Page:Dapples of the Circus (1943).pdf/215

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When Freckles and Dapples rode about the South American cities and towns between performances they were always followed by a crowd of squalid children, nearly all of whom asked for American money. This constant begging greatly disgusted Freckles, who had been brought up with much of the New England thrift.

It was while playing in the great city of Buenos Aires that an accident befell Sir Wilton that changed the lives of both the Shetland and his driver, although its farreaching scope did not at first appear.

Perhaps the most popular of the small horse's stunts was his trapeze act. The trapeze was a platform about six feet long and three feet wide. He ascended it by a set of steps, which were afterwards removed. When he was in position on the trapeze Freckles would start it swinging gently. This movement the Shetland would accelerate by swaying his body and shifting his weight from his hind legs to his fore legs. When the trapeze was