The Circus Boys in Dixie Land; Or, Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South

d was landing sledge-hamm

repared to give battle, but his

at-" he

!" bello

, was a line of laughing faces. From them the eyes of the astonished Circus Boys

tion room in the high sch

is. I can lick the w

advancing b

ed Phil. "Well, of all the ways of inviting a fello

dnaped?" grinned President

eman who put up this job on

o get a black eye, like Walter over there. You gave that

t back to school, next fall, and then I'll take it out of you. You'll h

p to you to apol

logi

at's wha

to apologize by painting the other

an?" urged Phil, looking ab

ittle supper. It isn't much, but there are sandwiches and

Teddy, his face relax

es

bring you over here by main force. After we eat supper we'll have

ng?" demanded Teddy, halting o

es

answered the lad, turning sha

y,

im sing befor

houlder. "We can stand even Walter's singing if he can. But rea

y n

ight come in for a fine. Mr. Sparling is very strict. He e

No need to worry," Pres

What do

Mr. Sp

ou tol

es

ly Ford," inte

is it,

little kidnaping game- did he know you wer

id," admitted P

omorrow," nodded Teddy,

ere going to have a sup

ou. Mr. Sparling said you had a short run tonight, and that the last section wo

is the case, th

" shouted the class, making

offee," announce

moment, with a steaming cof

his, too?" Te

s. Cahill. "The boys needed so

iend of mine,

e of those molasses cookies th

aimed Teddy, forgettin

self. Ther

ed the president. "We have a little o

of nothing," adde

at!" ordered

Mrs. Cahill, whom they had taken into their confidence two days before the Sparling Shows reached town, had furnished the rest. Everything was cold e

," nodded President Billy, while the admiring

learn to do th

ithout falling off and getting a black eye," jee

u?" cut

" Teddy added in a lower voice. "I rode a greased pig at a country fair once

ce. "I never heard of your riding

ave been before you

wither

d Walter, this time i

es

u could get me a j

hat, Walt. What do yo

n do a cart

!" interru

ucker could do when

he did, first o

he do?" chor

the cook tent for the

he began his

n a day or two," Tucker

id it!" je

iding the educated mule. I guess

ntil t

n Jumbo. He hit pretty much everything in the show, including the owner himself." Phil leaned back and laughed h

for instance. Besides, your people never would consent to it. You will be a lawyer, or something great, some of these days, while we shall be cut

ing this year?" ask

f the season. I think we are headed for Canada, just now, swinging around the c

e cookies yet. Please pass the cookies, you

o your sleeper. We reckon Phil Forrest and Teddy Tucker ought t

houted t

laughed Phil. "Never perform on a full stomach unless

eddy to be funny. Do s

soulfully as he

o see me act f

ver showed us any of your tricks except

r can be funny unless there is a crop of new

hat!" growled a voice at th

him with a r

giddiest, gladdest, gayest, grandest, gyrating, glamorous and

he table, then drew his body up by slow degrees, until a moment later as his body

delight and Teddy kick

t stop," urg

gan," retorted the lad, starting to walk on

n the least. He merely pushed them aside, some rolling off on t

at are you doin

I call the top

able, where he had espied another cookie. When he pulled himself up, the

ring the foot of the table when something occurred that changed the curren

as

had been suddenly hurle

the boys, the three going down to the floor in a heap, finally rollin

cried Phil. "Do

utside the dining place, marched in with horns blaring, drums

e lads, now recovering from thei

ed and resentful, was poking h

shouted, then du

d taken up its position than there was again a commotion out in the hall. The lads opened their eyes wide when a troop of painted clowns cam

lowns, entering into the spirit of the moment, grew wonderfully funny. They sang songs and told stories,

oys were too a

rs began to form a pyramid, one

d beginning to clamber up the human column. He was assisted up and up until he

the delighted h

tizens," b

y had to leap to save himself, striking the mat,

s. Forming in column of fours they escorted Phil and Teddy to their car on the circus train. It was not many minutes later that the boys, tired out but ha