CHAPTER VI
THE SHOWMAN'S REWARD
Phil struck the net with a violent slap that was heard outsidethe big top, though those without did not understand the meaningof it, nor did they give it heed.
Mr. Sparling was the first to reach him. The lad had landed onhis shoulders and then struck flat on his back, the proper wayto fall into a net. Perhaps it was instinct that told him whatto do.
The lad was unconscious when the showman lifted him tenderly fromthe net and laid him out on the ground.
"Up with that peak!" commanded Mr. Sparling. "Get some waterhere,and don't crowd around him! Give the boy air! Tucker, you hikefor the surgeon."
A shove started Teddy for the surgeon. In the meantimeMr. Sparling was working over Phil, seeking to bring him backto consciousness, which he finally succeeded in doing beforethe surgeon arrived.
"Did I fall?" asked Phil, suddenly opening his eyes.
"A high dive," nodded Mr. Sparling.
Phil cast his eyes up to the dome where he saw the canvasdrawing taut. He knew that he had succeeded and hesmiled contentedly.
By the time the surgeon arrived the boy was on his feet.
"How do you feel?"
"I'm a little sore, Mr. Sparling. But I guess I'll be fit in afew minutes."
"Able to walk over to my tent? If not, I'll have some of thefellows carry you."
"Oh, no; I can walk if I can get my legs started moving.They don't seem to be working the way they should this morning,"laughed the lad. "My, that tent weighs something doesn't it?"
"It does," agreed the showman.
Just then the surgeon arrived. After a brief examination heannounced that Phil was not injured, unless, perhaps, he mighthave injured himself internally by subjecting himself to thegreat strain of holding up the tent.
"I think some breakfast will put me right again," decidedthe lad.
"Haven't you had your breakfast yet?" demanded Mr. Sparling.
"No; I guess I've been too busy."
"Come with me, then. I haven't had mine either," saidthe showman.
Linking his arm within that of the Circus Boy, Mr. Sparlingwalked from the tent, not speaking again until they had reachedthe manager's private tent. This was a larger and much morecommodious affair than it had been last year.
He placed Phil in a folding easy chair, and sat down to his deskwhere he began writing.
After finishing, Mr. Sparling looked up.
"Phil," he said in a more kindly tone than the lad had everbefore heard him use, "I was under a deep obligation to youlast season. I'm under a greater one now."
"I wish you wouldn't speak of it, sir. What I have done ispurely in the line of duty. It's a fellow's business to belooking out for his employer's interests. That's what I havealways tried to do."
"Not only tried, but have," corrected Mr. Sparling. "That's anold-fashioned idea of yours. It's a pity young men don't feelmore that way, these days. But that wasn't what I wanted to say.As a little expression of how much I appreciate your interest,as well as the actual money loss you have saved me, I want tomake you a little present."
"Oh, no no," protested Phil.
"Here is a check which I have made out for a hundred dollars.That will give you a little start on the season. But it isn'tall that I am going to do for you--"
"Please, Mr. Sparling. Believe me I do appreciate your kindness,but I mustn't take the check. I couldn't take the check."
"Why not?"
"Because I haven't earned it."
"Haven't earned it? He hasn't earned it!"
"No, sir."
The showman threw his hands above his head in a hopeless sort ofa way.
"I should not feel that I was doing right. I want to beindependent, Mr. Sparling. I have plenty of money. I havenot spent more than half of what I earned last summer.This season I hope to lay by a whole lot, so that I shall bequite independent."
"And so you shall, so you shall, my boy," Sparling exclaimed,rising and smiting Phil good naturedly with the flat of his hand.
Instead of tearing up the check, however, Mr. Sparling put it inan envelope which he directed and stamped, then thrust in hiscoat pocket.
"I--I hope you understand--hope you do not feel offended,"said Phil hesitatingly. "I should not like to have youmisunderstand me."
"Not a bit of it, my lad. I can't say that I have any higheropinion of you because of your decision, but--"
Phil glanced up quickly.
