The Circus Boys in Dixie Land | Page 6

I like about
you. When you tell me a thing I do not have to go about asking others
to make sure that you have told me the truth."
"Why shouldn't I? I'm not afraid of you."
"No; that's the worst of it. I should like to see something you really are
afraid of."
"I know what he is afraid of," smiled Phil maliciously.
"What?" demanded Mr. Sparling.
"He is afraid of the woman snake charmer under the black top. He's
more afraid of her than he is of the snakes themselves. Why, you
couldn't get him to shake hands with her if you were to offer him an
extra year's salary. There she is over there now, Teddy."
Teddy cast an apprehensive glance at the freak table, where the freaks
and side show performers were laughing and chatting happily, the Lady
Snake Charmer sandwiched in between the Metal-faced Man and Jo-Jo
the Dog-faced Wonder.
"I've been thinking of an idea, Mr. Sparling," said Teddy by way of
changing the subject.
Phil glanced at him apprehensively, for Teddy's ideas were frequently
attended by consequences of an unpleasant nature.
"Along the usual line young man?"
"Well, no."
"What is your idea?"
"I've been thinking that I should like to sign up as a dwarf for the rest
of the season and sit on the concert platform in the menagerie tent. It

wouldn't interfere with my other performance," said Teddy in apparent
seriousness.
Mr. Sparling leaned back, laughing heartily.
"Why, you are not a dwarf."
"No-o-o. But I might be."
"How tall are you?"
"A little more than five feet," answered the lad with a touch of pride in
his tone.
"You are almost a man. Why, Teddy, you are a full twenty inches taller
than the tallest dwarf in the show."
Teddy nodded.
"Don't you see you could not possibly be a`dwarf?"
"Oh, yes, I could. All the more reason why I could."
"What kind of a dwarf would you be, may I ask?"
"I could be the tallest dwarf on earth, couldn't I?" asked Teddy, gazing
at his employer innocently.
Everyone at the table broke out into a merry peal of laughter, while
Teddy Tucker eyed them sadly for a moment; then he too added his
laughter to theirs.
"If you were not already getting a pretty big salary for a kid, I'd raise
your salary for that," exploded Mr. Sparling.
"You can forget I'm getting so much, if you want to," suggested Teddy
humorously.
CHAPTER II

IN THEIR HOME TOWN
"Hey, Phil!"
"What is it, Teddy?"
"Wake up! We are in the old town again."
Phil Forrest pulled aside the curtain and peered out from his berth into
the railroad yards, the bright May sunshine flooding the old familiar
scenes at Edmeston. Far off he could just make out the red brick
chimney of his Uncle Abner's home.
What recollections it brought back to Phil Forrest--recollections that
went back still further to a sweet face and laughing eyes his mother!
Phil dropped the curtain and lay face down in the pillow for a moment.
"I say, Phil."
"What is it?" demanded the lad in a muffled voice.
"Guess who's out there?"
"I don't know."
"The gang's out there."
"Who?"
"The gang. The whole high school crowd."
"Oh!"
"They're looking for us. Lucky we're on the last section, for if it was
dark, we couldn't make much of a splurge getting off the train. Aren't
you going to get up?"
"Yes."

Phil slowly pulled himself from his berth, then began drawing on his
clothes. Teddy was already up and nearly dressed, full of expectation of
what was before him. For Phil there was something that tinged his joy
with sadness, though he could not make up his mind why it should be
so. His reverie was broken in upon by the voice of Teddy Tucker.
"Come, hurry up!"
"I am all ready now," answered Phil. "Have you washed?"
"You bet. I always wash the first thing in the morning."
Together the Circus Boys stepped out on the platform. There, lined up
by the side of the track, were their companions and school fellows
waiting to welcome them.
The high school boys uttered a shout when they espied Phil and Teddy.
"How'dy, fellows!" greeted Teddy, posing on the car platform for a
moment, that they might gaze upon him admiringly.
Phil was already on the ground, hurrying toward the boys with both
hands outstretched. A moment more and the two lads had been grabbed
by their schoolmates and literally overwhelmed, while a crowd of
villagers stood off against a pile of lumber, laughing and calling out
greetings to the Circus Boys.
Phil and Teddy, as soon as they were able to get away, hurried to the
circus lot for their breakfast. There they found