the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第2部分
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into the air； with a very good imitation of a diver making a plunge into the
water； hands stretched out before him； legs straight behind him。 He was
headed straight for the ditch。 〃Turn； Teddy！ Turn！ You'll strike on your
head。〃 Teddy was as powerless to turn as if he had been paralyzed from
head to foot。 Down he went； straight as an arrow。 There followed a
splash as his head struck the water of the ditch； the lad's feet beating a
tattoo in the air while his head was stuck fast in the mud at the bottom of
the ditch。 〃He'll drown；〃 gasped Phil； springing down into the little stream；
regardless of the damage liable to be done to his own clothes。 Throwing
both arms about the body of his companion he gave a mighty tug。 Teddy
stuck obstinately； and Phil was obliged to take a fresh hold before he
succeeded in hauling the lad from his perilous position。 Teddy was
gasping for breath。 His face； plastered with mud； was unrecognizable；
while his clothes were covered from head to foot。 Phil dumped him on the
grass beneath the circus billboard and began wiping the mud from his
companion's face； while Teddy quickly sat up； blinking the mud out of his
eyes and grumbling unintelligibly。 〃You're a fine circus performer； you
are；〃 laughed Phil。 〃Suppose you had been performing on a flying trapeze
in a circus； what do you suppose would have happened to you？〃 〃I'd have
had a net under me then； and I wouldn't have fallen in the ditch；〃 grunted
Teddy sullenly。 〃What do you suppose the folks will say when you go
home in that condition？〃 〃Don't care what they say。 Fellow has got to
learn sometime； and if I don't have any worse thing happen to me than
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falling in a ditch I ought to be pretty well satisfied。 Guess I'll go back
now。 Come on； go 'long with me。〃 Phil turned and strode along by the
side of his companion until they reached the house where Teddy lived。
〃Come on in。〃 〃I'm sorry； Teddy； but I can't。 My uncle will be expecting
me； and he won't like it if I am late。〃 〃All right； see you tomorrow if you
don't come out again tonight。 We'll try some more stunts then。〃 〃I wouldn't
till after the circus； were I in your place；〃 laughed Phil。 〃Why not！〃 〃Cause；
if you break your neck； you won't be able to go to the show。〃 〃Huh！〃
grunted Teddy； hastily turning his back on his companion and starting for
the house。 Phil took his way home silently and thoughtfully； carrying his
precious bundle of books under an arm； his active mind planning as to
how he might employ his time to the best advantage during the summer
vacation that was now so close at hand。 A rheumatic； bent figure was
standing in front of the shack where the lad lived； glaring up the street
from beneath bushy eyebrows； noting Phil Forrest's leisurely gait
disapprovingly。 Phil saw him a moment later。 〃I'm in for a scolding；〃 he
muttered。 〃Wonder what it is all about this time。 I don't seem able to
do a thing to please Uncle Abner。〃
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CHAPTER II
PHIL HEARS HIS DISMISSAL
〃Where you been； young man？〃 The question was a snarl rather than
a sentence。 〃To school； Uncle； of course。〃 〃School's been out more than an
hour。 I say； where have you been？〃 〃I stopped on the way for a few
minutes。〃 〃You did？〃 exploded Abner Adams。 〃Where？〃 〃Teddy Tucker
and I stopped to read a circus bill over there on Clover Street。 We did not
stop but a few minutes。 Was there any harm in that？〃 〃Harm？ Circus
bill〃 〃And I want to go to the circus； too； Uncle； when it comes here。 You
know？ I have not been to anything of that sort since mother diednot
once。 I'll work and earn the money。 I can go in the evening after my
work is finished。 Please let me go； Uncle。〃 For a full minute Abner
Adams was too overcome with his emotions to speak。 He hobbled about
in a circle； smiting the ground with his cane； alternately brandishing it
threateningly in the air over the head of the unflinching Phil。 〃Circus！〃 he
