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that I shall be quite 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 in an
envelope which he directed and stamped； then thrust in his coat pocket。
〃II hope you understandhope you do not feel offended；〃 said Phil
hesitatingly。 〃I should not like to have you misunderstand me。〃
〃Not a bit of it； my lad。 I can't say that I have any higher opinion of
you because of your decision； but〃
Phil glanced up quickly。
〃I already have as high an opinion of you as it is possible for me to
have for any human being； and〃
〃Thank you。 You'll make me have a swelled head if you keep on that
way；〃 laughed Phil。
〃No danger。 You would have had one long ago； if that was your
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 missioned 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 roustabouts have about cleaned the place out by this
time。〃
They soon arrived at the cook tent。 Here Phil left Mr。 Sparling while
he passed about among the tables； greeting such of his old acquaintances
as he had not yet seen that morning。 He was introduced to many of the
new ones； all of whom had heard pretty much everything about Phil's past
achievements before he reached their tables。 The people of a circus are
much like a big family； and everyone knows； or thinks he knows； the
whole family history of his associates。
Even Phil's plucky work in the big top； less than an hour before； had
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already traveled to the cook tent； and many curious glances were directed
to the slim； modest； boy as he passed among his friends quietly； giving
them his greetings。
Teddy； on the other hand； was not saying a word。 He was busy
eating。
〃How's your appetite this morning； Teddy？〃 questioned Phil； sinking
down on the bench beside his panion。
〃Pretty fair；〃 answered Teddy in a muffled voice。 〃I began at the top…
…〃
〃Top of what？〃
〃Top of the bill of fare。 I've cleaned up everything halfway down the
list； and I'm going through the whole bill； even if I have to get up and
shake myself down like the miller does a bag of meal。〃
〃Be careful； old chap。 Remember you and I have to begin our real
work today。 We shall want to be in the best of shape for our ring 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 our act
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 to the
ringmaster。 Heard him say you were not to be allowed to go on till
tomorrow。 We don't have to go in the parade today if we don't want to；
either。 But you are to ride Emperor in the Grand 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 a
disappointed tone。 〃And I'm going on； too； unless Mr。 Sparling gives me
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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 the lad's
disappointment。 〃You have had a pretty severe strain this morning； and
to go on now with the excitement of the first day added to that； I fear
might be too much for you。 It might lay you 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 on in the
Grand Entry as usual？〃
〃Oh； yes； if you wish。〃
〃I do。〃
〃Very well； then I'll let Mr。 Kennedy know。 You had better lie down
and rest while the parade is out。〃
〃Thank you； I hardly think that will be necessary。 I feel fit enough
for work right now。〃
〃Such is youth and enthusiasm；〃 mused the showman； passing on out
of the cook tent； once more to go over his arrangements； for there were
many details to be looked after on this the first day of the show's season on
the road。
Phil called on Mrs。 Sparling after breakfast； receiving from the
showman's wife a most hospitable wele。 She asked him all about
how he had spent the winter； and seemed particularly interested in Mrs。
Cahill； who was now the legal guardian of both the boys。 Mrs。 Sparling
already had a letter in her pocket； with the check for one hundred dollars
which the showman had drawn for Phil。 It was going to Mrs。 Cahill to be
deposited to the lad's credit； but he would know nothing of this until the
close of the season。 After he had gone home he would find himself a
hundred dollars richer than he thought。
His call finished； Phil went out and rejoined Teddy。 Together they
started back toward the dressing tent to set their trunks in order and get out
such of their costumes as they would need that afternoon and evening。
Then again； the dressing tent was really the most attractive part of the
show to all the performers。 It was here that they talked of their work and
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life； occasionally practiced new acts of a minor character； and indulged in
pranks like a lot of schoolboys at recess time。
As they were passing down along the outside of the big top； Phil
noticed several laborers belonging to the show sitting against the side wall
sunning themselves。 He observed that one of the men was eyeing Teddy
and himself with rather more than ordinary interest。
Phil did not give it a second thought； however； until suddenly Teddy
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 tank back
at Germantown。〃
〃You don't say？ Which one？〃
〃Fellow with the red hair。 I heard them call him Larry as I passed； or
I might not have noticed him particularly。 His hair is redder than Rod
Palmer's。 I should think it would set him on fire。〃
〃It certainly would seem so。〃
〃Mister Larry has got something ing 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 any more mix…
ups。 You'll be sending yourself back home first thing you know。 Then
it will be a difficult matter to get into any other show if you are sent away
from this one in disgrace。〃
〃Don't you worry about me。 I'll take care of myself。 I always do；
don't I？〃
〃I'm afraid I can't agree to that；〃 laughed Phil。 〃I should say that
quite the contrary is the case。〃
Teddy fell suddenly silent as they walked on in the bright morning
light； drinking in the balmy air in long…drawn breaths。 Entering the
paddock they turned sharply to the left and pushed their way through the
canvas curtains into the dressing tent。
〃Hurrah for the Circus Boys；〃 shouted someone。 〃Hello Samson； are
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you the strong…armed man that held the tent up by your feet？〃
〃Strong…footed man； you mean；〃 suggested another。 〃A strong…armed
man uses his arms not his feet。〃
〃e over here and show yourself；〃 shouted another voice。
Phil walked over and stood smilingly before them。 Nothing seemed
to disturb his persistent good nature。
〃Huh； not so much！ I guess they stretched that yarn；〃 grunted a new
performer。
〃I guess not；〃 interposed Mr。 Miaco。 〃I happened to see that stunt
pulled off myself。 It was the biggest thing I ever saw a manlet alone a
boyget away with。〃 Then Mr。 Miaco went over the scene with great
detail； while Phil stole away to his own corner； where he busied himself
bending over his trunk to hide his blushes。
But Teddy felt no such emotion。 Almost as soon as he entered the
dressing tent he began searching about for something。 This he soon
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； that always stands in the dressing tent；
filled the pail and skulked out as if he did not desire to attract attention。
Once outside the dressing tent Teddy ran at full speed across the
paddock and out into the big top。 A few men were working here putting
up apparatus for the performers。 They gave no heed to the boy with the
pail of water。
Teddy ran his eye along the inside of the tent； nodded and went on to
the middle section where he turned； climbing the steps to the upper row。
Arriving there he cautiously peered out over the top of the side wall。
What he saw evidently was not to his liking； for once more he picked up
the pail of water and ran lightly along the top seat toward the menagerie
tent。
All at once he paused； put down his pail and peered out over the side
wall again。 Nodding with satisfaction he picked up the pail； lifted it to
the top of the side wall； once more looked out measuring the distance well；
then suddenly turned the pail bottom side up。
In his course through the big top Teddy had gathered up several
handfuls of sawdust and dirt which he had stirred well into the water as he
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ran； making a pasty mess of it。
It was this mixture that he had now poured out over the side wall。
Teddy waited only an instant to observe the effect of the deluge that he
had turned on。 Then he fled down the rattling board seats。
Outside a sudden roar broke the stillness。