"The Ten-Thousand-Dollar Challenge Bareback Bicycle-Rider of the World!" he exclaimed. "Without the aid of Saddle, Padding or Trappings, he boldly performs feats upon the Rearing and Plunging Wheel which Startle while they Enchant, and cause the Chilled Blood to stand still within the Frightened Vein, while they hold the Enraptured Gaze with the Marvellous Efflorescence of their Rich Ambiguity. That's what the man said, and I believe he's going to do it!"
"He does ride well," said Kenneth, watching the performance with great interest. Round and round went the Señor, leaping over banners and through hoops, but always alighting on his bicycle without mishap. He also turned summersaults, stood on his head, danced, and otherwise showed his skill. Then the band played faster, and the ring-master cracked his whip louder, and the bicycle also danced and cavorted first on one wheel, then on the other; and then it leaped over hurdles and finally through a big hoop, with the Señor still on its back. Then it went around the ring a dozen times, so fast that it could hardly be seen, with the Señor doing everything at once so fast that he could hardly be seen. Then they shot away behind the curtains, and everybody cheered harder than ever before, and the young man actually did fall out of his seat at last, and Kenneth had to drag him back, though it was scarcely necessary, as the performance was over, and they went out with the crowd.
Outside they found their wheels, and got on them and rode away along the road they had come, with the young man trying to do half the things he had seen the Señor do, and talking about the wonderful horse. Everybody was excited, and Kenneth's bicycle seemed to catch the excitement and began to run away. He did his best to hold it, but it kept going faster and faster. The young man tried to keep up, but he couldn't. The last thing Kenneth heard was his voice shouting something from the bills; then all he could feel was the rush of the wind as he shot along the road like an arrow from a bow. But suddenly he stopped with a great bump, and the next thing he knew he found himself lying on the grass under a tree.
"Well did you have a good ride on your new bicycle?" asked Kenneth's father. (They were at supper.)
"Oh yes!" answered Kenneth.
"Did you see anything new?" went on his father.
"Well, I don't know, or—no, I guess not much. I was reading circus posters on a big fence while I was going out, and I got pretty tired, and lay down under a tree to rest, and I think perhaps I may have fallen asleep a few minutes, and—and—had a little nap."
"I'm glad you didn't catch cold," said his mother. "You oughtn't to sleep on the ground."