The Circus Boys On The Flying Rings | Page 9

he awaken until the bright sunlight of the morning
finally burned his eyelids apart.
Phil started up rubbing his eyes.
At first he wondered where he was. But the sight of his bag lying a
little to one side brought back with a rush the memory of what had
happened to him the evening before.
"Why, it's morning," marveled the lad, blinking in the strong sunlight.

"And I've slept on this pile of hay all night. It's the first time I ever slept
out of doors, and I never slept better in my life. Guess I'll fix myself up
a little."
Phil remembered that a little trout stream cut across the field off to the
right. Taking up his bag, he started for the stream, where he made his
toilet as best he could, finishing up by lying flat on his stomach, taking
a long, satisfying drink of the sparkling water.
"Ah, that feels better," he breathed, rolling over on the bank. After a
little he helped himself to another drink. "But I've got to do something.
I can't stay out here in this field all the rest of my life. And if I don't
find something to eat I'll starve to death. I'll go downtown and see if I
can't earn my breakfast somehow."
Having formed this resolution, Phil took up his belongings and started
away toward the village. His course led him right past Abner Adams'
house, but, fortunately, Mr. Adams was not in sight. Phil would have
felt a keen humiliation had he been forced to meet the taunts of his
uncle. He hurried on past the house without glancing toward it.
He had gone on for some little way when he was halted by a familiar
voice.
"Hello, Phil! Where are you going in such a hurry and so early in the
morning?"
Phil started guiltily and looked up quickly at the speaker.
"Good morning, Mrs. Cahill. What time is it?"
"It's just past four o'clock in the morning."
"Gracious! I had no idea it was so early as that," exclaimed the lad.
"If you are not in such a great hurry, stop a bit," urged the woman, her
keen eyes noting certain things that she did not give voice to. She had
known Phil Forrest for many years, and his parents before him.

Furthermore, she knew something of the life he had led since the death
of his parents. "Had your breakfast?"
"Well--"
"Of course you haven't. Come right in and eat with me," urged the
good-hearted widow.
"If you will let me do some chores, or something to pay for it, I will,"
agreed Phil hesitatingly.
"Nothing of the kind! You'll keep me company at breakfast; then you'll
be telling me all about it."
"About what?"
" 'Bout your going away," pointing significantly to the bag that Phil
was carrying.
He was ravenously hungry, though he did not realize it fully until the
odor of the widow's savory cooking smote his nostrils.
She watched him eat with keen satisfaction.
"Now tell me what's happened," urged Mrs. Cahill, after he had
finished the meal.
Phil did so. He opened his heart to the woman who had known his
mother, while she listened in sympathetic silence, now and then
uttering an exclamation of angry disapproval when his uncle's words
were repeated to her.
"And you're turned out of house and home? Is that it, my boy?"
"Well, yes, that's about it," grinned Phil.
"It's a shame."
"I'm not complaining, you know, Mrs. Cahill. Perhaps it's the best thing

that could have happened to me. I've got to start out for myself
sometime, you know. I'm glad of one thing, and that is that I didn't have
to go until school closed. I get through the term today, you know?"
"And you're going to school today?"
"Oh, yes. I wouldn't want to miss the last day."
"Then what?"
"I don't know. I shall find something else to do, I guess. I want to earn
enough money this summer so that I can go to school again in the fall."
"And you shall. You shall stay right here with the Widow Cahill until
you've got through with your schooling, my lad."
"I couldn't think of that. No; I am not going to be a burden to anyone.
Don't you see how I feel--that I want to earn my own living now?"
She nodded understandingly.
"You can do some chores and--"
"I'll stay here until I find something else to do," agreed Phil slowly. "I
shan't be able to look about much today, because I'll be too busy at
school; but tomorrow I'll begin hunting for a job. What can I do for you
this morning?"
"Well, you might chop some wood if you are aching to exercise your
muscles," answered the