"You probably will ride the educated mule again, while I expect to ride the elephant Emperor in the grand entry, as I did before.I'll be glad to get under the big top again, with the noise and the people, the music of theband and all that.Won't you, Teddy?" questioned Phil, his eyes glowing at the picture he had drawn.
Teddy heaved a deep sigh."Quit it!"
"Why?"
" 'Cause you make me think I'm there now." Phil laughed softly.
"I can see myself riding the educated mule this very minute, kicking up the dust of the ring, making everybody get out of the way, and--""And falling off," laughed Phil."You certainly are the most finished artist in the show when it comes to getting into trouble.""Yes; I seem to keep things going," grinned the lad.
"But I haven't told you all that Mr.Sparling says in the letter." "What else does he say?""That the show is to start from its winter quarters, just outside of Germantown, Pennsylvania, on April twenty-second--""Let's see; just two weeks from today," nodded Teddy."Yes.""I wish it was today."
"He says we are to report on the twenty-first, as the show leaves early in the evening.""Where do we show first?"
"Atlantic City.Then we take in the Jersey Coast towns--" "Do we go to New York?""New York? Oh, no! The show isn't big enough for New York quite yet, even if it is a railroad show now.We've got to grow some before that.Mighty few shows are large enough to warrant taking them into the big city.""How do you know?"
"All the show people say that."