the circus boys on the flying rings(飞指环上的马戏团男孩)-第27部分
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being high in the air。 With the rings hung about his neck； Teddy cut a more
ridiculous figure than ever。 The audience went wild with excitement。
Now the ringmaster； angered beyond endurance； began reaching for Teddy
with the long lash of his whip。 The business end of the lash once brushed
the boy's cheek。 It stung him。 〃Ouch！〃 howled Teddy as he felt the lash。
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〃Stop that！〃 exploded Mr。 Sparling； who； by this time； had gotten into the
ring to take a hand in the performance himself。 He grabbed the irate
ringmaster by the collar； giving him a jerk that that functionary did not
forget in a hurry。 Jumbo； however； was no respecter of persons。 He had
taken a short cut across the ring just as the owner had begun his correction
of the ringmaster。 Jumbo shook out his heels again。 They caught the
owner's sombrero and sent it spinning into the air。 Mr。 Sparling； in his
excitement； forgot all about the ringmaster。 Picking up a tent stake； he
hurled it after the educated mule； missing him by a full rod。 The audience
by this time was in a tempest of excitement。 At first they thought it was
all a part of the show。 But they were soon undeceived； which made their
enjoyment and appreciation all the greater。 Jumbo took a final sprint about
the arena； Teddy's legs and free arm most of the time in the air。 He had
long since lost his clown's cap； which Jumbo； espying； had kicked off into
the audience。 〃You fool mule！ You fool mule！〃 bellowed Mr。 Sparling。
Jumbo suddenly decided that he would go back to the paddock。 With him；
to decide was to act。 Taking a fresh burst of speed； he shot straight at the
red curtains。 To reach these he was obliged to pass close to the
bandstand； where the band was playing as if the very existence of the
show depended upon them。 Teddy's grip was relaxing。 His arm was so
benumbed that he could not feel that he had any arm on that side at all。 His
fingers slowly relaxed their grip on the cinch girth。 In a moment he had
bounced back to the educated mule's rump。 In another instant he would
be plumped to the hard ground with a jolt that would shake him to his
foundations。 But Jumbo had other plansmore spectacular plansin mind。
He put them into execution at once。 The moment he felt his burden
slipping over his back that active end grew busy again。 Jumbo humped
himself； letting out a volley of kicks so lightning…like in their swiftness
that human eye could not follow。 Teddy had slipped half over the mule's
rump when the volley began。 〃Catch him！ He'll be killed！〃 shouted
someone。 All at once the figure of Teddy Tucker shot straight up into the
air； propelled there by the educated mule。 The lad's body described what
somebody afterwards characterized as 〃graceful somersault in the air；〃
then began its downward flight。 He landed right in the midst of the band。
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Crash！ There was a yell of warning； a jingle and clatter of brass； several
chairs went down under the impact； the floor gave way and half the band；
with Teddy Tucker in the middle of the heap； sank out of sight。
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CHAPTER XX
THE RETURN TO THE SAWDUST LIFE
〃Is he dead？〃 〃No； you can't kill a thick…head like that；〃 snarled the
ringmaster。 The audience was still roaring。 With angry imprecations the
members of the band who had fallen through were untangling themselves
as rapidly as possible。 Teddy； in the meantime； had dragged himself from
beneath the heap and slunk out from under the broken platform。 He lost
no time in escaping to the paddock； but the bandmaster； espying him；
started after the lad； waving his baton threateningly。 No sooner had Teddy
gained the seclusion of the dressing tent than James Sparling burst in。
〃Where's that boy？ Where's that boy？〃 〃Here he is；〃 grinned a performer；
thrusting Teddy forward； much against the lad's inclinations。 Mr。 Sparling
surveyed him with narrow eyes。 〃You young rascal！ Trying to break up
my show； are you？〃 〃N…nosir。〃 〃Can you do that again； do you think？〃
