the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第19部分
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dishes。 〃Morning； boys。 I see you are up early and getting right at it。
That's right。 No showman was ever made out of a sleepy…head。 Where
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did you sleep last night？〃 〃In a wagon on a pile of canvas；〃 answered Phil。
〃And they threw us out of bed this morning；〃 Teddy informed him； with a
grimace。 Mr。 Sparling laughed heartily。 〃And we fell in a creek；〃 added
Teddy。 〃Well； well； you certainly are having your share of experiences。〃
〃Will you allow me to make a suggestion； Mr。 Sparling？〃 asked Phil。 〃Of
course。 You need not ask that question。 What is it？〃 〃I think I ought to
have some sort of a costume if I am to continue to ride Emperor in the
grand entry。〃 〃H…m…m…m。 What kind do you think you want？〃 〃Could I
wear tights？〃 Mr。 Sparling was about to laugh； but one glance into the
earnest eyes of Phil Forrest told him that the boy's interest was wholly in
wishing to improve the actnot for the sake of showing himself； alone。
〃Yes； I think perhaps it might not be a bad idea。 You go tell Mrs。 Waite
to fix you up with a suit。 But I would prefer to have you wear your own
clothes today。〃 〃Yes； sir。 Thank you； sir。〃 〃I'll tell you why。 I
telegraphed on to my advance man all about you last night； and what you
did yesterday will be spread all over town here today。 It will be a rattling
good advertisement。 You and the tiger are my best drawing cards today；〃
smiled Mr。 Sparling。 〃Glad I have proved of some use to you； sir。〃 〃Use？
Use？〃 〃Yes； sir。〃 〃Don't be a fool！〃 exploded the showman； almost brutally。
Phil's countenance fell。 〃Don't you understand； yet； that you already have
been worth several thousand dollars to me？〃 〃II〃 〃Well； don't get a
swelled head about it； for〃 〃There is no danger of that； sir。〃 〃And you
don't have to potter around the cook tent working； either。 That is； not
unless you want to。〃 〃But； I do； Mr。 Sparling。 I want to learn everything
there is to be learned about the show business；〃 protested Phil。 Mr。
Sparling regarded him quizzically。 〃You'll do；〃 he said； turning away。 As
soon as the dressing tent had been erected and the baggage was moved in；
Phil hurried to the entrance of the women's dressing tent and calling for
Mrs。 Waite； told her what was wanted。 She measured his figure with her
eyes； and nodded understandingly。 〃Think I've got something that will fit
you。 A young fellow who worked on the trapeze fell off and broke a leg。
He was just about your size； and I guess his tights will be about right for
you。 Not superstitious； are you？〃 Phil assured her he was not。 〃You will be；
after you have been in the show business a while。 Wait； I'll get them。〃
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Phil's eyes glowed as he saw her returning with a suit of bright red tights；
trunk and shirt to match。 〃Oh； thank you ever so much。〃 〃You're welcome。
Have you a trunk to keep your stuff in？〃 〃No； I have only a bag。〃 〃I've got
a trunk in here that's not in use。 If you want to drag it over to the men's
dressing tent you're welcome to it。〃 Phil soon had the trunk； which he
hauled across the open paddock to the place where the men were settling
their belongings。 He espied Mr。 Miaco； the head clown。 〃Does it make any
difference where I place my trunk； Mr。 Miaco？〃 〃It does； my lad。 The
performers' trunks occupy exactly the same position every day during the
show year。 I'll pick out a place for you； and every morning when you
come in you will find your baggage there。 Let me see。 I guess we'll
place you up at the end； next to the side wall of the dressing room。 You
will be more by yourself there。 You'll like that； won't you？〃 〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Going in in costume； today？〃 〃No； sir。 Mr。 Sparling thought I had better
wear my own clothes today； for advertising purposes。〃 Miaco nodded
understandingly。 〃Then you'll want to fix up again。 Been in the gutter？〃
〃I fell into a ditch in the darkness this morning；〃 grinned Phil。 〃You'll get
used to that。 Mr。 Ducro； the ringmaster； carries a lantern with him so he
