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Circus Boy's life。
〃Want to kill me； do you？ I've got you now！ The men are ing。
Don't you dare move or I'll drop this stake on you。 I can't miss you this
time。〃
Red after one hesitating glance； faced the front and leaped from the
train down the long； sloping cinder…covered bank。
Phil let drive his tent stake。 It caught Red on the shoulder； bowling
the rascal over like a nine pin。
Phil Forrest uttered a yell of exultation； suddenly dropping to the floor
of the car at the imminent risk of his life。
The men were now piling over the cars in his direction。 He did not
know whether they had seen Red jump or not。 Phil did not waste any
time in idle speculation。
〃e on！〃 he shouted； springing to the edge of the car； keeping
himself from falling by grasping a wheel of the wagon。
Then Phil Forrest did a daring thing。 Crouching low； choosing his
time unerringly； he jumped from the train。 Fortunately for him； the cars
were running slowly up the heavy grade。 But； slowly as they were going；
the lad turned several rapid handsprings after having struck the ground；
ing to a stop halfway down the slope； somewhat dazed from the shock
and sudden whirling about。
But he was on his feet in a twinkling； and running toward the spot
where Red was painfully picking himself up。 Phil slipped and stumbled
as the cinders gave way beneath his feet but ran on with a grim
determination not to let his man escape him this time。
Both were now weaponless； so far as the lad knew。 Red had
possessed a revolver； but in his sudden jump from the train he had lost it；
and there was now no time to look for it。
When he saw Phil pursuing； Larry started on a run； but the lad； much
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more fleet of foot； rapidly overhauled him； despite the handicap that Phil
had at the start。
〃You may as well give up！ I'm going to catch you； if I have to run all
the way across the Sierra Nevada Range；〃 shouted Phil。
Red halted suddenly。 Phil thought he was going to wait for him； but
the lad did not slacken his speed a bit because of that。
All at once； as Phil drew near； Red picked up a stone and hurled it at
his pursuer。 Phil saw it ing in time to 〃duck；〃 and it was well he did
so； for Larry's aim was good。
〃He must have been a baseball pitcher at sometime；〃 grinned the lad。
However； the fellow continued to throw until Phil saw that he must do
something to defend himself else he would surely be hit and perhaps put
out of the race altogether。
〃So that's your game is it？〃 shouted the boy。 〃I can play ball； too。〃
With that the lad coolly began hunting about for stones； of which he
gathered up quite an armful； choosing those that were most nearly round。
In the meantime Red had kept up his bombardment； Phil dodging the
stones skillfully。 Then he too； began to throw； gradually drawing nearer
and nearer to his adversary。
A small stone caught Phil a glancing blow on the left shoulder causing
him to drop his ammunition。 He could scarcely repress a cry； for the
blow hurt him terribly。 He wondered if his shoulder had not been broken；
but fortunately he had received only a severe bruise。
It served； however； to stir Phil to renewed activity。 Grabbing all the
stones he could gather in one sweep of his hands he started on a run
toward Red Larry； letting one drive with every jump。 They showered
around the desperate man like a rain of hail。
All at once Larry uttered a yell of pain and anger。 One of Phil's
missiles had landed in the pit of the fellow's stomach。 Larry doubled up
like a jacknife； and； dropping suddenly； rolled rapidly toward the foot of
the slope。
Phil； still clinging to his weapons； ran as fast as his slender legs would
carry him in pursuit of his man。
〃I hit him！ I hit him！〃 he yelled。
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In a moment he came up with Larry； but the lad prudently stopped a
rod from his adversary to make sure that the fellow was not playing him a
trick。 One glance sufficed to tell Phil that the man had really been hit。
〃I hope he isn't much hurt； but I'm not going to take any chances。〃
Phil jerked off his coat and began ripping it up； regardless of the fact
that it was his best。 With the strands thus secured； he approached his
prisoner cautiously； then suddenly jumped on him。
Larry was not able to give more than momentary resistance。 Inside of
three minutes Phil had the fellow's hands tied securely behind his back。
Gathering the stones about him in case of need； the lad sat down and
wiped the perspiration from his brow。
〃I guess that about puts an end to your tricks； my fine fellow；〃
announced Phil。
The train had been finally stopped； and a force of men now dashed
back along the tracks。 They had been in time to view the last half of the
battle of the stones； and when Red went down they set up a loud
triumphant yell。 In a few minutes they had reached the scene and had
taken the prisoner in tow。
The train was at the top of the grade waiting； so the show people and
their captive were obliged to walk fully a mile to reach it。 Mr。 Sparling；
attracted by the uproar； had rushed from his private car。 He now met the
party a little way down the tracks。
〃I got him！〃 cried Phil； when he saw the owner approaching。
Red was carried to the next stop on the circus train。 He was not
much hurt and had fully recovered before noon of that day； much to Phil's
relief； for he felt very badly that he had been obliged to resort to stone
throwing。 The lad would have preferred to use his fists。 But； as the
result of the capture； Red Larry was put where he would bother circus
trains no more for some years。 He was sentenced to a long term in
pris