 the circus. Tell me what you're going to do. Don't be so much in a hurry. I sure you are. Maybe I'll let you show me. How can I show you what you're going to do? Especially if I don't know what it's all about. You see Jerry Alfredo don't know any better. He never knows what he is going to do next time. So I think he's going to do some pretty good stuff. He never know what he is going to do next himself. So how can he tell someone else? Well, he's putting those steaks into the ground for some reason. I'll tell you. I do this to a news rags. He is an invalid. He must laugh and get well quick. I think he likes these pounding, eh? You see, rags, this is all for your own special benefit. You better this morning, Mr. Rags, eh? Then yes. I was sure worried about him yesterday, though. We all worry about our store performance. Eh, Alfredo? There. Now that he's finished. What do you say? Yes, yes. Of course, we worry about Fuli's dog that bangs his bad leg into a steak. He should be around Circus more and watch out for those steaks. He usually does. Guess he just wasn't feeling so well. That's all right, though, rags. The doctor says you can work in a few days. Say, what you doing with that wire? You just hauled your pony. You mean, oh, my horses. What difference it make? Pony? Horses? All same animal? Oh, I see. You're putting up a wire. You see, Carlos, what a smart boy we have. After it is most done, he says, quick what I am doing. But it's so close to the ground. That is so you won't fall so far. Me? Oh, what do you mean? I thought you say, you want to learn to walk the wire. Oh, gee. You really gonna show me how? Oh, say, rags. Isn't it swell? Now, rags can see how quick you learn. Or how quick I fall. That is nice and strong now. Look, I show you how it goes first. See, nice and easy, like this. Gee whiz, it looks easy enough. Here, here, I lend you an old pair of my shoes. They're too small for me. Probably they're much too big for you. But you can try. Oh, say, here, rags, you sit up on this top step and guard our wagon while I learn to walk on the wire. Nah, nah. Take it easy, Jerry. Anyhow, I won't hurt myself falling. Hey, don't watch your feet. But how will I know where to put them? Oh, that is the trick. Now, watch me. See, I tap very gently with my foot before I put it down on the wire. Then you see, I put my weight on that foot and very slowly take up the other foot. Oh, I see. Then you bring it around and feel for the wire before you change your balance. That is right. Be sure you have a good place to put your foot down before you change your weight. Yeah. Now let me try. Yeah. Hey, Alfredo, Jerry must think he's win me, right? He swings his arms around just like... Hey, I... Oh, got it. I had to keep my balance. Yes, I see you balance yourself nice and flat on ground. Here, take my balancing pole. Oh, hello. Oh, hello there, Carmen. Say, did you just see me fall? Sure, she saw you fall. Every time we make mistakes, Carmen is right there. Yes, yes, you fall just like Alfredo. He used to be all... You're not like my parasol. It's better than balancing poles. No, that's for girls, a parasol. Maybe, but it is easier than poles. You see, it catches hairs more like a tail. You remember, Alfredo, how easy it was the first time you used my parasol? I'll never forget it. You see, Jerry, Alfredo and I learned with the pole and Carmen learned with the parasol. So Alfredo told her how much harder the pole was. We had the wire pretty high. And Alfredo told me, he do the parasol easy, like rolling off a tree, huh? You mean rolling off a log? Yes, a log. What difference it makes? So he not wait to make the wire lower? No, he do the parasol up high. And he come down plunk like parachute. Only the parasol turn wrong side up. I bet you were black and blue that time. I was, and so steep I could hardly walk. But I learned to walk with parasol after that. He sure did. You see, it is entirely different. You wave the parasol over your head with one hand. But the pole, you hold that with both hands and not over your head. I think I'll learn with a pole first and close to the ground. You smart boy. All right, you ready now? Remember, don't look at the wire where your theta. But watch it way at the other end. Yes, because soon by watching wire at the end you learn which way it is swinging. And you keep steady by watching it where it is most steady. Oh, I see. It might make me dizzy watching it sway back and forth under my feet, huh? That is part of it. But the real reason is you must keep your body straight, not let it bend. You keep your balance better, not to mention looking a lot better. See, there's an awful lot to think about, isn't there? At first, yes. But as soon as you get used to it you find it comes automatic without thinking. The reason you all talk, talk, talk and look at poor eggs lying there waiting for Jerry to try again and make a nice fall so he can laugh himself well. Come, come on, not Jerry. Better try again. See, this is fun. There. Now if I can just keep my balance till I get my foot up. Remember, keep your eyes on the other end of the wire. Good. You stand nice and straight, like little Indian. Yeah. Now be sure you have your foot steady on the wire before you