The Circus Boys On The Flying Rings | Page 5

poor, but kind-hearted family in Edmeston had
taken the lad in rather than see him become a public charge. With them
he had lived and been cared for ever since. Of late years, however, he
had been able to do considerable toward lightening the burden for them
by the money he managed to earn here and there.
The two boys were on their way home from school. There remained but
one more day before the close of the term, which was a matter of

sincere regret to Phil and of keen satisfaction to his companion. Just
now both were too full of the subject of the coming show to think of
much else.
"Going to the show, Phil?"
"I am afraid not."
"Why not?"
"I haven't any money; that's the principal reason," smiled the boy. "Are
you?"
"Sure. Don't need any money to go to a circus."
"You don't?"
"No."
"How do you manage it?"
"Crawl in under the tent when the man ain't looking," answered Teddy
promptly.
"I wouldn't want to do that," decided the older lad, with a shake of the
head. "It wouldn't be quite honest. Do you think so?"
Teddy Tucker shrugged his shoulders indifferently.
"Never thought about it. Don't let myself think about it. Isn't safe, for I
might not go to the show if I did. What's your other reason?"
"For not going to the circus?"
"Yes."
"Well, I don't think Uncle would let me; that's a fact."
"Why not?"

"Says circuses and all that sort of thing are evil influences."
"Oh, pshaw! Wish he was my uncle," decided Teddy belligerently.
"How long are you going to stand for being mauled around like a little
yellow dog?"
"I'll stand most anything for the sake of getting an education. When I
get that then I'm going to strike out for myself, and do something in the
world. You'll hear from me yet, Teddy Tucker, and maybe I'll hear
from you, too."
"See me, you mean--see me doing stunts on a high something-or- other
in a circus. Watch me turn a somersault."
The lad stood poised on the edge of the ditch, on the other side of
which the billboard stood. This gave him the advantage of an elevated
position from which to attempt his feat.
"Look out that you don't break your neck," warned Phil. "I'd try it on a
haymow, or something like that, first."
"Don't you worry about me. See how easy that fellow in the picture is
doing it. Here goes!"
Teddy launched himself into the air, with a very good imitation of a
diver making a plunge into the water, hands stretched out before him,
legs straight behind him.
He was headed straight for the ditch.
"Turn, Teddy! Turn! You'll strike on your head."
Teddy was as powerless to turn as if he had been paralyzed from head
to foot. Down he went, straight as an arrow. There followed a splash as
his head struck the water of the ditch, the lad's feet beating a tattoo in
the air while his head was stuck fast in the mud at the bottom of the
ditch.
"He'll drown," gasped Phil, springing down into the little stream,

regardless of the damage liable to be done to his own clothes.
Throwing both arms about the body of his companion he gave a mighty
tug. Teddy stuck obstinately, and Phil was obliged to take a fresh hold
before he succeeded in hauling the lad from his perilous position.
Teddy was gasping for breath. His face, plastered with mud, was
unrecognizable, while his clothes were covered from head to foot.
Phil dumped him on the grass beneath the circus billboard and began
wiping the mud from his companion's face, while Teddy quickly sat up,
blinking the mud out of his eyes and grumbling unintelligibly.
"You're a fine circus performer, you are," laughed Phil. "Suppose you
had been performing on a flying trapeze in a circus, what do you
suppose would have happened to you?"
"I'd have had a net under me then, and I wouldn't have fallen in the
ditch," grunted Teddy sullenly.
"What do you suppose the folks will say when you go home in that
condition?"
"Don't care what they say. Fellow has got to learn sometime, and if I
don't have any worse thing happen to me than falling in a ditch I ought
to be pretty well satisfied. Guess I'll go back now. Come on, go 'long
with me."
Phil turned and strode along by the side of his companion until they
reached the house where Teddy lived.
"Come on in."
"I'm sorry, Teddy, but I can't. My uncle will be expecting me, and he
won't like it if I am late."
"All right; see you tomorrow if you don't come out again tonight. We'll
try