the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第12部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
in that section into a panic。 Women screamed； believing the animal had
suddenly gone crazy； while men sprang to their feet。 Phil had turned at the
first alarm； and； observing what was taking place； with rare presence of
42
… Page 43…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
mind trotted down to the arena again。 He reached there about the same
time that Emperor did。 With a shrill scream Emperor threw his long trunk
about the lad； and before Phil had time to catch his breath； he had been
hurled to the elephant's back。 Uttering loud trumpetings the great elephant
started on a swift shamble for his quarters； giving not the slightest heed to
his trainer's commands to halt。
43
… Page 44…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
CHAPTER IX
GETTING HIS FIRST CALL
〃Let him go。 Emperor won't hurt me；〃 laughed Phil as soon as he
could get his breath； for he was moving along at a pace which would have
meant a tumble to the ground had the elephant not supported the lad with
its trunk。 The audience soon seeing that no harm had come to the boy； set
up another roar； which was still loud in Phil's ears when Emperor set his
burden down after reaching the elephant quarters in the menagerie tent。
〃You're a bad boy。 Get down； sir； and let me off；〃 chided Phil。 The
elephant； to his surprise； cautiously let himself down to his knees； his
trunk at the same time reaching out surreptitiously for a wisp of fresh
grass。 Phil slipped off； laughing heartily。 He had lost all fear of the great；
hulking beast。 〃Don't punish him； please；〃 begged the boy when the keeper
came hurrying along with Jupiter。 〃But if you will make him let me
alone； I'll go in the other tent。 I want to see the circus。〃 〃Wait a moment。
I'll chain him up。〃 The keeper soon had Emperor fast。 Then after a final
affectionate petting Phil ran lightly to the other tent and quickly made his
way to his seat。 The people were so engrossed in the acts in the ring that
they did not observe the boy particularly this time。 〃Did I make a show of
myself； Mrs。 Cahill？〃 questioned the lad； with sparkling eyes。 〃You did
not。 You were as handsome as a picture。 There isn't one of all those
people that looks so handsome or so manly as〃 〃Please； please； Mrs。
Cahill！〃 begged the lad； blushing violently。 〃Have you seen anything of
my friend Teddy？ I had forgotten all about him。〃 〃That looks like him
down there。〃 〃Where？〃 〃There； leaning against that pole；〃 she pointed。
Phil gazed in the direction indicated； and there； sure enough； was Teddy
Tucker leaning carelessly against the center pole。 He had no right to be
there； as Phil well knew； and he watched with amused interest for the
moment when the other boy's presence would be discovered。 It came
shortly afterwards。 All at once the ringmaster fixed a cold eye on Teddy。
〃Hey； you！〃 Teddy gave no heed to him。 〃Get out of there！ Think you
own this show？〃 The lad made believe that he did not hear。 The
44
… Page 45…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
ringmaster's long whip lash curled through the air； going off with a crack
that sounded as if a pistol had been fired； and within an inch of Teddy's
nose。 Teddy sprang back； slapping a hand to his face； believing that he had
been hit。 Then there followed a series of disconcerting snaps all around
his head as the long lash began to work； but so skillfully was it wielded
that the end of it did not touch him。 But Teddy had had enough。 He
turned and ran for the seats。 〃Come up here；〃 cried Phil； laughing
immoderately。 〃Here's a seat right beside us and there won't be any
ringmaster to bother you。〃 Considerably crestfallen； the lad climbed up to
where Phil and Mrs。 Cahill were sitting。 〃You mustn't go down there； you
know； Teddy。 They don't allow outsiders in the ring while the
performance is going on。 Someone might get hurt〃 〃They let you in；〃
bristled Teddy。 〃That was different。 They couldn't help themselves； and
neither could I。 Emperor took me in whether I would or not； and； in fact；
I didn't know I was going till I was halfway there。〃 Phil's companion
surveyed him with admiration。 〃My； but you did cut a figure up on that
elephant's head！ I should have been afraid。〃 〃There was nothing to be
afraid of。 But let's watch the performance。 There's a trapeze act going on
now。〃 For a few moments the lads watched the graceful bodies of the
performers slipping through the air。 One would swing out from his perch；
flying straight into the arms of his fellow…performer who was hanging
head down from another swinging bar。 On the return sweep the first
performer would catch his own bar and return to his perch。 〃Looks easy。
I'll bet I could do that；〃 nodded Teddy。 Phil shook his head。 〃Not so easy
as it looks。〃 〃How much do you suppose they getthink they must get as
much as a dollar and a half a day for doing that？ I'd do it for a dollar； if I
could；〃 averred the irrepressible Teddy Tucker。 〃They get a good many
more dollars than that； Teddy。 I've heard that some of them get all of
twenty…five or thirty dollars a week。〃 Phil's companion whistled。 The next
act was a bareback riding exhibition； by a pretty； graceful young woman
whom the ringmaster introduced as Mademoiselle Mora。 At the crack of
the whip she sprang lightly to the back of the gray old ring horse and
began a series of feats that made the boys sit forward in their seats。 At the
conclusion of the act Mademoiselle Mora ran out to the edge of the ring；
45
… Page 46…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
and blowing a kiss at the blushing Phil； tripped away on fairy feet for the
dressing tent。 〃Did you see her？ She bowed to me？〃 exclaimed Teddy
enthusiastically。 〃Guess she didn't see you at all； young man；〃 replied Mrs。
Cahill dryly。 〃There's others in the tent besides you； even if the
ringmaster did crack his whip in your face and just miss your nose。〃 A
clown came out and sang a song about a boy who had rescued a beautiful
young woman from a runaway horse and got kidnaped by an elephant。
The song made a hit； for most of the audience understood that it referred
to Phil Forrest。 And so the performance went on； with a glitter and a crash；
a haze of yellow dust hanging like a golden cloud in the afternoon sun；
over spectators and performers alike。 〃Hello； there's Rod！〃 exclaimed
Teddy。 〃Who？〃 〃Rod。 The red…haired kid we saw this morning； only his
hair is black now。 He's covered up his own looks so he won't set the tent
on fire。〃 〃Oh； you mean Rodney Palmer？ Yes； I guess that is he。〃 〃See；
they're pulling him up on a rope。 I wonder where he is going？〃 〃To those
flying rings；〃 explained Phil。 〃And there is a young woman going up；
too。〃 One after another was pulled up； until a troupe of four had ascended
and swung off to the rings that were suspended far up there in the haze。
Both Phil and Teddy were more than ordinarily interested in this act； for
they were no mean performers on the rings themselves。 In the schoolyard
an apparatus had been rigged with flying rings； and on this the boys had
practiced untiringly during the spring months； until they had both become
quite proficient。 〃Isn't he great？〃 breathed Teddy； as Rodney Palmer
swung out into the air； letting his legs slip through the rings until only his
toes were hanging to the slender support。 〃Yes； he certainly does do it
fine。〃 〃We can do it just as well。〃 〃Perhaps； but not so gracefully。〃 〃See；
he's swinging his hand at us。〃 Sure enough； Rodney had picked out the
two lads； and was smiling at them and waving a hand in their direction。
The two lads felt very proud of this； knowing as they did that they were
the envy of every boy of their acquaintance within sight of them。 The
climax of the act was when the young woman seemed to plunge straight
down toward the ground。 The women in the audience uttered sharp little
cries of alarm。 But the performer was not falling。 Strong slender ropes
had been fastened to her heels； the other ends being held by one of the
46
… Page 47…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
performers who was hanging from the rings。 As a result the falling girl's
flight was checked just before she reached the ground and the spec
