The Circus Boys on the Mississippi; Or, Afloat with the Big Show on the Big River

by Edgar B. P. Darlington

  CHAPTER VII

  IN NEW QUARTERS

  Though the center pole had been struck by lightning, repairswere soon sufficiently advanced to enable the show to go onand complete the performance. The pole itself waspractically ruined.

  Fortunately, the show had another one, and the wrecked pole wasleft on the lot that night as worthless.

  After the Roman races the people stood up in their seats and gavethree cheers for the boy who had saved many of them from perhapsserious injury or death.

  Teddy heard the cheer. He was in his dressing tent changinghis clothes, having thus far gotten on only his trousersand undershirt.

  He could not restrain his curiosity, so trotting to the entrancehe inquired the cause of the commotion.

  "They're cheering for you," a canvasman informed him.

  "For me?"

  "Yes."

  Teddy needed no more. Without an instant's hesitation he ran outinto the ring, where he stood smiling, bowing and throwing kissesto them.

  "Come and see us again!" yelled the Circus Boy.

  "We will that!" answered a chorus of voices.

  "I'll have the big hen lay another egg for you. I--" His voicewas drowned in the roar of laughter that followed this sally.

  Already the attendants were ripping up the seats, loading theminto the wagons, with a rattle and bang. Men were shouting,horses neighing; here and there an animal uttered a hoarse-voicedprotest at something, it knew not what.

  Circus animals often scent a change, perhaps more quickly than dothe people about them.

  Performers and others, whose duties did not keep them on the lot,were hurrying to get to the dock where the circus boats werewaiting, and where Mr. Sparling was attending to the loading.

  Phil and Teddy were in no less haste. Quickly getting theirtrunks packed, they started off for the river. The moon had comeout after the storm and the air was fresh and fragrant, thoughunderfoot the evidences of the storm were still present.

  "Did I hurt you much when I fell on you tonight, Teddy?"

  "Hurt me?"

  "Yes?"

  "You knocked the breath out of me. But don't let a little thinglike that worry you. I thought the tent had fallen on me, or atleast a center pole. Lucky I was there, wasn't it?"

  "It was."

  "You might have received a bump that you wouldn't have gottenover right away."

  "I might have done so."

  "I saved your life, didn't I?"

  "Perhaps you did. I had only a few feet to drop, you know.I was ready to drop on all fours lightly when you happenedto get in the way--"

  "When I happened to get in the way?"

  "Yes. Didn't you?"

  "Well, I like that," growled Teddy indignantly. "Here I run inand save your life, willing to sacrifice my own for you and yousay when I 'happened to get in the way.'"

  Phil laughed heartily.

  "Of course, I appreciate your wonderful self-sacrifice. It wasvery kind of you to get in the way and let me fall on you.Nothing like having a soft place to fall, is there, old chap?"

  Teddy uttered an unintelligible growl.

  "That's right; insult me. I'm only a clown and--anda life-saver--"

  "And one of the best fellows a chap could have for hisfriend, eh? I was only joking, Teddy."

  "I accept your apology. My hand on it," answeredTeddy condescendingly. "Next time you can fallon the ground or any old place. I don't care.I shan't try to catch you."

  "If I remember correctly, you could not very well help yourselfin this instance. You did not catch me. I caught you--caughtyou unawares. There is Mr. Sparling and there are the boats.Don't they look fine, all lighted up inside, their signal lightsburning on the outside?"

  "They look wet to me."

  Thin wisps of smoke were curling lazily from the funnels of thethree boats, for the stokers had not yet started to get up steam.Some hours would elapse before the fleet would be ready to beginits journey down the big river.

  "There goes the 'Little Nemo,'" cried Teddy.

  The smaller of the three steamboats moved slowly out into thestream, and there came to anchor to await the other boats.The "Fat Marie" was already alongside the long dock, but she nowmoved up a little further to make room for her companion boat,the "River Queen," which latter Phil had nicknamed the"Yellow Peril."

  "Let's see, where do we stow our belongings, Phil?"

  "On the 'Fat Marie.'"

  "If that name don't sink her, nothing will," said Teddy, with abroad grin. "I hope the boat floats better than Fat Marie didwhen she fell in the creek last season. If not, we're lost.Let's go on board and find out where we are going to live."

