the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第28部分
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know。 I read about them in the papers。 It's an attack that fellows
working in a tunnel get when they're digging under a river。 I don't want
anything like that。〃 〃No； no； no；〃 replied Mr。 Miaco in a tone of disgust。
〃It's no disease at all。〃 〃No？〃 〃What I mean by bends is exercises。 You
have seen the performers do itbend forward until their hands touch the
ground； legs stiff； then tipping as far backwards as possible。 Those are
bending exercises； and the best things to do。 The performers limber up
for their act that way。 If you practice it slowly several times a day you
will be surprised to see what it will do for you。 I'd begin today were I in
your place； Phil。 You'll find yourself a little stiff when you go on in your
elephant act tonight〃 〃I'm not going on tonightnot until tomorrow。 Mr。
Sparling doesn't wish me to。〃 〃All right。 All the better。 Exercise！ I
wouldn't begin on the rings today either。 Just take your bends； get steady
on your feet and start in in a regular； systematic way tomorrow；〃 advised
the head clown。 〃Thank you； Mr。 Miaco； I shall do so。 I am much
obliged to you。 You are very kind to us。〃 〃Because I like you； and because
you boys don't pretend to know more about the circus business than men
who have spent their lives in it。〃 〃I hope I shall never be like that；〃
laughed Phil。 〃I know I shall always be willing to learn。〃 〃And there
always is something to learn in the circus life。 None of us knows it all。
There are new things coming up every day；〃 added the clown。 Phil left the
dressing tent to go around to the menagerie tent for a talk with Mr。
Kennedy and Emperor。 Entering the tent the lad gave his whistle signal；
whereat Emperor trumpeted loudly。 The big elephant greeted his young
friend with every evidence of joy and excitement。 Phil； of course； had
brought Emperor a bag of peanuts as well as several lumps of sugar； and it
was with difficulty that the lad got away from him after finishing his chat
with Mr。 Kennedy。 Phil was making a round of calls that afternoon； so he
decided that he would next visit Mr。 Sparling； having seen him only a
moment； and that while others were around。 〃May I come in？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； what do you want？〃 〃To thank you for your kindness。〃 〃Didn't I tell
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you never to thank me for anything？〃 thundered the showman。 〃I beg your
pardon； sir； I'll take it all back；〃 twinkled Phil。 〃Oh； you will； will you；
young scapegrace？ What did you come here for anyway？ Not to
palaver about how thankful you are that you got knocked out； stayed a
week in bed and had your salary paid all the time。 I'll bet you didn't
come for that。 Want a raise of salary already？〃 〃Hardly。 If you'll give
me a chance； I'll tell you； Mr。 Sparling。〃 〃Go on。 Say it quick。〃 〃I have
been thinking about the fall I got； since I've been laid up。〃 〃Nothing else to
think about； eh？〃 〃And the more I think about it； the more it bothers me。〃
〃Does； eh？〃 grunted Mr。 Sparling； busying himself with his papers。 〃Yes；
sir。 I don't suppose it would be possible for me to get the broken wire
now； would it？ No doubt it was thrown away。〃 The showman peered up
at the boy suspiciously。 〃What do you want of it？〃 〃I thought I should like
to examine it。〃 〃Why？〃 〃To see what had been done to it。〃 〃Oh； you do；
eh？〃 〃Yes； sir。〃 〃What do you think happened to that wire？ It broke；
didn't it？〃 〃Yes； I guess there is no doubt about it but somebody helped to
break it。〃 〃Young man； you are too confoundedly smart。 Mark my words；
you'll die young。 Yes； I have the wire。 Here it is。 Look at it。 You are
right； something happened to it； and I've been tearing myself to pieces；
ever since； to find out who it was。 I've got all my amateur sleuths working
on the case； this very minute； to find out who the scoundrel is who cut the
wire。 Have you any idea about it？ But there's no use in asking you。 I〃
〃I've got this；〃 answered Phil； tossing a small file on the table in front of
Mr。 Sparling。 〃What； what； what？ A file？〃 〃Yes； will you see if it fits the
notch in the wire there？〃 The showman did so； holding file and wire up to
