The lesson lasted Teddy for a few hours; then he forgot all about it. But he was made the butt of the jokes of the dressing tent for several days.
That afternoon Phil, while attending to some correspondence for Mr. Sparling, had occasion to write to a trapeze performer about booking with the Sparling show for the coming season.
"I have been thinking, Mr. Sparling," said Phil, "that I should like to perform on the flying trapeze next season. You know I have been practicing for sometime."
Mr. Sparling glanced up from his papers.
"I'm not surprised. I guess that's the only thing you haven't done in the show thus far."
"I haven't been a fat woman or a living skeleton yet," laughed Phil.
"What can you do on the bars?"
"I can do all that your performers do. Sometimes I think I might be able to do more. I can do passing leaps, two-and-a-halfs, birds' nest and all that sort of thing."
"Is it possible? I had no idea you had gotten that far along."
"Yes. I have been wishing for a chance to see how I could work before an audience."