CHAPTER XXIII
THE ROMAN CHARIOT RACES
It was late when the Circus Boy awoke next morning. A stewardrapped at the door and a suit of officer's clothes, brass buttonsand all was handed in to him.
"With the captain's compliments, sir," said the steward."He hopes it will fit you. When you are ready, you willplease come to the saloon for breakfast."
"Thank the captain for me, and say that I can't get there anytoo soon," laughed Phil, springing out of bed.
The passengers had all heard the remarkable tale from the captainthat morning, and they were anxious to see the young Circus Boywho had performed such a plucky act.
Phil entered the dining room, not thinking for a minute that hewould be recognized. When the passengers saw the handsome youngfellow in an officer's uniform, they knew him. Everyone in theroom sprang to his feet and three cheers rang out forPhil Forrest.
"Speech, speech!" cried someone.
Blushing faintly, Phil glanced about him.
"You cannot expect a boy to make much of a speech beforebreakfast, especially after he has been swimming most ofthe night. I don't know that I am entitled to anyspecial credit. I saved only my own life, and I do notexpect to get a medal for it, either. I hope all of youwill visit the Great Sparling Shows at the first opportunity.Then I shall try to entertain you in a way that I understandfar better than this. I'm very much obliged to you all."
Then Phil sat down. The passengers gave him another cheer,louder and more enthusiastic than the first. Mr. Sparling wouldhave been proud of the lad could he have heard that speech.Phil lost no opportunity to advertise the Sparling shows, andevery passenger on the boat, that morning, made up his mind tovisit the show ere another week had passed.
All the rest of the morning Phil was a hero in the eyes of thepassengers, who followed him wherever he went, asking questionsabout his experience in the river, and how he had happened tofall in, as well as numerous questions about the life of acircus man.
With regard to his accident, Phil had little to say. He seemedto wish to avoid discussing the falling-in matter, but his facetook on a serious expression when it was referred to.
At last Memphis was sighted. Phil arranged with the captainto return the uniform, which he promised to send to St. Louis,so that his benefactor could get it on the return trip.
As the craft began drawing in toward the dock, the Circus Boybade all the passengers good-bye, everyone of whom insisted onshaking hands with him.
Phil walked off, the passengers giving him three cheers as hestepped over the gangplank to the dock. Before he had reachedthe end of it, he was overtaken by a reporter who had just heardof Phil's feat and wished an interview.
At first Phil was reluctant to speak.
"I think it will be a good advertisement for the show," he saidto himself. So the Circus Boy related, modestly, the storyof his experience in the river and of his rescue of himself; notforgetting to say some pleasant things about the Sparling shows,which would visit Memphis two days hence. That afternoon he sawhis story set forth in the Memphis newspaper. He bought twopapers, one of which he tucked in his pocket, sending the otherto Mrs. Cahill, his guardian. His next move was to start for thestation, to take a train for Corinth. He was already too late toreach that town in time for the afternoon performance, but he hadwired Mr. Sparling that he was safe.
As it happened the lad reached the show grounds before hismessage had been delivered. Mr. Sparling, well nigh besidehimself with worry, had telegraphed to all points passed by theirboats, begging that neither effort nor expense be spared to findhis Circus Boy.
The showman was standing in front of his office tent, thatafternoon, at about three o'clock, his broad-brimmed slouch hatpulled well down over his eyes, his hands thrust deep in histrousers pockets.
Off under the big top the band was playing a lively tune,and the side-show people were out in front sunning themselves,all discussing Phil Forrest's mysterious disappearance.
After a short time, Mr. Sparling espied a young man in uniformcoming on the lot. He did not pay much attention to thestranger, thinking the fellow was a police officer or somethingof the sort.
As the young man drew nearer, however, the showman thought henoted something familiar in the springy step and the poise ofthe body.
"Now, who is that?" he muttered. "Somehow I seem to knowthat youngster."
Others about the main entrance were also looking in his directionabout that time. Still no one seemed to recognize the young man.
All at once the showman tilted up the rim of his hat and gazedmore keenly.
"Phil!" he shouted, casting the hat aside and running forwardwith outstretched arms. "It's Phil, it's Phil Forrest!"
