“Hullo, there a tumble extra!” sang out Tom.  “Thank you; nothing like giving us good measure!”

“I’d like to wax that boy good!” growled Giles Frozzler, as he shot into the dressing tent.  “Those youngsters spoiled my act completely.”  And then he hurried to a pail of water to bathe his nose.

The next act was fairly good and put the crowd in good humor once more.  But that to follow was so bad that many began to hiss.  Then came a race which was as tame as it could possibly be, and many began to leave.

“This is the worst circus yet,” said one man.  “If anybody comes to-night he’ll be sold.”

“I’m going to let all my friends know what a flat thing it is,” said another.  “It isn’t worth ten cents, much less a quarter.”

The circus was to wind up with the riding of a trick mule,—­the animal being brought out by the clown.

As it happened the regular clown and the mule were friends, but the mule hated Frozzler, for the circus owner had on more than one occasion mistreated the animal.

“Be careful of that mule,” said one of the hostlers, as he turned the trick animal over to Giles Frozzler.  “He’s ugly this afternoon.”

“Oh, I know how to manage him,” growled Frozzler.  “Come on here, you imp!” and he hit the mule in the side.

Instantly the mule made a bolt for the ring with Frozzler running after him.

“One hundred dollars to anybody who can ride Hanky-Panky!” sang out Giles Frozzler.  “He is as gentle as a kitten, and it is a great pleasure to be able—­”

The clown got no further, for just then the mule turned around and gave him a kick which sent him sprawling.  Then, like a flash Hanky-Panky turned around, caught Frozzler by the waist and began to run around the ring with him.

“Hi! let go!” screamed the thoroughly frightened circus owner.  “Let go, I say!  Help! he will kill me!  Help!”

“Hurrah! the mule has got the best of it!” sang out Tom.  “He knows how to run a circus even if that fellow don’t.”

“I’ll bet on the mule,” put in Dick.  “He’s a nose ahead in this race!”

“Save me!” yelled Frozzler.  “Drat that beast!  Stop him, somebody!”

There was intense excitement, and several employees rushed forward to rescue Frozzler.  But before this could be done, the mule left the ring tent and dashed into the dressing room, where he allowed the circus owner to drop into a barrel of water which was kept there in case of fire.  At this the crowd yelled itself hoarse; and this scene brought the afternoon performance to an end.

CHAPTER XVI

ALECK BRINGS NEWS

“I reckon we got square,” was Tom’s comment, after the fun was over and they were on their way to the farm.  “My, but wasn’t that circus owner mad!”

“I don’t think he’ll have another such crowd to-night,” said Fred, and he was right.  The evening performance was attended by less than a hundred people, and a week later the show failed and was sold out completely.