Jerry of the circus. Now for Jerry of the circus. Mr. Randall, you in there? Yeah, come in. Oh, it's you, Dan. Yeah, I just got back from town. Thought I'd better drop by your office wagon and see if there's anything I can do. And if I ever needed an efficiency expert, Danny Dugan, this is the time. By the way, Mr. Randall, the boys on the lava passed in a word around that maybe there ain't gonna be no show today. No, well, you don't say. That vicious gossip, Dan. Now, if that ain't just what I told the folks, Miles Randall. Yeah, it's a little thing like a cyclone blowing out of circus all over town could stop it. As a matter of fact, we gave them a free show this time and one they'll never forget. You're a great loser, Mr. Randall. A mannequin kid after the beating you've just taken deserves a medal. Yeah, how'd you find things in town, Dan? Bad enough. Fortunately for the towners, though, the twister only hit the east end of the city. Yeah, their good luck's our bad luck. We certainly parked on the wrong side of town this trip. Yeah, most of the residential sections in the whole business center of town escaped. I'm mighty glad to hear that. Well, I suppose we better get down to business, Mr. Randall. What's the first thing to do? You haven't found out where the main tent finally landed, have you? Of course I have. I forgot to tell you. Afraid it won't be any use to us, though. After this, it caught on a church steeple on the far side of town. Naturally, it was torn to shred. Well, that's sad. What happened to the steeple? Knocked it down, of course. Oh, that's a pity. I'm sorry, Dan. So that means we're minus a main tent for the rest of the season. Oh, no, we're not. What do you mean? Yeah, we've got an old one from two seasons back at winter quarters. In good enough condition? Certainly. An old one is always reconditioned and ready to be sent out in case of emergency. Good. How soon can it get here? Tomorrow night. I'll get a wire off immediately. Fine. That means we'll only lose two days, today and tomorrow. Yep. But two days is more than I've lost in 20 years. Don't say, Mr. Randall. I certainly hate to break my record. Well, at least you know it's not your fault. If it were humanly possible, you'd be putting on a show. You bet I would be. See, look out there, Dan. Certainly a mess. But those rustabouts are cleaning up as fast as they can. No, that isn't what I mean. Where? What? I mean all those towners wandering through a lot. It's a shame we can't give them a show and we won't be able to stay over another day to give them one. We'll just have to jump right to Harper City and make that our next stand. Mr. Randall? And now what? I've got an idea. Well, that's good. But there's no reason to scare me to death. But Mr. Randall, listen. It's, it's... well, as Jerry'd say, it's a knockout. Well, go on. What is it? You can't tell me on it unless I know what it's all about. Listen, the whole circus is in a mess. That's not news. No, but it's exciting to the towners. Look how they're snooping out there. And getting in everybody's way, too. That doesn't matter. You don't know it, but you're going to give this town a show after all. What on earth are you talking about? Just this. We'll paint a couple of big posters announcing, for the first time in history, the world's greatest show, Laid Waste by a Cyclone. Come one, come all. Listen, Danny, you losing your mind? The folks in this town ought to know by now that there was a cyclone here today and that it wrecked the circus. If they don't, they won't be smart enough to read your posters. But you don't get the idea, Mr. Randall. All right. Well, go on. My plan is for you to charge 25 cents for the folks to go through the circus lot and see exactly the mess we're in. Danny Dewan! Why, of course! Why, say, you've hit the bullseye. I bet I have. They'll want to know all about how the animals got by, let the guards tell what happened, and... Dugan, you're a magician. Get those posters painted, and we'll show this town how a circus can be wrecked and rebuilt in two days. That's the ticket. And make them pay to see it. Yeah, here, wait a minute. Will I write this telegram for Bill Winterquart is about that main town. Yeah. Oh, yeah, say, I guess I... I guess he'd better send on an extra... any extra small tents he's got out there, too. I'll say. All those places along the midway will