rcus boys on the mississippi(密西西比河上的马戏团男孩)-第4部分
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Manuel was yelling in his native language； but if anyone understood
what he was saying； that one gave no heed。 Teddy； on the other hand；
was urging January with taunt and prod of the ringmaster's whip。
Suddenly the Spanish clown was bounced over the donkey's rump；
landing on the animal's hocks。 It was January's momentthe moment he
had been cunningly waiting and planning for。 The donkey's hoofs shot
up into the air with the clown on them。 The hoofs were quickly drawn
back； but the Spanish clown continued right on； sailing through the air like
a great gaudy projectile。
The audience yelled its approval。
Manuel landed with a crash in the midst of the lower grandstand seats。
A second later there was a mix…up that required the united services of a
dozen ring attendants to straighten out。
In the meantime； Teddy Tucker was rolling on the ground near the
center pole； howling with delight； while January； with lowered head； was
trotting innocently toward the paddock。
The ringmaster's whistle trilled for the next act； and the show went on
with its characteristic dash and sprightliness。
However； Teddy Tucker's plan to get one of the Spanish hat…
throwing clowns into trouble had been an entire success。 He had
succeeded； also； in making another bitter enemy for the Circus Boys。
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CHAPTER III
A DAY OF MEMORIES
Mr。 Sparling； the owner of the show； had been a witness of the latter
part of Teddy's act。 The showman was standing over near the entrance to
the menagerie tent when Manuel took his unexpected flight； and the
proprietor sat down on the grass； laughing until the tears started from his
eyes。
The act had been a breach of discipline； so Mr。 Sparling prudently kept
himself out of sight until the show had progressed further。
Later in the evening he chanced to pass Teddy out in the paddock。
〃Well； my lad； how is January working tonight？〃 he asked； with a
twinkle in his eyes。
〃Never better； sir； thank you。〃
〃I presume he obeys your commands perfectly； eh？〃
〃Does everything I tell him to； Mr。 Sparling。 I can do anything with
that donkey。 Why； I could wink at him and make him kick your head off。
I〃
〃I'll take your word for it； young manI'll take your word for it。 Let
me warn you to be careful that you do not tell him to do anything that will
interfere with the programme。 We must have our acts clean cut； and
embodying nothing that has not been arranged for in advance。 Do you
understand？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 answered Teddy； giving the owner a keen； inquiring glance。
〃I'll bet he saw that；〃 mused the lad。 〃He's letting me off easy
because he had to laugh； just the same as the rest of the people did。〃
〃What did Mr。 Sparling have to say？〃 questioned Phil； who had
emerged from the dressing tent just as Teddy was walking away from the
showman。
Teddy told him。
〃You got off pretty easy； I must say。 It is a wonder he did not
discipline you for that。〃
〃Do you think he saw Manuel fly？〃
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〃He did； or else someone told him。 Be careful； Teddy！ You are
laying up trouble for all of us；〃 warned Phil。
〃I got even with Mr。 Hat Thrower； just the same；〃 grinned Tucker。
Teddy was the happiest boy in the show that night； and he went to his
sleeping quarters chuckling all the way。
The show； this season； had opened in Chicago； and was now working
its way across the state of Illinois。 The route had caused considerable
comment among the show people。 They did not understand what the
plans of the owner might be。
Ordinarily； give a showman the first week or two of the show's route
and he will tell you just what parts of the country the show will visit
during that particular season。 The performers were unable to do so in
this instance。 Phil Forrest was as much perplexed as the others； but he
made no mention of this to Mr。 Sparling。
〃He has some surprise up his sleeve； I am sure；〃 decided Phil
shrewdly。
The next morning Phil asked Mr。 Miaco； the head clown； if he knew
where they were going。
〃I do not；〃 answered the clown。 〃This route has kept me guessing。
Boss Sparling may be headed for Australia for all I know。 He's just as
likely to go there as anywhere else。 Has the Spaniard bothered you
since that mix…up？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； keep away from him。 That is my advice。〃
〃I shall not bother him。 You may depend upon that； Mr。 Miaco。 I
can't say as much for Teddy。〃
〃Teddy put up that job with January last night； didn't he？〃
〃He hasn't said so。〃
〃Not necessary。 I saw the whole thing。 Lucky for Teddy that Mr。
Sparling did not happen to be about。〃
〃I am not so sure that he was not。〃
〃What？〃
Phil explained what Mr。 Sparling had said to Teddy out in the
paddock。
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〃Yes； he saw it all right； but I guess he doesn't know about the trouble
in the dressing tent yesterday。〃
〃No； I think not。 I hope he does not hear of it； either。 I do not wish
Mr。 Sparling to think that I am a troublemaker； or that I was mixed up in
an unseemly row in the dressing tent。 I should feel very much humiliated
were I to be called to account for a thing like that。 What are all those
flags flying for in town today？〃
〃Don't you know？〃
〃No； I don't。〃
〃You don't know what day this is？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃This is Decoration Day。〃
〃Oh； that's so。〃
〃We lose all track of days in the show business。 I'll wager you do not
even know what town we are performing in today；〃 laughed the clown。
〃I shall have to confess that I do not。〃
〃I thought so。 Of course you know we are in the state of Illinois？〃
〃Yes； I think I have heard something to that effect；〃 grinned Phil。
By the time the boys had eaten their breakfast； and had strolled over
toward the tents； they found the dressing tents in place and the performers
busily engaged in unpacking their belongings； hanging their costumes on
lines stretched across the dressing tent； and making such repairs in the
costumes as were found to be necessary； for a showman must be handy
with the needle as well as with bar and trapeze。
Phil's trunk was next to that of Diaz。 The Circus Boy did not mind
this at all； but the clown appeared to feel a continual resentment at the fact。
〃Good morning； Mr。 Diaz；〃 greeted the lad； with a sunny smile。
〃Shall we shake hands and be friends？〃
Diaz glared at him； but made no reply。 He did not even appear to
have observed the hand that was extended toward him。
〃I am sorry you feel that way about it； sir。 If I was hasty I beg you
will forgive me；〃 urged Phil。
Diaz turned his back on him。
〃Very well； sir；〃 said the Circus Boy； a little proudly and with slightly
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heightened color； 〃I shall not trouble you again。〃
Phil turned away and began unpacking his trunk； giving no further
heed to the sullen clown。
〃The Honorable Mr。 Diaz says 'nix；'〃 laughed Teddy； who had been an
amused witness to the one…sided conversation； the word 〃nix〃 being the
circus man's comprehensive way of saying； 〃I refuse。〃
〃Don't stir him up； Teddy；〃 warned Phil。
〃Say； what's going on over in the women's dressing tent？〃
〃I did not know that anything out of the ordinary was happening
there；〃 said Phil。 〃Why？〃
〃I see a lot of folks going in and out。〃
〃Nothing unusual about that； I guess。〃
〃Yes； there is。〃
〃What makes you think so？〃
〃 'Cause they're carrying flowers in and making a great fuss。 I'm
going over to find out。 Come along？〃
〃No； thank you。 You had better keep out。 You know you are not
supposed to go in the other dressing tent。〃
Teddy was not disturbed by the warning。 He turned and started for
the women's dressing tent； where he saw several of the other performers
passing through the entrance。 Phil； who had stepped to the door of his
own dressing tent； observed the same thing。
〃I guess there must be something going on over there。 I shall have to
find out what it means；〃 he thought。
〃May I come in； Mrs。 Waite？〃 called Phil from the entrance。
〃Sure。 Come in Phil；〃 smiled the wardr
