the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第18部分
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The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
with more caution than Teddy had exercised in the case of the band wagon。
〃Anybody living in this bedroom tonight？〃 questioned Phil of the driver。
〃Guess you are。 First come first served。 Pile in。 You're the kid that
rode the bull； ain't you？〃 〃And twisted the tiger's tail；〃 added Teddy。 〃All
right。 Probably some others will be along later； but I'll see to it that they
don't throw you out。〃 〃Thank you。 Come on up； Teddy； it's all right。〃
Teddy Tucker hastily scrambled up into the wagon which proved to be a
canvas wagonan open wagon； over which a canvas cover was stretched
in case of storm only。 〃Where's the bed clothes？〃 demanded Teddy。 〃I
guess the skies will have to be our quilts tonight；〃 answered Phil。 The boys
succeeded in crawling down between the folds of the canvas； however；
and； snuggling close together； settled down for their first night on the road
with a circus。 Soon the wagons began to move in response to a chorus of
hoarse shouts。 The motion of the canvas wagon very soon lulled the lads
to sleep； as the big wagon show slowly started away and disappeared in
the soft summer night。
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The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
CHAPTER XIII
THE DAWNING OF A NEW DAY
〃Hi！ Stop the train！ Stop the train！〃 howled Teddy； as he landed flat
on his back on the hard ground。 〃Here； here！ What are you fellows
doing？〃 shouted Phil； scrambling to his feet。 〃I dreamed I was in a train of
cars and they ran off the track；〃 said Teddy； struggling to his feet and
rubbing his shins gingerly。 〃Did you do that？〃 〃You bet。 Think I can wait
for you kids to take your beauty sleep？ Don't you suppose this show's got
something else to do besides furnish sleeping accommodations for lazy
kids？ Take hold here； and help us get this canvas out if you want any
breakfast。〃 〃Take it out yourself；〃 growled Teddy； dodging the flat of the
canvasman's hand。 The lads had been hurled from their sleeping place by a
rough tentman in a hurry to get at his work。 The chill of the early dawn
was in the air。 The boys stood； with shoulders hunched forward；
shivering； their teeth chattering； not knowing where they were and caring
still less。 They knew only that they were most uncomfortable。 The
glamor was gone。 They were face to face with the hardships of the
calling they had chosen； though they did not know that it was only a
beginning of those hardships。 〃B…r…r…r！〃 shivered Teddy。 〃T…h…h…h…at's what
I say；〃 chattered Phil。 〃Say； are you kids going to get busy； or do you want
me to help you to？〃 Phil did not object to work； but he did not like the way
the canvasman spoke to them。 〃I guess you'll have to do your own work。
Come on； Teddy； let's take a run and warm ourselves up。〃 Hand in hand
the lads started off across the field。 The field was so dark that they could
scarcely distinguish objects about them。 Here and there they dodged
wagons and teams that stood like silent sentinels in the uncertain light。
〃Turn a little； Teddy。 We'll be lost before we know it； if we don't watch
out〃 〃Ouch！ We're lost already！〃 The ground seemed suddenly to give
way beneath them。 Both lads were precipitated into a stream of water
that stretched across one end of the circus lot。 Shouting and struggling
about they finally floundered to the bank； drenched from head to foot。 If
they had been shivering before； they were suffering from violent attacks of
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The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
ague now。 〃Whew！ I'm freezing to death！〃 cried Phil。 〃I feel like the
North Pole on Christmas morning；〃 added Teddy。 〃I wish I was home； so I
could thaw out behind the kitchen stove。〃 〃Brace up； Teddy。 This is only
the beginning of the fun。 We shall have worse experiences than this； late
in the fall； when the weather gets cool； that is； if they do not get enough of
us in the meantime and send us away。〃 〃II wish they would send us home
now。〃 〃Come now； we've got to run again。 We shall surely take our death
of cold； if we stand here much longer。〃 〃Run？ No； thank you。 I've had
