CHAPTER X
A SURPRISE, INDEED
Phil had triumphed, but he felt little satisfaction in havingdone so.
The manager had ordered the two boys from his office after theinterview and the command to leave the car at once. But thelads had stayed on, and had gone about their duties, Philworking with all the force that was in him. He had evenstirred Teddy to a realization of his duty and the latterhad done very well, indeed.
A week had passed and the car was now in South Dakota.>From there they were to make a detour and drop down intoKansas, whence their course would be laid across theplains and on into the more mountainous country.
Mr. Snowden had studiously avoided the boys; in fact he had notspoken a word to them since the interview in the stateroom, buthe had bombarded Mr. James Sparling with messages and demandsthat the Circus Boys be withdrawn from the car, renewing histhreats to leave in case his demand was not complied with.
One bright Sunday morning the car rolled into the station atAberdeen, South Dakota, and as it came to a stop a messenger boyboarded it with a message for Billy Conley.
Billy looked surprised, and even more so after he had perused themessage itself. He quickly left the car, saying he would returnafter breakfast, but instead of going directly to breakfast, heproceeded to the best hotel in the place, where he called for acertain man, at the desk.
Billy spent some two hours with the man whom he had gone to see,after which he returned to the car. There was a twinkle in hiseyes, as he looked at the Circus Boys, who were at that momentgetting ready to go to church, a duty that Phil never neglected.He still remembered the time when he used to go to church onSunday mornings, holding to his mother's hand. Never a Sundaypassed that he did not think of it.
"Will you go with us, Billy?" he asked, noting the gaze of theassistant manager fixed upon him.
"Not this morning. I expect company," answered Billy witha grin.
Teddy eyed him suspiciously.
"Billy is up to some tricks this morning. I can see it in hiseyes," announced Tucker shrewdly. "I guess I will stay and seewhat's going on."
"No; you will come with me," replied Phil decisively.So Teddy went.
Shortly after their departure a gentleman boarded the car, at thestateroom end, and walked boldly into the office.
The man was James Sparling, owner of the Sparling Combined Shows.
Mr. Snowden sprang up, surprise written all over his face.
"Why, Mr. Sparling!" he greeted the caller. "I did notexpect you."
"No; my visit is something of a surprise, but it is time Icame on. Where are the boys?"
"You mean young Forrest and Tucker?" asked the manager, hissmile fading.
"Yes."
"The young cubs have gone to church. A likely pair they are!What did you mean by turning loose a bunch like that on me?"
There was a slight tightening of Mr. Sparling's lips.
"What seems to be the trouble with them?"
"Insubordination. They are the worst boys I ever came across inall my experience."
"Have you done as I requested, and helped them to learnthe business?"
"I have not!"
"May I inquire why not?"
"My telegrams should be sufficient answer to that question.Both of them are hopeless. I want nothing to do with eitherof them. They have thoroughly disorganized this car, andeach of them has assaulted me. Had I followed the promptingsof my own inclinations I should have smashed their headsbefore this. But I considered their youth."
Mr. Sparling leaned back and laughed.
"I am glad you did not try it."
"Why?" demanded the manager suddenly.
"Because you would have got the thrashing of your life.Mr. Snowden, I am fully informed as to what has beengoing on in this car."
"So, that's it; those cubs have been spying on me and reportingto you, eh? I might have known it."
"You are mistaken," answered the owner calmly. "While they hadsufficient provocation to do so, not a murmur has come fromeither of them. They have taken their medicine like men. I makeit a rule to keep posted on what is going on in every departmentof my show. I therefore know, better than perhaps you yourselfcould tell me, what has been going on on Car Three. And it isgoing to stop right here and now."
"What do you mean?"
"In the first place, the work has been unsatisfactory. The menhave done as well as could be expected of them, but they havebeen in such a constant state of rebellion because of yourattitude that the work was bound to suffer."
"You are very frank, sir."
"That's my way of doing business. You not only have neglectedthe work but you have openly defied me and my orders."
"That's exactly what these young cubs have done with me,"interposed the manager quickly.
"My information is quite to the contrary. However, be that as itmay, I have decided to make a change."