won't fall in； but none of the rest of us do。 We call him Old Diogenes
because he always has a lantern in his hand。 If you'll take off that suit I'll
put it in shape for you。〃 〃Undresshere？〃 〃Sure。 You'll have to get used
to that。〃 Phil retired to the further end of the tent where his trunk had been
placed in the meantime； and there took off his clothes； handing them to the
head clown。 Mr。 Miaco tossed the lad a bath robe； for the morning was
still chilly。 〃After you get broken in you will have to do all this for
yourself。 There's nothing like the show business to teach a fellow to
depend upon himself。 He soon becomes a jack…of…all…trades。 As soon
as you can you'll want to get yourself a rubber coat and a pair of rubber
boots。 We'll get some beastly weather by…and…by。〃 The good…natured
clown ran on with much good advice while he was sponging and pressing
Phil's clothes。 When he had finished； the suit looked as if it had just
come from a tailor shop。 Phil thanked him warmly。 〃Now； you and I will
see about some breakfast。〃 Reaching the cook tent； the first person Phil set
eyes on was his chum； Teddy Tucker。 Teddy was presiding over the big
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nickel coffeepot； his face flushed with importance。 He was bossing the
grinning waiters； none of whom found it in his heart to get impatient with
the new boy。
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CHAPTER XIV
AN UNEXPECTED HIT
〃Another turn…away；〃 decided a ticket taker； casting his eyes over the
crowds that had gathered for the afternoon performance。 〃I guess Mr。
Sparling knows his business pretty well；〃 mused Phil。 〃He knows how to
catch the crowd。 I wonder how many of them have come here to see me。
How they would look and stare if they knew I was the kid that twisted the
tiger's tail。〃 Phil's color rose。 It was something for a boy who had been a
circus performer for less than two days to have his name heralded ahead of
the show as one of the leading attractions。 But Phil Forrest had a level
head。 He did not delude himself with any extravagant idea of his own
importance。 He knew that what he had done was purely the result of
accident。 〃I'll do something； someday； that will be worthwhile；〃 he told
himself。 Phil's act that afternoon was fully as successful as it had been on
the previous day back in his home town。 Besides； he now had more
confidence in himself。 He felt that in a very short time he might be able
to keep his feet on the elephant's head without the support of Emperor's
trunk。 That would be an achievement。 On this particular afternoon he
rode with as much confidence as if he had been doing it all the season。
〃You'll make a performer；〃 encouraged Kennedy。 〃You've got the poise
and everything necessary to make you a good one。〃 〃What kind； do you
think？〃 〃Any old kind。 Do you get dizzy when up in the air？〃 〃I don't
remember that I have ever been up much further than Emperor hoists me；〃
laughed Phil。 For the next two minutes the man and the boy were too busy
with their act to continue their conversation。 The audience was
enthusiastic； and they shouted out Phil Forrest's name several times； which
made him smile happily。 〃What would you advise me to do； Mr。
Kennedy？〃 he asked as the elephants started to leave the ring； amid the
plaudits of the spectators。 〃Ever try the rings？〃 〃Yes； but not so high up as
those that Rod and his partners perform on。〃 〃Height doesn't make much
difference。 Get them to let the rings down so you can reach them； then
each day raise them a little higher； if you find you can work on them。〃
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〃Thank you。 Perhaps I'll try it this afternoon。 I am anxious to be a real
performer。 Anybody could do this。 Though it's easy； I think I might
work up this act of ours to make it rather funny。〃 It will be observed that
Phil was rapidly falling into the vernacular of the showman。 〃If you've got
any ideas we'll thresh them out。 Emperor will be willing。 He'll say yes
to anything you suggest。 What is it？〃 〃Don't you think Mr。 Sparling
would object？〃 〃Not he。 Wait till I get the bu
