Part 13 (1/2)
”Oh, is that you, Phil?”
”It is myself, sir,” smiled the lad. ”How are you getting along?”
”Much better than I had hoped. You see the 'Little Nemo' is already loaded. The 'Fat Marie' is well loaded and the 'Queen'
is taking stuff on board at a two-forty gait.”
”I see you haven't driven the bulls on yet,” meaning the elephants.
The elephants were standing off beyond the docks, huge shadowy figures, swaying silently in the faint light, for there was a slight haze in the air that even the brilliant moonlight could not wholly pierce.
”No; I thought it best to load the bulls and the ring stock later on. The bulls might get frightened with all the unusual noises around them. After they become more used to this method of traveling they will be all right.”
”What time do we pull out?”
”It will be three o'clock, I think. Perhaps a little later than that.”
”You mean earlier,” suggested Teddy.
The showman turned on him sharply.
”Why, h.e.l.lo, Teddy. Really, you are so small that I did not see you.”
Teddy winced.
”I guess I'm some, even if I am little,” protested the lad warmly.
”You are right. You are not only some, but _much._ What's this I hear about trouble on the lot? Some of the men said they heard there had been an accident, but they guessed it didn't amount to much.”
”It was not very serious,” said Phil.
”Oh, no; nothing of any consequence,” jeered Teddy. ”I was struck by lightning, that's all.”
”What!”
”Hit by b.a.l.l.s of fire--and the big hen laid an egg.”
”See here, what are you driving at--”
”And crushed, utterly crushed by my best friend, Phil Forrest.
Now, what do you think of that?”
”Teddy, please hitch your tongue to the roof of your mouth for a moment. Now, Phil, tell me what happened. I get so dizzy when Teddy is talking that I almost imagine I am going to be seasick.”
”Pshaw!” growled Teddy.
”We did have a little trouble.”
”Tell me about it.”
”The storm came up while the aerial acts were on. We all shortened our acts at the direction of the ringmaster, and it was well we did so. We had not all gotten down when a bolt of lightning struck the main center pole.”