one run。〃 〃And you don't want another？ Is that it？〃 〃Not I。〃 〃Don't know
as I blame you。 Well； if you don't want to run； just stand in one place and
jump up and down。 Whip your hands； and you'll see how soon it will
start your blood to circulating；〃 advised Phil； who immediately proceeded
to put his own theory into execution。 〃That feel better？〃 〃Yes； some；〃
replied Teddy； rather doubtfully。 〃But I could be warmer。 I wonder what
time the cook tent will be up。〃 〃That's an idea。 Suppose we go over and
find out？〃 〃Yes； but where is it？〃 〃I don't know。 But we won't find it if
we stand here。〃 They started off again； this time exercising more caution
as to where their feet touched。 They had not gone far before they came
upon some men who were driving small stakes in the ground； marking out
the spot where one of the tents was to be pitched。 〃Can you tell us where
the cook tent is going up？〃 asked Phil politely。 〃North side of the field；〃
grunted the man； not very good…naturedly。 〃Which way is north？〃 〃Get a
compass； get a compass；〃 was the discourteous answer。 〃He's a grouch。
Come along；〃 urged Teddy Tucker。 A few moments later； attracted by a
light that looked like a fire； the lads hurried toward it。 〃Where will we find
the cook tent？〃 questioned Phil again。 〃Right here；〃 was the surprising
answer。 〃What time will it be ready？〃 〃About seven o'clock。 What's the
matter； hungry？〃 〃More cold than hungry；〃 replied Phil； his teeth
chattering。 〃Got to get used to that。 Come here。 I've got something that
will doctor you up in no time；〃 announced the man in a cheerful voice； so
different from the answers the lads had received to their questions that
morning； that they were suddenly imbued with new courage。 〃What is it？〃
asked Phil。 〃Coffee； my lad。 We always make coffee the first thing when
we get in； these chilly mornings。 The men work much better after getting
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something warm inside them。 Got a cup？〃 They had not。 〃Wait； I'll get
you one；〃 said the accommodating showman。 Never had anything tasted
so good as did the coffee that morning。 It was excellent coffee； too； and
the boys drank two cups apiece。 〃We mustn't drink any more；〃 warned Phil。
〃Why not？〃 wondered Teddy。 〃Because we shall be so nervous that we
shall not be able to work today。 And； by the way； were I in your place； I
should get busy here and help in the cook tent until you are told to do
something else。 I think it will make a good impression on Mr。 Sparling。〃
Teddy consented rather grudgingly。 〃I'll turn in and do something at the
same time。 What can we do to help you； sir？ That coffee was very
good。〃 〃Might get busy and unpack some dishes from those barrels。 Be
careful that you don't break any of them。〃 〃All right。 Where shall we put
them？〃 〃Pile them on the ground； all the dishes of the same size together。
Be sure to set a lantern by them so nobody falls over them in the dark。〃
The boys； glad of some task to perform； began their work with a will。
With something to do it was surprising how quickly they forgot their
misfortunes。 In a short time they were laughing and joking with the
good…natured cooktent man and making the dishes fairly fly out of the
barrels。 〃Guess I'll have to keep you two boys with my outfit；〃 grinned the
showman。 〃I think Mr。 Sparling said my friend； Teddy here； was to work
in the cook tent for the present。〃 〃All right； Mr。 Teddy。 There's one thing
about working in the cook tent that ought to please you。〃 〃What's that？〃
〃You can piece between meals all you want to。 If you are like most boys；
you ought to have a good healthy appetite all the time； except when you
are sleeping。〃 〃That's right。 I could eat an elephant steak nowright this
minute。 How long before breakfast？〃 〃Seven o'clock； I told you。〃 〃What
time does Mr。 Sparling get up？〃 inquired Phil。 〃Up？ Ask me what time
he goes to bed。 I can answer one question as well as the other。 Nobody
knows。 He's always around when you least expect him。 There he is
now。〃 The owner was striding toward the cook tent for his morning cup of
coffee。 〃Good morning； sir；〃 greeted the boys； pausing in their work long
enough to touch their hats； after which they continued unpacking the
dishes。
