would not care to go through that experience again.""I should say not.Yours was the most wonderful escape I ever heard of.I'll wager there was never anything like it before on this river."Mr.Sparling paused suddenly and bent a keen, searching glance on Phil Forrest's face.The lad felt that he knew what was in the mind of his employer.
"Phil?"
"Yes, sir."
"You have not told me everything, yet." "What makes you think that, Mr.Sparling?""Because I know you so well.There is something on your mind that you have not told me.I want to know what it is."Phil's eyes were lowered to the green grass at his feet.For a moment he was silent and thoughtful.
"What is it you wish me to tell you, Mr.Sparling?" he asked in a low voice.
"You have not given me a satisfactory explanation of how you came to get into the river.""Perhaps I fell in," answered the lad with a faint smile.
"Perhaps.But you have not said so.I want you to tell me how youdid get in."
"I think I was thrown in, Mr.Sparling," answered the Circus Boy quickly.
"Thrown in!" exclaimed the showman, leaping to his feet, his face working convulsively in his effort to control his emotions."Phil Forrest, do you mean that?""I do."
Mr.Sparling sat down helplessly."Is it possible?""I am sure of it, sir."
