Part 11 (1/2)

PROVING HIS METTLE

Fa deeds, those of the circus people itnessed Phil Forrest's dive gasped

They expected to see the boy fall beneath the feet of the plunging pony, where he would be likely to be trampled and kicked to death

But Phil had looked before he leaped He had measured his distance well--hadto do, or rather what he was going to try to do

The pony, catching a brief glih the air directly toward him, made a swift leap to one side But the aniainst the broncho with a jolt that nearly knocked the little animal over, while to Phil the impact could not have been much more severe, it see on!” howled a voice froon

That was exactly what he intended to do

The cloud of dust, with Mr Sparling in the center of it, had not reached the on

”G-g-g-grab the woman!” shouted Phil

His left arht hand was groping frantically for the ani all this ti like a shi+p in a gale, cracking the ith Phil Forrest until it seemed as if every bone in the lad's body would be broken He could hear his own neck snap with every jerk

With a howl Miaco, the head clown, launched hi hoofs--there seeht the woed her quickly froo!” he roared to the boy holding the pony

But by this tiht hand on the pony's nostrils, and with a quick pressure shut off the anirit had been aroused, however, and he was detero until he should have conquered the fighting broncho

With a squeal of rage, the pony leaped sideways A deep ditch led along by the side of the road, but this the enraged ani, pieces of Phil's yellow robe strea from his hoofs

The lad's body was half under the neck of the pony, but he was clinging to the neck and the nose of the beast with desperate courage

”Get the boy out of there!” thundered Mr Sparling, dashi+ng up and leaping from his pony ”Want to let him be killed?”

By this time others had ridden up, and so off and rushed to Phil Forrest's assistance

Ropes were cast over the flying hoofs before the et near them Then they hauled Phil out, very 's carriage had driven up and he was helping the woman in

”Is the boy hurt?” he called

”No, I'h he was bruised fro in tatters His peaked clown's cap someone picked up in a field over the fence and returned to hiaudy makeup, save the streaks on his face, which by now had become blotches of white and red

The clowns picked hi like a lot of sparrows perched on a telephone wire

”See you later!” shouted the voice of Mr Sparling as he drove rapidly away

Phil found his horn, and despite his aches and pains he began blowing it lustily The story of his brave rescue had gone on ahead, however, and as the cloagon reeted by tremendous applause

The onlookers had no difficulty in picking out the boy who had saved the woman's life, and somehow the word had been passed around as to his identity