"I already have as high an opinion of you as it is possible forme to have for any human being, and--"
"Thank you. You'll make me have a swelled head if you keep onthat way," laughed Phil.
"No danger. You would have had one long ago, if that wasyour makeup. Have you seen Mrs. Sparling yet?"
"No, and I should like to. May I call on her in your car?"
"Not only may, but she has commissioned me to ask you to.I think we had better be moving over to the cook tent, now,if we wish any breakfast. I expect the hungry roustaboutshave about cleaned the place out by this time."
They soon arrived at the cook tent. Here Phil left Mr. Sparlingwhile he passed about among the tables, greeting such of his oldacquaintances as he had not yet seen that morning. He wasintroduced to many of the new ones, all of whom had heard prettymuch everything about Phil's past achievements before he reachedtheir tables. The people of a circus are much like a big family,and everyone knows, or thinks he knows, the whole family historyof his associates.
Even Phil's plucky work in the big top, less than an hour before,had already traveled to the cook tent, and many curious glanceswere directed to the slim, modest, boy as he passed among hisfriends quietly, giving them his greetings.
Teddy, on the other hand, was not saying a word. He wasbusy eating.
"How's your appetite this morning, Teddy?" questioned Phil,sinking down on the bench beside his companion.
"Pretty fair," answered Teddy in a muffled voice. "I began atthe top--"
"Top of what?"
"Top of the bill of fare. I've cleaned up everything halfwaydown the list, and I'm going through the whole bill, even if Ihave to get up and shake myself down like the miller does a bagof meal."
"Be careful, old chap. Remember you and I have to begin our realwork today. We shall want to be in the best of shape for ourring act. You won't, if you fill up as you are doing now,"warned Phil.
"Not going to work today."
"What's that?"
"No flying rings today."
"I don't understand."
"No flying rings, I said. Mr. Sparling isn't going to put on ouract today."
"How do you know?" asked Phil in some surprise.
"Heard him say so."
"When?"
"Just now."
"Why, I came in with him myself less than ten minutes ago--"
"I know. He stopped right in front of my table here to speak tothe ringmaster. Heard him say you were not to be allowed to goon till tomorrow. We don't have to go in the parade today if wedon't want to, either. But you are to ride Emperor in theGrand Entry, and I'm to do my stunt on the educated mule."
"Pshaw, I can work today as well as I ever could," said Phil in adisappointed tone. "And I'm going on, too, unless Mr. Sparlinggives me distinct orders to the contrary."
Phil got the orders before he had finished his breakfast.
"Believe me, Phil, I know best," said Mr. Sparling, noting thelad's disappointment. "You have had a pretty severe strain thismorning, and to go on now with the excitement of the first dayadded to that, I fear might be too much for you. It might layyou up for some weeks, and we cannot afford to have that happen,you know. I need you altogether too much for that."
"Very well, sir; it shall be as you wish. I suppose I may go onin the Grand Entry as usual?"
"Oh, yes, if you wish."
"I do."
"Very well; then I'll let Mr. Kennedy know. You had better liedown and rest while the p
arade is out."
"Thank you; I hardly think that will be necessary. I feel fitenough for work right now."
"Such is youth and enthusiasm," mused the showman, passing on outof the cook tent, once more to go over his arrangements, forthere were many details to be looked after on this the first dayof the show's season on the road.
Phil called on Mrs. Sparling after breakfast, receiving from theshowman's wife a most hospitable welcome. She asked him allabout how he had spent the winter, and seemed particularlyinterested in Mrs. Cahill, who was now the legal guardian ofboth the boys. Mrs. Sparling already had a letter in her pocket,with the check for one hundred dollars which the showman haddrawn for Phil. It was going to Mrs. Cahill to be deposited tothe lad's credit, but he would know nothing of this until theclose of the season. After he had gone home he would findhimself a hundred dollars richer than he thought.
