the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第13部分
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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 spectators
breathed a sigh of profound relief。 〃My； that was great！ I wouldn't want
to do that。〃 〃No； you're too heavy； Teddy。 That's why they have a girl do
it。 She is slender and light〃 〃I'd be light headed。〃 〃Guess； I would； too；〃
laughed Phil。 At this juncture an attendant came running up the steps；
halting before the lads。 〃Are you Phil Forrest？〃 he asked。 〃Yes。〃 〃The boss
wants to see you。〃 〃Mr。 Sparling？ All right。 I wanted to see the rest of
the show； but I'll go。〃 Phil rose reluctantly and followed the guide。 〃I'll
meet you by the ticket wagon if I don't get back here； Teddy；〃 he said。
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CHAPTER X
PHIL GETS A SURPRISE
〃Where will I find Mr。 Sparling？〃 〃In the doghouse。〃 〃Where's that？〃
〃Out back of the ticket wagon。 It's a little A tent； and we call it the boss's
doghouse； because it's only big enough to hold a couple of St。 Bernards。〃
〃Oh！ What does he want of me？〃 〃Ask him；〃 grinned the attendant； who；
it developed； was an usher in the reserved…seat section。 〃He don't tell us
fellows his business。 Say； that was a great stunt you did with Emperor。〃
〃Oh； I don't know。〃 〃I do。 There's the doghouse over there。 See it？〃
〃Yes； thank you。〃 The attendant leaving him； Phil walked on alone to Mr。
Sparling's private office； for such was the use to which he put the little tent
that the usher had called the 〃doghouse。〃 〃I wonder what he can want of
me？〃 mused Phil。 〃Probably he wants to thank me for stopping that pony。
I hope he doesn't。 I don't like to be thanked。 And it wasn't much of
anything that I did anyway。 Maybe he's going tobut what's the use of
guessing？〃 The lad stepped up to the tent； the flaps of which were closed。
He stretched out his hand to knock； then grinned sheepishly。 〃I forgot you
couldn't knock at a tent door。 I wonder how visitors announce
themselves； anyway。〃 His toe； at that moment； chanced to touch the tent
pole and that gave him an idea。 Phil tapped against the pole with his foot。
〃Come in！〃 bellowed the voice of the owner of the show。 Phil entered； hat
in hand。 At the moment the owner was busily engaged with a pile of bills
for merchandise recently purchased at the local stores； and he neither
looked up nor spoke。 Phil stood quietly waiting； noting amusedly the stern
scowl that appeared to be part of Mr。 Sparling's natural expression。 〃Well；
what do you want？〃 he demanded； with disconcerting suddenness。 〃II
was told that you had sent for me； that you wanted to see me；〃 began the
lad； with a show of diffidence。 〃So I did； so I did。〃 The showman hitched
his camp chair about so he could get a better look at his visitor。 He
studied Phil from head to foot with his usual scowl。 〃Sit down！〃 〃On the
ground； sir？〃 〃Ground？ No； of course not。 Where's that chair？ Oh；
my lazy tent man didn't open it。 I'll fire him the first place we get to
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where he won't be likely to starve to death。 I hear you've been trying to
put my show out of business。〃 〃I wasn't aware of it； sir；〃 replied Phil；
looking squarely at his questioner。 〃Perhaps I was not wholly blameless
in attaching myself to Emperor。〃 〃Huh！〃 grunted Mr。 Sparling； but
whether or not it was a grunt of disapproval； Phil could not determine。 〃So
you're not living at home？〃 〃I have no home now； sir。〃 〃Just so； just so。
Brought up in refined surroundings； parents dead； crabbed old uncle
turned you out of doors for reasons best known to himself〃 Phil was
amazed。 〃You seem to know all about me； sir。〃 〃Of course。 It's my
business to know something about everything。 I ought to thank you for
getting Mrs。 Sparling out of that mix…up this morning； but I'll let her do
that for herself。 She wants to see you after the performance。〃 〃I don't like
to be thanked； Mr。 Sparling； though I should like to know Mrs。 Sparling；〃
said Phil boldly。 〃Neither do I； neither do I。 Emperor has gone daffy over
you。 What did you feed him？〃 〃Some sugar and peanuts。 That was all。〃
