Phil walked over and stood smilingly before them. Nothing seemed
to disturb his persistent good nature.

"Huh, not so much! I guess they stretched that yarn," grunted
a new performer.

"I guess not," interposed Mr. Miaco. "I happened to see that
stunt pulled off myself. It was the biggest thing I ever saw
a man--let alone a boy--get away with." Then Mr. Miaco went over
the scene with great detail, while Phil stole away to his own
corner, where he busied himself bending over his trunk to hide
his blushes.

But Teddy felt no such emotion. Almost as soon as he entered the
dressing tent he began searching about for something. This he
soon found. It was a pail, but he appeared to be in a hurry.
Picking up the pail he ran with it to the water barrel, that
always stands in the dressing tent, filled the pail and skulked
out as if he did not desire to attract attention.

Once outside the dressing tent Teddy ran at full speed across the
paddock and out into the big top. A few men were working here
putting up apparatus for the performers. They gave no heed to
the boy with the pail of water.

Teddy ran his eye along the inside of the tent, nodded and went
on to the middle section where he turned, climbing the steps to
the upper row.