The Circus Boys on the Flying Rings
week stands." "Can't." "Why not?" " 'Cause they're dead." "Huh! Why didn't you say so before?" "You didn't ask me." "You're too smart, young man." "Takes a smart man to be a circus man, doesn't it?" "I guess you're right at that," answered the showman, his stern features relaxing into a smile. "You'll do. But you'd better not hand out that line of sharp talk in bunches when you get with the show. It might get you into trouble if you did." "Yes, sir; I'll be good." "Now, you boys had better run along and make your preparations. You may take your supper in the cook tent tonight if you wish. But you will have to be on hand promptly, as they take down the cook tent first of all." "Thank you; we will," answered Phil. "What act-what do I perform?" questioned Teddy, swelling with pride. "Perform?" "Yes." "Ho, ho, ho!" "I'm going to be a performer and wear pink pants, ain't I?" "A performer? Oh, that's too good. Yes, my son, you shall be a performer. How would you like to be a juggler?" "Fine!" "Then, I think I'll let you juggle the big coffeepot in the cook tent for the edification of the hungry roustabouts," grinned Mr. Sparling. "What do I do?" "Do, young man--do?" "Yes, sir." "Why, you stand by the coffee boiler in the cook tent, and when you hear a waiter bawl 'Draw one,' at the same time throwing a pitcher at you from halfway across the tent, you catch the pitcher and have it filled and ready for him by the time he gets to you." "Do I throw the pitcherful of coffee back at him?" questioned Teddy innocently. "You might, but you wouldn't be apt to try it a second time. You'd be likely to get a resounding slap from the flat of his hand--" "I'd hit him on the nose if he did," declared Teddy belligerently. Mr. Sparling could not resist laughing. "That's not the way to begin. But you will learn. Follow your friend Phil, here, and you will be all right if I am any judge of boys. I ought to be, for I have boys of my own. You'd better be going now." The two lads started off at a brisk pace. Phil to tell Mrs. Cahill of his good fortune. Teddy to bid good-bye to the people with whom he had been living as chore boy.
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