JANUARY ON THE RAMPAGE
"What's the row? What's the row?" bellowed Teddy, who, bolting
under a cage and, leaving his hat under the wagon, dashed out to
the dock, where their vessel was moored.
The two boys saw an object leaping into the air, performing
strange and grotesque antics.
"It's January!" yelled Teddy. "Whoa, January!"
But January refused to "whoa." The donkey had objected to going
aboard the boat. When the workmen tried to force him, he
protested vigorously, biting those in front and kicking those
behind him.
"Teddy, get that fool donkey out of here or I'll throw him in the
river," bawled the owner of the show.
Perhaps January understood the threat. At least he started for
Mr. Sparling, snorting.
The showman ducked under a canvas wagon and climbed up the
other side of it, giving his orders from the top of the wagon.
He knew January. He had had business dealings with the donkey
on other occasions.
"Get him out of here, I tell you!"
"Drive him in yourself," answered a groom. "I wouldn't try it
for a present of the whole confounded show."
Up to this point those who had not left the dock willingly
January had assisted with his ever ready hoofs, and, by the
time Teddy reached the scene the donkey had kicked every man off
and into the street, excepting the owner of the show himself.
As already related, Mr. Sparling had seen fit to leave in haste
when January directed his attention to him.
"Whoa, January!" commanded Teddy in a soothing tone.
The donkey, at sound of the Circus Boy's voice, reared and came
down facing Teddy.
"Come here, you beast. Don't you know you're going to have a
ride on the river? You don't know enough to know when you are
well off. Come, Jany, Jany, Jany. Wow!"
January had responded with a rush. Teddy stepped aside just in
time to save himself from being bowled over. But as the donkey
ran by him the boy threw both arms about the animal's neck.
Then began the liveliest scrimmage that the spectators had
ever witnessed. Kicking and bucking, the donkey raced from
side to side, varying his performance now and then by making
a dive toward the crowd, which quickly gave gangway as the
people sought for safety.
"Whoa, January! I--I'll break your neck for this, hang you!
Some other donkey has taught you these tricks. You never knew
anything about them way back in Edmeston. You--"
Bang!
Teddy was slapped against the side of the "Fat Marie."
By this time Tucker's temper was beginning to rise. His first
inclination was to hit the donkey on the nose with his free hand,
but he caught himself in time. He was too fond of animals, even
donkeys, to strike one on the head. It was a rule too, in the
Sparling shows, that any man who so far forgot himself as to
strike a horse over the head closed with the show then and there.
Now Teddy thought of a new plan. He watched his opportunity.
Suddenly, Teddy put his plan into operation.
It must be remembered that the Circus Boy was strong and agile,
and that his work in the ring had given him added quickness.
He therefore applied the trick he had thought of; then something
happened to January. The donkey struck the planking of the pier
flat on his back, his feet beating the air viciously.
"Whoa, January!"
Teddy flopped the animal on its side, then calmly sat down on the
donkey's head. He had thrown the beast as prettily as ever had a
wrestler an adversary.
The Circus Boy began mopping the perspiration from his brow.
"Warm, isn't it?" he said, tilting his eyes up to where
Mr. Sparling had been watching the proceedings from the
top of a wagon.
"You certainly look the part. Now, what are you going to do with
that fool donkey?"
"I'm going to sit on his head until I get ready to get up.
Then, if somebody will lend me a whip, I'll tan his jacket
to my own taste."
January uttered a loud bray.
"Well, do something," shouted a canvasman. "We can't wait all
night on the gait of that donkey."
"All right; if any of you fellows think you know the inside
workings of a donkey's mind better than I do, just come and
lead this angelic creature on board the 'Fat Marie.'"
"No, no; we don't know anything about donkeys," came a chorus
of voices. "We don't want to know anything about
donkeys, either."
"Somebody bring me a bridle, then. Don't be afraid of him, he
is as gentle as a lamb. You wouldn't hurt a fly, would you,
dear January?"
January elevated both hind feet, narrowly missing the groom who
had brought the bridle.
After some difficulty the bystanders succeeded in getting the bit
between his teeth and the bridle over his head.
"Now, take tight hold of the bridle and lead him. I'll use
persuasive measures at the other end," directed Teddy.
January fairly hurled himself forward, jerking the groom off his
feet at once. But the man hung on stubbornly.
