第 21 节
作者:飘雪的季节      更新:2023-05-02 09:53      字数:9322
  The elephant was furious at the loss of his prey; and; raising his trunk;
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  trumpeted his disapproval; straining at his chains and showing every sign
  of dangerous restlessness。
  After   getting   Larry  out   of   harm's   way;   Phil   sprang   fearlessly   toward
  his elephant friend。
  〃Quiet;    Emperor;     you   naughty     boy!〃   Forrest    chided。    〃Don't    you
  know you might have killed him?               I wouldn't want anything to do with
  you if you had done a thing like that。〃
  Gradually the great beast grew quiet and his sinuous trunk sought out
  the Circus Boy's pockets in search of sweets; of which there was a limited
  supply。
  While this was going on Mr。 Kennedy; the keeper; had hurried up and
  dashed a pail of   water into the face of the now unconscious   Larry。                 By
  this time Larry was well soaked down。 He could not have been more so
  had he fallen in a mill pond。 But the last bucketful brought him quickly to
  his senses。
  〃Youyou'll     pay   for   this;〃  snarled   Larry;   shaking    his   fist  at  Phil
  Forrest。
  〃Why; I didn't do anything; Larry;〃 answered the lad in amazement。
  〃You did。     You set him on to me。〃
  〃That'll be about all from you; Mr。 Red Head;〃 warned Kennedy。 〃The
  kid didn't do anything but save your life。           I wouldn't let a little thing like
  that trouble me if I were you。 You've been doing something to that bull; or
  he'd never have used you like that。          Why; Emperor is as gentle as a young
  kitten。 He wouldn't hurt a fly unless the fly happened to bite him too hard。
  Phil; did you see that fellow do anything to him?〃
  Phil shook his head。
  〃Not now。      He may have at some other time。〃
  〃That's it!〃
  Just then Mr。 Sparling came charging down on the scene; having heard
  of the row out at the front door。
  Larry   saw   him   ing。      He   decided   not   to   argue   the   question   any
  further; but started on a run across the tent; followed by the showman; who
  pursued him  with long; angry  strides。           But Larry  ducked   under the tent
  and got   away  before his pursuer   could reach him;  while Phil   and Teddy
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  stood holding their sides with laughter。
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  CHAPTER XIV
  IN DIRE PERIL
  Two     days   had   passed    and    nothing    more    had   been    seen   of  the
  discharged   canvasmen。        Believing   they  were   well   rid   of them  all   hands
  proceeded to forget about the very existence of Larry and Bad Eye。
  As Phil was passing the roped…off enclosure where the elephants were
  tethered;   the   next   morning   just   before   the   parade;   he   saw   Mr。   Kennedy
  regarding one of the elephants rather anxiously。
  〃What's     the  trouble?     Anything      gone    wrong?〃     sang   out   the  lad
  cheerily。
  〃Not yet;〃 answered the keeper without turning his head。
  〃Something is bothering you or else you are planning out something
  new for the bulls;〃 decided Phil promptly。 〃What is it?〃
  〃I don't like the way Jupiter is acting。〃
  〃How?〃
  〃He is ugly。〃
  Phil   ducked    under    the  ropes   and   boldly    walked    over   toward    the
  swaying beast。
  〃Better keep away from him。          He isn't to be trusted today。〃
  〃Going to send him out in the parade?〃
  〃Haven't decided yet。        I may think it best to leave Jupiter here with
  perhaps   the   baby   elephant   for   pany。     He   would   cut   up;   I'm   afraid;
  were I to leave him here alone。         No; I think; upon second thought; that we
  had better take him out。       It may take his mind from his troubles。〃
  〃What   do   you   think   is   the   matter   with   him?〃   questioned   the   Circus
  Boy; regarding the beast thoughtfully。
  〃That's    what    bothers   me。    He    has   never    acted   this  way    before。
  Usually there are some signs that I told you about once before that tells
  one an elephant is going bad。〃
  〃You mean the tear drops that e out from the slit under the eye?〃
  〃Yes。    There has been nothing of that sort with Jupiter。〃
  〃He acts to me as if he had a bad stomach;〃 suggested Phil wisely。
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  〃That's right。       That expresses it exactly。          I guess we'll have to give
  him a pill to set him straight。           But Jupiter never was much of a hand for
  pills。    He'll object if we suggest it。〃
  〃Then don't suggest it。         Just give it to him in his food。〃
  〃You can't fool him;〃 answered Mr。 Kennedy; with a shake of the head。
  〃He'd   smell   it   a   rod   away;   and   that   would   make   him   madder   than   ever。
  The best way is to make him open his mouth and throw the pill back as far
  as possible in his throat。〃
  〃Have you told Mr。 Sparling?〃
  〃No。     He doesn't like to be bothered with these little things。 He leaves
  that   all   to   me。  It's   a   guess;   though;   as   to   just   what   to   do   under   these
  conditions。       No   two   cases;   any   more   than   any   two   elephants;   are   alike
  when it es to disposition and treatment。〃
  〃No; I suppose not。〃
  〃Where are you going now; Phil?〃
  〃Going back to the dressing tent to get ready for the parade。 Hope you
  do not have any trouble。〃
  〃No; I guess   I   shan't。      I can   manage   to   hold him; and   if   I don't;  I'll
  turn Emperor loose。          He makes a first…rate policeman。〃
  Phil hurried on to the dressing tent; for he was a little late this morning;
  for which he was not wholly to blame; considerable time having been lost
  in his interview with Mr。 Sparling。
  In   the   hurry   of   preparation   for   the   parade;   Phil   forgot   all   about   Mr。
  Kennedy's concern over Jupiter。              But he was reminded of it again when
  he   rode   out   to   fall   in   line   with   the   procession。   Mr。   Kennedy   and   his
  charges; all well in hand; were just emerging from the menagerie tent to
  take their places for the parade。            Jupiter was among them。            He saw; too;
  that   Mr。   Kennedy   was   walking   by   Jupiter's   side;   giving   him   almost   his
  exclusive attention。
  Phil's   place   in   the   parade   this   season   was   with   a   body   of   German
  cavalry。      He    wore     a  plumed     hat;   with   a  gaudy     uniform     and    rode   a
  handsome bay  horse;   one   of the   animals   used in the   running   race   at   the
  close   of   the   circus。   Phil   had   bee   very  proficient   on   horseback   and
  occasionally had entered the ring races; being light enough for the purpose。
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  He    had   also   kept   up  his  bareback     practice;   under   the   instruction   of
  Dimples; until he felt quite proud of his achievements。
  Vincennes; where the show was to exhibit that day; was a large town;
  and thousands of people had turned out to view the parade which had been
  extensively advertised   as one   of the greatest   features   ever offered to the
  public。
  〃They seem to like it;〃 grinned Phil; turning to the rider beside him。
  〃Act as if they'd never seen a circus parade before;〃 answered the man。
  〃But wait till we get out in some of the way…back towns in the West。〃
  〃I thought we were West now?〃
  〃Not until we get the other side of the Mississippi; we won't be。 They
  don't    call  Indiana    West。     We'll    be   getting    there   pretty   soon;   too。
  According to the route card; we are going to make some pretty long jumps
  from this on。〃
  〃We do not go to Chicago; do we?〃
  〃No。    Show's not quite big enough for that town。             We go south of it;
  playing some stands in Illinois; then striking straight west。 Hello; what's
  the row up ahead there?〃
  〃What row; I didn't see anything。〃
  〃Something is going on up there。          See!    The line is breaking!〃
  The part of the parade in which Phil was located was well up toward
  the elephants; the