the circus boys across the continent(穿越大陆的马戏团男孩)-第21章
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soon。 Now I've got to look out or I shall be out of a job in no time。
Hurry up and get your working clothes on。 I'll have the gray out by the
time you are ready。〃
Twenty minutes later Phil Forrest presented himself in the ring； with
Little Dimples following； leading the old gray ring horse。
〃e up to ring No。 2；〃 directed the owner。 〃They haven't leveled
No。 1 down yet。 How's this？ Don't you use the back pad to ride on？〃
questioned Mr。 Sparling in a surprised tone。
〃No； sir。 I haven't used the pad at all yet。〃
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〃Very well； I'm ready to see you fall off。〃
Phil sprang lightly to the back of the ring horse while Dimples； who
had brought a ringmaster's whip with her； cracked the whip and called
shrilly to her horse。 The old gray fell into its accustomed easy gallop；
Phil sitting lightly on the animal's hip； moving up and down with the easy
grace of a finished rider。
After they had swept twice around the ring； the boy sprang to his feet；
facing ahead； and holding his short crop in both hands； leaning slightly
toward the center of the ring； treading on fairy feet from one end of the
broad back to the other。
Next he varied his performance by standing on one foot； holding the
other up by one hand； doing the same graceful step that he had on both
feet a moment before。
Now he tried the same feats riding backwards； a most difficult
performance for any save a rider of long experience。
Mrs。 Robinson became so absorbed in his riding that she forgot to urge
the gray along or to crack the whip。 The result was that the old horse
stopped suddenly。
Phil went right on。 He was in a fair way to break his neck； as he was
plunging toward the turf head first。
〃Ball！〃 she cried； meaning to double oneself up into as near an
approach to a round ball as was possible。
But Phil already had begun to do this very thing。 And he did another
remarkable feat at the same time。 He turned his body in the air so that he
faced to the front； and the next instant landed lightly on his feet outside the
ring。
Phil blew a kiss to the amazed owner； turning back to the ring again。
By this time Mrs。 Robinson had placed the jumping board in the ring
a short piece of board； one end of which was built up about a foot from the
ground。 Then she started the ring horse galloping again。
Phil； measuring his distance； took a running start and vaulted； landing
on his feet on the animal's back； then； urging his mount on to a lively
gallop about the sawdust ring； he threw himself into a whirlwind of
graceful contortions and rapid movements； adding some of his own
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invention to those usually practiced by bareback riders。
Phil dropped to the hip of the gray； his face flushed with triumph； his
eyes sparkling。
〃How is it； Mr。 Sparling？〃 he called。
The showman was clapping his hands and clambering down the aisle
from his position near the top row of seats。
〃You don't mean to tell me you have never tried bareback riding before
this season？〃 he demanded。
〃No； sir； this is my first experience。〃
〃Then all I have to say is that you will make one of the finest bareback
riders in the world if you keep on。 It is marvelous； marvelous！〃
〃Thank you；〃 glowed the lad。 〃But if there is any credit ing to
anyone it is due to Mrs。 Robinson。 She taught me how to do it；〃
answered Phil gallantly。
Little Dimples shook a small； brown fist at him。 〃He knows how to
turn a pretty pliment as well as he knows how to ride； Mr。 Sparling；〃
bubbled Dimples。 〃You should just hear the nice things he said to me
back in the paddock；〃 she teased。
Phil blushed furiously。
〃Shall I ride again？〃 he asked。
〃Not necessary；〃 answered the owner。 〃But； by the way； you might
get up and do a somersault。 Do a backward turn with the horse at a
gallop；〃 suggested Mr。 Sparling； with a suspicion of a smile at the corners
of his mouth。
〃A somersault？〃 stammered Phil； somewhat taken back。 〃WhyI I…
…I guess I couldn't do that； I haven't learned to do that yet。〃
〃Not learned to do it？ I am surprised。〃
Phil looked crestfallen。
〃I am surprised； indeed； that there is one thing in this show that you
are unable to do。〃 The manager broke out into a roar of laughter； in
which Little Dimples joined merrily。
〃May I go on？〃 asked the lad somewhat apprehensively。
〃May you？ May you？ Why； I〃
