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ANDY THE ACROBAT
Or
Out With the Greatest Show on Earth
BY
PETER T. HARKNESS
Author of
CHIMPANZEE HUNTERS,CIRCUSES—OLD AND NEW,HOW A GREAT SHOW TRAVELS, ETC.
1907
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. EXPELLED
II. HOOP-LA!
III. DISASTER
IV. A BUSINESS PROPOSITION
V. THE CIRCUS
VI. CIRCUS TALK
VII. A WARM RECEPTION
VIII. "COASTING"
IX. GOOD-BYE TO FAIRVIEW
X. A FIRST APPEARANCE
XI. SAWDUST AND SPANGLES
XII. AN ARM OF THE LAW
XIII. ON THE ROAD
XIV. BILLY BLOW, CLOWN
XV. ANDY JOINS THE SHOW
XVI. THE REGISTERED MAIL
XVII. A WILD JOURNEY
XVIII. A FREAK OF NATURE
XIX. CALLED TO ACCOUNT
XX. ANDY'S ESCAPE
XXI. A FULL FLEDGED ACROBAT
XXII. AMONG THE CAGES
XXIII. FACING THE ENEMY
XXIV. ANDY'S AUNT
XXV. A BEAR ON THE RAMPAGE
XXVI. A CLEVER RUSE
XXVII. A ROYAL REWARD
XXVIII. "HEY, RUBE!"
XXIX. A FREE TROLLEY RIDE
XXX. WITH THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
XXXI. CONCLUSION
ANDY THE ACROBAT
CHAPTER I
EXPELLED
"Andrew Wildwood!"
The village schoolmaster of Fairview spoke this name in a tone ofseverity. He accompanied the utterance with a bang of the ruler thatmade the desk before him rattle.
There was fire in his eye and his lip trembled. Half of the twenty oddscholars before him looked frightened, the others interested. None hadever before seen the dull, sleepy pedagogue so wrought up.
All eyes were fixed on a lad of about sixteen, seated in the front rowof desks.
The name called out applied to him. It had been abbreviated so commonly,however, that its full dignity seemed to daze him for the moment.
Andrew Wildwood slowly arose, his big, fearless eyes fixed dubiously onthe schoolmaster.
"Yes, sir," he said.
"Step forward, sir."
Andy Wildwood did so. He was now in full view of the other scholars. Mr.Darrow also arose. He thrust one hand behind his long coat tails,twirling them fiercely. From the little platform that was his throne heglared down at the unabashed Andy. In his other hand he flourished thelong black ruler threateningly.
He pointed a terrible finger towards two desks, about four feet apart,at one side of the room. The desk nearest to the wall had its top splitclear across, and one corner was splintered off.
"Did you break that desk?" demanded the pedagogue.
Andy's lips puckered slightly in a comical twist. He had a vividimagination, and the shattered