A moment more and Mr. James Sparling had clasped his littleCircus Boy about the waist, hugging him delightedly. There was asuspicious moisture in the eyes of the showman, which he soughtto hide from Phil.
"Phil! Phil! Where have you been?" he cried leading the boytoward the office tent. "And that uniform--what does it mean?"
"I will tell you all about it as soon as I get my breath,"laughed the lad.
By this time the others out in front had hurried forward,showering questions upon the boy, all of which he answeredwithout giving very much information. He wished to talk withMr. Sparling first of all.
"Where is Teddy?" was almost his first question.
"He is in the big top at work."
"I presume he was considerably excited when he missed me, washe not?"
"Yes, at first, but since then he has not said much. Teddy isa queer boy."
The word was quickly passed that Phil had returned safe andsound, and ten minutes after his arrival every man and womanin the show had heard the news. There was great rejoicing.
Teddy was going through his clown act when he first heard therumor that Phil was back. Teddy waited until he had workedaround to the entrance to the menagerie tent when he suddenlydarted through, leaving his work and the ring, a most seriousbreach of discipline. Teddy, however, did not care. He waswilling to be fined. He bolted through the main entrance likea miniature tornado, to the amazement of the door tenders.
"Where's Phil?" he shouted.
One of the doormen pointed to Mr. Sparling's office tent.
The little clown was off on a run.
"Hey, Phil, you old rascal! Where have you been?" he demanded,dashing into the small tent.
"I have been out for a swim, old fellow. Did you miss me?"
"I nearly broke my neck thinking about you this afternoon.Landed on my head in the leaping act, and I've got a painin my neck yet."
"Young man, what are you doing here?" demanded theshowman, sternly.
"Same thing you are. Seeing Phil."
"Get back to your act!"
"I'm off. I'll see you later, Phil, then we will talk it over."
"We will, Teddy," and Teddy was off at top speed to takeup his performance where he had so abruptly left it a fewminutes before. The ringmaster had not missed him, thoughhe saw at once that the boy was not on his station, whenTeddy began to work again.
"Now, Phil, we will hear all about it. How in the name of theSparling shows did you get into that uniform?"
"The captain of the river boat that picked me up fitted me out."
"So you really fell in?"
"I got _in,_ right."
"Tell me all about it."
The Circus Boy related his experiences from the time he foundhimself in the river, until his arrival in Memphis that morning.
"Marvelous--almost unbelievable," breathed Mr. Sparling as thetale was unfolded. "I never heard anything to compare with it."
When Phil told of his speech in the dining saloon of the riversteamboat, Mr. Sparling leaned back with hands on his hips,laughing immoderately.
"Oh, Phil, you are the sort from which great showmen are made!"
Phil handed over the Memphis paper with the account of hisexperience, which the showman glan
ced over briefly.
"That will give us another turn-away in Memphis. You can't stopthem, after that. They will come to the show even if they haveto fight their way in. That was a great stroke of enterprise,but I would rather it had not happened, of course."
"What--the interview?"
"No, of course not. I mean your accident."
"It is all right, Mr. Sparling. I am here now, and none theworse for my bath, but for a time I surely thought I was a goner.I would not care to go through that experience again."
"I should say not. Yours was the most wonderful escape I everheard of. I'll wager there was never anything like it before onthis river."
Mr. Sparling paused suddenly and bent a keen, searching glance onPhil Forrest's face. The lad felt that he knew what was in themind of his employer.
"Phil?"
"Yes, sir."
"You have not told me everything, yet."
"What makes you think that, Mr. Sparling?"
"Because I know you so well. There is something on your mindthat you have not told me. I want to know what it is."
Phil's eyes were lowered to the green grass at his feet. For amoment he was silent and thoughtful.
"What is it you wish me to tell you, Mr. Sparling?" he asked in alow voice.
"You have not given me a satisfactory explanation of how you cameto get into the river."
"Perhaps I fell in," answered the lad with a faint smile.
"Perhaps. But you have not said so. I want you to tell me howyou did get in."
"I think I was thrown in, Mr. Sparling," answered theCircus Boy quickly.
