the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第22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！
them to where they would find it。 〃The wagon isn't loaded yet。 You'll
have to wait half an hour or so；〃 he said。 They thanked him and went on in
the direction indicated； where they soon found that which they were in
79
… Page 80…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
search of。 〃I think we had better wait here until it is loaded；〃 advised Phil；
throwing himself down on the ground。 〃This having to hunt around over a
ten…acre lot for your bedroom every night isn't as much fun as you would
think； is it？〃 grinned Teddy。 〃Might be worse。 I have an idea we haven't
begun to experience the real hardships of the circus life。〃 And indeed
they had not。 Soon after that the wagon was loaded； and； bidding the
driver a cheery good night； the circus boys tumbled in and crawled under
the canvas。 They were awakened sometime before daylight by a sudden
heavy downpour of rain。 The boys were soaked to the skin； the water
having run in under the canvas until they were lying in a puddle of water。
There was thunder and lightning。 Phil scrambled out first and glanced up
at the driver； who； clothed in oilskins； was huddled on his seat fast asleep。
He did not seem to be aware that there was anything unusual about the
weather。 〃I wish I was home；〃 growled Teddy。 〃Well； I don't。 Bad as it is；
it's better than some other things that I know of。 I'll tell you what I'll do
I'll get rubber coats for us both when we get in in the morning。〃 〃Got the
money？〃 〃That's so。 I had forgotten that；〃 laughed Phil。 〃I never
thought that I should need money to buy a coat with。 We'll have to wait
until payday。 I wonder when that is？〃 〃Ask Mr。 Sparling。〃 〃No； I would
rather not。〃 〃All right； get wet then。〃 〃I am。 I couldn't be any more so
were I to jump in the mill pond at home；〃 laughed Phil。 Home！ It seemed
a long way off to these two friendless； or at least homeless； boys； though
the little village of Edmeston was less than thirty miles away。 The show
did not get in to the next town until sometime after daylight； owing to the
heavy condition of the roads。 The cook tent was up when they arrived
and the lads lost no time in scrambling from the wagon。 They did not
have to be thrown out this morning。 〃Come on；〃 shouted Phil； making a
run for the protection of the cook tent； for the rain was coming down in
sheets。 Teddy was not far behind。 〃I'm the coffee boy。 Where's the
coffee？〃 he shouted。 〃Have it in a few minutes；〃 answered the attendant
who had been so kind to them the previous morning。 〃Here； you boys；
get over by the steam boiler there and dry out your clothes；〃 he added；
noting that their teeth were chattering。 〃Wish somebody would pour a pail
of water over me；〃 shivered Teddy。 〃Water？ What for？〃 〃To wash the
80
… Page 81…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
rain off。 I'm soaked；〃 he answered humorously。 They huddled around the
steam boiler； the warmth from which they found very comforting in their
bedraggled condition。 〃I'm steaming like an engine；〃 laughed Phil； taking
off his coat and holding it near the boiler。 〃Yes； I've got enough of it in my
clothes to run a sawmill；〃 agreed Teddy。 〃How about that coffee？〃 〃Here
it is。〃 After helping themselves they felt much better。 Phil； after a time；
walked to the entrance of the cook tent and looked out。 The same bustle
and excitement as on the previous two days was noticeable everywhere；
and the men worked as if utterly oblivious of the fact that the rain was
falling in torrents。 〃Do we parade today？〃 called Phil； observing Mr。
Sparling hurrying past wrapped in oilskins and slouch hat。 〃This show
gives a parade and two performances a day； rain； shine； snow or
earthquake；〃 was the emphatic answer。 〃Come over to my tent in half an
hour。 I have something to say to you。〃 Phil ran across to Mr。 Sparling's
tent at the expiration of half an hour； but he was ahead of time evidently；
for the showman was not there。 Nice dry straw had been piled on the
ground in the little tent to take up the moisture； giving it a cosy；
comfortable look inside。 〃This wouldn't be a half bad place to sleep；〃
