The clowns were surprised when they observed it, knowing that the
patrol was not scheduled to enter at this time. Their surprise
was even greater when the wagon dashed up and stopped where they
were playing their game of football. Three mock policemen leaped
out and rushed into the thick of the mock game.
As they did so they hurled the clowns right and left, standing
some of them on their heads and beating them with their clubs,
which, in this instance, proved to be slapsticks, that made a
great racket.
This was a part of the act that the clowns had not arranged.
It was a little joke that the owner of the show was playing
on them. Quick to seize an opportunity to make a hit, Sparling
had ordered out the show patrol, and the audience, catching
the significance of it, shouted, swinging their hats
and handkerchiefs.
The three policemen, after laying the clowns low, grabbed the
helpless human football by the heels, dragging him to the wagon
and dumping him in. They dropped the human football in so
heavily that it bounced out again and hit the ground. The next
time, as they threw Teddy in, one of the officers sat on him to
hold him.
The gong set up an excited clanging, and the ponies began racing
around the arena the long way, and took the stretch to the
paddock at a terrific speed, with the howls of the multitude
sounding in their ears.
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