CHAPTER VIII
PHIL MAKES A NEW FRIEND
"Tweetle! Tweetle!"
Two rippling blasts from the ringmaster's whistle notified theshow people that the performance was on. In moved the processionfor the Grand Entry, as the silken curtains separating thepaddock from the big top slowly fell apart.
Phil, from his lofty perch on the head of old Emperor, peeringthrough the opening of the bonnet in which he was concealed,could not repress an exclamation of admiration. It was asplendid spectacle--taken from a story of ancient Rome--that was sweeping majestically about the arena to the musicof an inspiring tune into which the big circus band hadsuddenly launched.
Gayly-caparisoned, nervous horses pranced and reared; hugewagons, gorgeous under their coat of paint and gold, glistenedin the afternoon sunlight that fell softly through the canvas topand gave the peculiar rattling sound so familiar to the lover ofthe circus as they moved majestically into the arena; elephantstrumpeted shrilly and the animals back in the menagerie tent sentup a deafening roar of protest. After months of quiet in theirwinter quarters, this unusual noise and excitement threw the wildbeasts into a tempest of anger. Pacing their cages with upraisedheads, they hurled their loud-voiced protests into the air untilthe more timid of the spectators trembled in their seats.
It was an inspiring moment for the circus people, as well as forthe spectators.
"Tweetle! Tweetle!" sang the ringmaster's whistle after thespectacle had wound its way once around the concourse.
At this the procession wheeled, its head cutting between thetwo rings, slowly and majestically reaching for the paddockand dressing tent, where the performers would hurry into theircostumes for their various acts to follow.
This left only the elephants in the ring. The huge beasts nowbegan their evolutions, ponderous but graceful, eliciting greatapplause, as did their trainer, Mr. Kennedy. Then came theround-off of the act. This, it will be remembered, was of PhilForrest's own invention, the act in which Phil, secreted in theelephant's bonnet, burst out at the close of the act, and, by theaid of wires running over a pulley above him, was able to descendgracefully to the sawdust arena.
He was just a little nervous in this, the first performance ofthe season, but, steadying his nerves, he went through the actwithout a hitch and amid thunders of applause. As in theprevious season's act, old Emperor carried the lad from the ring,holding Phil out in front of him firmly clasped in his trunk.No similar act ever had been seen in a circus until Phil andEmperor worked it out for themselves. It had become one of thefeatures of the show last year, and it bade fair to be equallypopular that season. Phil had added to it somewhat, which gavethe act much more finish than before.
"Very good, young man," approved Mr. Sparling, as the elephantbore the lad out. Mr. Sparling was watching the show with keeneyes in order to decide what necessary changes were to be made."Coming back to watch the performance?"
"Oh, yes. I wouldn't miss that for anything."
As soon as the lad had thrown off his costume and gotten backinto his clothes, he hurried into the big top, where he foundTeddy, who did not go on in his bucking mule act until later.
"How's the show, Teddy?" greeted Phil.
"Great. Greatest thing I ever saw. Did you see the fellows jumpover the herd of elephants and horses?"
"No. Who were they?"
"Oh, most all of the crowd, I guess. I'm going to do that."
"You, Teddy? Why, you couldn't jump over half a dozenelephants and turn a somersault. You would break your neck thefirst thing."
"Mr. Miaco says I could. Says I'm just the build for that sortof thing," protested the lad.
"Well, then, get him to teach you. Of course we can't know howto do too many things in this business. We have learned that itpays to know how to do almost everything. Have you made friendswith the mule since you got back?"
"Yes. He spooned over me and made believe he loved me likea brother."
Teddy paused reflectively.
"Then what?"
"Well, then he tried to kick the daylight out of me."
"I thought so," laughed Phil. "I'm glad I chose an elephant formy friend, instead of an educated mule. When are you going tobegin on the springboard--begin practicing, I mean?"