shouted。 〃I might have known it！ I might have known it！ You and
that Tucker boy are two of a kind。 You'll both come to some bad ending。
Only fools and questionable characters go to such places〃 〃My mother
and father went； and they always took me；〃 replied the boy； drawing
himself up with dignity。 〃You certainly do not include them in either of
the two classes you have named？〃 〃So much the worse for them！ So
much the worse for them。 They were a pair of〃 〃Uncle； Uncle！〃 warned
Phil。 〃Please don't say anything against my parents。 I won't stand it。
Don't forget that my mother was your own sister； too。〃 〃I'm not likely to
forget it； after she's bundled such a baggage as you into my care。 You're
turning out a worthless； good…for… nothing loaf〃 〃You haven't said
whether or not I might go to the circus； Uncle；〃 reminded Phil。 〃Circus？
No！ I'll have none of my money spent on any such worthless〃 〃But I
didn't ask you to spend your money； even though you have plenty of it。 I
said I would earn the money〃 〃You'll have a chance to earn it； and right
quick at that。 No； you won't go to any circus so long as you're living under
my roof。〃 〃Very well； Uncle； I shall do as you wish； of course；〃 answered
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Phil； hiding his disappointment as well as he could。 The lad shifted his
bundle of books to the other hand and started slowly for the house。 Abner
Adams hobbled about until he faced the lad again； an angry gleam lighting
up his squinting eyes。 〃Come back here！〃 Phil halted； turning。 〃I said
come back here。〃 The lad did so； his self…possession and quiet dignity
never deserting him for an instant。 This angered the crabbed old uncle
more than ever。 〃When will you get through school？〃 〃Tomorrow； I
believe。〃 〃Huh！ Then； I suppose you intend to loaf for the rest of the
summer and live on my hard earned savings。 Is that it？〃 〃No； sir； I hadn't
thought of doing anything of the sort。 I thought〃 〃What did you think？〃
〃I thought I would find something to do。 Of course； I do not expect to be
idle。 I shall work at something until school begins again next fall； then；
of course； I shall not be able to do so much。〃 〃School！ You've had
enough school！ In my days boys didn't spend the best part of their lives
in going to school。 They worked。〃 〃Yes； sir； I am willing to work； too。
But； Uncle； I must have an education。 I shall be able to earn so much
more then； and； if necessary； I shall be able to pay you for all you have
spent on me； which isn't much； you know。〃 〃What； what？ You dare to be
impudent to me？ You〃 〃No； sir； I am not impudent。 I have never been
that and I never shall be； but you are accusing me wrongfully。〃 〃Enough。
You have done with school〃 〃Youyou mean that I am not to go to
school any morethat I have got to go through life with the little I have
learned？ Is that what you mean； Uncle？〃 asked the boy； with a sinking
heart。 〃You heard me。〃 〃What do you want me to do？〃 〃Work！〃 〃I am
working and I shall be working；〃 Phil replied。 〃You're right you will； or
you'll starve。 I have been thinking this thing over a lot lately。 A boy
never amounts to anything if he's mollycoddled and allowed to spend his
days depending on someone else。 Throw him out and let him fight his
own way。 That's what my father used to tell me； and that's what I'm going
to say to you。〃 〃What do you mean； Uncle？〃 〃Mean？ Can't you
understand the English language？ Have I got to draw a picture to make
you understand？ Get to work！〃 〃I am going to as soon as school is out。〃
〃You'll do it now。 Get yourself out of my house； bag and baggage！〃
〃Uncle； Uncle！〃 protested the lad in amazement。 〃Would you turn me
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out？〃 〃Would I？ I have； only you are too stupid to know it。 You'll thank
me for it when you get old enough to have some sense。〃 Phil's heart sank
within him； and it required all his self…control to keep the bitter tears from
his eyes。 〃When do you wish me to go？〃 he asked without a quaver in his
voice。 〃Now。〃 〃Very well； I'll go。 But what do you
