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This Etext was prepared for Project Gutenberg by Greg Berckes 
 
The Circus Boys On the Mississippi Or Afloat with the Big Show on 
the Big River 
By EDGAR B. P. DARLINGTON 
 
CONTENTS 
 
CHAPTER 
I MAKING A LIVELY START II JANUARY LENDS A FOOT III A 
DAY OF MEMORIES IV THEIR CURIOSITY AROUSED V THE 
CIRCUS BOYS' SURPRISE VI A BOLT FROM THE CLOUDS VII 
IN NEW QUARTERS VIII JANUARY ON THE RAMPAGE IX 
PHIL FORREST TO THE RESCUE X ALL ABOARD FOR THE 
GULF! XI EGG, EGG, WHO'S GOT THE EGG? XII TRYING OUT 
A NEW ACT XIII A NARROW ESCAPE XIV THE PILOT GETS A 
SURPRISE XV AN UNWELCOME VISITOR XVI BETRAYED BY 
A SNEEZE XVII EAVESDROPPERS! XVIII MAKING A CAPTURE 
XIX TEDDY JOINS THE BAND XX A CAPTURE IN THE AIR XXI 
A CIRCUS BOY MISSING XXII OVERBOARD INTO THE RIVER 
XXIII THE ROMAN CHARIOT RACES XXIV CONCLUSION
The Circus Boys on the Mississippi 
 
CHAPTER I 
MAKING A LIVELY START 
"Have you had any trouble with Diaz, Teddy?" 
"Who's he?" 
"The new Spanish clown." 
"Oh!" 
Teddy Tucker's face grew serious. 
"What about him, Phil?" 
"That is what I am asking you. Have you had any 
misunderstanding--angry words or anything of the sort with him?" 
persisted Phil Forrest, with a keen, inquiring glance into the face of his 
companion. 
"Well, maybe," admitted the Circus Boy, with evident reluctance. 
"What made you think I had?" 
"From the way he looked at you when you were standing in the 
paddock this afternoon, waiting for your cue to go on." 
"Huh! How did he look at me?" 
"As if he had a grudge against you. There was an expression in his eyes 
that said more plainly than words, 'I'll get even with you yet, young 
man, you see if I do not.'" 
"Wonderful!" breathed Teddy. 
"What do you mean?"
"You must be a mind reader, Phil Forrest," grumbled Teddy, digging 
his heel into the soft turf of the circus lot. "Can you read my mind? If 
you can, what am I thinking about now?" 
"You are thinking," answered Phil slowly, "that you will make me 
forget the question I asked you just now. You are thinking you would 
rather