the circus boys across the continent(穿越大陆的马戏团男孩)-第18部分
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〃Yes； how does it feel to be a football？〃 questioned another。
〃I guess you got even with me that time；〃 answered Teddy good…
naturedly。 〃But say； that's easy pared with riding the educated mule。〃
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The Circus Boys Across The Continent （Or Winning New Laurels on the Tanbark）
CHAPTER XIII
DUCKED BY AN ELEPHANT
The great white billows of the Sparling bined Shows were
moving steadily across the continent。 The receipts had exceeded Mr。
Sparling's most sanguine expectations； and he was in great good humor。
Only one unpleasant incident had happened and that occurred at
Franklin； Indiana。 Phil and Teddy； while on their way to their car after
the performance late at night； had been set upon by two men and quite
severely beaten； though both lads had given a good account of themselves
and finally driven off their assailants。
They did not report their experience to Mr。 Sparling until the next
morning； having gone directly to their car and put themselves to bed after
having been fixed up with plasters and bandages by some of their
panions。 The next morning neither lad was particularly attractive to
look at。 However； bearing the taunts of the show people good…naturedly；
they started for the cook tent just as they were in the habit of doing every
day。
But Mr。 Sparling had seen them as they passed his car on their way。
〃Now； I wonder what those boys have been up to？〃 he scowled；
watching their receding forms thoughtfully。 〃I'll find out。〃
And he did。 He summoned the lads to his office in the tent soon after
breakfast。
〃I expected you would send for us；〃 grinned Phil； as he walked in with
Teddy。 〃What about it？ You are both sights！〃
〃Grease paint and powder will cover it up； I guess； Mr。 Sparling。〃
〃I'll hear how it happened。〃
〃I can't tell you much about it；〃 said Phil。 〃We were on our way to
the car when a couple of men suddenly jumped out from a fence corner
and went at us hammer and tongs。 That's when we got these beauty spots。
If we had seen the fellows ing we might not have been hit at all。〃
〃Wait a minute； where did this occur？〃 demanded the showman。
〃Just outside the lot at Franklin。 It was very dark there； and； as you
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The Circus Boys Across The Continent （Or Winning New Laurels on the Tanbark）
know； the sky was overcast。〃
〃Did you know the menhad you ever seen them before？〃
〃I couldn't say as to that。〃
〃No； sir； we couldn't say；〃 added Teddy； nodding。
Mr。 Sparling turned a cold eye upon Tucker。
〃I haven't asked for remarks from you； young man。 When I do you
may answer。〃
Teddy subsided for the moment。
〃But； had it been anyone you knew； you must have recognized their
voices。〃
〃They didn't say a word。 Just pitched into us savagely。 I think they
might have done us serious injury had we not defended ourselves pretty
well。〃
〃It occurs to me that you were rather roughly handled as it was；〃 said
the showman； with a suspicion of a grin on his face。 〃Doctor fixed you up；
I suppose？〃
〃Oh； no； it wasn't so bad as that。〃
〃Have you any suspiciondo you think it was any of the show
people？〃 demanded Mr。 Sparling； eyeing Phil penetratingly。
〃I don't know。 Here is a button I got from the coat of one of the men。
That may serve to identify him if he is one of our men。 I haven't had a
chance to look around this morning。〃
The showman quickly stretched forth his hand for the button； which he
examined curiously。
〃And here's a collar； too；〃 chuckled Teddy。
〃A collar？ Where did you get that； young man？〃
〃Oh； I just yanked it off the other fellow。 Guess it hasn't been to the
laundry this season。〃
Mr。 Sparling leaned back and laughed heartily。
〃Between you； you boys will be the ruination of me。 You take my
mind off business so that I don't know what I'm about half of the time。
But I can't get along without you。 I'll look into this matter；〃 he went on
more gravely。 〃Tell the boss canvasman to send Larry and Bad Eye to
me。〃
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〃Yes； sir。〃
The lads delivered the message。
Mr。 Sparling's eyes twinkled as these two worthies sneaked into his
tent； each with a hangdog expression on his face。 〃Red〃 Larry had a black
eye； while Bad Eye's nose appeared to have listed to one side。
The showman glanced at Larry's coat； then at the button in his own
hand。 He nodded understandingly。 Bad Eye was collarless。
〃Here's a button that I think you lost off your coat last night； Larry；〃
smiled Mr。 Sparling sweetly。 〃And； Bad Eye； here's your collar。 Better
send it to the washerwoman。〃
The men were speechless for the moment。
〃Go to the boss； both of you； and get your time。 Then I want you to
clear out of here。〃
〃Whawhatwe ain't done nothing；〃 protested Larry。
〃And you had better not。 If I see you about the circus lot again this
season； I'll have you both in the nearest jail quicker than you can say 'scat！'
Understand？ Get out of here！〃
The showman half rose from his chair； glaring angrily at them。 His
good…nature had suddenly left him； and the canvasmen； knowing what
they might expect from the wrathful showman； stood not upon the order of
their going。 They ran。
Larry had left some of his belongings behind a cage in the menagerie
tent； and he headed directly for that place to get it out and foot it for the
village before Mr。 Sparling should discover him on the grounds。
In going after his bundle Larry was obliged to pass the elephant station；
where the elephants were taking their morning baths； throwing water over
their backs from tubs that had been placed before them。 A pail full of
water had been left near old Emperor's tub by the keeper； because the tub
would hold no more。
Emperor apparently had not observed it； nor did he seem to see the
red…headed canvasman striding his way。 Mr。 Kennedy； the keeper； was at
the far end of the line sweeping off the baby elephant with a broom； while
Phil and Teddy were sitting on a pile of straw back of Emperor discussing
their experience the previous evening。
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〃There's Red；〃 said Teddy； pointing。
〃Yes； and he seems to be in a great hurry about something。 I'll bet Mr。
Sparling has discharged him。 I'm sorry。 I hate to see anybody lose his
job； but I guess Red deserves it if anybody does。 He's one of the fellows
that attacked us last night。 I haven't the least doubt about that。〃
〃Yes； and he's got a button off his coat； too；〃 added Teddy； peering
around Emperor。 〃What I want now is to see a fellow with his collar torn
off。 I got a tent stake here by me that I'd like to meet him with。〃
〃You would do nothing of the sort； Teddy Tucker！ Hello； what's
going on there？〃
As Larry passed swiftly in front of Emperor； the old elephant's trunk
suddenly wrapped itself about the pail of water unobserved by the
discharged canvasman。
Emperor lifted the pail on high； quickly twisted it bottom side up and
jammed it down over the head of Larry。 The latter went down under the
impact and before he could free himself from the pail and get up； Emperor
had performed the same service for him with the tub of water。
Under the deluge Red Larry was yelling and choking； making
desperate efforts to get up。 He struggled free in a moment； and in his
blind rage he hurled the empty pail full in Emperor's face； following it
with a blow over the animal's trunk with a tent stake。
It was the elephant's turn to be angry now。 He did not take into
consideration that it was he that was to blame for the assault。 Stretching
out his trunk； he encircled the waist of the yelling canvasman； and； raising
him on high； dashed him to the ground almost under his ponderous feet。
Phil had risen about the time the tub came down。 At first he laughed；
but when the elephant caught his victim； the lad knew that the situation
was critical。
〃Emperor！ Down！〃 he shouted。
It was then that the elephant cast Red under his feet。
Phil darted forward just as a ponderous foot was raised to trample the
man to death。 Without the least sense of fear the lad ran in under
Emperor； and； grabbing Larry by the heels； dragged him quickly out。
The elephant was furious at the loss of his prey； and； raising his trunk；
