Kitabı oku: «Leo the Circus Boy: or, Life under the great white canvas», sayfa 6

CHAPTER XX. – ANOTHER STOP ON THE ROAD

In vain Jack Darrow protested against the proceedings. He was lifted into the carriage without ceremony, and the horses’ heads were turned back along the road to where a bridge crossed the brook.

The stable reached, Leo and Carl went upstairs. The loft was filled with loose hay.

“I’ll pitch it over with this fork,” said Carl, and took up the implement he had mentioned.

He had proceeded but a short distance into the hay when one of Leo’s valises came to light. His own followed, and soon all their baggage was recovered.

“Well?” called the tavern-keeper from below.

“We have it,” replied the young gymnast.

“Good enough. This fellow is good for a term in the State prison.”

At this Darrow began to whine and beg. But Mr. Cook was obdurate and told him to shut up.

As soon as the two performers came below again the party drove off for the squire’s office, situated over the general store and post office. Here a formal complaint was lodged by Mr. Cook, and Jack Darrow was locked up to await the sitting of the grand jury at the county seat.

“He’ll be indicted – I’ll see to it myself,” said the tavern-keeper, as he and our heroes drove back to Charlotting.

Leo and Carl were anxious to get to the place where they were to perform that night, and as it was some distance out Mr. Cook drove them directly to the spot – a fine country seat, at which a party of over forty were stopping.

A round of applause greeted their appearance in the drawing-room some time later. The drawing-room opened into a conservatory, and the latter was used by the pair for a stage.

As usual, Leo was the first to appear, doing a number of feats which were watched with close attention. As the space was limited he did not confine himself to acrobatics but, in addition, performed several tricks with fire which Carl had taught him.

Among other things he did was to stuff his mouth with burning cotton.

“He’ll burn himself up!” cried several, but Leo only smiled. His mouth had been washed with a strong solution of alum, and was to a certain degree fireproof. Of course, he had to be very careful in doing the fire tricks, for at the best such tricks are highly dangerous.

“I will next swallow a red-hot knife,” he announced, and brought in an iron blade, heated to a red heat. He faced the audience sideways, and it looked as if the knife slid down into his open mouth, which was thrown back, but in reality it slipped close to the outside of his mouth, on the side from the spectators, and into a sheath inside his collar, placed there to receive it. As the knife disappeared, the sheath followed, and he faced the audience to show that all was fair and square.

This concluded Leo’s single act, and then Carl came on. After giving a number of the tricks previously mentioned, he came forward smilingly.

“I have in my hand a box given me by the Prince of Wales,” he said, holding up an oblong object four inches wide by four high and eight inches long. “This box, the prince insisted, was the most wonderful box he had ever possessed. See; I open the box, and find it contains nothing but an empty sliding drawer. Will somebody be kind enough to put a quarter into the box?”

He held the open drawer out, and a young lady threw a piece of silver into it. Then Carl shut the box up and blew upon it. When he opened the box again the silver was gone!

The company applauded, while the young lady looked glum. Carl smiled upon her.

“Never mind; we’ll try to get the silver back,” he said, and struck the box on the bottom. Then he opened the drawer, and out tumbled the coin into the lady’s lap.

“Good! good! Very neat!”

Carl turned around to put the box on the table. Leaving it there, he came forward again.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen,” he began, when of a sudden the box on the table began to dance, finally dancing to the floor.

“Well, I declare!” cried the young magician. “Something has surely gotten into that box. And yet we left it empty, did we not?”

There was a nod from the young lady, who had looked into the box when the coin came out.

Holding the box before him, Carl gave the knob to the drawer a jerk, out it came, and a shower of small candies flew all over the audience. Some fell into the young lady’s lap, and all present sent up a shout of laughter, in the midst of which Carl temporarily withdrew.

Now, no doubt our young readers are, as usual, anxious to know how it was all done. The explanation is simple.

The box was not exactly what it appeared to be. Instead of having one drawer it had two, one that worked inside of the other. The outside drawer was a mere shell, without a back, to allow the inner box to slide back and forth within it. There was a little spring outside at the end which held the inner drawer when desired.

When the box was opened first the coin was placed in the second or inner drawer. When it was opened again the second drawer was held back by the catch, and out came the shell, or empty drawer. The third time the second drawer came with the coin, as described.

After the young ladies and the others had seen the box was empty Carl turned toward the table, and while so doing slyly poured the candy from his bosom into the open box, and after closing the article stuck a bent pin into one corner to which was attached a long, black horsehair, the other end of the horsehair being pinned to his leg.