At that moment Teddy Tucker came strolling lazily in with a long；
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white feather tucked in the corner of his mouth。
The showman's eyes were upon it instantly。
〃What have you there？〃 he demanded。
〃Feather；〃 answered Teddy thickly。
〃I see it。 Where did you get it？〃
〃Pulled it out of the pelican's tail。 Going to make a pen of it to use
when I write to the folks at Edmeston；〃 answered the boy carelessly。
〃You young rascal！〃 thundered Mr。 Sparling。 〃What do you mean by
destroying my property like that？ I'll fine you！ I'll teach you！〃
〃Oh； it didn't hurt the pelican any。 Besides； he's got more tail than he
can use in his business； anyway。〃
〃Get out of here！〃 thundered the manager in well…feigned anger。 〃I'll
forget myself and discharge you first thing you know。 What do you want？〃
〃I was going to ask you something；〃 answered Teddy slowly。
〃You needn't。 You needn't。 It won't do you any good。 What is it
you were going to ask me？〃
〃I was going to ask you if I might go in the leaping act。〃
〃The leaping act？〃
〃Yes； sir。 The one where the fellows jump over the elephants and〃
〃Ho； ho； ho！ What do you think of that； Phil？ What do you〃
〃I can do it。 You needn't laugh。 I've done it every day for three
weeks。 I can jump over four elephants and maybe five； now。 I can〃
〃Yes； I have seen him do it； Mr。 Sparling；〃 vouched Phil。 〃He is
going to make a very fine leaper。〃
The showman removed his broad sombrero； wiped the perspiration
from his brow； glancing from one to the other of the Circus Boys。
〃May I？〃
〃Yes； yes。 Go ahead。 Do anything you want to。 I'm only the hired
man around here anyhow；〃 snapped the showman； jamming his hat down
over his head and striding away； followed by the merry laughter of Little
Dimples。
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CHAPTER XVII
THE CIRCUS BOYS WIN NEW LAURELS
〃Bareback riders out！〃 shouted the callboy； poking his head into the
dressing tent。
〃Get out！〃 roared a clown； hurling a fellow performer's bath brush at
the boy； which the youngster promptly shied back at the clown's head； then
prudently made his escape to call Little Dimples in the women's dressing
tent。
Phil Forrest； proud and happy； bounded out into the paddock；
resplendent in pink tights； a black girdle about his loins； sparkling with
silver spangles。
Little Dimples ran out at about the same time。
〃How do I look？〃 he questioned； his face wreathed in smiles。
〃If you ride half as well as you look today； you will make the hit of
your life；〃 twinkled Dimples merrily。 〃There； don't blush。 Run along。
The band is playing our entrance tune。 Mr。 Ducro will be in a fine
temper if we are a second behind time。〃
For that day； and until Phil could break in on another animal； Little
Dimples had loaned her gray to him； for Phil did not dare to try the
experiment of riding a new horse at his first appearance。 Altogether too
much depended upon his first public exhibition as a bareback rider to
permit his taking any such chances。
Dimples owned two horses； so she rode the second one this day。
As Phil walked lightly the length of the big top； which he was obliged
to do to reach ring No。 1 in which he was to ride； his figure； graceful as it
was； appeared almost fragile。 He attracted attention because of this fact
alone； for the people did not recognize in him the lad who had that
morning stayed the stampede of the herd of huge elephants。
〃Now keep cool。 Don't get excited；〃 warned Dimples as she left him
to enter the ring where she was to perform。 〃Forget all about those
people out there； and they will do the rest。〃
Phil nodded and passed on smiling。 Reaching his ring he quickly
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kicked off his pumps and leaped lightly to the back of his mount； where he
sat easily while the gray slowly walked about the sawdust arena。
〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 announced the equestrian director。 〃You see
before you the hero of the day； the young man who； unaided； stopped the
charge of a herd of great elephants； saving； perhaps many lives besides
doing a great service for the Sparling bined Shows。〃
〃What did you do that for？〃 demanded Phil； squirming uneasily on the
slippery seat where he was perched。
〃Unfortunately；〃 continued the Director； 〃our principal male bareback
rider was slightly injured in that same stampede。 The management would
not permit him to appear this