"Mr. Miaco says he'll teach me as soon as we get settled--"
"Settled? I never heard of a show getting settled--that is, notuntil the season is ended and it is once more in winter quarters.I suppose by 'settled' he means when everything gets tomoving smoothly."
"I guess so," nodded Teddy. "What are you going to do?"
"The regular acts that I did last year."
"No; I mean what are you going to learn new?"
"Oh! Well, there are two things I'm crazy to be able to do."
"What are they?"
"One is to be a fine trapeze performer," announced Philthoughtfully.
"And the other?"
"To ride bareback."
"Want to be the whole thing, don't you?" jeered Teddy.
"No; not quite. But I should like to be able to do those twothings, and to do them well. There is nothing that catches theaudiences as do the trapezists and the bareback riders. And itfascinates me as well."
"Here, too," agreed Teddy.
"But there is one thing I want to talk with you about--to readyou a lecture."
"You needn't."
"I shouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of an inquiryabout the row in the dressing tent. You know Mr. Sparling won'tstand for anything of that sort."
"He doesn't know about it," interposed Teddy.
"But we do. Therefore, we are just as much to blame as if hedid know. And I am not so sure that he doesn't. You can't foolMr. Sparling. You ought to know that by this time. There isn'ta thing goes on in this show that he doesn't find out about,sooner or later, and he is going to find out about this."
"I didn't do anything. You did, when you had a scrap with thosetwo fellows out on the lot."
"You forget that you started the row by emptying a pail of wateron Larry's head. Don't you call that starting doing anything?I do."
Phil had to laugh at the comical expression on hiscompanion's face.
"Well, maybe."
"And we haven't heard the last of those fellows yet. They're madall through. I am sorry I had to hit them. But they would haveused me badly had I not done something to protect myself.I should tell the whole matter to Mr. Sparling, were it not thatI would get others into trouble. That I wouldn't do."
"I should think not."
"By the way, Teddy, there come the bareback riders. Don't youfollow after their act?"
"My! That's so. I had forgotten all about that. Thought I waswatching the show just like the rest of the folks."
"Better hustle, or you won't get into your makeup in timeto go on. There'll be a row for certain if you are late."
But Teddy already had started on a run for the dressing tent,bowling over a clown at the entrance to the paddock and bringingdown the wrath of that individual as he hustled for thedressing tent and began feverishly getting into his ring clothes.These consisted of a loose fitting pair of trousers, a slouch hatand a coat much the worse for wear. A "Rube" act, it was calledin show parlance, and it was that in very truth, more because ofTeddy's drollery than for the makeup that he wore.
Phil quickly forgot all about the lecture he had been reading tohis companion as the bareback riders came trotting in. His eyeswere fixed on a petite, smiling figure who tripped up to thecurbing, where she turned toward the audience, and, kicking onefoot out behind her, bowed and threw a kiss to the spectators.
Phil had walked over and sat down by the center pole rightnear the sawdust ring, so that he might get a better viewof the riding.
The young woman who so attracted his attention was knownon the show bills as "Little Miss Dimples, the Queen of theSawdust Arena." Phil, as he gazed at her graceful little figure,agreed that the show bills did not exaggerate
her charms at all.
Little Dimples, using the ringmaster's hand as a step, vaultedlightly to the back of the great gray ring horse, where she satas the animal began a slow walk about the ring.
Phil wondered how she could stay on, for she appeared to besitting right on the animal's sloping hip.
The band struck up a lively tune, the gray horse began a slow,methodical gallop. The first rise of the horse bounded LittleDimples to her knees, and the next to her feet.
With a merry little "yip! yip!" she began executing a fairy-likedance, keeping time with her whip, which she held grasped inboth hands.
"Beautiful!" cried Phil, bringing his hands together sharply.In fact, he had never seen such artistic riding. The girl seemedto be treading on air, so lightly did her feet touch the rosinedback of the ring horse.
Little Dimples heard and understood. She flashed a brilliantsmile at Phil and tossed her whip as a salute. Phil had nevermet her, but they both belonged to the same great family, andthat was sufficient.
