the circus boys across the continent(穿越大陆的马戏团男孩)-第26章
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his brief ride about the stack； and once more disappeared around the pile。
When he hove in sight again； the black was trotting briskly； with Phil
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Forrest standing erect； far back on the animal's hips； urging him along with
sharp little cries； and dancing about as much at home as if he were on the
solid ground。
The farmers looked on with wide…open mouths； too amazed to speak。
Phil uttered a shout； and set the black going about the stack faster and
faster； throwing himself into all manner of artistic positions。
After the horse had gotten a little used to the strange work； Phil threw
down the reins and rode without anything of the sort to give him any
support。
Probably few farm barnyards had ever offered an attraction like it
before。
〃e up here！〃 cried the lad； to the lighter of the men。 〃I'll give you
a lesson。〃
The fellow protested； but his panions grabbed him and threw him
to old Joe's back。 Phil grabbed his pupil by the coat collar； jerking him to
his feet and started old Joe going at a lively clip。
You should have heard those farmers howl； at the ludicrous sight of
their panion sprawling all over the back of the black； with Phil； red…
faced； struggling with all his might to keep the fellow on； and at the same
time prevent himself taking a tumble！
At last the burden was too much for Phil； and his panion took an
inglorious tumble； head first into the straw at the foot of the stack； while
the farmers threw themselves down； rolling about and making a great din
with their howls of merriment。
〃There； I guess I have earned my breakfast；〃 decided the lad； dropping
off near the spot where he had cast his shoes。
〃You bet you have； little pardner。 You jest e over to the house
and fill up on salt pork and sauerkraut。 You kin stay all summer if you
want to。 Hungry？〃
〃So hungry that； if my collar were loose； it would be falling down over
my feet；〃 grinned the lad。
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CHAPTER XXI
WHEN THE CRASH CAME
There was rejoicing on the part of his fellows； and relief in the heart of
Mr。 Sparling when； along toward noon next day； Phil Forrest came
strolling on the circus lot at St。 Joseph。
His friends； the farmers； had not only given him food and lodging； but
had advanced him enough money for his fare through to join the show。
His first duty was to get some money from Mr。 Sparling and send it back
to his benefactors。
This done； Phil repaired to the owner's tent where he knew Mr。
Sparling was anxiously waiting to hear what had happened to him。
Phil went over the circumstances in detail； while Mr。 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 decidedI 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 themnot a tin badge detective； but a
real one。 Don't try to go out today。 Get your dinner and rest up for the
afternoon performance。 I think you had better go to the train in my
carriage tonight。 I'm not going to take any more such chances with you。〃
〃I'll look out for myself after this； Mr。 Sparling；〃 laughed Phil。 〃I think
it was only two days ago that I said I wasn't afraid of Larrythat he
couldn't get me。 But he did。〃
That afternoon； as Phil related his experiences to the dressing tent； he
included the barnyard circus； which set the performers in a roar。
Phil felt a little sore and stiff after his knockout and his long ride in the
freight car； but； after taking half an hour of bending exercises in the
paddock； he felt himself fit to go on with his ring and bareback acts。
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Both his acts passed off successfully； as did the Grand Entry in which
he rode old Emperor。
That night； after the performance； Phil hurried to the train； but kept a
weather eye out that he might not be assaulted again。 He found himself
hungry； and； repairing to the acmodation car for a lunch； discovered
Teddy stowing away food at a great rate。
〃So you're here； are you？〃 laughed Phil。
〃Yep； I live here most of the time；〃 grinned Teddy。 〃They like to
have me eat here。 I'm a sort of nest egg； you know。 It makes the others
hungry to see me eat； and they file in in a perfect procession。 How's your
head？〃
〃Still a size too large；〃 answered Phil； sinking down on a stool and
ordering a sandwich。
As the lads ate and talked two or three other performers came in；
whereupon the conversation became more general。
All at once there came a bang as a switching engine bumped into the
rear of their car。 Teddy about to pass a cup of steaming coffee to his lips；
spilled most of it down his neck。
〃Ouch！〃 he yelled； springing up； dancing about the floor； holding his
clothes as far from his body as possible。 〃Here； you quit that！〃 he yelled；
poking his head out of a window。 〃If you do that again I'll trim you with
a pitcher of coffee and see how you like that。〃
Bang！
Once more the engine smashed into them； having failed to make the
coupling the first time。
Teddy sat down heavily in the middle of the car； just as Little Dimples
tripped in。 In one hand he held a sandwich half consumed； while with
the other he was still stretching his collar as far from his neck as it would
go。
〃Why； Teddy；〃 exclaimed Dimples； 〃what are you doing on the floor？〃
〃Eating my lunch。 Always eat it sitting on the floor； you know；〃
growled the boy； at which there was a roar from the others。
〃What are they trying to do out there？〃 questioned Phil。
〃Going to shift us about on another track； I guess。 I was nearly
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thrown down when I tried to get on the platform。 I never saw a road
where they were so rough。 Did you？〃
〃Yes； I rode on one the other night that could beat this；〃 grinned Phil。
A few minutes later the car got under motion； pushed by a switching
engine； and began banging along merrily over switches； tearing through
the yard at high speed。
〃We seem to be in a hurry 'bout something；〃 grunted Teddy。 〃Maybe
they've hooked us on the wrong train； and we're bound for somewhere
else。〃
〃No； I don't think so；〃 replied Phil。 〃You should be used to this sort
of thing by this time。〃
〃I don't care as long as the food holds out。 It doesn't make any
difference where they take us。〃
〃What section does this car go out on tonight； steward？〃 questioned
Phil。
〃The last。 Goes out with the sleepers。〃
〃That explains it。 They are shifting us around； making up the last
section and to get us out of the way of section No。 2。 I never can keep
these trains straight in my mind； they change them so frequently。 But it's
better than riding in a canvas wagon over a rough country road； isn't it；
Teddy？〃
〃Worse；〃 grunted the lad。 〃You never know when you're going to get
your everlasting bump； and you don't have any net to fall in when you do。
Hey； they're at it again！〃
His words were almost prophetic。
There followed a sudden jolt； a deafening crash； acpanied by cries
from the cooks and waiters at the far end of the car。
〃Get a net！〃 howled Teddy。
〃We're off the rails；〃 cried the performers。
〃Look out for yourselves！〃
Little Dimples was hurled from her stool at the lunch counter； and
launched straight toward a window from which the glass was showering
into the car。
Phil made a spring； catching her in his arms。 But the impact and the
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jolt were too much for him。 He went down in a heap； Little Dimples
falling half over him。
He made a desperate grab for her； but the woman's skirts slipped
through his hand and she plunged on toward the far end of the car。
〃Look out for the coffee boiler。〃
A yell from a waiter told them that the warning had e too late。
The man had gotten a large part of the contents of the boiler over him。
But all at once those in the car began to realize that something else
was occurring。 Somehow； they could feel the acmodation car
wavering as if on the brink of a precipice。 Then it began to settle slowly
and the mystified performers and car hands thought it was going to rest
where it was on the ties。
Instead； the car took a sudden lurch。
〃We're going over something！〃 cried a voice。
Phil； who had scrambled quickly to his feet； half…dazed from the fall；
stood irresolutely for a few seconds then began making his way toward
where Little Dimples had fallen。 At that moment young Forrest was
hurled with great force against the side of the car。 Everything in the car
seemed suddenly to have bee the center of a miniature cyclone。
Dishes； cooki
