MONKEYS IN THE AIR
As the result of that victory, the Sparling shows did a great business in Corinto.The owner, considering that his rival had been severely enough punished, made no further effort to have him brought to justice, though Phil could hardly restrain him from making Sully suffer for the indignities he had heaped on young Forrest.
Phil found his money that day when he removed his ring shirt.The string that had fastened his money bag about his neck had parted, letting the bag drop.This money he handed to Mr.Sparling as rightfully belonging to him.
Of course the showman refused it, and wanted to make Phil a present besides, for the great service he had rendered.As it chanced, one of Mr.Sparling's own staff was attending the Sully show when Phil made his escape, and much of the latter's discomfort might have been prevented had he only been aware of that fact.
Teddy assumed the full credit for the victory of old Emperor, and no one took the trouble to argue the question with him.
Soon after these exciting incidents the Sparling shows left Canada behind and crossed the Niagara River.It was with a long drawn sigh of relief that they set eyes on the Stars and Stripes again.
After showing at the Falls, the outfit headed southwest.The season was getting late, the cotton crop in the south was going to market, and it was time for all well managed shows whose route lay that way to get into Dixie Land.The Circus Boys, too, were anxious to tour the sunny south again.This time they were going to follow a route they had never been over before, something that was still a matter of great interest to the boys.
Mr.Sparling upon learning that there was a traitor in his camp who was supplying secret information to the Sully show as to the route of the Sparling circus, had at once set a watch for the offender.It was not long before the traitor was caught red-handed.He was, of course, dismissed immediately, despised by all who knew what he had been doing.
No more had been seen of the Sully Hippodrome Circus after themeeting of the two organizations in Corinto, though that crowd had been heard of occasionally as hovering on the flanks of the Sparling shows.
"I don't care where they go," said Mr.Sparling, "so long as they don't get in the same county with me.I am liable to lose my temper if they get that near to me again, and then something will happen for sure."The Sparling show got into the real southland when it made Memphis, Tennessee, on October first, a beautiful balmy southern fall day.All season Phil had been keeping up his practice on the trapeze bar, until he had become a really fine performer.He had never performed in public, however, and hardly thought he would have a chance to do so that season.He hoped not, if it were to be at some other performer's expense, as had usually been the case.
"When somebody gets hurt it's Phillip who takes his place," said the lad to himself.
"Which means that you are always on the job," replied Mr.Sparling who had chanced to overhear the remark.No serious accidents had occurred in sometime, however, and it was hoped by everyone that none would.Accidents, while they are accepted by show people in the most matter-of-fact way, always cast a gloom over the show.Even the loss of a horse will make the sympathetic showman sad.
After a splendid business in Memphis the show ran into Mississippi where it played a one day stand at Clarksdale, and where the showmen experienced the liveliest time they had had since they met the Sully organization in Canada.
The afternoon performance had just come to an end, and the people were getting ready to leave their seats under the big top, when a great commotion was heard under the menagerie top.
Most of the performers were in the dressing tent, changing their dress for supper, but a roar from the audience, followed by shouts of laughter, attracted their attention sharply, and as soon as they could clothe themselves sufficiently, the performers rushed out into the ring again.
Suddenly the people, upon looking toward the menagerie tent, saw a troop of diminutive animals sweeping into the big top.At first the people did not recognize them.
"They're monkeys!" shouted someone."They're going to give us a monkey show.""No.The beasts have gotten out of their cage," answered another.
He was right.A careless attendant had hooked the padlock of the monkey cage in the staple, but had not locked it.An observant simian had noticed this, but did not make use of his knowledge until the keeper had gone away.
Peering out to make sure that no one was looking, the monkey reached out its hand and deftly slipped the padlock from its place.
The rest was easy.A bound against the cage door left the way open, and the hundred monkeys in the cage, big and little were not slow to take advantage of the opportunity thus offered.
Chattering wildly, they poured from the wagon like a small cataract.A moment later the attendants discovered them and gave chase.At about the same time the monkeys discovered that something was going on under the big top.Being curious little beasts, they concluded to investigate.Then, too, the attendants were pressing pretty close to them, so the whole herd bolted into the circus tent with a shouting crowd of circus men in pursuit.
The yells of the audience, added to those of the attendants, sent the nimble little fellows scurrying up ropes, center and quarter poles, all the time keeping up their merry chatter, for freedom was a thing they had not enjoyed since they had been captured in their jungle homes.
Some of the ring men tried to shake the monkeys down from the poles, just as they would shake an apple tree to get the fruit.But the little fellows were not thus easily dislodged.The attempt served only to send them higher up.They seemed to be everywhere over the heads of the people.