"Make a change?"
"Yes."
"I do not understand."
"Then I will make it more plain. I'm through with you."
"You mean you discharge me?"
"You have guessed it."
The manager smiled a superior sort of smile.
"You forget I have a contract with you. You can't discharge meuntil the end of the season."
"And you forget that I have already done so. Here! You see, Icome prepared for your objections. Here is a check for yoursalary to the end of the season. We are quits. I do not have todo even that, but no one can say that James Sparling doesn't dobusiness on the square."
The manager turned a shade paler.
"I--I'm sorry. When--when do you wish me to leave?"
"Now--this minute! I want you to get off this car, and if youdon't get off bag and baggage inside of five minutes, I shallmake it my personal business to throw you off," announced theshowman with rising color. He had contained himself as long ashe could. The indignities to which his Circus Boys had beensubjected, ever since they joined the car, had stirred theshowman profoundly.
"It is now a quarter to twelve. At noon sharp, your baggage andyourself will be outside of this car. I am in charge here now."
The showman leaned back and watched his former car managerhurriedly pack his belongings into a suitcase.
"I'll get even with you for this," snarled Snowden as he walkedfrom the car, slamming the door after him.
"And a good riddance!" muttered the showman rising. "This willbe a good time for me to look over the books and find out whatshape the car is in."
Mr. Sparling pressed an electric button, and Henry, the porter,responded to the summons.
"Has Mr. Forrest returned yet?"
"No, sir."
"Is Mr. Conley out there?"
"Yes, sir."
"Send him in."
Billy entered the stateroom, a broad smile on his face.
"Sit down, Billy. Well, our friend has gone. I suppose youare sorry?"
"On the contrary," replied Billy promptly, "I am tickledhalf to death. Now we'll be able to do some real work!We'll show you what we can do! By the way, Mr. Sparling,are you intending to carry out the plan you told me aboutthis morning?"
"Yes. You will have a chance next year."
"Thank you, sir."
"Now, we will go over the books together. I shall have to askyou some questions as we go along. Please first tell the porterto send Phil and Teddy in when they return, but not to tell themwho is here."
Billy went out and gave the showman's orders to the porter.As it chanced there were none of the other men of the crewon board the car at that time. They knew nothing about thechange that was taking place.
Upon Billy's return he and his chief settled down to a busy fewminutes of going over books and reports. The chief found manythings that did not please him, and his anger grew apace at someof them.
"I guess I did a good job in getting rid of Snowden. What Ishould have done was to have got rid of him before I joined hi
mout in the spring."
"He was a bad one," agreed Billy. "I can work with most anybody,but I never could work with the likes of him. The boys areall right. He wouldn't have had any trouble with them if he'dused them like human beings. They both put up with more thanI would have stood. But I tell you, that boy, Teddy--SpottedHorse, the boys call him--did hand it out to the Boss.If Snowden had stayed here much longer I'd been willingto lay odds that Teddy would have run him off the car.Did I tell you about how Phil posted the silo?"
"No; what about it?"
Billy began an enthusiastic narration of Phil's clever piece ofwork, Mr. Sparling nodding as the story proceeded.
"I am not surprised. He is a natural born showman. You willhear great things from Phil Forrest some of these days, and hisfriend, Teddy, will not be so far behind, either, when once hegets settled down."
"I guess they are coming now," spoke up Conley. "Somebody got onthe back platform just now. I'll go out and see."
Billy met the Circus Boys coming in.
"You are wanted in the stateroom," he said.
"More trouble?" laughed Phil.
Billy nodded.
"Maybe, and maybe not, but I reckon the trouble is all over."
Phil and Teddy started for the stateroom. At the door theyhalted, scarcely able to believe their eyes. There satMr. Sparling, smiling a welcome to them.
"_Mr. Sparling!_" cried Phil dashing in, with Teddy close athis heels.
"Yes, I wanted to surprise you," laughed the showman, throwingan arm about each boy.
"I am so glad to see you," cried Phil, hugging hisemployer delightedly.
