The delighted college boys roared with laughter and urged her on. She hit him again.
“Hey! Stop it!” he squawked, holding up his arms to protect his head. “I never saw such a dratted woman!”
She smashed the umbrella to pieces before the showmen could stop her. Then both the farmer and his wife were escorted from the tent, the woman sputtering at him and he growling back at her.
Ready looked sad and regretful.
“Alas!” he sighed. “At least, she was once a lass. She has outgrown it somewhat!”
“Ready,” said a voice, “you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You caused the trouble and ruined the show for those old people.”
Frank Merriwell was the speaker, and, despite his attempt to reprove Jack, he could not help smiling.
“It is ever thus,” sobbed Jack. “Whenever I am having my loveliest time somebody comes along and calls me down.”
At this moment the announcement was made that Melba would give her wonderful performance with the snakes. The lecturer explained that one of the snakes was a mighty python “ya-a-ahmsteen feet in length.”
Melba arose. She was really pretty for a professional snake-charmer, and could not have been more than twenty-three or four years old.