His call finished, Phil went out and rejoined Teddy. Togethertheystarted back toward the dressing tent to set their trunks inorderand get out such of their costumes as they would need thatafternoon and evening. Then again, the dressing tent was reallythe most attractive part of the show to all the performers. Itwashere that they talked of their work and life, occasionallypracticednew acts of a minor character, and indulged in pranks like a lotofschoolboys at recess time.
As they were passing down along the outside of the big top,Phil noticed several laborers belonging to the show sittingagainst the side wall sunning themselves. He observed that oneof the men was eyeing Teddy and himself with rather more thanordinary interest.
Phil did not give it a second thought, however, until suddenlyTeddy gave his arm a violent pinch.
"What is it?"
"See those fellows sitting there?"
"Yes. What of it?"
"One of them is the fellow who ducked me under the water tankback at Germantown."
"You don't say? Which one?"
"Fellow with the red hair. I heard them call him Larry as Ipassed, or I might not have noticed him particularly. His hairis redder than Rod Palmer's. I should think it would set himon fire."
"It certainly would seem so."
"Mister Larry has got something coming to him good and proper,and he's going to get it, you take my word for that."
Phil laughed good naturedly.
"Please, now, Teddy, forget it. Don't go and get into anymore mix-ups. You'll be sending yourself back home first thingyou know. Then it will be a difficult matter to get into anyother show if you are sent away from this one in disgrace."
"Don't you worry about me. I'll take care of myself. I alwaysdo, don't I?"
"I'm afraid I can't agree to that," laughed Phil. "I should saythat quite the contrary is the case."
Teddy fell suddenly silent as they walked on in the brightmorning light, drinking in the balmy air in long-drawn breaths.Entering the paddock they turned sharply to the left and pushedtheir way through the canvas curtains into the dressing tent.
"Hurrah for the Circus Boys," shouted someone. "Hello Samson,are you the strong-armed man that held the tent up by your feet?"
"Strong-footed man, you mean," suggested another. "Astrong-armedman uses his arms not his feet."
"Come over here and show yourself," shouted another voice.
Phil walked over and stood smilingly before them. Nothing seemedto disturb his persistent good nature.
"Huh, not so much! I guess they stretched that yarn," grunteda new performer.
"I guess not," interposed Mr. Miaco. "I happened to see thatstunt pulled off myself. It was the biggest thing I ever sawa man--let alone a boy--get away with." Then Mr. Miaco went overthe scene with great detail, while Phil stole away to his owncorner, where he busied himself bending over his trunk to hidehis blushes.
But Teddy felt no such emotion. Almost as soon as he entered thedressing tent he began searching about for something. This hesoon found. It was a pail, but he appeared to be in a hurry.Picking up the pail he ran with it to the water barrel, thatalways stands in the dressing tent, filled the pail and skulkedout as if he did not desire to attract attention.
Once outside the dressing tent Teddy ran at full speed across thepaddock and out into the big top. A few men were working hereputting up apparatus for the performers. They gave no heed tothe boy with the pail of water.
Teddy ran his eye along the inside of the tent, nodded and wenton to the middle section where he turned, climbing the steps tothe upper row.
Arriving there he cautiously peered out over the top of theside wall. What he saw evidently was not to his liking, for oncemore he picked up the pail of water and ran lightly along the topseat toward the menagerie tent.
All at once he paused, put down his pail and peered out over theside wall again. Nodding with satisfaction he picked up thepail, lifted it to the top of the side wall, once more looked outmeasuring the distance well, then suddenly turned the pail bottomside up.
In his course through the big top Teddy had gathered up severalhandfuls of sawdust and dirt which he had stirred well into thewater as he ran, making a pasty mess of it.
It was this mixture that he had now poured out over theside wall. Teddy waited only an instant to observe the effectof the deluge that he had turned on. Then he fled down therattling board seats.
Outside a sudden roar broke the stillness. No sooner had hereached the bottom of the seats than several men raised up theside wall and came tumbling in, yelling like Comanche Indians.Teddy cast one frightened look at them, then ran likeall possessed. What he had seen was a red-haired man in thelead, dripping wet with hair and clothes plastered with mudand sawdust. Larry was after the lad in full cry.