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I would much rather be arrested than laughed at. I stood irresolute. What was to be done? How much did he know? Did he know who I was? And what was his object in letting me run my course? I was all at sea. . . . Hang the grisly old Roman! I shut my teeth; I would see the comedy to its end, no matter what befell. If worst came to worst, there was always Teddy Hamilton to fall back on.
He was standing on the hearthrug with his back to the fire, and putting his hand into his pocket he drew out a small box and placed it in the child's hand. 'Open it, and tell me if you recognise the contents. Teddy lifted the lid, and then a gasp, and a cry of ecstasy broke from him. 'Oh, my button, my own button! Oh, sir!
"Are you troubled about your mother?" he asked. "Just a little, Alan," she replied, after a moment. "But I'm not going to let it make me a skeleton at the feast," she added with a small laugh. She would have given much then to have been walking with Teddy; her answer to a similar question from him would have been somewhat different, for her mind was full of vague fears.
"He going in with you, too?" "Oh, no. Teddy is too proud to go in that way. He crawls in under the tent," laughed Phil, running down the steps and setting off for the circus grounds with all speed. When he arrived there he saw at once that something was going on.
"Needed the money," confessed Shirley, insisting on having a part in the confession. "But it was for her brother Ted, you know," interrupted Bobbie loyally. "Is that Teddy your brother? And Bobbie you blushed so when you danced with him, and I accused you " It was Judith's turn to talk quickly now, and she made good use of the opportunity. Finally something like order was restored.
"The human football?" questioned Teddy dubiously. "Yes." "What's that?" "Oh, you dress up in funny makeup so you look like a huge ball." "But what do I do after I have become a football?" "Oh, you roll around in the arena, falling all over yourself and everybody who happens to get in your way; you bounce up and down and make all sorts of funny " "Oh, I know," cried Teddy enthusiastically.
"Even the lamps have halos," Teddy informed the people. "I had one once, but the ringmaster borrowed it and forgot to return it. But I don't care. He needs a halo more than I do." A howl greeted this sally. Teddy was about to say something else, after the first wave of laughter had swept over the audience, but no one heard him speak.
The pilot's temper had suffered as the result of his experience in the cabin, and the jeers aud laughter of the circus people had not added to his peace of mind. At intervals he would break out into a tirade of invective and threats against Teddy Tucker, who had so humiliated him. "I'll get even with that little monkey-face!
"It would be a wholesome lesson to you if you got a good ducking!" said the vicar sternly, albeit the reminiscences of Robinson Crusoe and the fact of Teddy endeavouring to imitate that ideal hero of boyhood struck him in a comical light and he turned away to hide a smile. "Come to the bank at once, sir!"
"N no; I'm all wrong," came the answer from above. "All the blood in my body is in my head. I'm going to burst in a minute." Phil wasted no words. Quickly strapping on his climbers, he began shinning up the pole, which he took much faster than Teddy had done, for the situation was critical. "Hurry up! Think I want to stay here all night?" "I'm coming.
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