"I'll show you whether I have or not. Keep him up close to the ring curb and stand back as far as you can."
"What are you going to do?" she questioned suspiciously.
"Going to prove to you that I have not forgotten how to jump," answered Phil, with determination.
"Please don't do anything foolish," warned the dainty rider. "It is too early in the season to break your neck. Just think what you would miss were you to do so this early—think what I should miss. Come up here and be sensible—that's a good boy."
The ringmaster paid no attention to their chatter, which was in tones too low for the audience to catch.
Phil placed the little jumping board in place, upon which the riders step just as they are leaping to the back of the ring horses. Then the lad backed up.
"Keep him up lively," he said to the ringmaster.
All at once the lad started on a brisk run across the sawdust arena.
"Yip!" encouraged Dimples.
"Yip! Yip!" answered Phil.