A DAY OF MEMORIES
Mr.Sparling, the owner of the show, had been a witness of the latter part of Teddy's act.The showman was standing over near the entrance to the menagerie tent when Manuel took his unexpected flight, and the proprietor sat down on the grass, laughing until the tears started from his eyes.
The act had been a breach of discipline, so Mr.Sparling prudently kept himself out of sight until the show had progressed further.
Later in the evening he chanced to pass Teddy out in the paddock."Well, my lad, how is January working tonight?" he asked, with atwinkle in his eyes.
"Never better, sir, thank you."
"I presume he obeys your commands perfectly, eh?""Does everything I tell him to, Mr.Sparling.I can do anything with that donkey.Why, I could wink at him and make him kick your head off.I--""I'll take your word for it, young man--I'll take your word for it.Let me warn you to be careful that you do not tell him to do anything that will interfere with the programme.We must have our acts clean cut, and embodying nothing that has not been arranged for in advance.Do you understand?""Yes, sir," answered Teddy, giving the owner a keen, inquiring glance."I'll bet he saw that," mused the lad."He's letting me off easybecause he had to laugh, just the same as the rest of the people did." "What did Mr.Sparling have to say?" questioned Phil, who hademerged from the dressing tent just as Teddy was walking away from the showman.
Teddy told him.
"You got off pretty easy, I must say.It is a wonder he did not discipline you for that.""Do you think he saw Manuel fly?"
"He did, or else someone told him.Be careful, Teddy! You are laying up trouble for all of us," warned Phil.
"I got even with Mr.Hat Thrower, just the same," grinned Tucker.
Teddy was the happiest boy in the show that night, and he went to his sleeping quarters chuckling all the way.
The show, this season, had opened in Chicago, and was now working its way across the state of Illinois.The route had caused considerable comment among the show people.They did not understand what the plans of the owner might be.
Ordinarily, give a showman the first week or two of the show's route and he will tell you just what parts of the country the show will visit during that particular season.The performers were unable to do so in this instance.Phil Forrest was as much perplexed as the others, but he made no mention of this to Mr.Sparling.
"He has some surprise up his sleeve, I am sure," decided Phil shrewdly.
The next morning Phil asked Mr.Miaco, the head clown, if he knew where they were going.
"I do not," answered the clown."This route has kept me guessing.Boss Sparling may be headed for Australia for all I know.He's just as likely to go there as anywhere else.Has the Spaniard bothered you since that mix-up?""No."
"Well, keep away from him.That is my advice.""I shall not bother him.You may depend upon that, Mr.Miaco.I can't say as much for Teddy.""Teddy put up that job with January last night, didn't he?" "He hasn't said so.""Not necessary.I saw the whole thing.Lucky for Teddy that Mr.Sparling did not happen to be about.""I am not so sure that he was not." "What?"Phil explained what Mr.Sparling had said to Teddy out in the paddock.
"Yes, he saw it all right, but I guess he doesn't know about the trouble in the dressing tent yesterday.""No, I think not.I hope he does not hear of it, either.I do not wish Mr.Sparling to think that I am a troublemaker, or that I was mixed up in an unseemly row in the dressing tent.I should feel very much humiliated were I to be called to account for a thing like that.What are all those flags flying for in town today?""Don't you know?" "No, I don't."
"You don't know what day this is?" "No, sir.""This is Decoration Day." "Oh, that's so.""We lose all track of days in the show business.I'll wager you do not even know what town we are performing in today," laughed the clown.
"I shall have to confess that I do not."
"I thought so.Of course you know we are in the stateof Illinois?" "Yes, I think I have heard something to that effect," grinned Phil.
By the time the boys had eaten their breakfast, and had strolled over toward the tents, they found the dressing tents in place and the performers busily engaged in unpacking their belongings, hanging their costumes on lines stretched across the dressing tent, and making such repairs in the costumes as were found to be necessary, for a showman must be handy with the needle as well as with bar and trapeze.
