The Circus Boys On The Mississippi | Page 9

clown on them. The hoofs were quickly
drawn back, but the Spanish clown continued right on, sailing through
the air like a great gaudy projectile.
The audience yelled its approval.
Manuel landed with a crash in the midst of the lower grandstand seats.
A second later there was a mix-up that required the united services of a
dozen ring attendants to straighten out.
In the meantime, Teddy Tucker was rolling on the ground near the
center pole, howling with delight, while January, with lowered head,
was trotting innocently toward the paddock.
The ringmaster's whistle trilled for the next act, and the show went on
with its characteristic dash and sprightliness.
However, Teddy Tucker's plan to get one of the Spanish hat-throwing

clowns into trouble had been an entire success. He had succeeded, also,
in making another bitter enemy for the Circus Boys.

CHAPTER III
A DAY OF MEMORIES
Mr. Sparling, the owner of the show, had been a witness of the latter
part of Teddy's act. The showman was standing over near the entrance
to the menagerie tent when Manuel took his unexpected flight, and the
proprietor sat down on the grass, laughing until the tears started from
his eyes.
The act had been a breach of discipline, so Mr. Sparling prudently kept
himself out of sight until the show had progressed further.
Later in the evening he chanced to pass Teddy out in the paddock.
"Well, my lad, how is January working tonight?" he asked, with a
twinkle in his eyes.
"Never better, sir, thank you."
"I presume he obeys your commands perfectly, eh?"
"Does everything I tell him to, Mr. Sparling. I can do anything with that
donkey. Why, I could wink at him and make him kick your head off.
I--"
"I'll take your word for it, young man--I'll take your word for it. Let me
warn you to be careful that you do not tell him to do anything that will
interfere with the programme. We must have our acts clean cut, and
embodying nothing that has not been arranged for in advance. Do you
understand?"
"Yes, sir," answered Teddy, giving the owner a keen, inquiring glance.

"I'll bet he saw that," mused the lad. "He's letting me off easy because
he had to laugh, just the same as the rest of the people did."
"What did Mr. Sparling have to say?" questioned Phil, who had
emerged from the dressing tent just as Teddy was walking away from
the showman.
Teddy told him.
"You got off pretty easy, I must say. It is a wonder he did not discipline
you for that."
"Do you think he saw Manuel fly?"
"He did, or else someone told him. Be careful, Teddy! You are laying
up trouble for all of us," warned Phil.
"I got even with Mr. Hat Thrower, just the same," grinned Tucker.
Teddy was the happiest boy in the show that night, and he went to his
sleeping quarters chuckling all the way.
The show, this season, had opened in Chicago, and was now working
its way across the state of Illinois. The route had caused considerable
comment among the show people. They did not understand what the
plans of the owner might be.
Ordinarily, give a showman the first week or two of the show's route
and he will tell you just what parts of the country the show will visit
during that particular season. The performers were unable to do so in
this instance. Phil Forrest was as much perplexed as the others, but he
made no mention of this to Mr. Sparling.
"He has some surprise up his sleeve, I am sure," decided Phil shrewdly.
The next morning Phil asked Mr. Miaco, the head clown, if he knew
where they were going.
"I do not," answered the clown. "This route has kept me guessing. Boss

Sparling may be headed for Australia for all I know. He's just as likely
to go there as anywhere else. Has the Spaniard bothered you since that
mix-up?"
"No."
"Well, keep away from him. That is my advice."
"I shall not bother him. You may depend upon that, Mr. Miaco. I can't
say as much for Teddy."
"Teddy put up that job with January last night, didn't he?"
"He hasn't said so."
"Not necessary. I saw the whole thing. Lucky for Teddy that Mr.
Sparling did not happen to be about."
"I am not so sure that he was not."
"What?"
Phil explained what Mr. Sparling had said to Teddy out in the paddock.
"Yes, he saw it all right, but I guess he doesn't know about the trouble
in the dressing tent yesterday."
"No, I think not. I hope he does not hear of it, either. I do not wish Mr.
Sparling to think that I am a troublemaker,