A moment more, and Teddy had fastened a firm grip on January's
tail, not appearing to be in the least afraid of the flying hoofs
that were beating a tattoo in the air.
How Teddy did twist that tail! Finally January, in sheer
desperation, was forced to give ground. One leap carried him
over the gangplank and into the boat. Once within, there was
a repetition of the scenes enacted on the dock, except that
this time it was the groom who was getting the worst of it,
while Teddy sat on the gangway, howling with delight.
At last the donkey was subdued and led to the place where he was
to spend the night. But they had to rope him in to prevent his
kicking the other stock through the side of the boat.
Fat Marie herself came waddling along about this time, blowing
like a miniature steam engine.
"Gangway! Gangway!" shrieked Marie, in a high-pitched,
shrill voice.
Teddy was nearly crowded off the gangplank.
"See here, where are you going? Don't you know there's a crazy
donkey in there?"
"Going to my cabin to seek sweet repose," squeaked Marie.
"What! Are you going to live on this boat?"
"That's what. If I can get up to the sky parlor where my
'boodwah' is. Come, help me up the stairs; that's a
good boy, Teddy."
"I helped you once. That was enough for me. Say, Marie?"
"What is it, my lad?"
"If the boat should be wrecked in one of the terrible storms
that sweep this raging river you had better grab the anchor the
first thing."
"Why grab the anchor?"
"You'll sink quicker," laughed the Circus Boy, darting out to the
dock and leaning against a wagon wheel.
By this time Mr. Sparling had descended from his haven of safety,
and began issuing orders again.
"Get the bulls in now. No more nonsense. Teddy, you did a good
job, but it took you a long time to do it."
"Yes, sir. Do you think anybody else could have done
it quicker?"
"I know they could not. Where is Phil?"
"Guess he went back to his cabin after I finished off January.
Going to load the elephants, did you say?"
"Yes."
"Aren't you afraid they will sink the boat?"
"Don't bother us now. You know we did not bother you when you
were trying to get your livestock in."
"I noticed that you didn't," answered Teddy, humorously, which
remark brought a shout of laughter from everyone within hearing
of his voice.
Mr. Kennedy, the elephant-trainer, now ranged his charges in
line, with Jupiter, the ill-tempered member of the herd, in
the lead. He wanted to get Jupiter in ahead, knowing that the
others would follow willingly enough after him. Emperor, the
great beast that had such a warm regard for Phil, was third in
the line.
"Everybody keep away and don't make a racket or they will
get nervous. I expect to have a little trouble with those
bulls the first time. After that they will go one board as
meek as a flock of spring mutton," declared Kennedy.
Teddy was close at hand. If there was any prospect of
trouble or excitement he wanted to be near enough not to
miss a single feature of it.
Mr. Kennedy gave the command for attention.
Each of the elephants to the rear of Jupiter stretched forth a
trunk and grasped the tail of the elephant directly in front
of him.
"Forward, march!"
"Hip! Hip!" began Teddy.
"That will do, young man," warned Mr. Sparling.
The line moved slowly forward, Jupiter offering no objection to
going where he was ordered.
Just as he reached the gangplank, however, Jupiter halted.
"Forward!"
The elephant's trunk curled upward and a mighty trumpeting sent
the villagers scurrying for places of safety.
Mr. Kennedy prodded the elephant with the sharp point of
his hook. The act forced Jupiter to place one foot on the
gang plank, throwing his weight upon the planking to test
its stability. He felt it give ever so little beneath his
feet, and quickly withdrew the foot.
Once more the prod was brought into use. Jupiter waxed angry.
With a great cough, he curled his trunk about the heavy
gangplank, wrenching it free from its resting place.
Raising the planking high above his head he hurled it into
the river.
"Ladies and gentlemen," announced Teddy Tucker, in a loud voice,
"you have witnessed a most satisfying, edifying, gratifying,
ennobling, superb and sublime spectacular prelude, as our press
agent would say. But, if you know what's good for you, you will
now hasten to the high places, for there's going to be something
doing around here in about a minute."
Teddy was no false prophet in this instance.
Strutting up to the angry Jupiter the Circus Boy slapped him
playfully on the trunk.
"You bad boy. I thought January was the limit, but I have
changed my mind. You--"
Suddenly Jupiter's trunk curled about the lad. The angry
elephant raised the boy far above his head and hurled him up
into the air as he had done with the gangway, except that he
threw Teddy in another direction.