Mr. Sparling

“ Phil had saved the big top, and perhaps a few lives at the same time. Now a sudden dizziness seemed to have overtaken him. Everything appeared to be whirling about him, the big top spinning like a giant top before his eyes.
"Slide down the rope!" commanded Mr. Sparling.
The lad slowly unwound the rope from his arm and feebly motioned to them that they were to walk around the pole with their end so they might hoist the iron ring to the splice of the center pole.
"Never mind anything but yourself!" ordered Mr. Sparling. ”

“ Such a chattering and scurrying occurred up there as to cause the spectators to gaze in open-mouthed wonder. But still Phil kept up his weird chirping, continuing to toss peanuts and candy into the cage.
"As I live, they are coming down," breathed Mr. Sparling in amazement, "never saw anything like it in my life!"
"I always told you that boy should have been a menagerie man instead of a ring performer," nodded Mr. Kennedy, the elephant trainer.
"He is everything at the same time," answered Mr. Sparling. "It is a question as to whether or not he does one thing better than another. ”

“ Mr. Sparling was always doing these little, intensely human things, not with any idea of winning applause, but out of sheer big-heartedness. They did much toward spreading the reputation of the Sparling show and popularizing it as well.
"Ladies and gentlemen," announced the showman when quiet had once more been restored, "you will pardon me for interrupting the performance, but as the owner of the show I want to say a few words on behalf of my star performers, Little Dimples and Master Phil Forrest." ”

“ Sparling listened gravely at first, then with rising color as his anger increased.
"It's Red Larry!" decided Mr. Sparling, with an emphasizing blow of his fist on the desk before him.
"After I thought the matter over that was what I decided—I mean that was the decision I came to."
"Right. Another season I'll have an officer with this show.
That's the only way we can protect ourselves."
"Do all the big shows carry an officer?" asked Phil.
"Yes; they have a detective with them—not a tin badge detective, but a real one. Don't try to go out today. ”

“ Phil, measuring his distance, took a running start and vaulted, landing on his feet on the animal's back, then, urging his mount on to a lively gallop about the sawdust ring, he threw himself into a whirlwind of graceful contortions and rapid movements, adding some of his own invention to those usually practiced by bareback riders.
Phil dropped to the hip of the gray, his face flushed with triumph, his eyes sparkling.
"How is it, Mr. Sparling?" he called. ”

“ Suddenly the band stopped playing, for the rest that is always given the performers. But Phil did not pause.
"Keep her up!" Forrest shouted, bringing down his whip on the flanks of his mount and, in a fervor of excitement and stubborn determination, going at his work like a whirlwind.
Mr. Sparling, catching the spirit of the moment scrambled to his feet and rushed to the foot of the bandstand, near which he had been sitting.
"Play, you idiots, play!" shouted the proprietor, waving his arms excitedly. ”

“ Sparling approvingly.
"That is the time that he got the best of you, Phil."
"He is welcome to the job," answered Phil. "You haven't captured the baboon yet."
Teddy, by this time, was halfway up the mast. It seemed a dizzy climb, but the lad was so used to being up high that he did not mind it in the least.
"Hey, down there!" he called.
"What is it?"
"Better get out a small net so you can catch him. I'm going to shake him down as I would a ripe apple. If you catch him in the net he will tangle himself up so that he cannot get away."
"That is a good idea," approved Mr. Sparling. ”

“ Fine!" glowed the showman.
"I'm going to turn out and help search this section myself," said Phil. "You know I have some interest in it, seeing that it is my plan," he smiled.
"Better keep out of it," advised Mr. Sparling. "You might fall off from the cars. You are not used to walking over the tops of them."
"Oh, yes I am. I have done it a number of times this season just to help me to steady my nerves. I can walk a swaying box car in a gale of wind and not get dizzy."
Mr. Sparling held up his hands protestingly. ”

“ Phil told how he strolled off into the field adjoining the circus lot, and went on in detail to relate all that had occurred after that. As he proceeded with his story the face of James Sparling grew serious and then stern.
"I presume I should have stood my ground and given battle to them, if for no other reason than to find out who they were," concluded the lad, somewhat ruefully.
"Phil Forrest, you should have done nothing of the sort," answered Mr. Sparling sharply. "You take quite enough risk as it is. You think the plot now is to tamper with the big net?" ”

