the circus boys in dixie land(迪克西的马戏团男孩)-第24部分
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magically； to come tumbling down a few minutes later hopeless wrecks。
Once the monkeys got a tall silk hat。 This they used for an aerial
football； tossing it to each other as they leaped from rope to rope at their
dizzy height。
One monkey was discovered peering down at a certain point in the
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audience with an almost fascinated gaze。 Something down there
attracted him。 Cautiously the little fellow let himself down a rope to the
side wall； then； unnoticed by the people； crept down through the aisle。
Slowly one black little hand reached up and jerked from the head of an old
gentleman a pair of gold spectacles。
The man uttered a yell as he felt the spectacles being torn from him；
and made a frantic effort to save them。 But the glasses； in the hands of
the monkey； were already halfway up the aisle and a moment more the
monkey was twisting the bows into hard knots and hurling pieces of glass
at the spectators。
〃Catch them！ Catch them！〃 shouted Mr。 Sparling。
〃How； how？〃 answered a showman。
〃Somebody〃
〃I'll go up and get them；〃 spoke up Teddy Tucker。 Teddy simply
could not keep out of trouble。 He was sure to be in the thick of it
whenever a disturbance was abroad。
〃That's a good plan。 How are you going to do it？〃
〃I'll show you。 I'll shake 'em down if you will catch them when they
reach the ring。〃
〃Yes； but be careful that you don't fall。〃
〃Don't you worry about me！〃
Teddy untied a rope from a quarter pole； straightened it out and
throwing off his coat and hat； began going up the rope hand over hand。
The monkeys peered down curiously from their perches； chattering and
discussing the little figure that was on its way up to join them。
Teddy reached the platform of the trapeze performers。 From there he
climbed a short rope that led to a smaller trapeze bar higher up； thence to
the aerial bars； where the whole bunch of monkeys were sitting； scolding
loudly。
〃Shoo！〃 said Teddy。 〃Get out of here！ Better get a net and catch
them down there；〃 shouted Teddy； standing up on the bars without
apparent thought of his own danger。
〃Look out that we don't have to catch you！〃 called Mr。 Sparling
warningly。
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Teddy picked his way gingerly across the bars shooing the monkeys
ahead of him； now holding to a guide rope so that he might not by any
chance slip through and drop to the ring forty feet below him； and all the
while waving his free hand to frighten the monkeys。
A few of them leaped to a rope some eight or ten feet away； down
which they went to the ring and up another set of ropes before the show
people below could catch them。
While Teddy was thus engaged； the whole troop of monkeys swung
back on the under side of the aerial bars beneath his feet。
〃Shoo！ Shoo！〃 he shouted。 〃You rascals； I'll fix you when I get
hold of you； and don't you forget that for a minute。〃
He turned； cautiously making his way back； when the lively；
mischievous little fellows shinned up the rope by which he had let himself
down to the serial bars。
〃I'll drive you all over the top of this tent； but I'll get you；〃 Teddy
cried。
Down below the audience was shouting and jeering。 The people
refused to leave the tent so long as such an exhibition was going on。 No
one paid the least attention to the 〃grand concert〃 that was in progress at
one end of the big top； so interested were all in the Circus Boy's giddy
chase。
〃I'm afraid he will fall and kill himself；〃 groaned Mr。 Sparling。
〃You can't hurt Teddy；〃 laughed Phil。 〃He can go almost anywhere
that a monkey could climb。 But he'll never get them。〃 Phil was laughing
with the others； for the sight was really a funny one。
〃Oh； look what they've done！〃 exclaimed one of the performers。
〃They've pulled up the rope；〃 said Mr。 Sparling hopelessly。
〃Now he certainly is in a fix；〃 laughed Phil。
The monkeys； after shinning the rope； had mischievously hauled it up
after them； acting with almost human intelligence。 One of them carried
the free end of it off to one side and dropped it over a guy rope。 This left
Tucker high and dry on the aerial bars with no means at hand to enable
him to get back to earth。
The audience caught the significance of it and howled lustily。
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〃Now； I should like to know how you are going to get down？〃 shouted
Mr。 Sparling。
Teddy looked about him questioningly； and off at the grinning
monkeys； that perched on rope and trapeze； appeared to be enjoying his
discomfiture to the full。
〃II guess I'll have to do the world's record high dive！〃 he called down。
There seemed no other way out of it。
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CHAPTER XVIII
TEDDY TAXES A DROP
〃Throw him a rope！〃 shouted someone。
〃Yes； give him a rope；〃 urged Mr。 Sparling。
〃No one can throw a rope that high；〃 answered Phil。 〃I think the first
thing to be done is to get the monkeys and I have a plan by which to
accomplish it。〃
〃What's your plan？〃
〃Have their cage brought in。 We should have thought of that before。〃
〃That's a good idea；〃 nodded Mr。 Sparling。 〃I always have said you
had more head than any of the others of this outfit； not excepting myself。
Get the monkey cage in here。〃
While this was being done Phil hurried out into the menagerie tent；
where； at a snack stand； he filled his pockets with peanuts and candy； then
strolled back； awaiting the arrival of the cage。
〃We shall be able to capture our monkeys much more easily if the
audience will please leave the tent；〃 announced Mr。 Sparling。 〃The show is
over。 There will be nothing more to see。〃
The spectators thought differently。 There was considerable to be seen
yet。 No one made a move to leave； and the manager gave up trying to
make them； not caring to attempt driving the people out by force。
The cage finally was drawn up between the two rings。 This instantly
attracted the attention of the little beasts。 Phil stood off from the cage a
few feet。
〃Now everybody keep away； so the monkeys can see me；〃 he directed。
Phil then began chirping in a peculiar way； giving a very good imitation of
the monkey call for food。 At the same time he began slowly tossing
candy and peanuts into the cage。
There was instant commotion aloft。 Such a chattering and scurrying
occurred up there as to cause the spectators to gaze in open…mouthed
wonder。 But still Phil kept up his weird chirping； continuing to toss
peanuts and candy into the cage。
〃As I live； they are coming down；〃 breathed Mr。 Sparling in
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amazement； 〃never saw anything like it in my life！〃
〃I always told you that boy should have been a menagerie man instead
of a ring performer；〃 nodded Mr。 Kennedy； the elephant trainer。
〃He is everything at the same time；〃 answered Mr。 Sparling。 〃It is a
question as to whether or not he does one thing better than another。
There they come。 Everybody stand back。 I hope the people keep quiet
until he gets through there。 I am afraid the monkeys never will go back
into the cage； though。〃
There was no hesitancy on the part of the monkeys。 They began
leaping from rope to rope； swinging by their tails to facilitate their descent；
until finally the whole troop leaped to the top of the cage and swung
themselves down the bars to the ground。
Phil lowered his voice to a low； insistent chirp。 One monkey leaped
into the cage； the others following as fast as they could stretch up their
hands and grab the tail board of the wagon。 Instantly they began
scrambling for the nuts and candies that lay strewn over the floor。
The last one was inside。 Phil sprang to the rear of the cage and
slammed the door shut； throwing the padlock in place and snapping it。
〃There are your old monkeys；〃 he cried； turning to Mr。 Sparling with
flushed； triumpha
