the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第31部分
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Down came half a dozen of the light studdings that supported the roof on
that side。 By this time Emperor had worked himself into a fine temper。 He
turned his attention to the other side of the shop with similar disastrous
results。 The interior of the blacksmith shop was a wreck。 It could not
have been in much worse condition had it been struck by a cyclone。 All of
a sudden the elephant threw his whole weight against the big sliding door。
It burst out with a report like that of a cannon。 Emperor came staggering
out into the open。 There he paused； with twitching ears and curling trunk；
peering into the darkness in search of Phil Forrest。 Phil recovered from his
surprise sufficiently to realize what had happened and that old Emperor
was free once more。 The lad uttered a shrill whistle。 Emperor responded
by a piercing scream。 He then whirled； facing up the road in Phil's
direction； though unable to see the lad。 Once more the boy whistled。
Emperor was off in a twinkling。 〃Steady； steady； Emperor！〃 cautioned the
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lad； as he saw the huge hulk bearing swiftly down on him。 〃Easy； old
boy！〃 But the elephant did not lessen his speed one particle。 Phil felt
sure； however； that he himself would not be harmed。 He knew Emperor
too well。 With perfect confidence in the great animal； the lad threw both
hands above his head； standing motionless in the center of the street right
in the path of the oncoming beast。 〃Steady； steady； steady！〃 cautioned Phil。
〃Now up； Emperor！〃 The elephant's long； sinuous trunk uncurled； coiled
about the lad's waist and the next instant Phil felt himself being lifted to
the big beast's head。 〃I've got him！〃 shouted Phil； carried away by the
excitement of the moment。 〃Now； go it！ Emperor！ Go faster than you
ever have since you chased lions in the jungle。〃 And Emperor did go it！
As he tore down the village street he woke the echoes with his shrill
trumpetings； bringing every man and woman in the little village tumbling
from their beds。 〃The elephant is escaping！〃 cried the people； as they
threw up their windows and gazed out。 As they looked they saw a huge；
shadowy shape hurling itself down the street； whereat they hastily
withdrew their heads。 In a few moments the men of the village came
rushing out； all running toward the blacksmith shop to learn what had
happened there。 There followed a perfect pandemonium of yells when
they discovered the wrecked condition of the place。 In the meantime Phil
had guided Emperor into the road that led to the show grounds of the
previous day。 The elephant was about to turn into the lot； when a sharp
slap from his rider caused him to swing back into the highway on the trail
of the wagons that had passed on some hours before。 Once he had fairly
started Emperor followed the trail； making the turns and following the
twists of the road as unerringly as an Indian follows the trail of his enemy。
〃Hurrah！〃 shouted Phil； after they had got clear of the village。 〃I've won；
I've won！ But； oh； won't there be a row back there when they find out
what has happened； I wonder if they will follow us。〃 The thought startled
him。 〃If they do they are liable to arrest me； believing that I let him out。
_Go it；_ Emperor！ Go faster！〃 Emperor flapped his ears in reply and
swung off at an increased gait。 The darkness of early morn was soon
succeeded by the graying dawn； and Phil felt a certain sense of relief as he
realized that day was breaking。 On they swept； past hamlets； by farm
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houses； where here and there men with milkpails in hand paused； startled；
to rub their eyes and gaze upon the strange outfit that was rushing past
them at such a pace。 Phil could not repress a chuckle at such times； at
thought of the sensation he was creating。 The hours drew on until seven
o'clock had arrived； and the sun was high in the heavens。 〃I must be
getting near the place；〃 decided Phil。 He knew he was on the right road；
for he could plainly see the trail of the wagons and of the stock in the dust
of the road before him。 〃Yes； there is some sort of a village way off yonder。
I wonder if that is it？〃 A fluttering flag from the top of a far away center…
pole； which he caught sight of a few minutes later； told the boy that it was。
〃Hurrah！〃 shouted Phil； waving his hat on high。 At that moment a distant
chorus of yells smote his ears。 The lad listened intently。 The shout was
repeated。 Holding fast to the headstall； he glanced back over the road。
There； far to his rear； he discovered a cloud of dust； which a few minutes
later resolved itself into a party of horsemen； riding at top speed。 〃They're
after me！ Go faster！ Go faster！〃 shouted the lad。 As he spoke a rifle
cracked somewhere behind him； but as Phil heard no bullet the leaden
missile must have fallen far short of the mark。
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The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
CHAPTER XXIII
THE MYSTERY SOLVED
As he neared the village Phil began to shout and wave his hat。 After a
time his shouts attracted the attention of some of the people on the circus
lot； which was on his side of the village。 〃It's Emperor coming back！〃
cried someone。 〃There's somebody on him；〃 added another。 〃I'll bet the
day's receipts that it's that rascally Phil Forrest；〃 exclaimed Mr。 Sparling；
examining the cloud of dust with shaded eyes。 〃How in the world did it
ever happen？ I've been hunting all over the outfit for that boy this
morning。 Young Tucker said he thought Phil had remained behind； and I
was afraid something had happened to the boy or that he had skipped the
show。 I might have known better。 What's that back of him？〃 〃Somebody
chasing them； boss；〃 a tentman informed him。 〃And they're going to catch
old Emperor sure。〃 〃Not if I know it；〃 snapped Mr。 Sparling。 _〃Hey；
Rube！〃_ he howled。 Canvasmen； roustabouts； performers and everybody
within reach of his voice swarmed out into the open； armed with clubs；
stones and anything they could lay their hands upon。 〃There's a posse
trying to catch Phil Forrest and old Emperor。 Get a going！ Head them off
and drive them back！〃 Every man started on a run； some leaping on horses；
clearing the circus lot； riding like so many cowboys。 As they approached
the lad perched on the bobbing head of the elephant the showmen set up a
chorus of wild yells； to which Phil responded by waving his hat。 He tried
to stand up on Emperor's head； narrowly missing a tumble； which he
surely would have taken had not the elephant given him quick support
with the ever…handy trunk。 〃They're shooting at me；〃 cried Phil； as he
swept by the showmen。 〃Line up！〃 commanded Mr。 Sparling。 His men
stretched across the highway； with the mounted ones in front； his infantry
behind。 Soon the horsemen of the pursuing party came dashing up and
brought their horses to a sudden stop。 〃What do you want？〃 〃We demand
the turning over of the elephant which one of your men stole from us。
They've wrecked the blacksmith shop and there'll be a pretty bill of
damages to pay！ Come now； before we take you back with us。〃 Mr。
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Sparling grinned。 〃Perhaps you don't know that you are in the State of
Ohio at the present moment； eh？ If you'll take my advice you'll turn
about and get home as fast as horseflesh will carry you。 My lawyer will
be in your town today； and he will arrange for the payment of all just
damages。 We decline to be robbed； however。 We've got the elephant
and we're going to keep him。〃 〃And we're going to have the boy that broke
in and released him。〃 〃Ho； ho； ho！〃 laughed Mr。 Sparling jovially。 〃I
guess you'll have the liveliest scrimmage you ever had in all your lives if
you attempt to lay hands on that boy。 Come； now； get out of here！ If you
attempt to raise the slightest disturbance I'll have the bunch of you in the
cooler； and we'll be the boys to put you there if the town officials don't act
quickly enough。〃 〃Boys； I guess it's up to us；〃 decided the leader of the
party。 〃Looks that way。〃 〃Then what do you say if we stop and see the
show？〃 〃Good idea！〃 〃I don't care how many of you go to the show； but；
mark me；