"Thrown in!" exclaimed the showman, leaping to his feet, his faceworking convulsively in his effort to control his emotions."Phil Forrest, do you mean that?"
"I do."
Mr. Sparling sat down helplessly.
"Is it possible?"
"I am sure of it, sir."
"Had anyone but you told me that I should have laughed. I knowI can depend upon what you say. Tell me more about it?"
"As I have already said, I was leaning on the rail and droppedoff into a doze. How long I had been in that position I donot know. I could not have been there many minutes, or Ishould have gone so soundly asleep that I would have fallenover to the deck, you know."
"Yes, yes."
"All at once I felt myself being lifted. At first, as I rememberit, the sensation was as if the deck were dropping from under me.As I recalled the incident afterwards, I realized that I hadbeen lifted. You know all that occurred after that."
"Was there more than one who threw you overboard?"
"I am unable to say. I did not even see one," said Phil witha half-smile. "I felt myself being lifted--that's all. The nextminute I was in the river, with the 'Marie' pounding awaydownstream at a lively clip."
"Dastardly! Dastardly!" growled the showman. "I shall send fora detective to meet us in Memphis tomorrow. This thing has gonefar enough."
"I think I agree with you, sir," was Phil's half-humorous answer."But I had been in hopes of solving this mystery myself."
"Yes, and you came near losing your life as the result.No, sir! This thing must be cleared up at once. I shall wire toSt. Louis now, and we will have a man with us sometime tomorrow.Say nothing to anyone of my plan. The detective will jointhe show in some capacity or other, and have regular dutiesto perform. You will know him, but no one else willexcept myself. I think the Roman races are about due under thebig top now. Suppose you go in and change your clothes, joiningme at my table after you come out. We will talk these mattersover at length this evening. When the officer reaches here Ishall expect you to tell him freely all that you know as wellas what you suspect. Keep nothing from him. Run along, Phil.I want to think this matter over by myself for a few minutes."
As Phil entered the big top the Roman races were just coming on.The chariot drivers, with their prancing steeds, had enteredthe arena.
Phil paused to wait until the fast and furious races were over.The leading woman chariot driver was trying out a new three-horseteam; that is, two of the horses were new to the work, the third,being an old hand. The new animals were spirited, and after thefirst round of the arena, Phil saw that they were nervous.
"I am afraid she is going to have trouble with that pair,"muttered Phil with a shake of his head. "If she can keep themup to the mark, they will outrun anything in the show today."
The new team fairly tore around the arena. They won the firstraces easily, then lined up in the center to await the finalswhich were to follow a few minutes later.
The ringmaster's whistle trilled for the successful drivers toswing out into the concourse. They were driving furiously,almost before the echoes of the whistle had died away.
Making the turn at the lower end of the track in safety, the twoteams in the race squared away down the home stretch. All atonce Phil saw that something was wrong. The leading chariot wasswaying dizzily, and the driver was trying with all her strengthto pull the plunging animals down.
Suddenly the wheel on the inner side slipped from its axle andwent rolling off into the center of the arena. The axle droppedto the turf, caught, then turned the chariot bottom side up.
The woman driver was hurled off into the center in the wake ofthe careening wheel, landing on her head and shoulders beside thecenter platform.
The team did not stop, however. It started directly across thearena, in a diagonal course.
"She is hurt!" cried Phil. "Somebody will be killed unless thatwild team is stopped!"
Giving no thought to the danger to himself, Phil Forrest dartedacross the arena and leaped for the bridles of the plunging,frightened animals.
CHAPTER XXIV
CONCLUSION
It seemed a foolhardy thing to do, but Phil understood exactlyhow to go about it. If he were able to turn the team, he wouldundoubtedly save them from plunging into the seats where hundredsof people were sitting. A trained circus horse always will avoidthe spectators, but there is no accounting for what a greenanimal will do.
Grasping the bit of the animal nearest to him, Phil threw hiswhole weight into the effort. To his intense satisfaction theteam swerved, half turned and dashed across the arena again.This time, however, they did not go far. The outfit smashed intothe main center pole, and Phil went on, sitting down violently inthe middle of the concourse, unhurt, but more or less shaken up.
