human
No, answered Mr. Sparling with a twinkle in his eyes,
gpt
You will?
human
Yes.
gpt
Thank you; thank you.
human
I am having the show's carpenter make one out of wood.
gpt
I can't eat a wooden egg,
human
Why not? You were going to eat the ostrich egg. The wooden one will give you indigestion no quicker than the other would have done.
gpt
I'll tell you what I will do,
human
I am listening.
gpt
You have the carpenter make an egg and I will circulate the news that I have another egg. I will leave it in my cabin and keep watch on the thing. In that way I shall catch the fellow, if he tries to steal it again. I shan't put it in the trunk. Oh, I'll talk a lot about that wooden egg.
human
I am in hopes we shall hear no more about eggs all the rest of the trip, after I give you another, said the showman.
gpt
Your idea is not a half-bad one at that. If you catch the man we are looking for I will make you a nice present.
human
What kind of a present?
gpt
What would you like?
human
I'll have to think it over. There are so many things I want, that I do not know which I want most.
gpt
I thought you had money enough to buy whatever you needed. By the way, how much money have you saved, Teddy?
human
Let me see, reflected the lad, counting up on his fingers.
gpt
Why, I must have a little more than three thousand dollars in the bank. Mrs. Cahill is taking care of it for me, you know.
human
Fine, fine! That is splendid. What are you going to do with all of that money?
gpt
I think I will buy out the Sparling shows, someday, when you get tired of the business and want to sell at any old price,
human
So you think you would like to own a show, do you?
gpt
Yes, sir, I am going to--Phil and I.
human
May I ask when this interesting affair is coming off--this purchasing of a real circus?
gpt
I told you. When you get tired of the business we are going to buy you out.
human
You have it planned, eh?
gpt
Yes, sir; that is, I have. Phil doesn't know anything about that yet. I haven't told him.
human
I thought not. So, while I am paying you to work for me, you are planning to take my show away from me, are you?
gpt
No, Sir; we are not trying to do anything of the sort. You have been too kind, and I thank you for all you have done for me, and--and all you have put up with. You ought to have 'fired' me a long time ago--I guess you ought to have done it before I started in the Show business. I'm glad you didn't,