The bass drum player scowled. Teddy's lemon did not affect the
beating of the drum, but as the lad began to make believe that
the acid juice was puckering his lips, some of the musicians
showed signs of uneasiness.
The Circus Boy observing this, smacked his lips again and again,
and industriously swallowed the juice, though it nearly choked
him to do so.
Very soon some of the players got off the key, their playing grew
uneven and in some instances stopped altogether. The leader
could not understand what the trouble was. He called out angrily
to the offending musicians, but this seemed only to add to
their troubles.
All at once the big German, who played the bass horn, rose from
his seat and hurled his music rack at the offending Teddy Tucker.
Everything on the bandstand came to a standstill, and the
performers in the ring glanced sharply down that way, wondering
what could have happened.
The leader turned and discovered Teddy and his lemons. He was
beside himself with rage. He understood, now, why his musicians
had failed. Teddy sucking the lemon had given many of them
"the puckers.
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