The Circus Boys in Dixie Land | Page 5

lads were looking forward with keen expectation to the moment
when, clad in tights and spangles, they would appear before their old
school fellows in a series of daring aerial flights.
The lads had spent the winter at school and now only one year more

was lacking to complete their course at the high school that they had
been attending between circus seasons, practicing in their gymnasium
after school hours.
"I'd like to invite all the boys of our class to come to the show on
passes. Do you suppose Mr. Sparling would let me?"
"I am afraid you had better not ask him," laughed Phil. "If you were
running a store do you think you would ask the crowd to come over and
help themselves to whatever they wanted?"
"Well, no-o."
"I thought not."
"But this is different."
"Not so much so. It would be giving away seats that could be sold and
that probably will be sold. No; I guess the boys had better pay for their
seats."
Teddy looked disappointed.
"Don't you think it is worth fifty cents to see us perform?" queried Phil.
Teddy grinned broadly. The idea appealed to him in a new light.
"That's so. I guess it's worth more than fifty cents, at that. I guess I
don't care if they do have to pay, but I want them to come to the show.
What do you suppose I've been working two years for, if it wasn't to
show off before the fellows? Haven't you?"
"No."
"What then?"
"Why, what do you think?"
"I don't think. It's too hot to think this morning."

"All right. Wait till someday when the weather is cooler; then think the
matter over," laughed Phil, hurrying on toward where breakfast was
waiting for them in the cook tent.
The lads were performing the same acts in which they had appeared the
previous season; that is, doing the flying rings as a team, while Phil
was a bareback rider and Teddy a tumbler. Something had happened to
the bucking mule that Teddy had ridden for two seasons, and the
manager had reluctantly been forced to take this act from his bill.
"I'm thinking of getting another mule for you, if we can pick up such a
thing," said Mr. Sparling at breakfast that morning.
Teddy's eyes twinkled. He had in mind a surprise for the manager, but
was not quite ready to tell of his surprise yet. All during the winter the
lad had been working with a donkey that he had picked up near
Edmeston. His training of the animal had been absolutely in secret, so
that none of his school fellows, save Phil, knew anything about it.
"All right," answered Teddy carelessly. "Wait till we get to Edmeston
and see what we can pick up there."
Mr. Sparling bent a shrewd, inquiring glance on the impassive face of
the Circus Boy. If he suspected Teddy had something in mind that he
was not giving voice to, Mr. Sparling did not mention it. By this time
he knew both boys well enough to form a pretty clear idea when there
was anything of a secret nature in the wind.
"We'll never get another mule like Jumbo," he sighed.
"Hope not," answered Teddy shortly.
"Why not?"
" 'Cause, I don't want to break my neck this season, at least not till after
we've passed Edmeston and the fellows have seen perform."
"So that's it, is it?"

"It is. I'm going to show myself tomorrow, and I don't care who knows
it."
"If I remember correctly you already have shown yourself pretty
thoroughly all the way across the continent."
"And helped fill the big top at the same time," added Teddy, with a
shrewd twinkle in his eyes.
Mr. Sparling laughed outright.
"I guess you have a sharp tongue this morning."
"I don't mean to have."
"It's all right. I accept your apology. What's this you say about the
fellows--whom do you mean?"
"He means our class at the high school," Phil informed the showman.
"Oh, yes. How many are there in the class?"
"Let me see--how many are there, Teddy?"
"Thirty or forty, not counting the fat boy who's the anchor in the tug of
war team. If you count him there are five more."
"I presume they'll all be wanting to come to the show?" questioned Mr.
Sparling.
"Any fellow who doesn't come is no friend of mine."
"That's the way to talk. Always have the interest of the show in mind,
and you'll get along," smiled the owner.
"We-e-l-l," drawled the lad. "I wasn't just thinking about the interest of
the show. I was thinking more about what a figure I'd be cutting before
the boys."

Mr. Sparling laughed heartily.
"You are honest at any rate, Master Teddy. That's one thing