have to be rebuilt, and that menagerie tent's a wreck. Well, don't worry. I can't keep the Randall's circus tube down. Here, just a second. Oh, by the way, Mr. Randall... Yeah? Well, I was just wondering about... Well, I... Well, out with it, man. What's in your mind? Well, you spoke about a new suit of clothes for every good idea I thought up, and... You old rascal. You're going to shake me down, huh? Why, Mr. Randall, of course not. No kidding, Dan, you deserve a couple of suits for that suggestion. And it's a cheap price to pay, too. Oh, I don't want a suit. No, I only wanted to show you I'm earning my keep as an efficiency expert. Mr. Randall. Mr. Randall. Sounds like that nephew of yours. Hey, Mr. Randall, go in there. I'll open the door. Oh, there you are, Mr. Randall. Oh, hello, Uncle Dan. Why'd you hurry, Jerry? Say, Mr. Randall, there's an old farmer out here. Yeah? He wants to see you. It's about Aga. Aga? I thought that chimp got away. She did. That's a trouble. Well, has she been found? Yeah, that's it. But the farmer says he won't talk to anybody but the manager. Oh, all right. Bring him in, Jerry. Okay. That boy certainly can get excited. Oh, it looks as if you're getting your chimpanzee back anyway. Yeah, I hope so. She's too mischievous to let around loose. Well, get those signs right out, Mr. Randall. I'll organize a tour around this circus lot that'll do you proud. Okay, Dan, it's up to you. You just leaving Uncle Dan? Yep, I gotta go to work. Mr. Randall, this is Mr. Hoffensaler. Yeah, the man I was telling you about. Oh, how do you do, sir? Jerry tells me that you have news of our prized chimpanzee. Yes, sirree, I reckon that's what you'd call it. I didn't get more than a squint at it myself. But Emmy come running out of the house screaming like a stuck pig and her face whiter than last week's wash. Well, what happened, Mr. Hoffensaler? Well, you see, it was like this. That cyclone, I reckon you know all about that cyclone, huh? Well, unfortunately we do. Yeah, not probably you would. Well, friend, I don't mind telling you it cleaned my farm like a fresh plucked hint. Emmy sent me out to see if any of the animals were left. And I don't mind telling you I hadn't gotten no further than the end of the barn when she let out a yell that sent goose flesh up and down my spine. But what happened? I thought you said that... I'm getting to that now. Well, knowing Emmy like I do, I didn't let no grass grow under my feet. No, sirree, I let right out for the house. And there stood Emmy on the front steps with her apron over her head and hollering for all she was worth. Well, the chimpanzee hadn't touched her head. Hmm, knowing Emmy, I figured quick like that she weren't hurting on, not with all that there hullabaloo. Well, where was Aga? Well, sir, would you believe it? That tharacritter was locked in the house and we was locked outside. And Emmy had a boiled dinner on the stove already to be dished up the minute I come in. Is Aga still locked in your house? She sure is. And Emmy fit to be tied. Says she'll never be comfortable sleeping in that bed again. Not after that hairy critter's bed. Your bed? You mean Aga got in your bed? Well, that's just what I'm telling you, son. He pulled that patch quilt and he made so careful like all last winter, right up over him. And the last I seen of him, he's snoring to beat the band. Oh, that's a riot. Gee, can you imagine that, Mr. Andwood? Now, listen here, young man. It's no joke to have a hysterical woman on your hands when a big gorilla locked up in your house and is sleeping on your bed. Well, of course it's not, Mr. Maybe that's Hoffenseeler. Yeah, Mr. Hoffenseeler. I'm mighty sorry a thing like this should happen. We'll send someone out there right away and get that animal out of your house. Yes, sirree. Emmy's fit to be tied. And she's that upset about her dinner boiling over and her patchwork quilt and the clean cheese. Well, I'm sure of that. And she's perfectly right, too. I'll tell you what, Mr. Hoffenseeler. We'll send your wife a few dollars so that she can get someone to clean up after Aga's gone. Well, maybe that'll make her a little more contented. Now, that's real friendly of you, sir. That's what I'd call it. Real neighborly. I reckon a couple of dollars would quiet Emmy down more than all the talking I could do in a month or Sunday. Well, that's