While trying to make amends for giving out free passes to a circus that he thought he owned, Charlie tries to find a sensational act to save the Super-Duper Mammoth Circus.
Synopsis
Just as Charlie learns that the Super-Duper Mammoth Circus is coming to town he gets a telegraph purporting to convey that very circus to Charlie, courtesy of his second-uncle Petronius J. McCarthy’s passing. Excited, Charlie and Mortimer Snerd print off free passes to hand out to kids around town. Everyone is excited and regard Charlie as a hero. Charlie then receives another telegraph: the circus is going to McCarthy Charles – it had been a simple mistake in names. Feeling terrible about losing all his friends, Charlie heads to the circus to see what he can do to get the passes accepted.
The new owner, McCarthy Charles, is beside himself. Business has gone down the tubes and the mortgage is due to Rufus Chiselgrinder. Charlie promises to find a new and sensational act in exchange for his friends being allowed into the circus when it rolls through town. The deal is agreed to and Charlie begins his search. Right in the circus Charlie finds a talking elephant named Packy. Packy is not an option because he is already written off by the public as a fake act, but Packy knows a ton of acts waiting to be discovered.
The first act is a troupe of cats called the Flying Felines. The performance is amazing and Charlie decides to ask a man on the street if he thinks the act is worthy of a circus. The man is Rufus Chiselgrinder and he immediately denies the spectacularity of the act.
The next act is a professor that can play the violin while riding a very tall unicycle. The professor refuses due to being offended at the prospect of working for a circus and not with a great symphony orchestra.
Next, Packy takes the boys to an act called Amazo that entails a horse roller-skating, figure skating, and leaping obstacles. The act is learned to be a fake – two men wear the costume and perform the feats.
The last chance involves a man named the Great Ravioli, a legendary high dive performer. The man tries to pawn off the act onto Mortimer. Recognizing the danger of the act, the boys leave the Great Ravioli.
One the way back to the circus, Mortimer asks to stop by his house to feed his cow. Charlie agrees and is astounded to see Bessie eating ice cubes. Mortimer explains that she gives ice cream when he feeds her so. She can also traipse around on a tight rope. Charlie is ecstatic. Having found the act, he takes Bessie to the circus and she is an instant hit.
McCarthy Charles pays off his mortgage and offers Charlie a job in handing out free tickets to all the children in towns the circus visits. Doing so ensures that parents buy tickets for themselves to as to keep an eye on their kids. Mortimer is also hired as Bessie’s manager.
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