Part 39 (1/2)
”Oh, no, it might have hurt him, Teddy.”
”Hurt him? Pshaw! Maybe the drumstick didn't hurt me. Oh, no!”
”Well, get dressed. I will go out and see if I can pour oil on the troubled waters. You stay here. I don't want you mixing it up with the drummer. I'll attend to him.”
Phil first hunted up Mr. Sparling, whom he found shaving in his cabin.
”Why good morning, Phil. Why this early call?”
”I called to ask you what a new set of heads will cost for the ba.s.s drum?”
”I think they are worth about fifteen dollars. Why do you ask?”
”Because Teddy and myself have just smashed the heads out of the one belonging to the band.”
Mr. Sparling paused in his shaving long enough to glance keenly at Phil. There was a twinkle in his eyes. He knew that his Circus Boys had been up to some mischief. Phil was as solemn as an owl.
”It was this way,” explained the lad, as he related how the accident had occurred.
Mr. Sparling sat down and laughed.
”Never mind the drum heads. We have others for just such an emergency, I do not mind a little fun once in a while. We all have to blow off steam sometimes.”
”No, sir; we shall pay for the drum heads. To whom does the drum belong?”
”The drummer, I think.”
”Very well; thank you.”
Phil hastily withdrew from the cabin and hurried back to his own stateroom.
”Teddy,” he said, ”I want seven-fifty from you.”
”What's that?”
”Seven dollars and a half, please.”
Teddy began pawing over his trousers. All at once he paused, looking up at Phil suspiciously.
”You want to borrow seven-fifty, do you?”
”No, I want you to contribute it.”
”To what?”
”To the fund.”
”What fund? What are you talking about?”
”Those drum heads are worth fifteen dollars and we are going to pay the owner of the drum for the damage we did. I will give half and you half.”