Part 6 (2/2)

”Eive the flowers to the lady,” co elephant's trunk stretched out, extending the basket toward her inch by inch, while theinstinctively shrank far back in her chair

At last the trunk reached her

”Take it,” said Phil

She grasped the basket with a ood-bye, Emperor,” directed the trainer

E on his hind legs until he stood ale, he uttered a wild, weird tru that fairly shook the house

Mrs Cahill, in her fright, suddenly started back, her chair tipped over and she landed in a heap on the ground at the end of the porch

CHAPTER IV

A FRIENDLY AUDIENCE

The afternoon performance had passed without a hitch

While there were reater part of the audience, which nearly filled the big tent, was coreeted the performances of Phil Forrest and Teddy Tucker, but the two Circus Boys were saving their best efforts for the evening performance when all their friends would be present

Mrs Cahill, after her tumble, had been picked up by the lads who insisted that she shake the trunk of Emperor before he left the lawn And now that she had seen the afternoon show, taking a motherly pride in the performance of her boys, as she proudly called them, the kindhearted woman sat down to a meal in the cook tent, which proved one of theexperiences of her life

As the hour for the evening perfor tent By this time the whole show had taken a keen interest in the affairs of the Circus Boys, who had been known to the performers--at least, to most of them--for the past two years

Teddy had paid sundry mysterious visits to the horse tent, and held numerous confidential conversations with the equestrian director, all of which was supposed to have been unknown to Mr Sparling, the owner of the show

But, while Teddy was nursing his secret, Mr Sparling also was keeping one of his own, one which was to be a great surprise to the two Circus Boys

The first surprise was given when the clowns ca up in front of the reserved seats, where the high school boys and girls sat, they sang a song in which they brought in the names of every hter froirls waved their cris wildly

The whole class was there as the guests of the 's surprises, but not the only one he was to give the fro over the herd of elephants Teddy was so effectively disguised by his clown nize hiesture of his own, the boys and girls set up a perfect howl of delight in which the audience joined with enthusiastic applause, for Teddy, with all his clumsy ways, was one of the best tumblers in the show He had developed marvelously since the close of the show the fall before

Never had Teddy tuht He took so , as on the side lines, shouted a word of caution to him

”You'll break your neck, if you're not careful”

In answer to the warning, Teddy took a long running start and did a double turn in the air, over the backs of the elephants, landing plu ar their appreciation by shouting out Teddy's name

Teddy's chest swelled with pride as he waved his hand and shook his head as if to say: ”Oh, that's nothing! You ought to see ”

The band played on and the showdeeds and furious fun from the clowns