Out with Gun and Camera | Page 9

circus grounds.
"I heard they had a big crowd this afternoon, too," said Giant.
"They had a big crowd and a big fight," said a man standing near.
"A fight?" queried Whopper.
"Yes. It's a wonder somebody wasn't killed."
"What was the fight about?" questioned the doctor's son.
"Why, it seems the head boss of the show discharged four of the wagon
drivers for drunkenness. The fellows wanted their full month's wages
and the boss wouldn't give it to them. Then they got ugly and
commenced to tamper with some of the animals. The boss called some
of his other men, and all hands had a big fight right in the menagerie
tent. One boy who was looking on got hit with a club, and a lady
fainted, and they almost had a panic. Then the police took a hand, and
one of the fellows who was discharged was arrested. The other three
got away."

"Yes, and those other three men say they are coming back," said a
farmer who stood near and who had overheard the conversation. "I saw
them at supper time, back of Lum's hotel. They say they are going to
get square on the circus boss, even if they have to break up the whole
show to do it."
"I hope they don't come back to-night," said Snap. "I don't want to get
mixed up in any quarrel."
"Me either," answered the farmer. "I want to see the show, and that's
all."
"I don't think they'll come back," said the first man who had spoken. "If
they did the police would arrest them on sight. They'll go to the next
town and lay for the circus there."
By this time the boys had worked their way up to the ticket wagon.
Each purchased a ticket of admission, and a moment later all passed on
to the inside of the main tent.
CHAPTER IV
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CIRCUS
The lads had not seen a circus for two years, consequently the show
had much of the air of novelty about it for them. They spent half an
hour in the menagerie tent, inspecting the wild animals, and then took
seats in the main tent, as close to the rings as they could get. Casso's
United Railroad Shows was quite an affair, and the performance was
given in two rings at a time, as well as upon a trapeze in the air between
the tent poles.
First there was the usual procession of horses and riders, elephants and
camels, ponies and carts and racing chariots, and then came the acts, all
of more or less thrilling interest. There were six clowns, and they kept
the audience in a roar of laughter.
"Say, this is an all-right show," remarked Giant, after witnessing some

particularly thrilling bareback riding. "I wouldn't try to do that trick on
horseback for a thousand dollars."
"Here come the acrobats," said Snap as four bespangled performers ran
into the rings and bowed and kissed their hands. Then the acrobats
climbed up to two bars and did various "turns," all more or less
hazardous.
"Here comes a boy!" cried Shep, as another performer stepped into one
of the rings and bowed.
"Just look how thin and pale he is," whispered the doctor's son, who sat
not far away from the youthful acrobat.
"Looks as if he had had a spell of sickness," added Giant.
The youthful acrobat did look as if he had been sick and was not yet
entirely over it. He walked slowly over to one of the ropes and grasped
it in his thin, white hands.
"I---I can't go up, Mr. Jones," the chums heard him whisper to the
ringmaster.
"Yes, you can---and will, or I'll cut you with the whip!" was the
ringmaster's harsh answer, and he cracked his lash loudly.
"I---I'm not well enough yet---my head is dizzy," pleaded the young
acrobat.
"Up you go!" snarled the ringmaster, and cracked his whip in such a
fashion that the end of the lash took the young acrobat in the calf of the
leg, causing him to cry with pain.
"What an outrage!" whispered Snap, clenching his fists. "That
ringmaster ought to be cowhided."
Painfully the young acrobat started to pull himself up on the rope. The
ringmaster glared at him and then cracked his whip once more, taking
the young performer in the arm.

"Shame! shame!" cried Snap; and "Shame!" added the other boys
quickly.
"Shut up, you boys!" growled the ringmaster, turning quickly.
"Then let that boy alone," answered Snap loudly.
"If you don't shut up I'll have you put out!" roared the ringmaster.
The young acrobat had climbed the rope a distance of ten feet. Now he
appeared to grow dizzy, and of a sudden he lost his grip and fell in a