Just curious, you know, to see
what you have been doing."
"Now--will you see me ride now?"
Mr. Sparling nodded.
"Then I'll run back and get ready. I'll be out in a few
minutes,"
laughed the boy, as, with sparkling eyes and flushed face,
he dashed back to the dressing tent to convey the good news
to Little Dimples.
"I knew it," she cried enthusiastically. "I knew you would be a
rival soon. Now I've got to look out or I shall be out of a job
in no time. Hurry up and get your working clothes on. I'll have
the gray out by the time you are ready."
Twenty minutes later Phil Forrest presented himself in the ring,
with Little Dimples following, leading the old gray ring horse.
"Come up to ring No. 2," directed the owner. "They haven't
leveled No. 1 down yet. How's this? Don't you use the back pad
to ride on?" questioned Mr. Sparling in a surprised tone.
"No, sir. I haven't used the pad at all yet."
"Very well; I'm ready to see you fall off."
Phil sprang lightly to the back of the ring horse while Dimples,
who had brought a ringmaster's whip with her, cracked the whip
and called shrilly to her horse. The old gray fell into its
accustomed easy gallop, Phil sitting lightly on the animal's hip,
moving up and down with the easy grace of a finished rider.
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