By that time ring attendants had caught the frightened horses.All danger was over.
Phil Forrest was loudly cheered by the spectators, but hisborrowed officer's uniform was a hopeless wreck. It was tornbeyond any possibility of repair.
Upon investigation, which Phil made at once, he found that thecap that held the chariot wheel in place, had been removed.No trace of it ever was found, and Phil well knew that themysterious enemy was once more at work. The news was conveyedto Mr. Sparling, with the information that Phil had gleaned.
He also bore the unwelcome tidings to his employer that theirleading woman chariot driver had broken both arms and that shewould not perform again that season, if ever again.
Mr. Sparling was so angered over this latest outrage that he wasscarcely able to control himself. Yet he knew that it would bebest to maintain silence until the detective had had anopportunity to make an investigation. Some of the circus people,however, had voiced a suspicion that the accident was adeliberate attempt to do the show an injury, and this was quicklypassed from lip to lip, until almost everyone had heard it.The show people accepted the situation quietly, as was theirwont, nevertheless they were very much excited. There was notelling when they themselves might fall victims to the mysteriousenemy, and each one vowed to run down the scoundrel who they knewmust be a member of the circus family.
Phil made some guarded inquiries, but was unable to learnwhether or not anyone had been observed about the chariotsthat day. The hub cap, of course, might have been removedwhile the chariots were still on the boat, but in that eventits loss wo
uld no doubt have been noticed, for the caps wereof brass, large and prominent.
Phil decided that the act must have been committed just beforethe chariots were driven into the arena for the Roman races.
In this, Phil Forrest was right.
The solution of the mystery was at hand, however, and was to comein a most unexpected manner.
Supper had been eaten, and most of the performers were out onthe lot, enjoying the balmy air of the early evening for the fewmoments left to them before they would be obliged to repair tothe dressing tent to make ready for the evening performance.
Phil decided to go in, after finishing a talk with Mr. Sparlingin the latter's private tent. As the lad passed through themenagerie tent the attendants were lighting the gasoline lampsthere and hauling them up the center poles.
Under the big top, however, one could not see half its length.The lights there would not be turned on for fifteen or twentyminutes yet. Not a person was in sight as Phil entered the tent,making his way slowly down the concourse. He paused half-waydown, seating himself on a grandstand chair in one of the arenaboxes, where he thought over the latest exploit of theshow's enemy.
"This time they were not after me, but after the outfit itself,"he muttered. "That is the time the fellow showed his hand, andit gives me an idea. I--hello, there is someone who acts as ifhe did not wish to be seen."
Phil sat still and watched. Someone had slipped in under thetent down at the other end, directly across the arena from wherethe bandstand was located. It had now become so dark in the tentthat Phil could not make out the fellow's features. In fact, theman was a mere shadow.
"I wonder what he is doing there?"
Then a thought struck Phil Forrest like a blow.
"That's where they put the big net between performances."
Phil crept down into the arena and made his way back to theentrance to the menagerie tent, where he quickly slipped outinto the open and ran down along the outside of the big topat his best speed. As he drew near the spot where he had seenthe man, he moved cautiously.
Finally Phil dropped down and peered under the tent. He was lessthan ten feet from where the fellow was at work. The Circus Boycould catch a "rip, rip" now and then.
"The fiend is cutting the net," he muttered. "I wonder whohe is. Ah, I know him now! He is one of the tent men. I neverthought he was in this thing. I must catch him--I must make theattempt, for he may get away. I don't even know the fellow'sname, nor do I understand his enmity toward the show or myself."
Phil wriggled in under the tent, now, not fearing discovery, forinside the tent, it was quite dark. Slowly raising himself tohis feet, he edged nearer, step by step, to where the man wasat work. The man had partly spread the net out by this time,to make sure that he was cutting it in the right place so thatit would give way beneath the weight of the performer unfortunateenough to drop into it first.
"The fiend!" repeated Phil, clenching his fists. "I'm glad I amthe one to discover him. Mr. Man, I have a score to settle withyou and I'm going to begin the settling up now."
Phil crouched low. He was now only a few feet from thestooping figure.
