nd
then at his sharp back; "besides, we can't use the hoops till he gets
more used to the ring."

Joe threw himself on the ground as if he felt quite as much aggrieved
because he was thus left out of the programme as the horse apparently
did because he was in it, and Bob consoled him by explaining that he
had no reason to feel slighted, since he, who, as the clown, was to be
the life of the entertainment, could take no other part in these
preparatory steps than to lead a blind horse around a still blinder
ring.

"Hold him while I get on," said Toby as he clutched the mane and a
portion of the prominent backbone, drawing himself up at some risk of
upsetting the rather shaky steed.

But there was no necessity of his giving this order, for, although four
boys sprang to do his bidding, the weary horse remained as motionless as
a statue, save for his hard breathing which proclaimed the fact that the
"heaves" had long since singled him out as a victim.

Toby succeeded in getting on the animal's back after some exertion; but
he found standing there an entirely different matter from standing on
the broad saddles that were used in the circus, and the boy and the
horse made a shaky-looking pair.

"Shall I start him?" asked Bob, while Reddy stood as near the centre of
the ring as he could get, prepared to snap his cod-line whip at the
first signal.

Toby hesitated a moment; he knew that to attempt to stand upon, or on
either side of, that prominent backbone, after its owner was in motion,
would be simply to invite his own downfall; and he said, as he seated
himself carefully astride the bone:

"Let him walk around once till I see how he goes."

Reddy cracked his whip without producing any effect upon the patient
steed, but, after much coaxing, Bob succeeded in starting him again,
while Toby bounced up and down much like a kernel of corn on a griddle,
such a decided motion did the horse have.

"He won't ever do for a ridin' hoss," said Toby with much difficulty,
when he was half-way around the circle, "'cause you see his bones is so
sharp that he feels as if he was comin' to pieces every time he steps."

"Jest get him to trottin' once, an' then you can tell what he's good
for," suggested Reddy, anxious to try the effect of his whip; and,
without waiting for the rider's permission, he lashed the unfortunate
animal with the cod-line until he succeeded in rousing him thoroughly.

It was in vain Toby begged him to stop, a