 Jerry, out of the circus. Here's where it was digging last, Jerry. Well, there's nothing here, Rags. Then he's sure making a lot of fuss about nothing. Hey, what's all the excitement going on here? Rags is looking for something under the wagon box. He's been carrying on some fierce. Oh, he's probably just looking for a bone to be buried. Well, you didn't tell him, Jerry. Let us in on the joke. I've never in my life saw anything so funny before. Well, come on, what is it? Come on, Jerry, out with it. The joke is you're on Rags. What joke? And here I've been thinking all along how smart he is. And then he pulls us down like this. Oh, I knew you, smart Jerry, as smart as dogs I'd ever seen. Oh, yeah? Well, do you know why he's been digging that big hole under the wagon? Well, my guess is that he's looking for a bone. He always buried them under the wagon. That's just it. But he hasn't buried any under the wagon since we've been playing this town. He did bury a great big one under the wagon. In the last town we played, though. Don't you remember bombshell? Come to think of it, I do. He threw dirt all over us when he was covering it up. Yeah, when we were sitting on the steps here. Well, what's the joke? Tell us, Jerry. Well, he buried the bone under the wagon like he always does when he gets a nice big one. Now he's looking for it and it makes him mad because he can't find it. Oh, I'll bet you're right, Jerry. Rags forgot that we moved on to another town and he can't understand why the bone isn't where he buried it. Well, you might as well give up, Rags. That bone is over a hundred miles from here, back in the last town we played. It's a good thing you found it when you did. He might have dug such a big hole, the wagon would have rolled into it. Now what, Rags? There's somebody coming over there. Rags, stop it. Well, for the... I do declare. Who is it, bombs? Be quiet, Rags. I can't believe my own eyes, Jerry. Well, who is it? Who's that man that's coming over this way? It's Colonel Charlie Alger. Hello, Charlie. The man Leo said was coming. Yeah, the advanced man for the circus. Yeah, see, this surely is a treat. Oh, gosh, it's good to see you. Yeah, it's mighty good to see you, Bump. Yeah, put it there. Same old bump. Well, well, well. Charlie, this is my pal, Jerry. Jerry, glad to know you, young fella. Glad to know you. I'm glad to meet you, too. I've heard a lot about you. That's all folks have been talking about me again, have they? Now, soon put a stop to that. But they only said nice things about you. Oh, well, that's different. Yeah, that's different, sure, yes. That's different. This is Jerry's pal, Tom. Shake hands with Colonel Alger, Tom. I'm sure glad to meet you. Yeah, the play is all mine, all mine, young man. You got a few minutes, Charlie? Yes, siri, yes, siri. Well then, come on into the wagon here where we can sit down and talk a little bit. Come on, boys. Well, you going to be with us long, Charlie? No, I'm not, no, I'm not, bumps. I'm getting back on the head of the show right away. Figured to leave tonight, yes. Say, if you've got a little drinking water, bumps, I'm a bit thirsty, yes, just a wee bit thirsty. Why, sure, Charlie. Oh, Jerry, pour Colonel Alger a glass of water out of that cooler there. You bet. See, do you recognize that boy, Charlie? No, I can't say that I do. Can't say that I do, bumps. Well, why, that's Jerry Dugan, Tim Dugan's boy. Don't say. Well, well, what do you know about that? Here's your water, Colonel. Ah, thank you, thank you, Jerry. You're Tim Dugan's boy. Yes, sir. Yes, I knew your dad well, Jerry, yes. We were great pals in the olden days, yes, sir. Great, how about you, young man? You have a set of words. He's just going to be with us until we play Fordham. He's working his way home. Oh, Fordham, huh? I just came back from Fordham. Yes, fact of the matter is, I made a special trip back there to see Mr. Randall about a stunt we want to pull off there. Oh, yeah, what's that, Charlie? Why, they're running a fair there, bumps. Yes, running a fair. Same day that we play there. Oh, say, that's bad. That'll be pretty stiff competition for us. Yes, that's why I had to see Sam about a stunt that'll help out quite a little. There's nothing like cooperating with those things. Yes, better than fighting them. Yes, sir, every time. Yes, you bet, sir. Now, what's the stunt you're going to pull, Charlie? Well, it isn't really very much bumps. Nothing much at all. They're having horse racing at the fair, and I thought we could get a lot of notice and some good publicity if we took those Cossack riders out and put on an exhibition of their riding. Oh, gee, that'd be good, Charlie. Yes, it might turn out to be a good stunt. After they left the fairgrounds, folks would probably come right to our show. Uh, excuse me, Colonel Alger. Yes, oh, yes, son, yes, yes. What is it? Uh, did you meet any people while you were in Fordham? Did I meet any people? Did I meet? Ha, ha, ha, did I meet any people? Well, now that's a good one, yes. Well, that's a good one, a good one, yes. Yes, well, I met people wherever I go. Lots of people, lots of them. What do you mean, Tom? Well, I thought maybe Colonel Alger would know where my father was or if he's in Fordham. Yes, yes, what's your