alongside the clowns' wagon.



CHAPTER VI

PROVING HIS METTLE

Familiar as they were with daring deeds, those of the circus
people who witnessed Phil Forrest's dive gasped.

They expected to see the boy fall beneath the feet of the
plunging pony, where he would be likely to be trampled and kicked
to death.

But Phil had looked before he leaped. He had measured his
distance well--had made up his mind exactly what he was going to
do, or rather what he was going to try to do.

The pony, catching a brief glimpse of the dark figure that was
being hurled through the air directly toward him, made a swift
leap to one side. But the animal was not quick enough. The boy
landed against the broncho with a jolt that nearly knocked the
little animal over, while to Phil the impact could not have been
much more severe, it seemed to him, had he collided with a
locomotive.

"Hang on!" howled a voice from the wagon.

That was exactly what he intended to do.