good. Now, Jerry, will you run over to Kelly and have him send someone out with Mr. Hoffenseeler and attend to all this? You bet I will, Mr. Antle. That's right. And then you come back here. Your uncle's working on a job, and I think he can use you. Sure thing. I'll be back in a jiffy. Come on, Mr. Hoffenseeler. Well, now, I reckon if it weren't that Emmy were so jittery like, I'd like to stick around to spell them out. But then you know how women are, Mr. Antle. Yes. So I guess I better be getting on. Well, thank you for telling us about Aga. She's valuable, but we certainly don't want her to cause trouble for others. Good day, sir. Good day. How are you back, Jerry? You bet. Oh, hello. Hello. Mr. Antle in there, young man? Yep. Right inside. Thank you. Oh. Well, there you are, Mr. Antle. Oh, yeah. Come in, Thomas. Take a chair there. Thanks. Well, I'm sorry I had to take you off your regular job of bookkeeping to do this checking up for me, but Jim Bennett has so many things to do and it just couldn't be helped. Well, that's quite all right, Mr. Antle. There's not much bookkeeping for me to do anyway, at least not until we get rolling again. Well, that's good. Well, I suppose you check things over pretty carefully and know just where we stand. What's the bad news, Thomas? Bad news is right. The main top is ruined. It's got a church steeple. Oh, yes, yes. I've heard about that. I've already wired for a spare top and any others that they have available in winter quarters. Yes. Well, the wardrobe top seems to have disappeared. The cyclone scattered our costumes all over town. What a mess. Yeah, I'll say. People are bringing things in pretty fast, though. Most of them can be saved, cleaned up, and used. That's lucky. Yes, it is. We've taken an awful beating in the mess tent. I can imagine. I saw that go up. Did you ever see so many plates and silver floating away in all your life? Yeah, of course. The crockery is a dead loss. I've already put in an order for mess tent equipment. We can get credit enough to cover that. Have you estimated the amount we'll need to rebuild the midway? Well, approximately. And, of course, our running expenses are around $5,000 a day. How many days do you figure we'll lose? Only two. I've canceled the engagement in Big Rock, but I've notified Harper City we'll play there or else. That's not giving us much time. No, no, but we can't afford to disappoint those cities, nor can we pay these terrific overheads without getting in some daily receipts. We'd be bankrupt in no time. All right, Mr. Randall. You give the word and we'll get things ready. That's the spirit. Well, how much do you figure we'll need to borrow to see us through? Too bad we've no insurance to cover this, Lord. No, I know, I know, but it's impossible to cover a tent city like this against such emergencies. The rates would be too high. Yes. You'd have to take out separate clauses for everything. Donatos, floods, cyclones, lightning, and all that. Yeah, I've been pretty lucky. I've worked 20 years in show business, and this is the first major catastrophe like this I've ever had. I guess you're right, Mr. Randall, as usual. Here I am, Mr. Randall. Well, so I see. Just a minute, Jerry, till I finish here with Mr. Thomas. Well, what do you figure we'll need, Ben? Well, to do it right, I'd say offhand about $25,000. $25,000? What for? To help us rebuild the circus and get it in shape to play Harper City. Gee whiz, that's terrible. Not when you consider that it costs thousands of dollars a day just to move this circus and feed the animals and people. Say that so. Thomas, get downtown and find out what kind of a deal we can make on such a loan. The percentages for 30, 60, or 90 days and so on. All right. I'll have the figures for you tonight. Good. You'll know where to find me. Righto. Things are sure moving fast around here. They'll have to if we expect to finish out the season, Jerry. There's a line of people a block long outside what used to be the main entrance. They're letting them in in groups and showing them through the grounds. What's the idea, Mr. Randall? Well, that's an idea of your uncle's. That's what I wanted you for. He'll need your help, I think. You go and find him, Jerry. He'll tell you what it's all about. You go and find him, Jerry. He'll tell you what it's all about. You go and find him, Jerry. He'll tell you what it's all about.
