rcus boys on the mississippi(密西西比河上的马戏团男孩)-第6部分
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you possess； and that is no slight factor； either。 I have been waiting to
talk seriously with you for sometime。 You have finished your studies；
have you not？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What are your plans for the future？〃
〃I have no immediate plans beyond continuing in the show business。
I am trying to lay up some money so I can go into business some of
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these days。〃
〃What business？〃
〃Circus business； of course。 It is the only business I know anything
about； and I know very little about that； it seems to me。〃
〃Let me tell you something； Phil。 Nine…tenths of the men who have
been in it nearly all their lives know no more about the circus business
than you do。 Many of them not so much。 You are a born showman。
Take my word for it； you have a very brilliant career before you。 You
spoke； sometime ago； about wishing to go to college。〃
〃I should like to go。〃
〃Under the circumstances I would advise against it； though I am a
thorough believer in the value of an education。 You have a good start
now。 Were you to go to college you would spend four years there and
when you finished； you would find that the show world had been moving
right along just the same。 You would be out of it； so to speak。 You
would have been standing still so far as the circus was concerned； for four
full years。 Think it over and some of these days we will have another
talk。〃
〃What would you advise； Mr。 Sparling？〃
〃I don't advise。 I am simply pointing out the facts for you to consider；
that's all。〃
〃I thank you； Mr。 Sparling。 I already owe you a debt of gratitude。
I shall never forget all you have done for Teddy and myself； and I am sure
Teddy also appreciates it。〃
〃You owe me nothing。〃
〃Oh； yes； I do！ I shall never be able wholly to pay the debt； either。〃
〃We will drop that side of the case； my boy。 You will want to pack all
your things for moving tonight。〃
〃You mean my dressing…room trunk？〃
〃I mean all your belongings。〃
Phil looked his surprise。
〃I have special reference to your stuff in the sleeper。〃
〃May I ask why； Mr。 Sparling。〃
〃Because tonight will be the last night you will spend on the sleeping
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car for sometime； in all probability。〃
〃I don't understand。 Am I to leave the show？〃
〃Leave the show？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃I should say not。 You leave the show？ I would rather lose any ten
men in it than to have you go away。 I trust you never will leave it for any
length of timeat least not while I am in the business。 No； you are
going on a little tripthe show is going on a little trip。 That is the
surprise I have in store for you。 You will know tomorrow morning。
Not another word now； Phil Forrest。 Run along and get ready for the
performance。〃
The Circus Boy hurried over to the dressing tent； full of curiosity and
anticipation of what awaited him on the morrow。 Strange to say； Phil had
not the least idea what the plan of the owner of the show might be。
The surprise was to be a complete one。
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CHAPTER V
THE CIRCUS BOYS' SURPRISE
〃Come； Phil and Teddy。 I want you to take a little walk with me；〃
called Mr。 Sparling early next morning after they had finished their
breakfast。
That morning orders had been given in each of the sleeping cars； for
the performers to pack their belongings； ready to be moved from the cars。
The show people could not understand it； and gossip was rife among
them as to the meaning of the unusual order。
Orders also had been given to the various heads of departments to
prepare to desert the train； bag and baggage。
〃Where are we going？〃 demanded Teddy suspiciously。
〃For a walk。 You need not go along； unless you wish to；〃 added the
showman。
〃Of course I wish to go。 Do you think I want to stay on the lot when
anything is going on somewhere else； eh？〃
〃There would be plenty going on； if you remained。 I am sure of
that；〃 replied Mr。 Sparling； with a short laugh。 〃Come along； boys。〃
Still wondering what it was all about； Phil and Teddy walked along
with their employer。 They passed on through the business street of the
town； then turned off sharply； heading for the north。 A few moments of
this and they turned to the left again。
〃Hello； there's the river；〃 announced Teddy。
〃Yes； that is the river。〃
〃I wish I could take a boat ride。〃
〃You shall have one tonight。〃
〃Good！〃
Phil glanced at Mr。 Sparling inquiringly。
〃Oh； look at that funny boat！〃 cried Teddy。 〃It's yellow。 I've heard
of a yellow dog； but I can't say that I ever heard of a yellow boat。 And it
has a paddle wheel on behind。 Well； if that isn't the limit！ Why； there
are three of them。 What are they； Mr。 Sparling？〃
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Phil's eyes already were widening。 He had caught sight of something
that shed a flood of light on the mysterythe surprise that Mr。 Sparling
had in store for them。 But he was not positive enough to commit himself。
A moment more； and he knew he was not wrong。
〃Teddy； if you will read the words on the side of that boat nearest to us；
you will understand； I think。〃
〃T…h…e；〃 spelled Teddy。
〃The；〃 finished Phil。
〃S…p…a…r…l…i…n…g； Sparling。 C…o…m…b…i…n…e…d Shows。 Well； what do
you think of _that？_〃
〃I hardly know what to think； yet；〃 answered Phil Forrest。 〃The
Sparling Combined Shows。 Do you mean to say？〃
〃I haven't said a word；〃 answered Mr。 Sparling； with a merry twinkle
in his eyes。 〃I am waiting for you to say something。〃
〃II am afraid I am too much astonished to say much。 Do you mean
we are going to take to the river？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃With the show？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Hooray！〃
〃What's that？〃 demanded Teddy。
〃Didn't you hear？〃
〃I heard； but I don't understand。 What's it all about？ What is it
about those yellow boats over there？〃
〃The Sparling Circus is going down the Mississippi；〃 Mr。 Sparling
informed him。
〃On those things？〃
〃On those boats。〃
〃Then I think I'll walk。 You don't catch me riding on any boat that
has to have a wheel on behind to help push it along。 No； siree； not for
mine！〃
〃But； Teddy； they are fine boats；〃 said Phil。
〃They are among the few typical Mississippi River steamers；〃 broke in
Mr。 Sparling。 〃I got them far up the river last winter。 When I first
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conceived the plan of sending my show down the river； on the river itself；
I took a trip out here to look over the ground〃
〃You mean the water；〃 corrected Teddy innocently。
〃A little of both； my boy。 I found that no show since the early days of
the barnstorming outfits had ever attempted the feat。 I learned a number
of things that made me all the more anxious to try it。 The next question
was a boat。 I heard of some of the old broad…beamed river craft that
were out of commission up stream。 I found them exactly suited to our
requirements； and I rented them for the season。 It cost quite a sum to
have them fixed up； but you will find them just the thing for our work。
What do you think of the idea？〃
〃Great！〃 breathed Phil。 〃It fairly takes my breath away。〃
〃Whenwhen do we move in？〃 asked Teddy Tucker wonderingly。
〃We begin moving in this morning。 I have given the orders to have
the property removed from the trains and brought here； nowthat is； all
that will not be needed for today's performances。 Tonight all hands will
sleep on the boats。 How will you like that； boys？〃
〃Fine！〃 answered Phil； with glowing eyes。
〃I'll tell you after I try it；〃 added Teddy prudently。
Across the sides of each boat； in big black letters； were the words；
〃The Sparling Combined Shows。〃 Below this lettering appeared the
names of the boats。 The 〃River Queen〃 was the name emblazoned on
one； several shades more yellow than the other two。
〃I guess we shall have to call her the 'Yellow Per
