The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair Part 24

"You boys had better go to supper now, an' get back before dark, for there's no knowin' but that some of those fellows who called on me may be waiting to take their revenge out on you."

"How did you get rid of them?" Dan asked.

"That part of it was as easy as rollin' off a log, after you boys were out of sight. I let 'em in one at a time, an' the chumps never tumbled to the fact that you had gone under the canvas. They came to the conclusion you must have climbed over the fence, an' we didn't take the trouble to show them the mistake. It was a close shave, though. At one time, when I was talkin' so loud about stealing, I thought we'd have the toughest kind of a row."

"Is the money all right?"

"It's jest where I left it, an' won't be touched till he comes to claim it, unless you boys want to take charge of the property."

"Indeed we don't," Teddy replied, quickly. "I've had all I want of such caretaking."

"Then go to supper, an' hurry back."

The boys waited only long enough to stow their goods in the wagon, and then Mr. Sweet's advice was acted upon.

As a matter of course Tim wanted to know what the proprietor of the museum had been talking about, and as they were walking across the grounds Teddy told the whole story, concluding by saying:

"It was a little the worst sc.r.a.pe I ever got into; but after the money had been placed in our hands, and the man who left it went off, we couldn't do different from what we did."

"That Hazelton had no business to get you into such a row," Tim replied, indignantly. "Why didn't he hang on to the stuff, an' take his lickin'

like a man?"

"I don't think he knew it was to be given to us. The fellow who did it had seen him leave the satchel with us once, most likely, an' when there was danger of being robbed, believed we could look out for it again.

It's the last time such a thing will happen, for I'm going to tell Hazelton that I don't want to be mixed up in his business."

At this point Dan changed the subject of conversation by speculating upon the way in which Sam met his death, and this topic was such a mournful one that nothing else was thought of until the party returned to the tent once more.

Then came the question of how much money had been taken in during the day, and after figuring up the amount he had spent, Teddy reckoned the cash on hand, announcing the result as follows:

"Countin' what I paid out, we've taken sixty-one dollars an' seventy cents since morning. It don't seem reasonable, but a feller has to believe it after seein' the money."

"You'll have a much better trade to-morrow, if it is fair, and you're not recognized as one of the boys who helped to get Hazelton's money away," Mr. Sweet said, cheerily. "I predict that the receipts will figure up hard on to a hundred dollars."

Teddy gasped like a person who is suddenly submerged in cold water at the thought of earning so much, and he realized that if such should be the case he would be able to a.s.sist his mother very materially.

"I'll pay you, Tim, before I get so dazzled as to forget it," he said, with a laugh, and the clerk felt almost as rich as his employer when he received six dollars and seventeen cents for a day's labor which came very near being sport.

"I only wish the fair held on for six months," he said gleefully. "It seems too bad that there are only two days more, for Sat.u.r.day never counts."

"You can go to the Holtown fair, and try it for yourself. I'll give you what stock we have left on hand."

"Then I'll do it," Tim replied, emphatically, and straightway he began to speculate as to the enormous amount of money he would earn.

Teddy tied his money in as compact a package as possible, intending to give it to his mother when she should arrive on the morrow, and Mr.

Sweet had advised that all hands "turn in" early, when the flap was raised, admitting a man who appeared to be covered with adhesive plaster and bandages.

Not until the newcomer had approached within the circle of light cast by the lantern did the occupants of the tent recognize him as the jewelry fakir, and Teddy cried in surprise:

"Why, Mr. Hazelton! We didn't expect to see you to-night!"

"Did you think I was dead?"

"It looked as if you would be killed for a certainty, and you did get pretty well done up."

"Yes; as the reports of the prize fights put it, 'I'm badly disfigured, but still in the ring.' Was the money taken away all right?"

"Mr. Sweet has hidden it."

"And how did you come out of the sc.r.a.pe?"

"If it hadn't been for the folks here we should have fared about the same as you did."

"I'm sorry, my boy, that you were dragged into the matter, and it wouldn't have happened if I'd understood what Kelly was going to do. He knew you could be trusted, and so turned it over; but it was a mean situation to put you in."

"It wasn't pleasant for any of us," Mr. Sweet said; "but you can thank the boys for hanging on to the bag as if it had been their own. Most fellows of their age would have dropped it long before reaching here.

How did you get off?"

"When the cry was raised that the money had gone the greater portion of the crowd started in pursuit, an' my partners and I managed to hold our own until a couple of constables came up. They took charge of the team, and gave us a chance to slip through the gates."

"What are you going to do now? Try it to-morrow?"

"With this face? Well, I should say not. There is a fellow here who has bought my right to the privilege, and I shall leave Peach Bottom early in the morning."

"That's about the best thing you can do, and I'd advise that you don't spend much time out of doors until then."

"I'm not intending to. It was necessary to come here, and, unless you object, I'll stay a while so's they will have time to sober up a bit."

"You're welcome to what we've got, even if I don't like your way of doing business."

"I want to straighten matters with the boys, and if they----"

Hazelton did not finish the sentence, for at that moment the canvas flap was pushed aside and a man entered with an unmistakable air of authority.

"Hold on there, friend," Mr. Sweet shouted. "We don't allow visitors at this time of night."

"I understand that, but reckon you won't make any very big kick when I tell you that I'm one of the deputy sheriffs of this county, and have come to serve a warrant."

"On whom?"

"Frank Hazelton, who claims to be an agent for a firm of jewelry manufacturers. I believe you're the man," he added, approaching the disfigured fakir.

"You've got that part of it straight enough, but what am I to be arrested for?"

"You are suspected of being concerned in the burglary which was committed in this town last night."

Hazelton did not express nearly as much surprise as the boys, who were really dazed by the announcement.

"So Hargreaves has finally succeeded," the fakir said half to himself, and the officer replied, quickly: