A CAPTURE IN THE AIR
Fortunately, the band carried a new set of heads for the drum, and the contribution of the boys served to restore the offended musicians to good nature.Teddy, however, was not appeased.That youngster vowed that he would take revenge on the bass drummer at the very first opportunity.
That afternoon, during the performance, Teddy began his getting- even process by standing in front of the bandstand between his acts, and making faces at the musicians.
This seemed to amuse them, and brought only smiles to their faces.Teddy was not there for the purpose of amusing the band, so he turned his back on them and tried to think of something more effective.
The show did a great business at Des Moines, having a "turn-away" at both afternoon and evening performances.The Sparling shows had played there before, but never to such business, which the showman decided was due to their novel way of traveling.He knew that these little novelties frequently made fortunes for Circus owners.
At the evening performance, Teddy had an inspiration.He was too busy, during the first part of the show, to give his idea a practical test, but later in the evening, while he was awaiting his cue to go on in his clown act, he tried the new plan.
The lad had purchased half a dozen lemons from the refreshment stand.One of these he cut in halves, secreting the pieces in a pocket of his clown costume; then when the time came he stationed himself in front of the bandstand where he stood until he had gained the attention of several of the musicians.
Teddy took out the two pieces of lemon with a great flourish, went through the motions of sprinkling sugar over them, then began sucking first one piece, then the other, varying his performance by holding out the lemon invitingly to the players.
The bass drum player scowled.Teddy's lemon did not affect the beating of the drum, but as the lad began to make believe that the acidjuice was puckering his lips, some of the musicians showed signs of uneasiness.
The Circus Boy observing this, smacked his lips again and again, and industriously swallowed the juice, though it nearly choked him to do so.
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 bass 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 beenbrand 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 bass 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.
By this time the boys had hurried out into the corridor, and thence to the deck.
"Well, what do you think of that?" howled Teddy."Bruiser is out," exclaimed Phil.
Bruiser was a baboon, whose temper was none too angelic.He was a big heavy fellow, who never lost an opportunity to vent his temper on whoever chanced to be within reach.
