Part 12 (1/2)

”Hey, Rube!” he shouted, then ducked back again

Phil understood instantly that this was one of Mr Sparling's surprises But there were still other surprises to come No sooner had the band taken up its position than there was again a commotion out in the hall The lads opened their eyes hen a troop of painted clowns ca costume Ahad sent

Then began the h school boys ever had seen The clowns, entering into the spirit of the s and told stories, while the acrobats hurled themselves into a mad whirl of somersaults, cartwheels and Wild Dervish throws

Thus far the boys were too aan to for on the other's shoulders

”Here, I' start and beginning to clamber up the human colu at the top, his head al in the rooh school boys

”Fellow citizens,” began Teddy

Just then the human pyramid toppled over and Teddy had to leap to save hi up on his feet

When all the funin the hall was over one surprise proved yet to be in the reserve The high school boys of Ed in column of fours they escorted Phil and Teddy to their car on the circus train It was not many minutes later that the boys, tired out but happy, tumbled into their berths, where they were asleep i on, even in their dreah which they had just passed

CHAPTER VII

shi+VERS AND HIS SHADOW

Half a hundredinto the sawdust arena, their voices raised in song and shout

Mud clown, character clown, harlequin, fat boy, jester, funny rustic, vied with each other inantics so aptly described by the circus press agent as a ”, acrobatic idiosyncrasies of an a character”

And so they were

Children screanified approval of the grotesque, painted throng that trooped gayly down the uneven course

The music of the circus band stopped short Then came a fanfare of trumpets, and far down the line fronified figure all in white, e now and then to gaze fixedly at soinary object just above the heads of those on the upper row of seats, the very drollery of which gaze was irresistible

shi+vers, Prince of Clowns, the greatest fun , had made his entry

shi+vers had joined out with the Sparling show for the first ti clown in the business

>Fro to Teddy Tucker, and shortly after leaving Eded clown of Teddy The perer had been obtained and this was Teddy's first appearance as assistant to shi+vers Teddy was considerably smaller, of course, andafter hi appearance Every move that the clowndown the concourse

shi+vers was a shi+ning model of the clown both introusers disappeared under the stiff ruffles of a three-quarter waist A broad turnover collar of the nurse style was set off with a large bow of bright red ribbon, and a baker's cap, perched jauntily on one side of the head, completed his merry makeup This too describes Teddy Tucker's outfit

”Now, be funny!” directed shi+vers

”I can't help but be if I act like you,” retorted Teddy, whereat the clown grinned

Pausing before the dollar seats the clown pulled out the ruffles of his snohite waist, poising with crossed legs on one toe Teddy did the sareat roar was the reward of their drollery