“ You must remember that this is now a Big show—larger this season than ever before, and you must not expect Mr. Sparling to excuse your shortcomings as he did in the old days."
"I'm not afraid of Boss Sparling."
"You have no occasion to be, as long as you do your duty and attend to business. We owe him a heavy debt of gratitude, both of us. You know that, don't you, Teddy?"
"I—I guess so."
"What is the trouble between you and Diaz?" persisted
Phil Forrest, returning to his original inquiry.
"Well," drawled Teddy, "you know their act?" ”

“ I'll look into this matter," he went on more gravely. "Tell the boss canvasman to send Larry and Bad Eye to me."
"Yes, sir."
The lads delivered the message.
Mr. Sparling's eyes twinkled as these two worthies sneaked into his tent, each with a hangdog expression on his face. "Red" Larry had a black eye, while Bad Eye's nose appeared to have listed to one side.
The showman glanced at Larry's coat, then at the button in his own hand. He nodded understandingly. Bad Eye was collarless.
"Here's a button that I think you lost off your coat last night, Larry," smiled Mr. Sparling sweetly. ”

“ I'll allow the musicians overtime for it, so there should be no objection on their part. We will make a triumphal entry into Des Moines, providing nothing happens to us in the meantime."
Mr. Sparling's face darkened as he thought of the dastardly attempts that had been made against his young charges.
"I will see the leader before I turn in. You had better go to bed now, Phil. You have been keeping pretty late hours and working unusually hard. Good night." ”

“ Then the men threw ropes and missiles at the baboon, most of which went overboard and were lost.
"It is no use. We shall have to wait until he gets ready to come down," decided Mr. Sparling. "How did he get away?"
The keeper explained.
"He won't come down today," added the man. "That is, so long as we are here. He is a bad one."
"You do not have to tell me that. Can any of you offer suggestions? I am not very strong on capturing escaped animals. Phil, how about it?"
Phil shook his head.
"I have an idea, Mr. Sparling," spoke up Teddy. ”

“ I thought you boys might like to join me here for a real meal. Having a real meal is one of the privileges of the owner of the show, you know," replied Mr. Sparling, with a hearty laugh, in which the boys joined.
"I was going to eat my egg," said Teddy humorously.
"It is very kind of you, Mr. Sparling," said Phil. "We were just wondering what we should do for breakfast, and Teddy, as he has just told you, was thinking of eating the ostrich egg."
"Raw?"
"I presume so," replied Phil, with a short laugh.
"It would make a fellow strong," declared Teddy in defense of his egg. ”

“ Sparling said my friend, Teddy here, was to work in the cook tent for the present.”
“All right, Mr. Teddy. There’s one thing about working in the cook tent that ought to please you.”
“What’s that?”
“You can piece between meals all you want to. If you are like most boys, you ought to have a good healthy appetite all the time, except when you are sleeping.”
“That’s right. I could eat an elephant steak now—right this minute. How long before breakfast?”
“Seven o’clock, I told you.”
“What time does Mr. Sparling get up?” inquired Phil. ”

“ One monkey leaped into the cage, the others following as fast as they could stretch up their hands and grab the tail board of the wagon. Instantly they began scrambling for the nuts and candies that lay strewn over the floor.
The last one was inside. Phil sprang to the rear of the cage and slammed the door shut, throwing the padlock in place and snapping it.
"There are your old monkeys," he cried, turning to Mr. Sparling with flushed, triumphant face.
The audience broke out into a roar, shouting, howling and stamping on the seats at the same time. ”

“ A man dressed in riding clothes, carrying a short crop in his hand, was observing the operations with equal interest. He was James Sparling, the proprietor and manager of the Great Combined Shows, but the lads were unaware of that fact. Even had they known, it is doubtful if Mr. Sparling would have been of sufficient attraction to draw their attention from the working elephant. ”

“ Sparling yet, as he requested you to do?"
"No."
"And why not?"
"Same reason."
"You must write to him every day, no matter how busy you are. Sit up a little later every night; go without a meal if necessary, but follow his directions implicitly."
"Implicitly," mocked Teddy.
However, Mr. Sparling was not without news of what had been
going on on Car Three. Billy Conley had written fully of
Phil Forrest's brilliant exploits. After one of these letters,
Mr. Sparling wrote Conley, as follows:
"Those boys will never tell me when they do anything worthwhile. ”

