"I wish we were up there on the rings," breathed Teddy.

"We shall be soon, old fellow," answered Phil, patting him on
the shoulder. "And for many days after this, I hope. Hello, I
wonder what's wrong up there?"

Phil's quick glance had caught something up near the half-raised
dome that impressed him as not being right.

"Look out aloft!" he sang out warningly.

"The key rope's going. Grab the other line!" bellowed the
boss canvasman.

"You fools!" roared Mr. Sparling from the opposite side
of the tent, as he quickly noted what was happening. "Run for
your lives! You'll have the whole outfit down on your heads!"

The men fled, letting go of ropes and poles, diving for places of
safety, many of them knowing what it meant to have that big tent
collapse and descend upon them.

The man who had held the key rope was the one who had been
at fault. Some of the new men had called to him to give them
a hand on another line, and he, a new man himself, all forgetful
of the important task that had been assigned to him, dropped the
key rope, as it is called, turning to assist his associate.

Instantly the dome of the big top began to settle with a grating