Part 34 (1/2)

”Stand up this minute, or you'll have a taste of this about your legs,” said the man, in a brutal tone.

In deadly fear the little fellow struggled to his feet; he looked wildly round him, the horse trotted forward, the child fell on his face and hands and clutched hold of the black mane. This enraged the spirited beast, who began to dance and curvet about, and the next moment, but for the speedy interference of Susan Jenkins, little Orion would have measured his length upon the floor. Even as it was he was hurt and shaken, and lay weeping and trembling in her arms.

”Now, Susan, you jest listen to me,” said Holt, in an enraged voice.

”I aint a-goin' to stand this sort of thing. That little chap has got to learn his lesson or he don't stay here; he is not a patch on his sister, but he shall learn his part. I has it all arranged that them two children is to appear in public to-morrow, and the boy must help the gal. The gal will do her work right well, but the boy must help her. It's the look of the two, and they so young, that I reckon on to fill the house. I'm determined that a mite of that sort shan't beat me. He could have stood on the horse's back if he had had a mind. He has disobeyed me and he shall be punished. You take 'im and lock 'im up in the black cage.”

The black cage was a terrible place, in which some of the fiercer animals were put from time to time to train them. It really consisted of a huge box without windows, but with one or two small ventilating shafts in the door. On rare occasions, when thoroughly enraged, the manager had been known to lock a refractory member of the troupe up there; but such a punishment had never been given to a child before.

”Oh, no, Ben Holt! You can't mean that,” said Susan. ”Why, it'll frighten him awful, and it do smell so bad of the last leopard.”

But for this answer the poor girl only got a crack of the whip round her ankles.

What might have really happened at the end is not known; but suddenly at this juncture the swing door was flung open and little Diana marched in. She held her head well back, and trotted boldly into the center of the arena.

”Dear, dear, what's all this fuss?” she cried out in her frank, hearty voice. ”Uncle Ben, is anybody a-vexing of you?”

”Yes, my dear; that little brother of yours. You jest tell him to do his duty.”

”Oh, Diana, Diana! he's killing me!” sobbed little Orion. He struggled out of Susan's arms, flew to his sister, flung the whole weight of his little body against her, and gave way to a fresh agony of howling and weeping.

Diana's black eyes flashed.

”You stay k'iet. Orion; 'member you is a giant,” she said, speaking in a whisper to the boy. ”I's here, and I'll look after you. You stay k'iet. Now, Uncle Ben, what's all this?”

”Only that silly boy won't ride Greased Lightning. He won't even stand on the 'orse, let alone leap through the rings and the balloons.”

”Is that all?” said Diana, her eyes gleaming. ”But I can do all that; I can do all that beautiful. _Dear_ G'eased Lightning!” She unclasped Orion's arms from her neck and trotted across the stage. She ran up to the great chestnut and began to stroke its nose. The creature licked her little hand and looked affectionately down at her small figure.

”Uncle Ben,” she said suddenly, ”I isn't going to have Orion punished; you isn't to do it; give him to me. You can't do anything with a little sild like that if you fwighten him. Give him to me, Uncle Ben; I'll manage him.”

”But what are you but a little child yourself?” said Uncle Ben.

”Yes, but I is made different. Nothing fwightens me. I aren't afeared of nothing, and I aren't afeared of you, Uncle Ben, so don't you begin to think I is.”

”Never seed sech a child,” said Uncle Ben, once more restored to good humor. ”Jest notice that perfect demon of a 'orse, how 'e takes to 'er. Never seed anything like it afore. Well, missy, and if you can manage your brother I'm sure I'll be only too pleased, but jest you remember this--you are both to go before the footlights to-morrow for the public to see. I has never had that young 'un on the stage yet, but he's to ride with you to-morrow.”

”So he shall, Uncle Ben; course you will, won't you, Orion?”

”With you, Di,” sobbed Orion; ”if you are close to me, Di.”

”Course I'll be close to you, Orion. I is the gweat Diana. Well, Uncle Ben, you isn't going to punish him. If you punish him he can't wide, 'cos he'll be ill. He's a giant.”

”A pigmy I call him,” said Uncle Ben.

”You talk silly,” replied Diana; ”he's a giant, 'cos mother said he was, and on starful nights you can see him s.h.i.+ning in the sky.”

”Bless you, child, don't take up any more of my time talking that gibberish.”

”Well, he's not to be punished, 'cos I say he isn't. He's coming with me now to his dinner. Come 'long, Orion, this minute; I has come to fetch you. Good-by, Uncle Ben.”