rcus boys on the mississippi(密西西比河上的马戏团男孩)-第5部分
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〃May I come in； Mrs。 Waite？〃 called Phil from the entrance。
〃Sure。 Come in Phil；〃 smiled the wardrobe woman。
Teddy had not wasted the breath to ask permission to enter； but the
moment he stepped inside something caught his eyes； causing them to
open a little wider。
Two trunks had been drawn up in the center； over them was thrown an
American flag。 At one end a flag on a standard had been planted； and on
the trunks； flowers and wreaths had been placed。
〃What's that thing？〃 asked Teddy。
〃That is my grave； Master Teddy；〃 answered Mrs。 Waite in a low tone。
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〃Your grave？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Pshaw！ That's a funny kind of grave。 What's buried thereyour
pet poodle？〃
〃Teddy！ Teddy！〃 whispered Phil reprovingly。
〃Go 'way。 This is some kind of a joke；〃 growled Teddy。
〃It is not a joke； though I do not understand the meaning of it just yet。
You say this is your grave； Mrs。 Waite？〃 asked Phil。
〃Yes； Phil。 You know my husband was a soldier？〃
〃No； I did not know that； Mrs。 Waite。 Will you tell me all about it？〃
Phil was deeply interested now。
〃My husband was killed at the battle of Gettysburg。 He lies in
Woodlawn Cemetery。 I am never at home on Decoration Day。 I am
always on the road with the circus； so I cannot decorate the real grave。〃
〃I understand；〃 breathed the Circus Boy。
〃Being unable to decorate my husband's real grave； I carry my grave
with me。 Each Memorial Day morning I prepare my grave here in the
dressing tent； and decorate it as you see here； and all my friends of the
circus are very good and thoughtful on that occasion。〃
〃How long have you been with the showhow many years have you
been decorating this little property grave； Mrs。 Waite？〃 asked Phil。
〃Thirty years； Phil。〃
〃Is it possible？〃
〃Yes； and it seems no more than two。〃
〃Do you intend remaining with the show much longeraren't you ever
going to retire？〃
〃Yes。 I am going to retire。 I am getting old。 I have laid up enough
money to keep me for the rest of my life； and I am going to take a rest
after two years more with this outfit。〃
〃I am afraid you will miss the show；〃 smiled the lad。
〃I know I shall。 I shall miss the life； the color； and I shall miss my
boys and my girls。 I love them all very much。〃
One after another； the women of the circus had come in to the dressing
tent； depositing their little floral remembrances on the property grave
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while Mrs。 Waite was talking。
Teddy； as soon as he fully comprehended the meaning of the scene；
had slipped out。 In a little while he returned。 He brought with him a
bunch of daisies that he had gathered on the circus lot。 These he had tied
with a soiled pink ribbon that he had ripped from one of his ring costumes。
Phil saw the daisies； and； noting their significance； smiled
approvingly。
〃Teddy has a heart； after all；〃 was his mental comment。
Teddy Tucker proceeded to the flag…draped grave； gently placed his
offering upon it； then turned away。
As he did so； he was observed to brush a hand across his eyes as if
something there were blurring his sight。
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CHAPTER IV
THEIR CURIOSITY AROUSED
〃Phil； I have an idea that you are wondering where we are bound for？〃
said Mr。 Sparling； with a merry twinkle in his eyes。
〃I will confess that I have been somewhat curious；〃 smiled the boy。
〃From the route I could not imagine where you were heading。〃
〃You are not the only one who has been guessing。 Our rivals are
positively nervous over the movements of this show。 They think we are
going to jump into the Mississippi River； or something of the sort〃
〃Or float on it；〃 added Phil。
Mr。 Sparling eyed him keenly。
They were in the owner's private tent； discussing the business of the
show itself； as these two did every day of the season； for Mr。 Sparling had
come to place no little reliance on the judgment of his young Circus Boy。
〃What made you say that； Phil？〃
〃I had no particular reason。 Perhaps I thought I was saying
something funny。〃
〃Nothing very funny about that；〃 answered the showman。
〃I agree with you。〃
〃I thought perhaps you might ask me where we were routed for this
season。〃
〃And I thought you would tell me when you wished me to know；〃
answered the boy。
〃It was not because I did not wish you to know our route； Phil。 I
rather thought I should like to give you a surprise。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃We are going to surprise the show world at the same time； so you see
you are not the only one who will be surprised。〃
〃You arouse my curiosity； Mr。 Sparling。〃
〃Still you refuse to ask where we are going；〃 replied the showman；
laughing heartily。 〃I have made my arrangements with the utmost
secrecy because I did not wish any of the opposition shows to get a line on
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my plans。 Not one of them has done so thus far。 Tomorrow they will
know。 Or at least by the day after tomorrow。 I am not going to let you
in on my little secret today either。 Do you think you can possess your
soul in patience until then？〃
〃I think there will be no trouble about that。 If I have restrained my
curiosity so far I surely can control it until tomorrow。 We show at
Milledgeville tomorrow； do we not？〃
〃That's what the route card says and I guess the route card is right。〃
〃Small town； is it not？〃
〃Yes； one of the little river towns。 Do you know much about the
river？〃
〃Nothing except what I observed when we played the southern states
last season。 I should like to take a trip down the river； and hope I may
have an opportunity to do so one of these days。〃
〃You'll have the opportunity； all right。〃
〃Sir？〃
〃I said you would have the opportunity。〃
〃I hope so。〃
〃Perhaps sooner than you think； too。 How is your friend； Tucker；
getting along？〃
〃Pretty well； thank you。 I guess he is working better this season than
he did last。 His acts are much more finished； don't you think so？〃
〃Yes。 I noticed that he nearly finished a clown with one of his acts
the other night；〃 answered Mr。 Sparling dryly； whereat both laughed
heartily。 〃Have you had any trouble； with any of the men？〃
〃Do you mean myself； personally？〃
〃Either or both of you？〃
〃Some slight disagreements。 What trouble we have had has been due
wholly to our own fault；〃 answered Phil manfully。
〃With whom？〃
〃I would rather not say anything about it； if you will permit me to
remain silent。〃
〃You are a queer boy； Phil。〃
〃So I have been told before；〃 answered the lad； laughing。
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〃And your friend Teddy is a confounded sight more so。 I'm afraid he
would have a hard time with most any other show in spite of the fact that
he is an excellent performer。〃
〃I have told him as much。〃
〃Oh； you have？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃What does he say？〃
〃He doesn't take my advice very seriously； I am afraid。 Teddy is all
right at heart； however。〃
〃I agree with you。〃
Phil then related to Mr。 Sparling the incident of the dressing tent； when
Teddy gathered the daisies to place on the 〃grave〃 in memory of Mrs。
Waite's soldier dead； to all of which the showman listened with thoughtful
face。 Mr。 Sparling rose； walked to the door of the tent； then returned and
sat down。
〃You never knew that I was a soldier； too； did you； Phil？〃
〃No； sir。 Were you really？〃
〃Yes。 I fought with the South。 I was a drummer boy in a Georgia
regiment；〃 said the showman reminiscently。 〃Perhaps had I been older I
might have done differently； but I loved my Sunny South and I love it
now。〃
〃So do I；〃 added Phil Forrest fervently。
〃But the war is over。 It is the show business that concerns us most
intimately at the present moment。 I want to say that you are doing
excellent work on the flying trapeze this season。〃
〃Thank you。 I am doing my best。〃
〃You always do。 Whatever you attempt you go at with all the force
you possess； and that is no slight factor； either。
