rcus boys on the mississippi(密西西比河上的马戏团男孩)-第21部分
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〃Get that pilot up here； if you have to drag him。 I don't know where
the channel is； and I am liable to put the whole outfit aground any
minute；〃 shouted Phil Forrest。 〃Teddy； never mind that idiotic donkey。
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We're in a fix。 Get downstairs； at one jump； and see that the pilot is
brought up here lively。〃
〃I'll fetch him。 You watch me；〃 answered the irrepressible Teddy；
starting off on a run。
January had all at once grown very meek。 He stood gazing
thoughtfully off over the river。
〃What is the trouble here？〃 roared Mr。 Sparling dashing up to the pilot
house at that moment。
〃That is exactly what I have been trying to find out；〃 answered the
Circus Boy。
〃What； _Phil？_〃
〃Yes； it's Phil。〃
〃What are you doing in there？〃
〃Steering the boat。〃
〃Piloting thewhere is the pilot？〃
〃Somewhere below。 I have sent Teddy after him。 You see； January
was trying to kick the pilot house off the boat and into the river。 The
pilot； thinking the animals had escaped； fled。 When I came up this craft
was traveling astern and January was making a sieve of this little house。
I have got the 'Marie' going forward； but I may run her aground if he
doesn't come along pretty soon。〃
Mr。 Sparling reached the companionway in two bounds； and； leaping
to the lower deck； caught the pilot by the coat collar； shaking off the two
circus men who had hold of Cummings。
〃You get up to that pilot house or you'll be in the worst fix in your
whole river career。〃 Mr。 Sparling accompanied the words with a violent
push that sent the pilot headlong toward the stairway。 But the showman
was by the fellow's side by the time he had gotten to his feet； and began
assisting him up the companionway； while Teddy Tucker followed；
prodding the pilot in the back with a clenched fist。
Into the pilot house they hurled the man； Cummings。
〃Now； you steer！ If it had not been for that boy we might have lost
our whole equipment。 I don't care anything about your old boat； but I'm
blest if I am going to let a fool pilot wreck usa pilot who is afraid of a
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donkey。〃
〃I'll quit this outfit tomorrow；〃 growled Cummings。 〃I kin pilot
steamers； but I can't fight a menagerie and a pack of boys with the very
Old Nick in them。 Get away from that wheel！〃 he commanded； thrusting
Phil aside。
Mr。 Sparling had him by the collar once more。
〃You do that again； and I'll take it out of you right here！〃 declared the
showman savagely。
〃I'll bet he's the fellow who stole my egg；〃 declared Teddy； eyeing the
pilot sternly。
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CHAPTER XVI
BETRAYED BY A SNEEZE
〃How did that beast get up here？〃 demanded Mr。 Sparling。
〃Who； Cummings？〃 asked Teddy innocently。
〃No； no！ The donkey。〃
〃Oh！ Maybe he came up through the smoke stack。 If you will look
at it you may find donkey tracks on the inside of the stack。〃
〃That will do； that will do； young man。〃
It was found upon investigation that January had gnawed his halter
until only a thin strand held it together； which was easy for the donkey to
break。 Then he began an investigation of the boat； ending by his
climbing the broad staircase and frightening the pilot。
Next morning the pilot house looked as though it had been through a
shipwreck。 The whole craft； in fact the entire fleet； was laughing at the
expense of Cummings； who now kept to himself； studiously avoiding the
other people。 January was tied up with a dog chain after that； and was
not heard from again during any trip of that season； that is； beyond his
regular acts in the sawdust arena。
The next day Phil Forrest began his investigation in earnest。 He
knew that Mr。 Sparling looked to him to discover who had caused so much
trouble in the show； besides which； Phil took a personal interest because of
the attempt that had been made on the lives of Little Dimples and himself。
Teddy suggested that he go through the pilot's belongings； expressing
the firm belief that they would find the ostrich egg were they to do so。
Phil consulted Little Dimples； that afternoon； as to her opinion of the
occurrences of the past week； but the star bareback rider could shed no
light on them； beyond the fact that certain people with whom Phil had had
difficulties might bear watching。
〃That's what I think；〃 answered the Circus Boy。 〃I do not like to
accuse anyone unjustly； but I have these suspicions of the Spanish clown。〃
〃Have you mentioned your suspicion to Mr。 Sparling； Phil？〃
〃No。〃
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〃Do you intend to do so？〃
〃Not unless I find some facts to support my suspicion。〃
〃You will get to the bottom of the mystery； I am sure；〃 smiled the
woman。
〃I am not so sure。 Why do you think so？〃
〃Because you are one of the cleverest boys I ever knew； that's why。 I
should hate to have you on my track if I were guilty of any particular
crime that you were trying to run down。 I should expect to land in jail；
and I think I should come straight to you and give myself up；〃 added the
woman with a merry laugh。
〃I wish I were all that you think I am； Dimples。〃
〃You are。 You saved my life again yesterday。 I'm going to pay
you back； however。 Someday； when you fall overboard； Little Dimples is
going to jump right in and rescue youhaul you out by the hair of your
head〃
〃You can't； it is cut too short。〃
〃Then I will pull you out by an ear。〃
〃I shall make it my business to fall in； then； at the first opportunity；〃
laughed Phil。 〃It would be worthwhile。〃
Dimples gave him a playful tap。
〃You can turn a compliment as well as you can do a turn in the ring；
can't you Phil Forrest？〃
Despite their narrow escape from serious accident； Phil and Dimples
went through their double act in the ring that day and evening with perfect
confidence。 Previous to going on； Phil had had a ring attendant go over
the sawdust circle on his hands and knees； making a careful examination
of it； to be sure that the ring had not been tampered with。
》From that time on until the act went on； the ring was watched； though
Phil did not believe the miscreant would attempt to lay another trap for
him so soon。 Still； he took nothing for granted。
That night after the performance； the air being warm and balmy； the
Circus Boy strolled out on the lot； sitting down on a little knoll to think
matters over。 There was plenty of time； for the boat would not leave for
two or three hours； and Phil wanted to be alone。
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Lights were twinkling on the lot like fireflies。 There was shouting
and singing； but little of this conveyed itself to Phil； for his mind was on
other things。
All at once he pricked up his ears。 He caught the sound of running
footsteps。
〃Someone is coming this way；〃 he muttered。 〃I wonder what that
means？ Surely none of the circus people would come here。 They
would go around by the road。〃
The lad concealed himself behind the knoll； peering over the top of it。
He resolved not to show himself until he had discovered the identity of the
newcomers。
They proved to be two men who halted a short distance beyond him；
and began to converse in guarded tones。 It was so dark that Phil could
scarcely distinguish their figures and their voices were pitched so low that
it was impossible for him to hear what they were saying。
〃This looks queer；〃 Phil muttered。 〃I wish I could hear what they are
talking about。 Perhaps they are town fellows who have been chased off
the lot because they were in the way。 At any rate； I'm going to try to find
out what they are up to。 Hello； they are coming right over here。〃
Phil crouched down behind the knoll and listened。 The men turned
slowly and came toward him。 All at once one of them stumbled on the
very knoll behind which he was secreted。
The man uttered a growl。
〃Come； sit down；〃 he said to his companion。
〃We better go on；〃 answered the other。
〃No hurry。 We've got all the time in the world。 If we miss the boat
we can swim。 That was a narrow escape。 In a minute more we'd had
that wagon fixed so they would never have got off
