HAPTER XV

THE CHARIOT RACE

Tom's costume was a splendid imitation of a cowboy. He wore tan-colored
overalls and a jumper, the jumper being slashed up at the sides like an
Indian's coat. On his head was a very broad sombrero, this hat having
really come from the plains, as it belonged to a Western farmer who had
lately moved to Meadow Brook.

Presently Tom appeared again, this time riding the fiery Sable.

"Hurrah! hurrah!" shouted the boys, as Tom drove into the ring like a
major.

Bert now stepped into the middle of the ring alongside of some soap
boxes that were piled up there.

"Now you see ladies and gentlemen," began Bert, laughing a little at
the show in broad daylight, "you see this (the soap boxes) is a mail
coach. Our cowboy will rob the mail coach from his horse just as they
used to do in the mountains of Arizona."

Snap went the whip, and away went Sable around the ring at a nice even
canter. After a few turns around Tom urged his horse on a little until
he was going on a steady run. Every one kept quiet, for most of Meadow
Brook people had heard how Sable had run away some days before.

"There ought to be music," whispered Jack to Harry, for indeed the
circus was so real it only lacked a brass band.

Now Bert put on top of the soap boxes Harry's canvas schoolbag stuffed
full of papers.

"This is the United States mail," he said. "We will understand that the
coach has stopped for a few minutes."

Sable was going along splendidly by this time, and everybody said what
a pretty little horse he was.

"He's goin' to steal the mail box now!" whispered Flossie to Freddie.
"I hope Sable won't fall or anything."

Snap! snap! went the whip as the horse ran faster and faster.

All of a sudden Tom got a good tight hold on the reins, then he pulled
up alongside of the mail coach, leaned over, grabbed the mail bag, and
spurred his horse at full speed around the ring.

"Hurrah! hurrah!" shouted everybody.

"Well done!" called Uncle Daniel.

"Couldn't be better!" exclaimed Mr. Bobbsey.

Tom waved his hat now and patted Sable affectionately, as all good
riders do when their horses have done well in the ring.

The men admired the little horse so much they came up and asked the
"cowboy" a lot of questions about him, how old he was and who broke him
in.

"One more number," called Bert. "The chariot race."

At this all took their seats again, and out trotted two clowns, Jack
and August, each riding i