rcus boys on the mississippi(密西西比河上的马戏团男孩)-第16部分
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pair to attract attention anywhere。
The spectators did not even dream that Little Dimples was a married
woman； with a son almost as old as Phil Forrest himself。
They kicked off their slippers； chalked their feet； then Phil assisted his
companion to the back of the horse。
The band struck up a lively tune； the ringmaster cracked his whip； and
Phil leaped to the back of the ring horse beside Dimples。
〃We are off；〃 smiled the lad。
〃I hope not；〃 laughed the woman happily。
Further conversation for the moment was interrupted； for the time
had arrived to begin their work in earnest。 The two threw themselves
into a series of graceful positions； neither very difficult nor very dangerous；
but to Mr。 Sparling； who was watching their performance from a seat
directly opposite to them； their work was more attractive than anything of
the kind he ever had seen。
The next time they started in； after the brief intermission； Phil and
Dimples varied their performance by leaping from the ring horse； then；
taking a running start； jumping to the back of the galloping animal。 Only
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once did Phil miss； and Dimples not at all。 She greeted his failure with a
merry laugh that goaded the lad to renewed efforts。
〃Have you forgotten how to jump？〃 teased Dimples。
〃I'll show you whether I have or not。 Keep him up close to the ring
curb and stand back as far as you can。〃
〃What are you going to do？〃 she questioned suspiciously。
〃Going to prove to you that I have not forgotten how to jump；〃
answered Phil； with determination。
〃Please don't do anything foolish；〃 warned the dainty rider。 〃It is too
early in the season to break your neck。 Just think what you would miss
were you to do so this earlythink what I should miss。 Come up here
and be sensiblethat's a good boy。〃
The ringmaster paid no attention to their chatter； which was in tones
too low for the audience to catch。
Phil placed the little jumping board in place； upon which the riders
step just as they are leaping to the back of the ring horses。 Then the lad
backed up。
〃Keep him up lively；〃 he said to the ringmaster。
All at once the lad started on a brisk run across the sawdust arena。
〃Yip！〃 encouraged Dimples。
〃Yip！ Yip！〃 answered Phil。
The lad leaped up into the air just as if he had been hurled there on
springs。 As he leaped his legs were curled up under him； and his working
mate saw that he was not going to land on the back of the horse at all。
Still she dared not speak to him； now。 She knew that to attract Phil's
attention at that moment might mean a bad fall for him； for a performer
must have his mind on his work when attempting any dangerous feat。
To the surprise of everyone who witnessed the act； Phil Forrest cleared
the back of the ring horse； fairly flying past the astonished eyes of Little
Dimples。
He landed lightly well outside of the ring curbing； on the soft turf。
The audience broke out into a roar of applause and a ripple of hand
clapping ran over the arena from the appreciative performers。 They
wholly forgot themselves in their surprise and approval of the feat。
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〃Wonderful！〃 breathed Mr。 James Sparling。 〃That boy is worth a
thousand dollars a week to any show。〃
〃Have I forgotten how to jump？〃 demanded the Circus Boy exultingly；
as the ring horse slowed down to a walk； Phil stepping along by the side of
it looking up into the eyes of Little Dimples。
〃Indeed you have not。 It was wonderful。 Don't you ever dare try it
again； however。 Why； suppose you had dropped on an iron tent stake？
You would have at least been disabled for life。〃
〃I presume I should have been。 I happened to know there were no
stakes where I landed。 I made sure of that before I made the leap。〃
〃You are a wise boy； even if an imprudent one。 We try the shoulder
stand next； do we not？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I haven't the routine in my mind yet。 Don't you dare let me fall。〃
〃Supposing we save the shoulder stand until the last。 Let's do the
somersault first；〃 suggested Phil。
〃Very well； I don't care。〃
The music started and the little couple began their work again。
Dimples sprang up to the hip of the Circus Boy； leaning far out to one
side； holding to one of Phil's hands； a very pretty though not perilous feat
for a sure…footed ride。
This they varied by throwing themselves into several different poses。
〃Now the turn；〃 breathed Phil。
He deftly lifted the little woman down to the horse just in front of
himself。 Having done so； Phil grasped Dimples firmly about the waist
with his strong； muscular young hands。
〃If you drop me I'll never speak to you again。〃
〃I shall not drop you。 You know the cue？〃
〃Yes。〃
The lad nodded to the ringmaster； indicating that the latter was to urge
the horse on to a faster gallop。
〃Now what are those two children going to do？〃 wondered the owner
of the show。 〃One is as daring as the other。 It's a wonder they have
gone along without knocking themselves out。 I believe they are going to
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do a turn。〃
That was exactly what they were preparing。 〃Now；〃 said Phil
sharply。
The pair rose from the back of the ring horse as one person。 They
leaped gracefully and deliberately into the air； doubled their legs under
them and performed one of the most graceful somersaults that had ever
been seen in the Sparling shows； landing lightly and surely on the resined
back of the old ring horse。
Dimples sat down； and Phil； dropping lightly to the ground； threw a
kiss to the audience。
The spectators； fully appreciating what had been done； went fairly
wild in their enthusiasm。
Mr。 Sparling was no less so。 In his excitement he forgot time and
place and ran into the ring； where he threw an arm about Phil Forrest；
giving him a fatherly hug。
Dimples pouted prettily。
〃That's what I call partiality；〃 she complained。
Mr。 Sparling promptly lifted her from the back of her horse； and
stood the blushing little performer on the sawdust by the side of Phil。
How the spectators did applaud； many standing up in their seats
waving hats and handkerchiefs in their excitement and enthusiasm！
Mr。 Sparling was always doing these little； intensely human things；
not with any idea of winning applause； but out of sheer big…heartedness。
They did much toward spreading the reputation of the Sparling show and
popularizing it as well。
〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 announced the showman when quiet had once
more been restored； 〃you will pardon me for interrupting the performance；
but as the owner of the show I want to say a few words on behalf of my
star performers； Little Dimples and Master Phil Forrest。〃
The audience interrupted him with a cheer。
〃The act which you have just witnessed is as great a surprise to me as
it could possibly have been to you。 It is the first time these two
performers ever attempted it in public。 I might say； also； that it is the first
time to my own knowledge that any performers in the world ever
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succeeded in getting away with a feat of that sort。 I thank you for your
approval。 The performance will now proceed。〃
After the applause which this little speech elicited had died away the
band once more began to play。
Phil and Dimples commenced a series of acts； jumping from and to the
back of the horse whose speed was increased for the purpose。
In the next rest Dimples called the attention of her associate to the
clown Diaz； who was not far from them at the moment。
Dimples had been in the show business so long that her intuition had
become very keen。 Nothing of consequence happened under the big top；
or beneath the low…roofed dressing tents； that she did not know of； or at
least surmise。 Especially keen was she in all matters relating to Phil
Forrest and Teddy Tucker； and her interest had in many instances served to
save the lads from unpleasant consequence。
〃I don't like that fellow； Phil；〃 Dimples remarked； referring to Diaz。
〃Why not？〃
〃I think he is a bad man。〃
〃I hope not。 He is impulsive and〃
〃Revengeful and ugly；〃 finished Dimples。
〃As I said； he is impulsive； like all of his race。〃
〃What has been going on wit
