rcus boys on the mississippi(密西西比河上的马戏团男孩)-第12部分
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CHAPTER IX
PHIL FORREST TO THE RESCUE
〃Catch Teddy！ Catch him！〃 shouted Mr。 Sparling。
〃The boy has gone into the river！〃 cried half a dozen voices at once。
〃No； the bull threw him toward the boat。 He may have shot right on
over and into the water or he may still be on the upper deck；〃 answered Mr。
Kennedy； as he plied his prod industriously； shouting his orders to the
other elephants that already were showing signs of restlessness。
By this time a boat had been launched from the dock； and half a dozen
men had gone in search of the lost gangway that was now floating slowly
down the river some distance away。
〃Ahoy； boat！〃 bellowed Mr。 Sparling。 〃Row around to the other side
and see if Tucker is in the river。〃
At the same time the owner of the show was running toward the
〃Marie。〃 He plunged into the mass of equipment on the lower deck；
lost his footing and went rolling under a lion's cage。 He was on his feet
and bounding up the stairs almost in the next second。
Just as he reached the upper deck he met Phil Forrest emerging from
the cabin； attracted by the uproar。
〃What's the matter； sir？〃
〃Teddy；〃 answered the showman shortly。
〃Oh； that boy again！ What is it？〃
〃Jupiter tossed him。〃
〃Where is he？〃
〃Maybe in the river。 Help me look for him up here。 They are
searching for him on the other side of the boat。〃
Phil started on a run along one side of the deck； Mr。 Sparling taking
the other side。
〃Here he is。 Ahoy； boat！ Go and get the gangway。 I have the boy
here；〃 called Mr。 Sparling。
Phil hurried over to where Mr。 Sparling was bending over Teddy； who
lay doubled up against the pilot house。
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〃Is he hurt？〃
〃I don't know。 I'll tell you when I get him untangled。 He seems to
be standing on his head。 Lucky if his neck isn't broken。〃
〃Teddy's neck is too tough to be easily broken。 I think he is merely
stunned；〃 said Phil。
The showman straightened the Circus Boy out； and Teddy suddenly sat
up； rubbing his head and neck gingerly。
〃Did January kick me？〃 he demanded wonderingly。
〃No； Jupiter threw you up here。 Are you hurt？〃
〃Hurt？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I'm worse than that。 I'm like the carpenter who swallowed a tape
measure。 I'm dying by inches。〃
Mr。 Sparling uttered an impatient exclamation。
〃Take care of him； Phil。 I must get back。 There is trouble down
there。〃
The showman hurried away； and Phil saw at once that his companion
had sustained a severe shock； but nothing of a serious nature。
〃You're all right； Teddy。 What is the trouble down there？〃
Teddy； still rubbing himself； explained what had happened。
Just then there came a call from below。
〃Oh； Phil！〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Can you come down here？〃
〃Of course。 What is it？〃
〃Mr。 Sparling wants you。〃
〃I'll be right there。〃
The lad； instead of taking the time to go down the companionway；
swung over the side of the boat and dropped lightly to the wharf。 Such is
the advantage of being a showman。
〃Mr。 Kennedy is having trouble with the bulls； Phil；〃 explained Mr。
Sparling。
〃Yes； so Teddy told me。〃
〃He thinks you may be able to suggest some way out of our
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difficulty。 Mr。 Kennedy has great confidence in your resourcefulness。〃
〃What have you done thus far？〃
Mr。 Sparling explained briefly； Phil giving close attention。
〃Have they found the gangplank yet？〃
〃Yes； they are towing it up to the dock now。〃
Phil waited until they had hauled the gangway up and put it in place。
〃Will you try her； so that I can see how she works； Mr。 Kennedy？〃
asked the lad after the gangway had been chained down so securely that
the elephant would have difficulty in ripping it loose。
Jupiter was just as stubborn as he had been before。 Phil observed
three or four showmen standing near him on the other side。
〃Please step back； all of you；〃 he said。 〃Mr。 Sparling； will you see
