The Circus Boys on the Plains; Or, The Young Advance Agents Ahead of the Show

ever so much!" answered

uare kid and

r to the owner of the show about you this evening when I get back t

ind all them thing

e got to run up to

k before you get

lon

Billy and the wagon were waiting. T

luck?" dem

a billposter, but as a dip

an you got the si

perhaps the farmer's house thrown in for good measure," answered Ph

f all th

said," laughed Phil. "

that?" demanded Billy,

d is al

ion, now that you have got the silo,

answered Ph

n never

u what a circ

ur truck. Help me get som

the driver, now grown interested, hitched

measured the distance t

say," he decided. "We shall

g two of them together, they reached up to an

ing, carrying one end of a coil of rope with him. Upon reaching the opening he directed Billy to tie the other end of the

now what you'r

ome up here I

"I know when I'm well off, and if you don'

ish was

all off a barn an

to position. By tying the rope to one end of the plank to support it he gradually worked the pl

see you turn a tri

," he

orted Billy. "Wha

nute. Wa

preparations being made he boldly walked out on the plank which, secu

down bel

to watch the operation rather than visit the bac

llow up there

erformer i

ks! He's no more p

e finest circus performers in this country. Do you think he could stand out on that plank, more than thirty feet above

f. "That beats all the circus performances

essed Billy. "He kno

his eyes up to the little cupola on top of the silo. Then he began slowly swinging t

rying to do, but every man there was sure in hi

red upward. Then they began to underst

out three feet, as nearly

ow. I would make just about as good a cowboy as I

trength into the

the peak of the cupola as if the thrower had

se from th

on the

" they cried w

uick instincts of a showman, darted beneath the

d toppled over. Here his training in aerial work served him in good stead. As h

They closed about the end of the p

ht. Then it shot upward, carrying the boy with it, he kicking hi

had tested the plank, so that there

swung himself to the uppe

!" he s

pale and

ase, Phil!" he called. "Now, what are you going to do?

not have let go of it. Never mind, I'll get it unless som

ly to fall?" asked

red Phil, with a short laugh. All at once he grew se

throw so great a leverage on the plank that it would slip

o? He's going to jump off the plank and try to catch hold of the rope hanging from th

r, is that cupola strong enough to

hold a ton,

ll hold me. Don't t

e g

death. It must be remembered, however, that Phil Forrest was a circus performer, that h

ce between the plank and the rope, his fingers closing

f the silo, settling down with a sickening jolt

the rope about one leg and wa

armers, one after the other, took off

" grinned the ow

this rope." Phil had brought a small

proceeded to smear as much of the side of the silo as was within reach. It will be remembered that he

paper," ca

e had pasted on a great sheet, having first pulled himself up

e you going to get around to the other

own there. I have got to change

k it would," m

s with both hands, he pulled himself along, the slip-noose

plaster, as Bill Conley characterized it, all the way around the farmer's silo. It might have been seen nearly ten miles

that. They're welcome to cover this paper if they can, eh, Billy?" laughed Phil, pushing himself away from

lary was too limited to express his thoughts

Phil let himself down slowly, not using his hands at

en his feet touched the ground. "Am I a b

n of 'em all! I take

y did, then

d not figured on that before. If you will be good enough to tell me how much the rope is worth I shall be glad to

e of a dozen ropes could buy. Why, young man, do you know I never seen anything in a circus that could t

s Boy. "I guess we had fo

get you something, and I want to introduce

nk y

piece of work that was not done every day. In fact, this one wa

l entertained the family for an hour re

r urged them to remain, but the men had w

hat and the farmer and his wife w

three miles away, Phil and Bil

fire, doesn'

all out the fire departme

s this way next season. It is a standing advertisement for the Great Spa