Part 5 (1/2)
”He did, or else someone told him. Be careful, Teddy! You are laying up trouble for all of us,” warned Phil.
”I got even with Mr. Hat Thrower, just the same,” grinned Tucker.
Teddy was the happiest boy in the show that night, and he went to his sleeping quarters chuckling all the way.
The show, this season, had opened in Chicago, and was now working its way across the state of Illinois. The route had caused considerable comment among the show people. They did not understand what the plans of the owner might be.
Ordinarily, give a showman the first week or two of the show's route and he will tell you just what parts of the country the show will visit during that particular season. The performers were unable to do so in this instance. Phil Forrest was as much perplexed as the others, but he made no mention of this to Mr. Sparling.
”He has some surprise up his sleeve, I am sure,” decided Phil shrewdly.
The next morning Phil asked Mr. Miaco, the head clown, if he knew where they were going.
”I do not,” answered the clown. ”This route has kept me guessing. Boss Sparling may be headed for Australia for all I know. He's just as likely to go there as anywhere else. Has the Spaniard bothered you since that mix-up?”
”No.”
”Well, keep away from him. That is my advice.”
”I shall not bother him. You may depend upon that, Mr. Miaco.
I can't say as much for Teddy.”
”Teddy put up that job with January last night, didn't he?”
”He hasn't said so.”
”Not necessary. I saw the whole thing. Lucky for Teddy that Mr. Sparling did not happen to be about.”
”I am not so sure that he was not.”
”What?”
Phil explained what Mr. Sparling had said to Teddy out in the paddock.
”Yes, he saw it all right, but I guess he doesn't know about the trouble in the dressing tent yesterday.”
”No, I think not. I hope he does not hear of it, either.
I do not wish Mr. Sparling to think that I am a troublemaker, or that I was mixed up in an unseemly row in the dressing tent.
I should feel very much humiliated were I to be called to account for a thing like that. What are all those flags flying for in town today?”
”Don't you know?”
”No, I don't.”
”You don't know what day this is?”
”No, sir.”
”This is Decoration Day.”
”Oh, that's so.”