rcus boys on the mississippi(密西西比河上的马戏团男孩)-第3部分
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〃Was there any excuse for his pitching into you in this manner？〃
〃Well；〃 laughed Phil； 〃perhaps the situation did not demand exactly
that sort of treatment。〃
〃How did you come to let him get you so easily？〃
〃I fell over something。〃
〃Oh； that's it？〃
〃Yes。 I wasn't trying to hit him。 I could have done so easily； but I
felt that I was in the wrong。〃
〃Humph！〃 grunted the head clown。 Then he turned to Diaz。
〃See here； you fellow！〃
〃What you want？〃 demanded Diaz in a surly tone。
〃I want to advise you to let those boys alone in the future。 They have
been with this show a long time； and they are highly thought of by Mr。
Sparling。 Were he to hear what you have done tonight I rather think you
would pack your trunk and quit right here。 I shall not tell him。 Next
time I see you doing any such thing you will have to answer to me。 I'm
the head clown here； and I won't stand for one of my men pitching on a
boy。〃
Teddy was chuckling to himself over the severe rebuke that Miaco was
administering to his clown。
〃Do you boys intend going on tonight？〃 Miaco demanded suddenly；
turning on Teddy。
〃Certainly；〃 answered Phil。
〃Then I should advise you to be getting into your makeups。〃
〃Why； what time is it？〃
〃A quarter to eight。〃
〃Whew！ Come on； Teddy。〃
A few moments more and peace had been restored in the dressing tent；
though Diaz was muttering to himself as he laid the powder over his face；
preparatory to his first entry into the ring。
〃I am afraid we have not heard the last of Diaz； Teddy；〃 confided Phil
to his companion。 〃You see what your moment of thoughtlessness has
brought upon us； don't you？〃
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〃You didn't have to mix in the row。 I could have handled him。〃
〃I am forced to admit that you are right。 I sought to avoid trouble and
I was the direct cause of a lot of it。 There goes the first call。 Hurry up！〃
The Circus Boys had； indeed； made an enemy。 It was noticed；
however； that Manuel； the assistant of Diaz； had taken no part in the row。
The young man had calmly proceeded with his making up without
appearing to take the slightest interest in the affair。 Whether or not his
apparent indifference was merely assumed was not known。
The two boys were not performing on the flying rings this season。
They had retained all their other acts； however； though the star act was the
flying trapeze； in which Phil Forrest was now one of the leading
performers。
Teddy rode his donkey； January； took part in the ground tumbling；
acted as shadow again for the clown Shivers； besides making himself
generally useful in some of the other acts。
As for Phil's bareback riding； he occupied the center ring in this act； as
he had done the season before。 He had come to be perhaps the most
useful man with the Sparling show。
〃I advise you to look out for that fellow。 He is a dangerous
customer；〃 warned Miaco under his breath； as Phil sat down on his horse
during a rest in the performance。
The Circus Boy nodded his understanding； but appeared little
disturbed at Miaco's warning。 Like the seasoned circus man that he was；
he had learned to take things as they came； making the best of every
situation when he came face to face with it。
Diaz and his assistant were entering the ring as Phil left it。 They
began throwing their hats； winning great applause； for their act was a
clever one of its kind。 At about the same time； Teddy Tucker and January
came on； the Circus Boy howling； January braying and bucking； beating
the air with his heels； for he had been taught some entirely new tricks
during the winter。
The ringmaster held up his hand for silence。
〃Ladies and gentlemen； let me introduce to you； January。 As
January is the first month of the year； so is this January first in the donkey
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The Circus Boys On the Mississippi
world。 You will observe how docile and kind he appears。 Yet； ladies
and gentlemen； the management of this show will give a hundred dollars
to any person who can stick on his back for a full minuteonly sixty
seconds； ladies and gentlemen。 Do you know of any easier or faster
way to make money？ Six thousand dollars an hour if you stay that long。
Who will be the first to earn the money？〃
It was the first time the announcement had been made from the ring。
Mr。 Sparling had given his consent； even though he had not seen the act。
He had； however； observed Teddy engaged in a tussle with the beast that
afternoon； and could readily understand that what Teddy told him about
January's contrariness was not overdrawn。
A colored man came down from the audience； and； throwing off his
coat； announced his intention of riding the mule。
January appeared to have no objection； permitting the colored man to
get on his back without offering the least opposition。 To Teddy； who
stood in front of the animal； grinning； there was a glint in the eye of the
mule that spelled trouble for the colored man。
Suddenly January reared； then as quickly tipped the other way until it
appeared to the spectators as if he were standing on his head。
The rider suddenly landed on his back in the sawdust。
〃The gentleman loses；〃 announced the ringmaster。 〃Is there any other
gentleman in the audience who thinks he can earn one hundred dollars a
minutesix thousand dollars an hour？〃
No one appeared to be anxious to make the attempt。
Manuel； in the meantime； had drawn closer； paying strict attention to
the words of the ringmaster。
〃You give money for riding the burro？〃 questioned the little Spaniard。
〃Burro？ This is no Mexican burro； this is a donkey！〃 sniffed Teddy
contemptuously。
The ringmaster instantly scented an opportunity to have some fun； and
at the same time make the audience laugh。 He glanced about to see if Mr。
Sparling were under the big top； and not seeing him； instantly decided to
take a long chance。
〃Do you think you can ride January； sir？〃
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〃I ride burro。〃
〃Very well； it is your privilege to do so if you can。 Ladies and
gentlemen； this clown has never before attempted this feat。 He thinks
he can ride the donkey。 If he succeeds he will receive the reward offered
by the management of the show； just the same as you would have done
had you performed the feat。〃
Teddy stroked January's nose； then leaning over； the Circus Boy
whispered in the animal's ear。
〃January；〃 he said； 〃you've got a solemn duty to perform。 If you
shirk it you are no longer a friend of mine； and you get no more candy
understand？ No more candy。〃
January curled his upper lip ever so little and brayed dismally。
〃That's right； I knew you would agree to the sentiment。〃
〃Get away from his head； Master Teddy。 The Spanish clown is about
to distinguish himself；〃 announced the ringmaster。
Manuel was an agile little fellow。 While the announcement was
being made he had been taking mental measurement of the beast and
deciding upon his course of action。
Ere Teddy had stepped back the Spaniard took a running start； and；
with a leap； landed fairly on the back of the donkey。
The latter； taken by surprise； cleared the ground with all four feet and
bucked； but the rider had flung his arms about the donkey's neck； clinging
with both feet to the beast's body； grimly determined to win that hundred
dollars or die in the attempt。
〃Go it； January；〃 encouraged Teddy。 〃Give it to him！ Soak him
hard！〃
January stood on his hind feet； then on his head； as it were； but still the
Spaniard clung doggedly。
By this time the donkey had begun to get angry。 He had been taken
an unfair advantage of and he did not like it。 Suddenly he launched into
a perfect volley of kicks； each kick giving the rider such a violent jolt that
he was rapidly losing his hold。
〃Keep it up！ Keep it up！ You've got him！〃 exulted the Circus Boy。
The audience was howling with delight。
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〃There he goes！〃 shrieked Teddy。
Manuel； now as helpless as a ship without a rudder； was being buffeted
over the back of the plunging animal。
Manuel was yelling in his native language； but if anyone underst