decided Phil； looking about him。 〃I don't suppose we ever play the same
town two nights in succession。 I must find out。〃 Mr。 Sparling bustled in
at this point； stripping off his wet oilskins and hanging them on a hook on
the tent pole at the further end。 〃Where'd you sleep？〃 〃In wagon No。 10。〃
〃Get wet？〃 〃Very。〃 〃Humph！〃 〃We dried out in the cook tent when we got
in。 It might have been worse。〃 〃Easily satisfied； aren't you？〃 〃I don't
know about that。 I expect to meet with some disagreeable experiences。〃
〃You won't be disappointed。 You'll get all that's coming to you。 It'll make
a man of you if you stand it。〃 〃And if I don't？〃 questioned Phil Forrest；
with a smile。 Mr。 Sparling answered by a shrug of the shoulders。 〃We'll
have to make some different arrangements for you；〃 he added in a slightly
milder tone。 〃Can't afford to have you get sick and knock your act out。
It's too important。 I'll fire some lazy； good…for…nothing performer out of a
closed wagon and give you his place。〃 〃Oh； I should rather not have you
do that； sir。〃 〃Who's running this show？〃 snapped the owner。 Phil made no
reply。 〃I am。 I'll turn out whom I please and when I please。 I've been in
81
… Page 82…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
the business long enough to know when I've got a good thing。 Where's
your rubber coat？〃 he demanded； changing the subject abruptly。 〃I have
none； sir。 I shall get an outfit later。〃 〃No money； I suppose？〃 〃Well； no；
sir。〃 〃Humph！ Why didn't you ask for some？〃 〃I did not like to。〃 〃You're
too modest。 If you want a thing go after it。 That's my motto。 Here's ten
dollars。 Go downtown and get you a coat； and be lively about it。 Wait a
minute！〃 as Phil； uttering profuse thanks； started away to obey his
employer's command。 〃Yes； sir。〃 〃About that act of yours。 Did you think
it out all yourself？〃 〃The idea was mine。 Of course the property man and
Mr。 Kennedy worked it out for me。 I should not have been able to do it
alone。〃 〃Humph！ Little they did。 They wouldn't have thought of it in a
thousand years。 Performers usually are too well satisfied with
themselves to think there's anything worthwhile except what they've been
doing since they came out of knickerbockers。 How'd you get the idea？〃 〃I
don't knowit just came to me。〃 〃Then keep on thinking。 That act is
worth real money to any show。 How much did I say I'd pay you？〃 〃Ten
dollars a week； sir。〃 〃Humph！ I made a mistake。 I won't give you ten。〃
Phil looked solemn。 〃I'll give you twenty。 I'd give you more； but it might
spoil you。 Get out of here and go buy yourself a coat。〃
82
… Page 83…
The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
CHAPTER XVI
HIS FIRST SETBACK
〃Thathank〃 〃Out with you！〃 Laughing； his face flushed with pride
and satisfaction； Phil did move。 Not even pausing to note what direction
he should go； he hurried on toward the village； perhaps more by instinct
than otherwise。 He was too full of this wonderful thing that had come to
himsuccessto take note of his surroundings。 To Phil there was no rain。
Though he already was drenched to the skin he did not know it。 All at once
he pulled himself up sharply。 〃Phil Forrest； you are getting excited；〃 he
chided。 〃Now； don't you try to make yourself believe you are the whole
show； for you are only a little corner of it。 You are not even a side show。
You are a lucky boy； but you are going to keep your head level and try to
earn your money。 Twenty dollars a week！ Why； it's wealth！ I can see
Uncle Abner shaking his stick when he hears of it。 I must write to Mrs。
Cahill and tell her the good news。 She'll be glad； though I'll warrant the
boys at home will be jealous when they hear about how I am getting on in
the world。〃 Thus talking to himself； Phil plodded on in the storm until he
reached the business part of the town。 There he found a store and soon
had provided himself with a serviceable rubber coat； a pair of rubber boots
and a soft hat。 He put on his purchases； doing up his shoes and carrying
them back under his arm。 The parade started at noon。 It was a dismal
affairthat is； so far as the performers were concerned； and the clowns
looked much more funny than they felt。 Mr。 Miaco enlivened the spirits of
those on the hayrack by climbing to the back of one of the horses
