Part 40 (1/2)

Very soon some of the players got off the key, their playing grew uneven and in some instances stopped altogether. The leader could not understand what the trouble was. He called out angrily to the offending musicians, but this seemed only to add to their troubles.

All at once the big German, who played the ba.s.s horn, rose from his seat and hurled his music rack at the offending Teddy Tucker.

Everything on the bandstand came to a standstill, and the performers in the ring glanced sharply down that way, wondering what could have happened.

The leader turned and discovered Teddy and his lemons. He was beside himself with rage. He understood, now, why his musicians had failed. Teddy sucking the lemon had given many of them ”the puckers.”

It was an old trick, but it worked as well as if it had been brand new.

The Circus Boy was delighted. The leader experienced no such sensations. With an angry exclamation, he leaped from the box on which he was standing, aiming a blow at Teddy with his baton.

The boy dodged it and ran laughing out into the ring, for it was now time for him to go on in his next act.

After a minute or two the band once more collected itself and the show went on, but there were dire threats uttered against Teddy Tucker by the leader and players. The ba.s.s drummer grinned appreciatively.

”I wish I could think of something that would tie up that fellow with the drum,” muttered Teddy, gazing off at the drummer with resentful eyes.

The band leader had no scruples against carrying tales, and immediately after the performance he hunted up Mr. Sparling and entered a complaint against the irrepressible Teddy. The result was that Teddy was given a severe lecture by the showman after they got on board the boat that night. Then Phil added a warning.

”Well, what about yourself?” retorted the lad.

”Why?”

”I never stirred up as much roughhouse as you did this morning.

You had better take some of that advice to yourself.”

Phil laughed good-naturedly.

”I shall have to admit the impeachment,” he said.

It seemed, however, as if the Sparling shows could not get along without exciting incidents happening at least once in twenty-four hours. They appeared to follow the Circus Boys, too, like a plague. It is likely that, had they not followed the boys, Teddy Tucker would have gone out hunting for them.

The next morning something else occurred that was not a part of the daily routine. The boats were late and the next stand was not yet in sight, so the band had not been called to work as early as on the previous morning. The bandsmen were just rousing themselves, in response to raps on their cabin doors, when they heard rapid footsteps on the deck, and excited shouts from several voices.

Teddy and Phil awakened at about the same time, having been disturbed by the unusual sounds.

”Now, what is the trouble?” exclaimed Phil.

”Something is going on, and here I am in bed,” answered Teddy, tumbling out and throwing open the blinds.

He saw nothing unusual. The boat was slipping along, enveloped in a cloud of black smoke. The disturbance seemed to be on the other side of the vessel.

”Come on, Phil. Let's find out what it is all about.

Maybe the boat has struck a rock and we are sinking.

Wouldn't that be fun?”

”I don't see anything funny about that. It would be serious, and you and I would be out of a job for the rest of the season.”

”Don't you care! I have money. Didn't I give you seven-fifty yesterday and still have some left?”

”Eight,” grinned Phil.