〃Huh！ You ought to be a showman。〃 〃I have always wanted to be； Mr。
Sparling。〃 〃Oh； you have； eh？〃 〃Yes； sir。〃 〃Well； why don't you？〃 〃I have
never had the opportunity。〃 〃You mean you've never looked for an
opportunity。 There are always opportunities for everything； but we have
to go after them。 You've been going after them today for the first time； and
you've nailed one of them clear up to the splice of the center pole。
Understand？〃 〃Not entirely； sir。〃 〃Well； do you want to join out with the
Great Sparling Combined Shows； or don't you？〃 〃You meanI join the
the〃 Mr。 Sparling was observing him narrowly。 〃I said； would you like to
join our show？〃 〃I should like it better than anything else in the world。〃
〃Sign this contract； then；〃 snapped the showman； thrusting a paper toward
Phil Forrest； at the same time dipping a pen in the ink bottle and handing it
to him。 〃You will allow me to read it first； will you not？〃 〃Good！ That's
the way I like to hear a boy talk。 Shows he's got some sense besides
what he's learned in books at somewell； never mind。〃 〃Whatwhat is
this； ten dollars a week？〃 gasped Phil； scarcely able to believe his eyes as
he looked at the paper。 〃That's what the contract says； doesn't it？〃 〃Yes；
sir。〃 〃Then； that's what it is。 Traveling expenses and feed included。 You
are an easy keeper？〃 〃Well； I don't eat quite as much as a horse； if that's
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what you mean；〃 laughed Phil。 〃Huh！〃 After reading the contract through；
the lad affixed his signature to it with trembling hand。 It was almost too
good to be true。 〃Thank you； sir；〃 he said； laying the paper before Mr。
Sparling。 〃And now； my lad；〃 added the showman more mildly； 〃let me
give you some advice。 Some folks look upon circus people as rough and
intemperate。 That day's past。 When a man gets bad habits he's of no
further use in the circus business。 He closes mighty quick。 Remember
that。〃 〃Yes； sir。 You need not worry about my getting into any such
trouble。〃 〃I don't； or I wouldn't take you。 And another thing： Don't get it
into your head； as a good many show people do； that you know more
about running the business than the boss does。 He might not agree with
you。 It's a bad thing to disagree with the boss； eh？〃 〃I understand； sir。〃
〃You'd better。〃 〃What do you want me to do？ I don't know what I can do
to earn that salary； but I am willing to work at whatever you may put me
to〃 〃That's the talk。 I was waiting for you to come to that。 But leave
the matter to me。 You'll have a lot of things to do； after you get your
bearings and I find out what you can do best。 As it is； you have earned
your salary for the first season whether you do anything else or not。 You
saved the big cat and you probably saved my wife's life； but we'll let that
pass。 When can you join out？〃 〃I'm ready now； sir。 I shall want to go
home and get my things and my books。〃 〃Huh！ That's right。 Take your
time。 We shan't be pulling out of here till after midnight； so you'd better
go home and get ready。 You'll want to bid good…bye to Mrs。 CaCa
Cahill。〃 〃I wonder if there is anything that he doesn't know about；〃
marveled Phil。 〃Anything you want to ask me aboutany favor you'd like？
If there is； get it out。〃 〃Well； yes； there is； but I scarcely feel like asking it；
you have been so kind to me。〃 〃Shucks！〃 〃II have a little friend； who
who； like myself； has no parents and is crazy over the circus。 He wants
to be a circus man just as much as I do。 If you had a placeif you could
find something for him to do； I should appreciate it very much。〃 〃Who is
he； that youngster with the clown face； who crawled in under the tent this
afternoon？〃 Phil laughed outright。 〃I presume so。 That's the way he
usually gets in。〃 〃Where is he now？〃 〃Seeing the performance； sir。〃 〃Nail
him when he comes out。 We'll give him all the show he wants。〃 With
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profuse thanks Phil Forrest backed from the tent and walked rapidly
toward the entrance。 It seemed to him as if he were walking on air。 〃Let
that boy through。 He's with the show now
