Part 29 (1/2)
”You're in luck. How came Barlow to give you so much?”
”I think he took a liking to me. Perhaps he wanted to pay me for facing the lion at Smyrna.”
”Were you the boy who did that? I thought your face looked familiar.
You've got pluck, Kit.”
”I hope so; but I'm not sure whether it is I or the snuff that is ent.i.tled to the most credit.”
”Anyhow it took some courage, even if you did have the snuff with you.”
”Do you know what is to be our route this season?”
”I think we are going West as far as St. Louis, taking all the larger towns and cities on our way. We are to show a week in Chicago. But I don't care so much for the cities as the country towns--the one-night places.”
”Does Mr. Barlow go with us?”
”Not steadily. He drops in on us here and there. There's one thing I can say for him--he won't have any man in his employ drink or gamble. We have to bind ourselves to total abstinence while we are in his employ--that is, till the end of the season. Gambling is the great vice of circus men; it is more prevalent even than drinking.”
”Don't the men do it on the sly?”
”They run a risk if they do. At the first offense they are fined, at the second or third they are bounced.”
”That doesn't trouble me any. I neither drink nor gamble.”
”Good for you.”
”Say, when are you two fellows goin' to stop talkin'?” was heard from a neighboring berth. ”You don't give a fellow a chance to sleep.”
Kit and his new friend took the hint and addressed themselves to slumber.
CHAPTER XXI.
KIT MEETS A SCHOOLMATE.
Kit slept profoundly, being very tired. He was taken by surprise when, the next morning, he was shaken into a state of wakefulness, and opening his eyes met those of his neighbor Harry Thorne.
”Is it morning?” he asked, in a sleepy tone.
”I should say it was. It is a quarter after nine, and the parade starts at ten.”
”The parade?”
”Yes; we give a morning parade in every place we visit. If you are not on hand to take part in it, you will be fined five dollars.”
”I'll be up in a jiffy,” said Kit, springing out of his berth. ”But there's time enough, isn't there?”
”Yes; but not too much. You will want to get some breakfast. By the way, are you used to driving?”