He soon made the lad out. Teddy was made up as a fat boy with a
low, narrow-brimmed hat perched jauntily on one side of his head.
There was drollery in Teddy's every movement. His natural
clownish movements were sufficient to excite the laughter
of the spectators without any attempt on his part to be funny,
while the lad kept up a constant flow of criticism of his
companions in the act.
But they had grown to know Teddy better, by this time, and none
took his taunts seriously.
"That boy can leap, after all," muttered Mr. Sparling.
"I thought he would tumble around and make some fun for the
audience, but I hadn't the least idea he could do a turn.
Why, he's the funniest one in the bunch."
Teddy was doing funny twists in the air as he threw a somersault
at that moment. In his enthusiasm he overshot the mat, and had
there not been a performer handy to catch him, the lad might have
been seriously hurt.
Mr. Sparling shook his head.
"Lucky if he doesn't break his neck! But that kind seldom do,"
the owner said out loud.
Now the helpers were bringing the elephants up. Two were placed
in front of the springboard and over these a stream of gaudily
attired clowns dived, doing a turn in the air as they passed.
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