the light for a better examination of them。 〃There can be no doubt of it；〃
answered the amazed showman； fixing wondering eyes on the young man。
〃Where did you get it？〃 〃Picked it up。〃 〃Where？〃 〃In the dressing tent。〃
〃Pooh！ Then it doesn't mean anything；〃 grunted Mr。 Sparling。 〃If you
knew where I picked it up you might think differently。〃 〃Then where
_did_ you get it？〃 〃Found it in my own trunk。〃 〃In your trunk？〃 Phil
nodded。 〃How did it get there？〃 〃I had left my trunk open after placing
some things in it。 When I went out to watch Teddy's mule act I was in
such a hurry that I forgot all about the trunk。 When I came back； there it
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lay； near the end〃 〃Somebody put it there！〃 exploded the showman。
〃Yes。〃 〃But who？ Find that out for melet me know who the man is and
you'll hear an explosion in this outfit that will raise the big top right off the
ground。〃 〃Leave it to me； Mr。 Sparling； I'll find him。〃 The owner laughed
harshly。 〃How？〃 〃I think I know who the man is at this very minute；〃 was
Phil Forrest's startling announcement； uttered in a quiet； even tone。 Mr。
Sparling leaped from his chair so suddenly that he overturned the table in
front of him； sending his papers flying all over the place。
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CHAPTER XXI
AN ELEPHANT IN JAIL
〃Who is he？〃 〃I would not care to answer that question just now； Mr。
Sparling；〃 answered Phil calmly。 〃It would not be rightthat is； not until
I am sure about it。〃 〃Tell me； or get out。〃 〃Remember； Mr。 Sparling； it is a
serious accusation you ask me to make against a man on proof that you
would say was not worth anything。 It may take some time； but before I get
through I'm going either to fasten the act on someoneon a particular one…
…or else prove that I am wholly mistaken。〃 The showman stormed； but Phil
was obdurate。 He refused to give the slightest intimation as to whom he
suspected。 〃Am I to go； Mr。 Sparling？〃 he asked after the interview had
come to an end。 〃No！ I expect you'll own this show yet。〃 He watched
Phil walking away from the tent。 There was a scowl on the face of James
Sparling。 〃If I thought that young rascal really thought he knew； I'd take
him across my knee and spank him until he told me。 No； he's more of a
man than any two in the whole outfit。 I'd rather lose a horse than have
anything happen to that lad。〃 Days followed each other in quick
succession。 The show had by this time swung around into Pennsylvania；
and was playing a circuit of small mining towns with exceptionally good
attendance。 The owner of the show was in high good humor over the
profits the show was earning。 The acts of Phil Forrest and Teddy Tucker
had proved to be among the best drawing cards in the circus performance
proper。 So important did the owner consider them that the names of the
two circus boys were now prominently displayed in the advertisements； as
well as on the billboards。 During all this time； Phil and Teddy had worked
faithfully on the rings under the instruction of Mr。 Miaco。 On the side
they were taking lessons in tumbling as well。 For this purpose what is
known as a 〃mechanic〃 was used to assist them in their schooling。 This
consisted of a belt placed about the beginner's waist。 》From it a rope led
up over a pulley； the other end of the rope being securely held by someone。
When all was ready the pupil would take a running start； jump into the air
and try to turn。 At the same time； the man holding the free end of the
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rope would give it a hard pull； thus jerking the boy free of the ground and
preventing his falling on his head。 After a few days of this； both boys had
progressed so far that they were able to work on a mat； made up of several
layers of thick carpet； without the aid of the 〃mechanic。〃 Of course their
act lacked finish。 Their movements were more or less clumsy； but they
had mastered the principle of the somersault in remarkably quick time。 Mr。
Miaco said that in two more weeks they ought to be able to join the
performers in their general tumbling act； which was one of the features of
the show。 There was not an hour of the day that found the two boys idle；
now； and all this activity was viewed by Mr。 Sparling with an app
