Then the drummer started a long ruffle, and casting one downward look, Dick tipped off the platform. Both Phil and Garry were just a trifle nervous as he leaped, although they were well aware of his ability.
But Dick hit the water as clean as a knife, and it was only a matter of seconds before he appeared on the surface of the water and climbed out dripping. A mighty round of applause was given not only for the fact that he had made a fine dive, but his youth made him popular with the audience.
The acts went on, and in a little while Dick came wandering into the tent. The boys hailed him as he neared the place where they were sitting, and in a trice he had climbed up the rattling board seats to a place beside his chums.
“Well, I got my twenty-five, and we’ll have a party with it some time. Also, I received an offer to stay with the circus, which, naturally, I turned down. So you see, Phil, you are not the only one to have jobs offered them.” He alluded to the time that a big league baseball scout had offered a contract to Phil after seeing him pitch one game at Commencement time at high school in his home town. The music stopped and the ringmaster made his customary speech about the next act, which was the lion taming act.
The music had just started again, when there was a piercing shriek from a woman, and then some one screamed:
Hundreds of people joined in the shrieking, and a stampede from the seats started. Scores were trampled. The music had stopped for an instant until the leader, true to tradition, called the men to order, and the musicians swung into a stirring march. Circus hands, aided by the performers who were on the platforms and in the rings, ran to the sides of the tracks and endeavored to keep the people in their seats.
The three chums were aghast for a minute, then Phil and Dick instinctively turned to Garry to see what he would do. Garry had taken one look and saw the beast at the far end of the tent, lashing his tail and surveying the crowd, as though making up its mind as to what course to pursue.
The boys saw that Garry was hastily slipping his lasso from his shoulder, and in a moment they had understood what he was going to attempt, and followed suit.