His face broke out into a pleased smile at her recognition andthe lad touched his hat lightly, settling back against thecenter pole to watch Dimples' riding, which had only just begun.It made him laugh outright to see her big picture hat bobbing upand down with the motion of the horse.
"Works just like an elephant's ear when the flies are thick,"was the lad's somewhat inelegant comparison.
But now Dimples removed the hat, sending it spinning to theringmaster, who, in turn, tossed it to an attendant. The realwork of the act was about to start. Phil never having seen theyoung woman ride, did not know what her particular specialty was.Just now he was keenly observing, that he might learnher methods.
Dimples' next act was to jump through a series of paper hoops.This finished, she leaped to the ring, and, taking a runningstart, vaulted to the back of her horse.
"Bravo!" cried Phil, which brought another brilliant smile fromthe rider. She knew that it was not herself, but her work,that had brought this expression of approval from the Circus Boy,whom she already knew of by hearing some of the other performerstell of his achievements since he joined the circus less than ayear ago.
"The ring is rough. I should have thought they would haveleveled it down better," Phil grumbled, noting the uneven surfaceof the sawdust circle with critical eyes. "I'll bet Mr. Sparlinghasn't seen that, or he would have raised a row. But stillDimples seems very sure on her feet. I wonder if she does anybrilliant stunts?"
As if in answer to the lad's question, the "tweetle" of theringmaster's whistle brought everything to a standstill under thebig top. Even the band suddenly ceased playing. Then Phil knewthat something worthwhile was coming.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" announced the ringmaster, holding uphis right hand to attract the eyes of the spectators to him,"Little Miss Dimples, The Queen of the Sawdust Arena, will nowperform her thrilling, death-defying, unexcelled, unequaled featof turning a somersault on the back of a running horse. I mightadd in this connection that Little Miss Dimples is the only womanwho ever succeeded in going through this feat without finishingup by breaking her neck. The band will cease playing while thisperilous performance is on, as the least distraction on the partof the rider might result fatally for her. Ladies and gentlemen,I introduce to you Little Miss Dimples," concluded theringmaster, with a comprehensive wave of the hand toward theyoung woman and her gray ring horse.
Dimples dropped to the ring, swept a courtesy to the audience,then leaped to the animal's back with a sharp little "yip! yip!"
During the first round of the ring she removed the bridle,tossing it mischievously in Phil's direction. He caught itdeftly, placing it on the ground beside him, then edged a littlecloser to the ring that he might the better observe her work.
The ring horse started off at a lively gallop, the rider allowingher elbows to rise and fall with the motion of the horse,in order that she might the more thoroughly become a part of theanimal itself--that the motion of each should be the same.
Suddenly Dimples sprang nimbly to her feet, tossing her ridingwhip to the waiting hands of the ringmaster.
Phil half scrambled to his feet as he saw her poise for abackward somersault. He had noted another thing, too. She wasgoing to throw herself, it seemed, just as the horse was on theroughest part of the ring. He wondered if she could make it.To him it was a risky thing to try, but she no doubt knew betterthan he what she was about.
The ringmaster held up his hand as a signal to the audience thatthe daring act was about to take place.
Phil crept a little nearer.
All at once the girl gracefully threw herself into the air.He judged she had cleared the back of the animal by at leastthree feet, a high jump to make straight up with unbent knees.
But just as she was leaving the back of the horse, the animalsuddenly stumbled, thus turning her halfway around, and for theinstant taking her mind from her work. Dimples already hadbegun to turn backward, but he noted that all at once shestopped turning.
Phil knew what that meant. As show people term it, she had"frozen" in the air. She was falling, head first, right towardthe wooden ring curbing.
"Turn! Turn!" cried Phil sharply.
The girl was powerless to do so, while the ringmaster, being onthe opposite side of the ring, could be of no assistance to her.
"Turn!" shouted Phil, more loudly this time, giving a mightyspring in the direction of the falling woman.