Part 26 (1/2)

After that the lad was sent to his closet to spend the night

The next day was a repetition of the previous one, except that Phil rode better than ever, if that were possible But as he was riding under the name of the performer who had been injured, he could not , with the lad apparently as far fro his escape as ever But what he had hoped would come to pass had done so in a measure That is, the owner of the show had beco the boy

Instead of acco, Sully satisfied hi by the entrance to the paddock, next to the bandstand

This left Phil free to do pretty much as he chose, but he was almost as closely confined as if he were in the owner's private car, so far as getting aas concerned But the boy'sactively

As he sat on the back of the broad-backed ring horse that afternoon, his eyes were looking over the tent questioningly

”I believe I can do it,” ht that they are this afternoon I a to try it”

Just then the band struck up and the lad rose gracefully to his feet ready to go through his act for the edification of the great audience

Phil wasmore money than ever before in his circus career, and he now had only one act instead of several But he cared little for this It was ht he accoht have appealed to a policeman, or to one of the many people about hiiven his word that he would do nothing of the sort, and Phil Forrest was not the boy to break his word after once having given it

He proposed to get away by his own efforts or else wait until rescued by the Sparling show

As had been the case with the afternoon show Sully reh his act

”I'll finish ive him his money's worth whether he deserves such treatment or not, and then I'llof as passing in the mind of the Circus Boy, of course, was suspected by the owner of the show Phil had just rounded off his act by a backward somersault and the attendant had slipped the bridle over the head of the ring horse preparatory to leading the ani I will ride him back,” directed Phil innocently

”Why?”

”Because I prefer to”

”Very well,” answered the groo slowly toward the paddock, while Phil, who had in theon his slippers

By this tiet out of the ring, for another act was co down the concourse

All at once the Circus Boy threw hi astride

Phil brought his riding whip down on the back of the surprised animal with a force that sent the horse forith a snort

They bounded out of the ring Instead, however, of turning toward the paddock exit, Phil headed straight for the other end of the tent There an exit led into the erie tent, or where that tent had been, for by this time it had been taken down and carted away to the train A canvas flap hung loosely over the entrance, but it was not fastened down, as Phil well knew, being left free so people could pass in and out at will