Part 21 (1/2)
”I am afraid we haven't heard the last of our friend, Larry,”
said Phil
”Who's afraid?” growled Teddy
”Neither of us But all the same we had better keep an eye on hiet into any more trouble--at least not, if we can possibly avoid it”
”Not till Mr Sparling forgets about today? Is that it?”
”I guess it is,” grinned Phil
”He ht take it seriously?”
”He already has done that So be careful”
Teddy nodded But the lads had not yet heard the last of ”Red” Larry
CHAPTER XII
THE HUMAN FOOTBALL
”Ever try clowning, young man?” asked the Iron-Jawed Man
Teddy Tucker shook his head
”Why don't you?”
”nobody ever asked me”
”Then you had better ask the boss to let you try it Tell him you want to be a clown and that ill take you in and put you through your paces until you are able to go it alone”
The show had been on the road for nearly teeks now, and every depart like a piece of well-oiled machinery
The usual nu the first week, but now everything was system and method
The ani, and to the crowds and the noise, so that their growls of cooing through their act on the flying rings daily, having shown great improvement since they closed with the show the previous fall Their winter's work had proved of great benefit, and Mr Sparling had compli all his spare ti act froboard
He could, by this ti was less certain Any part of his anatomy was liable to sustain the impact of his fall, but he fell in so o at that, for it furnished them much amuse tent had been apparent ever since he and the educated mule had made their sensational entry into that sacred do the place Teddy and his pet had co twice since, and the perfor to believe there was method in Tucker's madness
It had come to the point where the perfor tent while Teddy and the mule were abroad, unless men with pike poles were stationed outside to ward off the educatedBut Teddy didn't care The lad was interested in the suggestion of the Iron-Jawed Man Had he known that the suggestion had been made after secret conference of certain of the perforht have felt differently about it There was so in the air, but the Circus Boy did not know it
”What kind of clown act would you advise et it up We'll do that for you
In fact, there is one act thatelse for you You see, you have to get used to being funny, or you'll forget yourself, and then you're of no further use as a clown”