“ Sparling taking the other side.
"Here he is. Ahoy, boat! Go and get the gangway. I have the boy here," called Mr. Sparling.
Phil hurried over to where Mr. Sparling was bending over Teddy, who lay doubled up against the pilot house.
"Is he hurt?"
"I don't know. I'll tell you when I get him untangled. He seems to be standing on his head. Lucky if his neck isn't broken."
"Teddy's neck is too tough to be easily broken. I think he is merely stunned," said Phil.
The showman straightened the Circus Boy out, and Teddy suddenly sat up, rubbing his head and neck gingerly.
"Did January kick me?" ”

“ Sparling proudly to the surgeon.
"Especially those two boys, eh?"
"Yes. They can't be beaten. Neither can a lot of the others."
A fair-sized house had been brought over to see the show, and after the performance was ended they were taken back to their homes in the pole wagons, as they had been brought over.
"I'll tell you what you ought to do," said Teddy confidentially, just before the show closed.
"Well, what is it?" questioned Mr. Sparling. ”

“ And now, for the fifth season, the Circus Boys are found under canvas again, headed for the far west.
"How are things going with you?" questioned Mr. Sparling after the two had seated themselves at the table in the dining compartment.
"Rather slowly, Mr. Sparling."
"How is that?"
"I haven't enough to do this season. I am afraid I shall get lazy, unless you give me something else to do."
"Let me see; how many acts have you this season?"
"I am on the flying trapeze, then I do a single bareback riding act and a double with Little Dimples, the same as I did last season." ”

“ All at once he left the curbing, dashing almost savagely at his mount.
"He'll never make it from the ground," groaned Mr. Sparling, realizing that Phil had no step to aid him in his effort to reach the back of the animal.
The lad launched himself into the air as if propelled by a spring. He landed fairly on the back of the ring horse, wavered for one breathless second, then fell into the pose of the accomplished rider.
"Y-i-i-i—p! Y-i-i-i-p!" sang the shrill voice of Little Dimples far down in ring No. 1. ”

“ Kennedy first. Then, if he wants you, he can go back and hunt you up, or send for you. Mr. Sparling knows how to send for people when he wants them, doesn't he?" twinkled Dimples.
"I should say he did," grinned Phil. "He's not bashful. Has my friend Teddy got back yet?"
"Haven't seen him. Why? Worried about him?"
"Not particularly. He has a habit of taking care of himself under most circumstances."
Dimples laughed heartily.
"It will take more than a stampede to upset him. He'll make a showman if he ever settles down to the work in earnest." ”

“ Sparling, young man," laughed Phil. "There will be no drones in this hive."
"What have you been doing?" inquired the owner.
"I'm the dough boy."
"The dough boy?"
"He has been making paste," Phil informed him.
Mr. Sparling laughed heartily.
"I guess we shall have to graduate you from the paste pot and give you a diploma. I cannot afford to pay a man seventy-five dollars a week to mix up flour and water."
"And steam," corrected the irrepressible Teddy.
"Should not some press work be done from this car?" asked Phil.
"By all means. It is of vast importance. Hasn't it been done?" ”

“ I had forgotten you boys were performers back with the show," nodded Billy. "What are you up here for—learning this end of the business?"
"Yes; that is what we are here for," answered Phil.
"Mr. Sparling wished us to do so."
"You have come to a good place to learn it," emphasized Conley. "But you'll have to fight your way through. You have done a mighty good job in downing the Boss, but look out for him. He'll never forget it. If he doesn't get you fired, he will get even with you in some other way." ”

“ Everyone appeared to be in high good humor and the wisdom of Mr. Sparling's methods was apparent. The tents went up more quickly that morning than at any time that season.
Breakfast under the cook tent was a jolly meal. Teddy had nearly forgotten the loss of the ostrich egg, but Phil Forrest had not. Phil, while not appearing to do so, was watching certain persons in the dressing tent, among them being Diaz, the Spanish clown.
During the dressing hour before the afternoon performance the clown had his trunk open to get out some costumes which were at the bottom, beneath the lower tray. ”