〃II don't know。〃 〃That's the greatest Rube mule act that ever hit a
sawdust ring。 I'll double your salary if you think you can get away with it
every performance；〃 fairly shouted the owner。 〃II'm willing if the mule
is；〃 stammered Teddy somewhat doubtfully。 As a result the lad left his job
in the cook tent； never to return to it。 After many hard knocks and some
heavy falls he succeeded in so mastering the act that he was able to go
through with it without great risk of serious injury to himself。 The
educated mule and the boy became a feature of the Sparling Combined
Shows from that moment on； but after that Teddy took good care not to
round off his act by a high dive into the big bass horn。 No one was more
delighted at Teddy Tucker's sudden leap to fame than was his companion；
Phil Forrest。 Phil and Dr。 Irvine returned to the show； one afternoon；
about a week after the accident。 They had come on by train。 Phil； though
somewhat pale after his setback； was clear…eyed； and declared himself as
fit as ever。 He insisted upon going on with his act at the evening
performance； but Mr。 Sparling told him to wait until the day following。
In the meantime Phil could get his apparatus in working order。 〃I'll look it
over myself this time；〃 announced the showman。 〃I don't want any more
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such accidents happening in this show。 Your friend Teddy nearly put the
whole outfit to the badhe and the fool mule。〃 That afternoon Phil had an
opportunity to witness for himself the exhibition of his companion and the
〃fool mule。〃 He laughed until his sides ached。 〃O Teddy； you'll break
your neck doing that stunt one of these times；〃 warned Phil； hastening
back to the dressing tent after Teddy and the mule had left the ring。 〃Don't
you think it's worth the risk？〃 〃That depends。〃 〃For two dollars a day？〃 〃Is
that what you are getting？〃 〃Yep。 I'm a high…priced performer；〃 insisted
Teddy； snapping his trousers pocket significantly。 〃I'd jump off the big
top； twice every day； for that figure。〃 〃What are you going to do with all
your money？ Spend it？〃 〃Irather thought I'd buy a bicycle。〃 Phil shook
his head。 〃You couldn't carry it； and； besides； nobody rides bicycles these
days。 They ride in automobiles。〃 〃Then I'll buy one of them。〃 〃I'll tell
you what you do； Teddy。〃 〃Lend the money to you； eh？〃 〃No； I am earning
plenty for myself。 But every week； now； I shall send all my money home
to Mrs。 Cahill。 I wrote to her about it while I was sick。 She is going to
put it in the bank for me at Edmeston； with herself appointed as trustee。
That's necessary； you see； because I am not of age。 Then no one can take
it away from me。〃 〃You mean your Uncle Abner？〃 questioned Teddy。 〃Yes。
I don't know that he would want to； but I'm not taking any chances。 Now；
why not send your money along at the same time？ Mrs。 Cahill will deposit
it in the same way； and at the end of the season think what a lot of money
you will have？〃 〃Regular fortune？〃 〃Yes； a regular fortune。〃 〃What'll I do
with all that money？〃 〃Do what I'm going to doget an education。〃 〃What；
and leave the show business？ No； siree！〃 〃I didn't mean that。 You can
go to school between seasons。 I don't intend to leave the show business；
but I'm going to know something besides that。〃 〃Well； I guess it would be
a good idea；〃 reflected Teddy。 〃Will you do it？〃 〃Yes； I'll do it；〃 he nodded。
〃Good for you！ We'll own a show of our own； one of these days。 You
mark me； Teddy；〃 glowed Phil。 〃Of our own？〃 marveled Teddy； his face
wreathing in smiles。 〃Say； wouldn't that be great？〃 〃I think so。 Have you
been practicing on the rings since I left？〃 〃No。〃 〃That's too bad。 You and
I will begin tomorrow。 We ought to be pretty expert on the flying rings in
a few weeks； if I don't get hurt again；〃 added the boy； a shadow flitting
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across his face。 〃Then； you'd better begin by taking some bends；〃
suggested Mr。 Miaco； who； approaching； had overheard Phil's remark。
〃Bends？〃 questioned Teddy 〃What are they？〃 wondered Phil。 〃Oh； I
know。 I read about them in the papers。 It's an attack that f
