Part 4 (1/2)
”A clown and a gymnast,” said Barton Reeve slowly. ”Well, you might be a clown, if you got funny, but what do you know about gymnastics?”
”Quite a bit, sir, if I do say it myself. I have liked the exercise all my life, and it seems to me I was cut out for that sort of life.”
Leo's earnestness kept Barton Reeve from smiling
He had often had boys and even men come to him full of silly notions about joining the circus.
He saw that Leo was a level-headed youth, and he noted, too, that the boy's body was finely formed and well developed.
”See here, what do you think of this?” suddenly cried Leo.
Running forward, he turned several handsprings and ended with a clear air somersault.
”That's all right.” In fact, it was first-rate.
”If I had the apparatus I would like to show you what I can do on the bar and with the rings,” went on Leo.
”You can do that at the grounds. Come on.”
Barton Reeve rode off, with Leo behind him on the horse.
Daniel Hawkins tried to call the boy back, but all to no purpose.
”Has he any claim on you, Leo?” asked the man.
”Not a bit of a claim. He treated me like a dog, and now I'm going to leave him whether I get in with the circus or not.”
CHAPTER IV.-LEO JOINS THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH.
On the way to the circus grounds Leo told Reeve much about himself.
He was seventeen years old, and for years had had a nice home with his parents, and it was during this time that he had taken a thorough course of gymnastics.
His father had been a retired officer of the United States army, and was supposed to be well to do at the time of his death.
But Leo had never gotten a cent out of the estate, and since becoming an orphan had known nothing but hard work.
The boy was satisfied that Squire Dobb was keeping him out of his money, but he had no proofs to use in bringing a case against the rascally lawyer.
Life on the farm he could not endure, and it was only the hope of getting some money out of Daniel Hawkins which had kept him so long at the drudgery there.
Now he was satisfied there was no money to be had, and he intended to leave at the first chance.
By the time Leo's story was told the party had arrived at the circus grounds.
It was afternoon, and already the great white tents were up, covering an entire block in the southern end of the town.
The cage was properly placed in the menagerie department, and then Barton Reeve led the way between numerous empty wagons to the rear of a large affair used as a ticket office.