CHAPTER XIV
A DASH FOR FREEDOM
"Well, you are a star rider, anyway," announced Sully, withemphasis when he was once more leading Phil to the carriage totake him back to the linen closet on board the private car.
But Sully was less violent, and there was a twinkle in his eyesthat Phil did not fail to catch.
"He's planning something," thought the boy, after being once morelocked in his compartment. "I shouldn't be surprised if I hadridden a little too well today. But it's going to be the meansof getting me my freedom. Someone surely will see me andrecognize me."
That night Phil rode again, winning even greater applause than hehad done at the afternoon performance. But a closer watch waskept over him, as Sully had imagined that the opportunities weregreater for escape than in broad daylight. Phil had reasoned itout the same way, but he was in no hurry. He had done up hismoney in a little bag which he hung about his neck each timebefore going into the ring, so that it might not be stolen whilehe was performing, for, it will be remembered that the lad had notrunk in which to keep his valuables.
No chance to escape presented itself during the evening, however,and the lad was forced to return to his imprisonment again afterthe night performance.
"If you expect me to be in working order you should give me adecent place to sleep," he told Sully, while they were sittingat lunch in the private car that night.
Sully grinned and winked an eye.
"See anything green in my eye?"
"No. It's all red. I guess you see red most of the time."
"If you'll give me a promise, I'll let you sleep in a berth inthis car tonight."
"What promise?" asked Phil, though he knew pretty well what theshowman would demand.
"That you won't try to escape."
"I'll make no such promise."
"Then it's the linen closet for your."
"All right; I will sleep in the linen closet. I suppose you willwant me to ride again tomorrow?"
"Sure thing!"
"Then don't forget the twenty-five dollars in advance."
"Say, that's more money than I'll pay for that act, good as itis," protested the showman.
"Very well; then I will stay in the closet and you can cut yourbareback out. You do not have to pay it unless you want to."
Sully growled and handed out the money.
Phil put it in his pocket with a smile and half audible chucklethat did not tend to make Sully feel any the less irritable.
"Perhaps it is a good thing that I am a prisoner if I have got tostay with this outfit."
"Why?" snapped the showman.
"Because some of your light-fingered gentlemen would be dippinginto my pocket, when I wasn't looking, and take the money awayfrom me. That's the way you would get it back."
"That will be about all for you, boy," growled the showman."That is, unless you are willing to tell me what you arehere for?"
The Circus Boy laughed lightly.
"I have nothing new to say to that question."
"You've done your part well. You must have got busy pretty quickto have tipped off Sparling before we caught you."
"Tipped him off to what?" inquired Phil.
"Well, never mind what. You know and so do I."
After that the lad was sent to his closet to spend the night.The next day was a repetition of the previous one, except thatPhil rode better than ever, if that were possible. But as hewas riding under the name of the performer who had been injured,he could not make himself known.
Saturday came along, with the lad apparently as far from makinghis escape as ever. But what he had hoped would come to pass haddone so in a measure. That is, the owner of the show had becomea little careless in watching the boy.
Instead of accompanying Phil into the ring, Sully satisfiedhimself with standing by the entrance to the paddock, next tothe bandstand.
This left Phil free to do pretty much as he chose, but he wasalmost as closely confined as if he were in the owner's privatecar, so far as getting away was concerned. But the boy's mindwas working actively.
As he sat on the back of the broad-backed ring horse thatafternoon, his eyes were looking over the tent questioningly.
"I believe I can do it," mused Phil. "If conditions are the sametonight that they are this afternoon I am going to try it."
Just then the band struck up and the lad rose gracefully to hisfeet ready to go through his act for the edification of thegreat audience.
Phil was making more money than ever before in his circus career,and he now had only one act instead of several. But he caredlittle for this. It was merely a means to an end.
At night he accompanied Sully to the lot as usual. Phil mighthave appealed to a policeman, or to one of the many peopleabout him. It will be remembered, however, that he had givenhis word that he would do nothing of the sort, and Phil Forrestwas not the boy to break his word after once having given it.He proposed to get away by his own efforts or else wait untilrescued by the Sparling show.
As had been the case with the afternoon show Sully remained overby the bandstand while Phil went through his act.
"I'll finish my performance," decided the lad. "I want to givehim his money's worth whether he deserves such treatment or not,and then I'll make my try. I can do it, I believe."
Nothing of what was passing in the mind of the Circus Boy, ofcourse, was suspected by the owner of the show. Phil had justrounded off his act by a backward somersault and the attendanthad slipped the bridle over the head of the ring horsepreparatory to leading the animal back to the paddock andhorse tent.
"You run along. I will ride him back," directed Phil innocently.
"Why?"
"Because I prefer to."
"Very well," answered the groom, turning away and walking slowlytoward the paddock, while Phil, who had in the meantime slippedoff to the ring, was quickly drawing on his slippers.
By this time Mr. Sully was looking at him, wondering why Phil didnot get out of the ring, for another act was coming on, theperformers for which already were moving down the concourse.
All at once the Circus Boy threw himself to the back of hismount, landing astride.
Phil brought his riding whip down on the back of the surprisedanimal with a force that sent the horse forward with a snort.They bounded out of the ring. Instead, however, of turningtoward the paddock exit, Phil headed straight for the other endof the tent. There an exit led into the menagerie tent, or wherethat tent had been, for by this time it had been taken down andcarted away to the train. A canvas flap hung loosely over theentrance, but it was not fastened down, as Phil well knew, beingleft free so people could pass in and out at will.
"Stop him!"
It was the voice of Sully and might have been heard in everypart of the big top, though the people did not know what thecommand meant.
For the moment the circus attendants did not understand either.They had not noticed Phil riding away in the wrong direction.
"Stop him, I say!"
An attendant discovered what was going on and started on arun for Phil, who brought his whip down on the flanks of thering horse again and again, driving the animal straight atthe attendant. The result was that the fellow was bowledover in a twinkling. The horse cleared the man at a bound.
At this the audience roared. They saw that something unusual wastaking place, though they did not understand what it all meant.
Half a dozen men ran toward Phil, while Sully himself wascharging down the concourse as fast as he could go, roaring outhis commands at the top of his powerful voice.
"Get a horse and follow him!" he shouted. "Run back and send oneof the men out around the tent to head him off! He's runningaway with my best ring horse!"
Phil swept through the exit, bowling over two men who werestanding there on guard, and nearly running down a group ofboys who were standing just outside trying to get a glimpseinto the tent.
As he gained the outer air he heard the
hoof beats of a runninghorse bearing down on him from the left side of the big top.
The Circus Boy knew what that meant. They were afterhim already.
The Circus Boys in Dixie Land; Or, Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South Page 16