All at once the boy threw himself forward. He landed on the man,forcing him to the ground. As he struck, Phil raised his voicein the showmen's rallying cry.
"_Hey, Rube!_" he shouted in a sing-song voice that was heard inthe dressing tents and even out in the menagerie tent.
His first care, then, was to pinion the man so he could not usehis hands, for the Circus Boy knew that his captive had a knifein one hand.
Men came running from all directions, Mr. Sparling among thenumber, for he had been in the menagerie tent when the cryreached him, and feared some fresh trouble was at hand.
"What is it? Where is it?" roared the showman.
"Here, here! Bring lights. Bring--"
The man beneath him began to struggle. In fact the fellowstaggered to his feet, the boy being too light to hold him down.
Phil grabbed him about the waist, pinioning the man's arms tohis sides. Then began a desperate struggle, during which thecombatants fell to the ground, rolling over and over in theirfierce battle.
"It's Phil Forrest!" shouted the owner.
He sprang forward and with a mighty tug, jerked the tentman freeof the Circus Boy's body. At that instant the fellow leaped tohis feet and started to run.
"Stop him!" howled Phil.
Teddy, who had come running up, suddenly stooped over andconstituting himself a battering ram, ran full tilt into thetentman, the boy's head landing in the pit of the circushand's stomach. The fellow went down, whereupon Teddypromptly sat on him until the others reached the scene.
"Now, what does this mean?" demanded the showman sternly.
"It means that I caught this fellow cutting the net. If you willlook at it you will find it to be badly mutilated, I think."An examination proved that Phil was right. Mr. Sparling had allhe could do to prevent the angry circus men from wreaking theirvengeance on the wretch then and there.
Teddy, in the meantime, had been peering into the man's face.
"I know him! I know him!" howled the Circus Boy, dancing about.
"You know him?"
"Yes, do you remember Bad Eye who was mixed up with Red Larry,the fellow we sent to jail two or three seasons ago?"
"Yes."
"That's Bad Eye," pointing to the prisoner, "and he is badmedicine, besides."
"Is it possible?" muttered Phil, a new light breaking over him.
Suddenly Teddy uttered a yell.
"I've got him! He's the fellow who stole my egg." Teddy made adive for the prisoner, but strong hands pulled him away.
Bad Eye, it developed, smarting under the punishment that hadbeen meted out to his companion, had once more joined the show,determined upon revenge. He had in the meantime grown a fullbeard, so that no one recognized him. Now, Phil Forrest knew whythe voice was dimly familiar to him when he had heard it thatnight out on the lot.
Caught red-handed, Bad Eye made a full confession. And to thesurprise of everyone, he implicated Manuel, the assistant tothe Spanish clown. Bad Eye admitted having thrown Phil Forrestoverboard, as well. He denied having stolen Tucker's egg,placing the full responsibility for this on the shouldersof Manuel.
What was done with the egg was never known, though Manuel wasbelieved to have thrown it overboard. Diaz, after his oneviolent outbreak, had made no further evil attempts.
Bad Eye and Manuel were tried and convicted in due time, andplaced where they would do the show no further harm.
The show went on, and after several successful weeks, reachedNew Orleans, where the final performance of the season was given.All hands then turned their faces northward. Teddy and Phildecided to take a steamship for New York, thence proceeding totheir home by train. Each lad was a few thousand dollars richerthan when he had joined out in the spring.
They waved their adieus to Mr. Sparling from the deck of an oceansteamer next morning as the big ship slowly poked its nose outinto the gulf.
"You can't down the Circus Boys," said Phil, with a pleased smileas they leaned over the rail.
"At least, not this season," added Teddy.
But the exciting experiences of the Circus Boys were not yet atan end. The lads will be heard from further in another volume,under the title: "THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE PLAINS; Or, The YoungAdvance Agents Ahead of the Show."
In this forthcoming volume the lads pass through a phase ofcircus life never experienced by them before. They will find,too, that all the thrills of the circus life are not confinedto the sawdust arena, but that there is every whit as muchexcitement and real peril in the daily life of the advance manon the advertising car ahead of the show.
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The Circus Boys on the Mississippi; Or, Afloat with the Big Show on the Big River Page 24