As he began to talk, he pulled in jerks on the horsehair, which caused the box to dance and fall. Then bringing it forward he opened it and released a spring that held the bottom, thus causing the candy to fly in all directions. When he retired the horsehair was removed, and he prepared for his next trick.

Carl now came out in a new rôle – that of a mesmerist, and after drawing the curtains over the door for an instant, requested the company to draw around, that they might get a good view of the top of the table which was covered with a smooth cloth which reached to the floor.

“You have all played tiddle-de-winks and such games,” he said. “I have my own way of playing them. See, I place three circles on the table, and also this shining bit of metal – my mascot, I call it. I name the circles 1, 2, and 3. Now, will somebody kindly designate a circle to which the bit of metal shall pass!”

“To circle No. 2,” said an interested boy.

“Advance, and do as bidden!” cried Carl, making some passes at the metal, and slowly but surely the piece moved across the table until it reached the center of the circle, where it stopped.

“Again?” said Carl impressively.

“To circle 3,” said a lady.

Slowly but surely the mesmerized metal turned in the direction. Then circle 1 was called out, and the others again. Wherever commanded the metal went.

“And now who will keep the mascot for a keepsake?” cried Carl.

The little girl of the house spoke first, and as she was sitting close to the table the metal moved to the edge and fell into her lap.

CHAPTER XXI. – AN UNEXPECTED BATH

Soon after this the young performers brought their performance to a close.

But the last trick – how was it performed? we hear some of our readers say.

It was very simple. When the curtains were closed Leo came forward and concealed himself under the table. He had a powerful magnet, and wherever he pushed the magnet under the table the bit of metal on top of the table was sure to follow.

Leo knew where the circles were to be placed, and made his movements accordingly. A swift motion at the finish dropped the metal into the little girl’s lap.

“I would like to see you,” said a gentleman at the close of the engagement. “I belong across the river about ten miles north of here. The folks are going to give a sociable, as we call it. I will give you twenty dollars if you can give us a first-class entertainment to last two hours.”

“We’ll try to suit you,” said the young gymnast, and the engagement was duly entered on a passbook he had purchased.

“We are getting famous!” cried Carl, when the mansion was left behind. “We are making money faster than we ever did with Nathan Wampole’s combination.”

“The trouble is, these snaps may not last, Carl. By the way, I wonder if Wampole will really succeed in getting our people together again.”

“He won’t get me. I am done with him.”

“So am I.”

The two partners, as they now called themselves, slept soundly that night and did not get up until late. Their hotel bill paid, they found themselves eight dollars and a half ahead.

“We’ll have to open a bank account soon,” laughed Carl. “We’ll be waylaid for our wealth.”

“Wait awhile, my boy, wait awhile,” sang out Leo. “But tell me, how do we get over to Point Snoker?”

Mr. Cook was appealed to, and told them to take the road to the river.

“You’ll come to Jack Hazlett’s landing, and he’ll ferry you across in his sloop. We haven’t got any regular ferry on the river closer than the town of Perryskill.”

A colored man suggested that they let him wheel their baggage in his barrow for a quarter, and they accepted the offer, and the start was made immediately after breakfast.

On the way Carl had considerable fun with the colored man. He played a number of clever tricks on that individual, and when the river was reached conjured a quarter from his coat-sleeve, and pretended to wring the money from the old fellow’s nose.

“Here’s your quarter, uncle.”

“Fo’ de law’s sake, chile!” cried the darkey, and his eyes rolled around in intense surprise.

“Easy way to get the money, uncle.”

“Yo’ must be in wid de ole boy hisself,” was the darkey’s comment. “Much obliged.”

And off he went with a side glance at Carl, as if half-expecting the young juggler might conjure the quarter from the pocket in which he had placed it.

Leo and Carl found that Jack Hazlett was out on the river, but would soon return. They sat down and waited. While doing so they noticed a large steamboat coming up the river, crowded with people.

“An excursion of some sort,” said Carl. “See the flags flying.”

“They are going to land up at yonder island,” said Leo. “See, they are turning into the landing.”

While the steamboat was discharging its passengers, Jack Hazlett returned and took them on board. The passage across the river took them close to the steamboat.

“She seems to be an old ferryboat fixed up,” observed the young gymnast as they came up. “See, several people have remained on board.”

“What is the matter with that young girl!” cried Carl, pointing to a young lady hanging over the rail. “Can she be seasick?”

“There she goes!” yelled Leo. “My gracious!”

