Part 24 (1/2)

”Ho, ho, ho! I believe you would, at that”

”I certainly shall”

”Say, kid, don't it ever give you pain to be so awfully honest?”

”I'll confess that it does when I a business with a man like you”

”Oh! That one landed That was a knockout,” chuckled the show pretty soon We've got to fix up soht I'll have to put you back in your cage in the meantime” It lacked an hour and a half of the tiin when Sully called with his carriage for his new star Phil was ready, as far as he was able to be, and really welcoain But he was so stiff from the confinement in the narrow linen closet that he did not feel as if he should be able to ride at all

The drive to the circus lot ithout incident, and Phil embraced the opportunity to fas as fully as was possible under the circumstances He had tried to foriven it up and decided to trust to luck

There was another reason for his having decided to ride in the Sully Hippodro he was not able to get away before leaving Corinto

He hoped that Mr Sparling ht have sent someone on to find out what had become of him This was sure to be done sooner or later, especially when the show answered, but were being returned to hied for before Phil left his own show

Reaching the lot they drove around to the paddock where Phil and his new eiven no chance to break away It seemed to him that every person connected with the show had been set to watch hi tent he was subjected to the curious gaze of the performers, most of whom understood that he was to ride that day in the place of the injured perfor further about thea pair of tights that would fit Phil, but after awhile this was arranged

”You sit down here and wait now,” directed Mr Sully

”No; I've got so the horse out in the paddock and let me see what I have to ride,” answered Phil

While they were getting out the ring horse, the lad indulged in a series of bends and li until the perspiration stood out in great beads

This done Phil sprang up to the back of the ring horse, and while an attendant held the ani strap, Phil rode the horse about the paddock a few times until he had become familiar with the motion and peculiarities of the ani, fast or slow?”

”Just steady Been at it a long time,” the attendant informed him ”He's steady You can depend on hio in”

The owner of the show had been a keen observer of these preparations He noted, too, Phil appeared entirely to have forgotten about his desire to escape

”That kid acts to me as if he knew his business,” he reflected

”If he rides the way I think he can, I' if I have to double the wages he's drawing now

Andtop Phil glanced at the showo on?”

”Second nu his turn to enter the arena He did not have to ask when the mo horse in and Phil quickly fell in behind, following theht behind the Circus Boy ca his eyes off his captive for a rinned broadly It was a novel experience for him

Soon the strains of in his act The boy swung gracefully to the back of his mount