“Don’t give me such a shock, Phil. You said it almost as if you meant it.”
“And I did.”
Teddy gazed at his companion for a full minute.
“Something’s been going on, I guess—something that I don’t seem to know anything about.”
“There has, Teddy. I’m already a showman. You come with me. Mr. Sparling wants to speak with you. Don’t be afraid of him. He talks as if he was mad all the time, but I’m sure he isn’t.”
Grasping Teddy by the arm Phil rushed him into Mr. Sparling’s tent, entering this time without knocking.
“This is my friend whom I spoke to you about,” announced Phil, thrusting Teddy up before the showman.
Mr. Sparling eyed the lad suspiciously.
“Want to join out, too, eh?”
“I—I’d like to,” stammered Teddy.