The Circus Boys Across The Continent | Page 4

tell you. But it's good news, Teddy.
You would say so if you knew it."
"What news? Haven't heard anything that sounds like news," his eyes
fixed on the hole into which the rat had disappeared.
"You can't guess where we are going this summer?"
"Going? Don't have to guess. I know," answered the lad with an
emphasizing nod.
"Where do you think?"
"We're going out with the Great Sparling Combined Shows, of course.
Didn't we sign out for the season before we closed with the show last
fall?"
"Yes, yes; but where?" urged Phil, showing him the letter he had just
brought from the post office. "You couldn't guess if you tried."
"No. Never was a good guesser. That letter from Mr. Sparling?" he
questioned, as his eyes caught the familiar red and gold heading used
by the owner of the show.
"Yes."
"What's he want?"
"You know I wrote to him asking that we be allowed to skip the
rehearsals before the show starts out, so that we could stay here and
take our school examinations?"

Teddy nodded.
"I'd rather join the show," he grumbled.
"Never did see anything about school to go crazy over."
"You'll thank me someday for keeping you at it," said Phil. "See how
well you have done this winter with your school work. I'm proud of you.
Why, Teddy, there are lots of the boys a long way behind you. They
can't say circus boys don't know anything just because they perform in
a circus ring."
"H-m-m-m!" mused Teddy. "You haven't told me yet where we are
going this summer. What's the route?"
"Mr. Sparling says that, as we are going to continue our last year's acts
this season, there will be no necessity for rehearsals."
The announcement did not appear to have filled Teddy Tucker with
joy.
"We do the flying rings again, then?"
"Yes. And we shall be able to give a performance that will surprise Mr.
Sparling. Our winter's practicing has done a lot for us, as has our winter
at school."
"Oh, I don't know."
"You probably will ride the educated mule again, while I expect to ride
the elephant Emperor in the grand entry, as I did before. I'll be glad to
get under the big top again, with the noise and the people, the music of
the band and all that. Won't you, Teddy?" questioned Phil, his eyes
glowing at the picture he had drawn.
Teddy heaved a deep sigh.
"Quit it!"

"Why?"
" 'Cause you make me think I'm there now."
Phil laughed softly.
"I can see myself riding the educated mule this very minute, kicking up
the dust of the ring, making everybody get out of the way, and--"
"And falling off," laughed Phil. "You certainly are the most finished
artist in the show when it comes to getting into trouble."
"Yes; I seem to keep things going," grinned the lad.
"But I haven't told you all that Mr. Sparling says in the letter."
"What else does he say?"
"That the show is to start from its winter quarters, just outside of
Germantown, Pennsylvania, on April twenty-second--"
"Let's see; just two weeks from today," nodded Teddy.
"Yes."
"I wish it was today."
"He says we are to report on the twenty-first, as the show leaves early
in the evening."
"Where do we show first?"
"Atlantic City. Then we take in the Jersey Coast towns--"
"Do we go to New York?"
"New York? Oh, no! The show isn't big enough for New York quite yet,
even if it is a railroad show now. We've got to grow some before that.
Mighty few shows are large enough to warrant taking them into the big

city."
"How do you know?"
"All the show people say that."
"Pshaw! I'd sure make a hit in New York with the mule."
"Time enough for that later. You and I will yet perform in Madison
Square Garden. Just put that down on your route card, Teddy Tucker."
"Humph! If we don't break our necks before that! Where did you say
we were--"
"After leaving New Jersey, we are to play through New York State,
taking in the big as well as the small towns, and from Buffalo heading
straight west. Mr. Sparling writes that we are going across the
continent."
"What?"
"Says he's going to make the Sparling Shows known from the Atlantic
to the Pacific--"
"Across the continent!" exclaimed Teddy unbelievingly. "No; you're
fooling."
"Yes; clear to the Pacific Coast. We're going to San Francisco, too.
What do you think of that, Teddy?"
"Great! Wow! Whoop!" howled the boy, hurling his remaining Indian
Club far up among the rafters of the gymnasium, whence it came
clattering down, both lads laughing gleefully.
"We're going to see the country this time, and we shan't have to