  "After we speak to Mr. Sparling. Is there anything we can do tohelp you, Mr. Sparling?" asked Phil, stepping up to the owner ofthe show, who, hatless, coatless, his hair looking as if it hadnot been combed in days, was giving orders in sharp, shortsentences, answering questions and shouting directions almost inthe same breath.

  "Oh, is that you, Phil?"

  "It is myself, sir," smiled the lad. "How are yougetting along?"

  "Much better than I had hoped. You see the 'Little Nemo' isalready loaded. The 'Fat Marie' is well loaded and the 'Queen'is taking stuff on board at a two-forty gait."

  "I see you haven't driven the bulls on yet," meaningthe elephants.

  The elephants were standing off beyond the docks, huge shadowyfigures, swaying silently in the faint light, for there was aslight haze in the air that even the brilliant moonlight couldnot wholly pierce.

  "No; I thought it best to load the bulls and the ring stocklater on. The bulls might get frightened with all the unusualnoises around them. After they become more used to this methodof traveling they will be all right."

  "What time do we pull out?"

  "It will be three o'clock, I think. Perhaps a little laterthan that."

  "You mean earlier," suggested Teddy.

  The showman turned on him sharply.

  "Why, hello, Teddy. Really, you are so small that I did notsee you."

  Teddy winced.

  "I guess I'm some, even if I am little," protested thelad warmly.

  "You are right. You are not only some, but _much._What's this I hear about trouble on the lot? Some of themen said they heard there had been an accident, but theyguessed it didn't amount to much."

  "It was not very serious," said Phil.

  "Oh, no; nothing of any consequence," jeered Teddy. "I wasstruck by lightning, that's all."

  "What!"

  "Hit by balls of fire--and the big hen laid an egg."

  "See here, what are you driving at--"

  "And crushed, utterly crushed by my best friend, Phil Forrest.Now, what do you think of that?"

  "Teddy, please hitch your tongue to the roof of your mouth fora moment. Now, Phil, tell me what happened. I get so dizzy whenTeddy is talking that I almost imagine I am going to be seasick."

  "Pshaw!" growled Teddy.

  "We did have a little trouble."

  "Tell me about it."

  "The storm came up while the aerial acts were on. We allshortened our acts at the direction of the ringmaster, and itwas well we did so. We had not all gotten down when a bolt oflightning struck the main center pole."

  "You don't say! Here, men, stow those canvas wagons forward!You must learn to trim the boat, giving her an even loadall over! Did the bolt do any damage?"

  "Slivered the pole."

  "Wreck it?"

  "Yes. Not worth carrying off the lot."

  "What else?"

  "Some excitement--"

  "Panic?"

  "No, but I think there would have been had it not been for myfriend, Teddy Tucker. He amused the audience while things werehappening up above."

  "Good for you, Teddy Tucker," said the showman, slapping theCircus Boy on the back.

  "Ouch!" howled Teddy.

  "I was congratulating you, that's all," laughed Mr. Sparling.

  "If it is
all the same to you, please use a club when youcongratulate me. I won't feel it so much."

  Phil next went on to relate how Teddy had, by his quickness, madefast the rope and probably saved the top from falling in on them,and how he, Phil, had fallen on the boy and knocked him out.

  Mr. Sparling surveyed the flushed face of Teddy approvingly.

  "Thank you, Teddy," he said. "I'll give you a day off to gofishing, sometime, for that."

  "I don't want to go fishing."

  "Then you are the first showman I ever knew who did not.They are simply crazy over fishing. You'll see every oneof them hanging over the rails in the early morning tryingto catch fish."

  "I won't. You'll see me asleep about that time, if you look inthe right place," answered Teddy very promptly.

  "Teddy deserves your praise, Mr. Sparling."

  "He does, and he has it. I will show my appreciation more fullywhen I get all this rush out of the way. The loss of the centerpole doesn't amount to much, but the rest does."

  "And the hen laid an egg," reiterated Teddy.

  "Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you. The big ostrich hen laid an eggthis evening."

  "Is it possible?"

  "Yes; Teddy found it in the hay behind the concert platform."

