Part 10 (1/2)

”Ta ra, ta ra, ta ra!” sang the bugle

Crash!+ answered the cy, thrilling roll; then came the blare of the brass as the whole band launched into a lively tune such as only circus bands kno to play

The parade had begun tomoment--the moment of all on had been placed well back in the line, so as not to interfere with the music of the band itself But Phil did not care where he was placed He only knew that he was in a circus parade, doing his part with the others, and that, so far as anyone knew, he was as much a circus man as any of them

As the cavalcade drew out into the htened away, Phil was aht reach the whole length of the village

The spring sun was shi+ning brightly, lighting up the line, transforht and color

”Splendid!” breathed the boy, re the fish horn froht again

As the wagonshe saw many people whom he knew As a e, but there were hundreds of people who had driven in from the farnize him

”If they only kneouldn't they be surprised?” chuckled the lad ”hello, there's Mrs Cahill”

The as standing on her front door step with a dishtowel in one hand

In the excess of his excite

She heard him--as everybody else within a radius of a quarter of a nized the voice Mrs Cahill brandished the dishtowel excitedly

”He's a fine boy,” she glowed ”And he's having the first good tiht For the first time in all these years, since the death of his parents, Phil Forrest was carefree and perfectly happy

The clowns on the wagon with hion stopped now and then, one who to the edge of the rack and estures included in the pouring and drinking of a glass of water So humorous were the clown's antics that the spectators screahter

Suddenly the lad espied that which caused his own laughter to die away, and for the ot to toot the fish horn The parade was passing his for on his stick and glaring at the procession from beneath bushy eyebrows, stood Phil's uncle, Abner Adams

Phil's heart leaped into his throat; at least that was the sensation that he experienced

”I--I hope he doesn't knowback a little ”But I'm a ht to say a thing”

The lad lost soe, however, when the procession halted, and he found that his wagon was directly in front of Mr

Adams' dooryard, with his decrepit uncle not ry eyes of Abner Adah Phil's makeup, and the lad instinctively shrank back ever so little