that no one comes near the elephants？ I'll see what I can do。 Back him
off； Mr。 Kennedy。〃
This done； Phil stepped back along the line until he came to the big
elephant Emperor。
〃Good old Emperor；〃 cried the Circus Boy soothingly。 〃Here's a
lump of sugar。〃
Emperor tucked the sugar far back in his pink mouth。 Then Phil；
taking hold of the trunk； petted it affectionately； next tucking it under his
arm。
〃Come along； old fellow。 You need not be afraid；〃 he said； starting
toward the ship； with Emperor following meekly and obediently。 At
the gangway he stopped and examined the passageway carefully。
〃Are you sure it is strong enough to support them； Mr。 Kennedy？〃
〃Yes； it will hold two at once。〃
〃Very well。〃
Once more Phil took hold of the trunk and led Emperor across and into
the boat； the elephant making no protest； though； knowing him as he did；
Phil saw that the animal was timid。 The beast's confidence in the little
Circus Boy overcame his fears； however。
Emperor got another lump of sugar as the result of his obedience。
〃See if Jupiter will follow；〃 called Phil。
Jupiter would not。
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Observing this； Phil swung Emperor around and led him to the dock。
〃What are you going to do？〃 asked Mr。 Sparling。
〃Perhaps nothing at all。 If Mr。 Kennedy failed I do not see how I
shall be able to accomplish anything。 Get Jupiter up to the gangway；
please。〃
This was done。
〃When I say the word； you give Jupiter the hook good and hard and
quick。 I'll promise you that something will happen。 See here； didn't I
tell you fellows to keep away from those elephants？〃 demanded the boy；
observing two figures edging up toward Emperor。
〃Clear the dock！〃 roared Mr。 Sparling。
A sudden thought seemed to strike Phil。 He left Emperor and stepped
around to the other side of the animal walking about and peering into the
faces of the people who now were standing back at a respectful distance。
Most of them proved to be villagers； with a few circus people sprinkled
among them。
〃Did you notice who those two men were who were standing on the
other side； Mr。 Sparling？〃 he asked in a low tone。
〃No； why？〃
〃I wanted to know。〃
〃Why do you ask that question？〃
〃Because I am suspicious of them； that's all。〃
Making sure that the dock was clear； Phil led Emperor up to Jupiter；
placing the former's head against the hips of the stubborn elephant。
〃Now！〃 he shouted； at the same time giving Emperor the signal to
push。
The big elephant threw all his great strength into a forward
movement。 Jupiter； taken off his guard； plunged across the gangplank；
with Emperor pushing him along； the former trumpeting wildly in his fear
and rage。 Another minute； and Jupiter was landed safely on the lower
deck of the 〃Fat Marie。〃
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CHAPTER X
ALL ABOARD FOR THE GULF！
Day was breaking。
Clouds of dense black smoke were rolling from the funnels of the
Sparling fleet； while steam was hissing from the overburdened safety
valves。
The show was ready for its start down the river。 The 〃Little Nemo〃
had already hoisted anchor and was drifting with the current awaiting the
signal to start her engines。
〃All ashore that's going；〃 sang a voice on each of the two boats lying
at the dock。
The boats' whistles broke out in three deafening； prolonged blasts
each。
〃Cast off！〃 bellowed the pilots。
Hawsers were hauled in and the distance between the dock and the
boats slowly widened。
〃We're off；〃 shouted Teddy； waving his hat joyously。
〃We will be more so； unless we get some sleep；〃 warned Phil。 〃I
would suggest that you and I turn in for a few hours。 We both need a
beauty sleep。〃
〃I don't；〃 answered Teddy promptly。
〃Think not？〃
〃No； sir。 I'm handsome enough as it is。 Even the fool donkey
stands aghast when he comes face to face with my surpassing beauty。〃
〃How about the elephants？〃 twinkled Phil。
〃Elephants don't count； at least not after twelve o'clock at night。〃
〃I move that we turn in just the same。 We will sleep until sometime
before noon； then we can get up and enj