put your weight on it. Good boy. Oh. Phew. Lucky I catch you this time. Collie, thanks. You sure saved me another black and blue spot. I guess I stepped on my other shoes. I should say you did. What you boys do put great big shoes on Jerry? What do you try to do? What do you mean? We not have shoes for boys? For these old ones of mine? They're too small for me. Ah, so you think it not matter if they're too big for Jerry? You're both crazy. He step all over his feet. He never learn in these shoes. They are kind of big. Kind of. They're big enough for two of you feet. Look Jerry, the bandini men always crazy. Never think just like little boy. But the women, they're smart. Like you, eh? Yes, like me. Now I get you all pair of my shoes Jerry. They are features about the same size. Gee, they are. And then some day when these bandini boys have time, we all three show you how to walk. Collie, I really think I could learn if my shoes weren't too big. I kind of was beginning to get the hang of it. Good. I look through my things and I find my old shoes for you. Well, hello folks. How's my partner coming along? Oh, well, good. You sound kind of perky there, Rags. Too bad you come so late, Bump. Jerry here walk on wire. You did? Well, good. Let's see. No, no, not now. He cannot. Look at these shoes they put on the boy. It's a wonder he could walk at all. I going to get him some nice little ones of mine and we try again some other time. All right, if you say so. Oh, say, I hear we're in for some bad weather ahead. And they say the grounds are awful in the next town. No. And it's so nice and sunny here. Where have you heard that? Well, I was talking to Mr. Randall when a telegram came through from the advance agent, warning us about the next stop. Say, do they have to do that? Well, sure. Every time we move, we get word what the place is like ahead. What did the telegram say? Well, now, if I remember correctly, it said, uh, very slow lot. Half mile haul, load poles to caboose. It doesn't make much sense to me. What does load poles to caboose mean? Well, you see, Jerry, the poles on the wagon are always loaded in the same direction. So that when we get into a town, they'll all be heading the right way to unload. Say, they have to think of everything, don't they? They're very smart in this country. But I didn't hear you say anything about the weather or the circus grounds being bad. Well, as a matter of fact, the papers are full of the rains and, yes, and even floods they're having in the country we're heading for. The telegram did say very slow lot. Yeah, but what does that mean? Well, slow lot means that work has to be done on the lot before we can pitch the circus. It may mean it's muddy or overgrown with weeds or... Then very slow lot means more extra work. Right. And when we can move right in, they say fast lot. I see. That's easy once you know the code. You know, I happen to remember that field we're coming to. We played there last year and it's clay, and it's green when it rains. See, I should say so. You know, I'd kind of like to watch him unload sometime. Well, why don't you? Jerry, he likes to sleep too much, huh? No, I'd like to get up if somebody'd wake me. Oh, that is a good excuse. I'll wake you up if you really want to get up, Jerry. But I won't get up myself. I guess it's the circus in my blood, but I always wake up when we stop at the runs. And then I turn over as if nothing had happened and settle down for my last snooze. And the morning then bumps? Rain or shine? Sure. Who's afraid of a little rain? I like it. That's the trooper. Okay, Jerry. I'll see that somebody takes you in charge in the morning and shows you the ropes. That'll be swell. Oh, I forgot. I forget to tell you, boy, why I came over here. Happy told me to tell you he thinks you better check on the wire, yes? Why? What is wrong? I don't know. He said when he tightened it yesterday, it did not seem to have the resiliency that anything it should have. These women, they never remember technical terms. The wire could be ready to fall apart and you would never know it until it dropped you to the ground. Why should I learn? I have two perfectly good brothers. I guess they want to save their neck as well as I. I let them do the worrying. Well, that's perfectly good reasoning for a woman. Well, boys, I guess it's up to you to see that the wire's checked. You bet we see. Come, Alfredo. Goodbye, Jerry. Don't forget to leave the shoes in the wagon. I won't. I don't remember. Walk the wire. Goodbye, Bob. So long, Ray. Goodbye, folks. Golly, they sure move fast this time. Well, I don't know to blame them. After all that wire is the only thing that keeps them hanging in midair. Well, that's their life. It certainly behooves them to take every precaution they can to see that it's in perfect condition. I should say so. Well, Rags, we hope they find out what's wrong with the wire, huh? And next we hope you hurry up and get that foot out of the splint so Bumps can do his act. Well, I certainly miss that dog. Seems like I was coming to depend on him for an awful lot of laughs. I'll tell you, Rags, if you feel good enough in the morning, I'll take you long when we watch them unload. Think you like that? Rags, Rags, Rags.