"I'm going to let all my friends know what a flat thing it is," said another. "It isn't worth ten cents, much less a quarter."
The circus was to wind up with the riding of a trick mule,—the animal being brought out by the clown.
As it happened the regular clown and the mule were friends, but the mule hated Frozzler, for the circus owner had on more than one occasion mistreated the animal.
"Be careful of that mule," said one of the hostlers, as he turned the trick animal over to Giles Frozzler. "He's ugly this afternoon."
"Oh, I know how to manage him," growled Frozzler. "Come on here, you imp!" and he hit the mule in the side.
Instantly the mule made a bolt for the ring with Frozzler running after him.
"One hundred dollars to anybody who can ride Hanky-Panky!" sang out Giles Frozzler. "He is as gentle as a kitten, and it is a great pleasure to be able—"
The clown got no further, for just then the mule turned around and gave him a kick which sent him sprawling. Then, like a flash Hanky-Panky turned around, caught Frozzler by the waist and began to run around the ring with him.
"Hi! let go!" screamed the thoroughly frightened circus owner. "Let go,
I say! Help! he will kill me! Help!"
"Hurrah! the mule has got the best of it!" sang out Tom. "He knows how to run a circus even if that fellow don't."