country villages near by. In that way I filled up
about three months, making my expenses, but doing nothing more. However,
that was a great thing for me, and I start this season only two hundred
dollars in debt, as I think I told you a few minutes ago."

"Is it the same way with performers?"

"No; they have a better chance. Next winter, if you try, you can
probably make an engagement to perform at some dime museum or variety
hall, in New York or elsewhere. I once got the position of ticket seller
for a part of the winter."

"I don't think I should like to perform in a dime museum," said Kit.

"What's the odds, if you are well paid for it?"

"I don't intend to make my present business a permanent one."

"That's different. What will you do next fall?"

"I may go to school."

Harry Thorne whistled.

"That will be a novelty," he said. "I haven't been to school since I was
twelve years old."

"Wouldn't you like to go now?"

"No; I'm too old. Are you much of a scholar?"

"I'm a pretty good Latin scholar, and know something of Greek."

"I'll bet there isn't another acrobat in the country that can say that.
What salary do you get, if you don't mind telling?"

"Twenty-five dollars a week."

"You're in luck. How came Barlow to give you so much?"

"I think he took a liking to me. Perhaps he wanted to pay me for facing
the lion at Smyrna."

"Were you the boy who did that? I thought your face looked familiar.
You've got pluck, Kit."

"I hope so; but I'm not sure whether it is I or the snuff that is
entitled to the most credit."

"Anyhow it took some courage, even if you did have the snuff with you."

"Do you know what is to be our route this season?"

"I think we are going West as far as St. Louis, taking all the larger
towns and cities on our way. We are to show a week in Chicago. But I
don't care so much for the cities as the country towns--the one-night
places."

"Does Mr. Barlow go with us?"

"Not steadily. He drops in on us here and there. There's one thing I
can say for him--he won't have any man in his employ drink or gamble. We
have to bind ourselves to total abstinence while we are in his
employ--that is, till the end of the season. Gambling is the great vice
of circus men; it is more prevalent even than drinking."

"Don't the men do it on the sly?"

"They run a risk if they do. At the first offense they are fined, at the
second or third they are bounced."

"That doesn't trouble me any. I