The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair Part 25

"This has nothing to do with old Nathan's affair, although it does look as if the two burglaries were committed by the same person."

Hazelton remained silent several seconds, during which time the sheriff waited patiently for him to say he was ready to go, and then he asked:

"Can I speak to one of these boys in private. It has nothing to do with the charge, but I want him to aid me in getting a good lawyer."

"I am sorry to say I must hear all that is talked about, however trifling it may be."

"Well, I don't suppose it can make much difference," and without rising from his seat, Hazelton continued, "Teddy, you believe I had nothing to do with this thing?"

"I can tell what I heard those----"

"Don't tell anything yet a while; at least, not now. I want you to do this for me: After the fair closes go to that merchant who was so kind to you, and explain to him the whole affair, including your suspicions.

Ask him to direct you to the best attorney in the county; get all the money from Mr. Sweet that may be needed, and pay the lawyer's fee. Send him to me as soon afterward as possible. It is nothing more serious than lying in jail a few days, and that won't be such a great hards.h.i.+p, now I've got this face on me."

"Shall I----"

"There is no need of saying anything more," Hazelton interrupted, fearing the boy was about to speak of the money the proprietor of the museum had hidden. "The merchant will understand and advise if you tell him everything--that is, I think he will; but in case he refuses, talk with some one else whom you can trust."

As he finished speaking the fakir arose to his feet, motioned to the officer, and walked directly out of the tent without so much as bidding the others goodby.

No one spoke until after he had been absent several minutes, and then Teddy asked, with a long-drawn sigh:

"Do you think he will come out all right, Mr. Sweet?"

"That's hard to say, for I don't know how much proof they may have against him. It's his business that has done a great deal toward inducing a magistrate to issue the warrant, for once a man shows himself to be a swindler, anything else can readily be believed of him."

"But what about his money?" Dan asked.

"That is to be handed over to Teddy."

"What have I got to do with it?" the boy asked, in amazement.

"He told us that as plainly as he dared to talk before the officer, and we'll count it out, after which his stock in trade shall be buried, for I want nothing to do with it."

CHAPTER XX.

_A PROPOSITION._

Teddy had the most decided objections to taking charge of Hazelton's money, and for several reasons. In the first place he did not want to have the responsibility, and again, the fact of its being in his possession seemed to make him a partner in the business.

Mr. Sweet was determined, however. He insisted that Hazelton had stated this as plainly as was possible under the circ.u.mstances, and, despite the boy's protests, immediately began the transfer.

"It shall be done in such a way that he can't accuse you of having taken any," the proprietor said, as he pulled the satchel from its hiding-place and broke the lock open with a hatchet. "We'll count it in the presence of all hands, and each one shall give Teddy a written statement of how much was found."

An exclamation of surprise burst from Tim's lips as the receptacle was spread out on the ground, for it appeared to be literally crammed with money.

Mr. Sweet separated the silver from the bank notes, spreading both on the ground where they could be seen by every person present, and then he counted them slowly, taking care that the spectators were following his every movement.

"I make it three hundred an' forty-eight dollars," he announced. "If there's anybody here who ain't sure that's right, say so now."

Each member of the party had seen the amount counted, and agreed with the result as declared by Mr. Sweet, who forthwith wrote the following:

We, the undersigned, have seen a valise belonging to Frank Hazelton broken open, and certify that three hundred and forty-eight dollars, the only money found therein, was handed by Jacob Sweet to Edward Hargreaves in conformance with the orders, as we understood them, from the said Frank Hazelton.

"Now I want every one to sign that," Mr. Sweet said, as he handed his lead-pencil first to the barker, "and then Teddy and I will have some proof of the amount."

It required quite a while for all to conform with the wishes of the proprietor of the museum, owing to the fact that several of the party were far from being skillful penmen, but the task was finally accomplished, and as the money was handed to Teddy, the latter asked, ruefully:

"What shall I do with it? I'm afraid of losing so much."

"That's a risk Hazelton is bound to take. Fasten it in your clothes somehow, an' be sure you don't get into any row where it can be stolen."

By the aid of many pins, and with the a.s.sistance of both Dan and Tim, Teddy finally succeeded in disposing of the money about his person in such a way that it was not an unusual burden, and then Mr. Sweet insisted that all hands should try to get some rest in order to be fresh for the supposedly enormous amount of work to be done on the following day.

Teddy lay down on the ground with the others, but it was many hours before his eyes were closed in slumber. Sam's untimely death, the guardians.h.i.+p of so much money, and his own business affairs all served to keep his eyes open until nearly midnight, when he fell into a sleep so troubled by frightful dreams that it was far from being restful.

It seemed as if he had but just lost consciousness when Mr. Sweet aroused him with the information that the "big" day of the fair was breaking.

"Turn out an' get your breakfast before sunrise, for on this morning the early bird will pick up many a penny while the lazy ones are yet in bed, an' fakirs must make hay when the sun s.h.i.+nes."

Teddy was on his feet in an instant, and half an hour later, having broken his fast, he was at the booth with his clerk and Dan, the latter volunteering his a.s.sistance until the exhibition buildings should be opened.

The proprietor of the museum had advised him well; the receipts of the cane and knife boards were nearly five dollars before more than half of the booths were in condition for trade, because the trains were running unusually early in order to accommodate the crowds, and when Dan felt obliged to leave, business was so good that the proprietor, clerk, and a.s.sistant were all working industriously.

"If I can get off I'll see you about noon," Dan said, as he walked away, and Teddy replied:

"Be sure to come, for mother will be here, and I want you to meet her."

From that time until nine o'clock the crowd increased in numbers, and as Teddy said during a lull in business, "it seemed as if the grounds were so full that no more could get in."

When Mrs. Hargreaves arrived her son could pay little attention to her, but he proposed that she should amuse herself by looking at the different exhibits until nearly noon, when he stated that he would take an hour off, no matter how great a rush of customers might be around his booth.

"I earned sixty dollars yesterday, an' before night I'll have a hundred more, so there's little doubt that this week's work as a fakir will enable me to pay all you owe on the house," he whispered, triumphantly, and his mother walked away, hardly daring to believe what Teddy had told her.

During the next hour it seemed as if a steady stream of money was flowing into the box, and Teddy was feeling confident that Mr. Sweet's prediction would prove to be correct, when the one especial man he wanted to see came up with a folded paper in his hand.

It was the merchant from Waterville, and he said, as he handed the doc.u.ment to the boy:

"Here is the receipted bill, and I am more than glad to see you doing so well."

"Can I talk with you for five minutes?" Teddy asked, hardly noticing the paper as he put it in his pocket.

"As long as you want to. What is the matter? Running out of stock?"