father's name, Tom? I never forget a name or a face either. My dad's name is Jack. Hey, no, no, his last name, his last name, his last name. What's the fella's name, Jack? Oh, Rogers, Jack Rogers. Jack Rogers, yes. Oh, Jack Rogers, Jack Rogers. No, no, no, I didn't meet him, Tom, no. I heard some of the men at the fairgrounds talking about a Jack Rogers. Now, what were they saying about him? Now, let me see, let me see. Oh, yes. Seems like he entered some old horse in a big race at the fair. Oh, that couldn't be Dad. I don't think he'd have a horse. He's just bought one, got him cheap, and that's the reason the boys were getting a laugh out of it, because the horse is old. Yes, he just doesn't figure it all in a race with a lot of high-class horses. See, what's the matter, Charlie? Are you warm? Yes, yes, I am, Bumps. A little warm? Yes, yes, I am a little warm. It's not warm in the wagon here. I'm comfortable with my sweater on. You're sure you're feeling all right. Feeling all right? Oh, sure, sure, yes. I'm fine, very fine, yes. But I would like another glass of water, Jerry, if you please. Sure, I'll get it. I don't like your color, Charlie. Your face is sort of red. Oh, I just been out the sun too much, Bumps. Yes, out the sun too much, that's all. Here you are, Colonel. Thank you, thank you, my boy, thank you. You look feverish to me, Charlie. Nonsense. Then you didn't see my father, or I mean this man that has the horse. Oh, yes, I saw him. The boy pointed him out to me when he was out on the track with his horse, yes. But what I said was, I didn't meet him. Was he sort of tall and thin, and did he have a mustache? Well, now let me think a minute. Did he have a mustache? Did he have a... Yes, he had a mustache. He was kind of tall and wiry. I'll bet that's your dad, all right, Tom. That's what he looks like, all right. Well, Tom, if that's the right name and the right description, it must be the right man. Yes, sir, yes, sir, yes, sir. It must be the right man. Well, now at least you know your dad is still in Fordham. Dad ought to make you happy. Golly, it sure does. See, you got time to tell us one of your stories, Charlie. Oh, it's one of my stories. Sure, I have one. Well, tell one that I haven't heard before. That's right, Bumps. You've heard most all of my stories. Oh, I'll bet there's a couple of hundred that I haven't heard, though. Don't recall that one, Charlie. Good. Then you'll enjoy hearing it. Yes, sir, you'll really, really enjoy it. A circus story, Colonel Alger? Yes, Jerry. A circus story from way back. Long about 40 years ago. I guess it was, yes, about 40 years, 40 years. Just about 40 years ago. Were you in the circus that long ago? Yes, and before that, young man. Now to get on, it was a small outfit that we had a very fine collection of animals. And in those days as it is now, folks care just as much about seeing the animals as they did the show itself. Among other things, we had... Oh, Bumps. Oh, excuse me, Charlie. Uh, yeah? Is Charlie Alger in there with you? Oh, yeah, yeah, yes, he is. Doc, come on in. It's Doc Williams, Charlie. All right, good. God, God. Who's he, Jerry? He's a circus doctor. He's got charged in the hospital, Tom. Then lookin' all over for you, Charlie. Well, well, well, well, well. Oh, Doc Williams himself. I'm glad to see you, Doc. Glad, glad, glad to see you. Sit down here and make yourself at home. What's the idea of passin' me up, Charlie? How come you didn't come by the hospital car and say hello? Boy, I was just gonna come over and see you now. Yes, you don't think for a minute that I wasn't gonna visit with you? Say, Jerry, Jerry, would you be so kind as to get me another glass of water? Sure. Well, say, that's the third glass in the last five minutes. I tell you, it isn't right for you to be so hot and thirsty on a day like today. Say, what's the matter with him, Doc? Well, you do look kind of flush, Charlie. Let me feel your head. Here you are, Colonel Alger. Oh, yes, yes, yes. My boy, you brought it there. Well, thank you, Jerry. See, you've got a fever, Charlie. Isn't that what I thought, Doc? I'm sure you have, Charlie. Let me see your tongue. Let me see my tongue. Oh, nonsense, nonsense. I said, I'm all right. Come on now. It won't hurt to have a look. Well, all right. All things. What's the matter, Doc? Yes, sir. I'm right. You're right. Well, what's the matter? I suppose you're going to tell me that I won't live till morning. No. This is no joke, Charlie. You've got the measles. Measles? What? Sureest thing you know. Now, you boys clear out of here right away. You two bumps, get your things before you go because you won't get back into this wagon after you leave. What do you mean, Doc? I'm putting Charlie to bed right here in this wagon, and I'm locking him in. You'll have to stay in quarantine, please, over the measles. Why? Well, you can't do this to me. I've got to leave tonight. I've got to get back ahead of the show. Yes, I've got work to do. I'm sorry, Charlie. But you're going to be quarantined in this wagon until you're well. And send a nurse over right away to make you comfortable. Yes, but you can't. You can't, you can't. I can't let you run around, either. Measles are catching, and we can't afford to let the whole circus get them.