down the line in a separate outfit of their
own. You work with this show--clean out the cages and little things like
that. Don't get worried," he added quickly, interpreting aright a look
of sudden concern upon Red Hoss' face. "You don't have to go inside the
cages to clean 'em out. You stay outside and do it with a long-handled
tool. I had a good man on this job, but he quit on me unexpectedly night
before last."

The speaker failed to explain that the recent incumbent had quit thus
abruptly as a result of having a forearm clawed by a lady leopard named
Violet.

"'Bout how long is dis yere job liable to last?" inquired Red Hoss. "You
see, cunnel, Ise 'spectin' to have some right important private business
in dis town 'fore so very long."

"Then this is the very job you want. After we leave here to-morrow night
we strike down across the state line and play three more stands, and
then we wind up with a week in Memphis. We close up the season there and
go into winter quarters, and you come on back home. What's your name?"

"My full entitled name is Roscoe Conklin' Shackleford, but 'count of my
havin' a kinder brightish complexion dey mos' gin'rally calls me Red
Hoss. I reckin mebbe dey's Injun blood flowin' in me."

"All right, Red Hoss, let it flow. You just come on with me and I'll
show you what you'll have to do. My name is Powers--Captain Powers."

Proudly sensing that already he was an envied figure in the eyes of the
group behind him, Red Hoss followed the commanding Powers back through a
canvas-sided marquee into a circular two-poled tent. There were no
seats. The middle spaces were empty. Against the side walls were ranged
four cages. One housed a pair of black bears of a rather weather-beaten
and travel-worn aspect. Next to the bears, the lady leopard, Violet,
through the bars contemplated space, meanwhile wearing that air of
intense boredom peculiar to most caged animals. A painted inscription
above the front of the third cage identified its occupant as none other
than The Educated Ostrich; the Bird That Thinks.

Red Hoss' conductor indicated these possessions with a lordly wave of
his arm, then led the way to the fourth cage. It was the largest cage of
all; it was painted a bright and passionate red. It had gilded
scrollings on it. Upon the ornamented facade which crossed its front
from side to side a lettered legend ran. Red Hoss spelled out the
pronouncement:

Chieftain, King of Feline Acrobats! The