  The showman's eyes twinkled.

  "What were you doing back there?"

  "Looking for a place to take a catnap between acts."

  Mr. Sparling laughed heartily.

  "There's only one Teddy in the whole wide world!"

  "I hope not," added the boy quickly.

  "Where is the egg--what did you do with it?"

  "Got it in my bag here, want to see it?"

  He handed the egg to Mr. Sparling who turned it over, glancing atit curiously.

  "Look out! You'll drop it!"

  "And what are you going to do with it, may I ask?"

  "Eat it."

  "What, eat up my property?"

  "Eggs belongs to the finder, and--"

  "You mean eggs _belong_ to the finder," corrected Phil.

  "Yes, I guess so. Any way, so you say it. I'm going to eat thisegg, even if it does give me indigestion all the rest of my life.How do you cook ostrich eggs?"

  "I never cooked any, my boy. You will have to consult the cookon that point. Perhaps he may consent to cook it for you."

  "I'll give you a slice off the white when it's cooked."

  "Thank you. You are welcome to the whole egg. Better go up andlocate yourselves, boys."

  "What number is our room, Mr. Sparling?" asked Phil.

  "Number twenty-four, on the upper deck. I have given you a nice,roomy, light and airy cabin that I think will please you. It isone of the best on the ship and you should be verycomfortable there."

  "I am sure we shall be, and thank you very much," said Phil."Come along, Teddy."

  Together they made their way to the boat and through the crowded,bustling lower deck, where the big canvas-covered wagons werebeing warped into place, a sort of orderly confusion reigningover everything, the scene lighted by lanterns swinging fromhooks all about the deck.

  The lads found their cabin, and after lighting the lamp, utteredexclamations of surprise. Instead of the narrow berths they hadexpected to see, there were white enameled iron bedsteads, awashstand with the same neat finish, and several pictures onthe walls.

  The cabin was a large one. In the center of it stood a table onwhich lay a large portfolio and inscribed in gold letters on theoutside they read the words, "For the Circus Boys."

  The portfolio was filled with writing materials.

  "Oh, isn't that fine?" exclaimed Phil.

  "Yes, it's a fine egg. I'm going to have the feast of my lifewhen I get it baked--"

  "Teddy Tucker!"

  "What?"

  "What do you think I am talking about?"

  "Eggs."

  "I am not. I am talking about this beautiful cabin thatMr. Sparling has fixed for us. Look at it--look atthis portfolio. I am afraid you don't appreciate howgood our employer is to us. There is an easy chair foreach of us, too. Why, we ought to be very happy."

  "I am happy. So would you be if a hen had laid a five pound eggfor you," retorted Teddy.

  "Hopeless, hopeless," groaned Phil.

  Teddy, muttering to himself, carefully laid the egg away in histrunk, first wrapping it up in an old silk ring shirt, thenlocking the trunk and putting the key in his pocket.

  The lad then made a personal and critical examination of theroom, tried the springs of the bed, nodded approvingly, sat downin one of the easy chairs and put his feet on the table.

  Phil promptly pushed the feet off.

  "Here, what are you doing?"

  "This is not the dressing room of a circus, Teddy. This isthe living room of a couple of young gentlemen. Let's notforget that. Let us try to keep our cabin looking nice andshipshape, else Mr. Sparling will think we do not appreciatehis kindness."

  "Say, Phil!"

  "Yes?"

  "I'll tell you what we'll do!"

  "I am listening."

  "We'll have a spread up here all by ourselves, tomorrow night,after the show. We'll eat the egg. I'll get the cook to boil itall day tomorrow--does it take a day to boil an ostrich egg?"

  "I should think it might take a month," laughed Phil. "Yes; I'llmake a martyr of myself and help you eat the egg. I shall neverhave any peace until that egg is finally disposed of--"

  "What's going on downstairs?" interrupted Teddy.

  A commotion was heard out on the dock. There was the tramping ofmany feet, mingled with loud, angry shouts and sharp commands.

  "It sounds to me as if something has been let loose," said TeddyTucker wisely.

  Something had been "let loose."

  With one accord the Circus Boys sprang up. Rushing out into thecorridor they leaped down the after companionway four steps ata jump.