"And it does my heart good to set eyes on you two once more.The Sparling organization has not been quite the same sinceyou left. And, Teddy, we haven't had any excitement sinceyou left."
"How's the donkey?"
"Kicking everything out of sight that comes near him. He has notbeen in the ring since you left," laughed the showman.
"I wish I was back there. I don't like this game for alittle bit."
"You mean you do not like the work?"
"Well, no, not exactly that. The work is all right, but--"
"But what?" persisted Mr. Sparling.
"Never mind, Teddy," interposed Phil. "No tales, you know."
"I'm telling no tales. I said I didn't like it and that'sthe truth. May I go back with you, Mr. Sparling?"
"You may if you wish, of course, if you think you want toleave Phil."
"Is Phil going to stay?"
"Certainly."
Teddy drew a long sigh.
"Then, I guess I'll stay, too, but there's going to be trouble onthis car before the season ends, sir."
"Trouble?"
"Yes, sir."
"What kind of trouble?"
"I'm going to thrash a man within an inch of his life one ofthese fine days."
"I am astonished, Teddy. Who is the man?"
"Oh, no matter. A certain party on this car," repliedTeddy airily.
"I sincerely hope you will do nothing of the sort, for conditionshave changed somewhat on Number Three. Behave yourself, Teddy,and learn all you can. You may be a car manager yourself one ofthese times, and all this experience will prove useful to you,"advised Mr. Sparling.
"Not the kind of experience I have been having; that won't beuseful to me," retorted Teddy.
Mr. Sparling and Phil broke out into a hearty laugh, at whichTeddy looked very much grieved.
"Have you seen Mr. Snowden?" questioned Phil, glancing keenly athis employer. There was something about the situation that gavethe lad a sudden half-formed idea.
"Yes, I have seen him," answered the showman, his facesobering instantly.
"Where is he?"
"He has gone away. I might as well tell you, boys. Mr. Snowdenis no longer manager of this car. He is no longer connected withthe Sparling Show in any capacity, nor ever will be again,"announced Mr. Sparling decisively.
The Circus Boys gazed at him, scarcely able to believe what theyhad heard.
"Not--not on this car any more?" questioned Phil.
"Never again, young man."
"Hip, hip, hooray!" shouted Teddy Tucker at the top of his voice,hurling his hat up to the roof of the car, and beginning aminiature war dance about the stateroom, until, for the sake ofsaving the furniture, Phil grabbed his friend, threw him over onthe divan and sat down on him.
"Now, Mr. Sparling, having disposed of Teddy, I should like tohear all about it," laughed Phil.
"He is the same old Teddy. I can imagine what a pleasant timeSnowden has had with Tucker on board the same car with him.There is little more to say. I have been disappointed in Snowdenfor sometime. I had about decided to remove him before youjoined the car. I wished, however, to send you boys on, knowingfull well that you would soon find out whether there was anymistake in my estimate of the man. Then, too, I had otherreasons for sending you in the advance."
"Well, sir, now that he has gone, I will say I am heartily gladof it, though I am sincerely sorry for Mr. Snowden. He knew thework; I wish I were half as familiar with it as he is; but Iwouldn't have his disposition--no, not for a million dollars."
"I would," piped Teddy, whom Phil had permitted to get up."I'd be willing to be a raging lion for a million dollars."
"Have you decided what you are going to do with Car Three now?"inquired Phil. "You know I am interested now that I have castmy lot with it."
"Yes; I certainly have decided. Of course the car will go onjust the same."
"I understand that, but have you made up your mind who you willappoint as the agent--who will be manager of the car?"
"I have."
"I presume we shall have to get a man before we can go on?"
"Yes."
"Then we shall have to lie here a day, at least. Well, wecan busy ourselves. We are slighting a good many of thesebigger towns. They are not half-billed."
"I am glad to hear you say that. It shows that you are already agood publicity man. But you will not have to lie here any longerthan you wish," added the showman significantly.
"Will you tell me who the new manager is, Mr. Sparling?"
"Yes. You are the manager of Car Three!" was thesurprising reply.
The Circus Boys on the Plains; Or, The Young Advance Agents Ahead of the Show Page 11