Mr.Bloxford looked up from a paper that he was reading, and eyed Dene with that suppressed impatience which is peculiar to all managers of theatres and circuses.
"Well, what do you want ?" he demanded.

"Tub isn't sinking already, is she ?" "I've come to ask you to take me on, to let me join your company, Mr.
Bloxford," said Dene, going straight to the point.
The manager stared at him.

"Take you on! Why, aren't you one of the hands?
Then what the blank are you doing here ?" "No, I'm not engaged at present," replied Dene; and he explained how he had been caught up in the turmoil and had remained on board.

While he was speaking, Mr.Bloxford had been eyeing the tall, well-made figure, the pleasant, handsome face, and, being a man of the world--and a circus manager to boot--he had no difficulty in seeing that the young man, standing so modestly, and yet so easily, before him, was a gentleman.
"I suppose you know that you're a stowaway, that I could have you chucked overboard, or put into irons or something," he said, furiously, his eyes snapping.
Dene smiled merely.
"Well, now you're here, I'll have to take you on, I guess," said Mr.
Bloxford.

"You seem to be handy with horses." "I'm fond of them," said Dene.
"That's all right," rejoined Mr.Bloxford.