Connie screamed at the top of her lungs. Veve rattled her tin cans, yelling as hard as she could. Eva’s father cracked his long whip and shot off a revolver which had been loaded with blanks.
The horse had been so well trained it did not appear to notice. Undisturbed, the animal kept cantering around and around the ring at the same steady space.
Mr. Leitsall raised his hand in signal again. The girls became quiet once more.
“Well done, old boy,” the trainer said to the horse. “Here is your reward.” He took two lumps of sugar from his pocket.
After Eva had tried her somersault again, her father told her she need not practice any more. The little girl started gaily away with Connie and Veve.
Before she could leave the tent, however, her mother called:
“Oh, Eva, aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Oh, bother!” exclaimed the circus girl. “Must I do my stupid old lessons now? Let me off, just this once.”
“Every child has to go to school,” replied her mother firmly. “Yesterday you missed three words in your speller.”
“Oh, all right,” grumbled Eva.