With a loud splash the young lady had dropped over the rail into the river!

“She’ll be drowned!”

“My daughter! Save her! She has a fit!” suddenly cried an old man, rushing from his seat in the shade.

“A fit – that accounts for it,” said Leo. “I’ll save her!”

In another moment he was on the boat’s rail – the next he was over the side. He struck out boldly.

“Take care – she may fight you if she has a fit!” called his partner.

Soon Leo reached the girl’s side. She was about to sink when he came to her support. She lay like one dead.

“I guess the fit’s gone,” he thought, when suddenly she gave a frightful scream and began to tear at his face like an enraged tigress!

It was a position he had not bargained for, and what to do the young gymnast did not know.

“Look out for her!” yelled Carl, as the girl in the water began her attack.

“Keep quiet, please!” gasped Leo to his charge. “I will take you to the boat.”

But the girl paid no attention. Her eyes rolled horribly, and she continued to clutch at his throat.

Realizing that something must be done, the young gymnast resolved to duck the girl. He did so, and when she came up again she lay as limp as before. Ere she could recover he struck out for the boat.

Carl and Jack Hazlett were waiting for him, and quickly assisted him on board. Here the girl dropped upon the deck unconscious.

“My gracious, that’s the worst experience I ever had in my life!” panted Leo, as soon as he could speak. “I thought she was going to chew me up!”

“She’s got fits the worst way,” put in the boatman. “I’ll take her back to that steamboat.”

This was done. The girl’s father was anxiously awaiting their arrival, and, taking his daughter in his arms, he carried her into the cabin, where a stewardess waited upon her.

“I had her in a hospital,” he explained, “but they discharged her last week as being cured. You are a brave lad to save her.”

Leo smiled faintly.

“Thanks; but I don’t want the job again. Come on, Carl.”

He was about to go aboard the small boat again, when the fond father stopped him. Taking a ten-dollar bill from his pocketbook, he pressed it into the young gymnast’s hand.

“Don’t say you won’t take it,” he said. “You deserve more, but it’s all I have with me.”

And he made the youth keep the amount.

CHAPTER XXII. – WAMPOLE SHOWS HIS HAND

After this adventure the river was soon crossed, and an hour later Leo and Carl found themselves installed at another hotel but a short distance from the mansion at which they were to perform.

While they were taking a stroll through the village, Carl’s eyes were suddenly arrested by a huge poster stuck on the side of a barn.

“Look, Leo, what do you think of that?” he cried.

The poster referred to ran as follows:

Wampole’s Trans-Continental

Specialty Company.

Reorganized!

Better and Brighter than Ever!

See Leo, the Wonderful Clown and Gymnast!

Don’t Miss Carl Ross,

The Greatest Juggler and Magician

The World Has Ever Produced!

30 – Other Artists – 30!

At Pelham’s Hall To-night!

Admission 15 and 25 Cents.

“If that ain’t cheeky!” burst out Leo. “What right has he to advertise us when we are no longer with him?”

“That is what I would like to know,” returned Carl.

“We ought to stop him.”

“We certainly can,” said the young juggler. “He hasn’t any more right to use our names than the president’s.”

“What shall we do?”

“I wonder where we can find him?”

“Most likely at Pelham’s Hall, wherever that is.”

The two made inquiries and soon located the hall, which was situated over the general store.

Going upstairs, they met a tough-looking individual coming down.

It was Bill Gormley, one of the Wampole Company.

He was put down on the bills as Ricardo, the Great German Impersonator. He could do one or two things fairly well, but the majority of his acts were decidedly poor. More than that, he was a heavy drinker, and had on several occasions appeared on the stage when he could hardly stand.

“Hullo, Ross!” he called out. “Hullo, Dunbar! so you’ve decided to rejoin, eh?”

“Hardly,” replied Carl. “Where is Wampole?”

“Back of the stage. But you ain’t going to join us, you say?”

“We are not,” answered Leo.

“You had better. We are going to make a big thing of the show now.”

“Wampole was always going to do that,” laughed Carl.

They passed up the dingy stairs and into the hall. Nathan Wampole stood on the empty stairs rehearsing a boy of twelve in a funny dialect part.

“That ain’t right!” he roared. “Do it this way! You ain’t worth your salt! Come now, or I’ll crack you with this club!”

“Wampole!” called out the young gymnast.

“Leo! And you, too, Carl! Delighted to see you!” Nathan Wampole’s face took on a smile, and the boy was forgotten. “So you thought you would join us again. I was on the point of sending for you.”

“We are not going to join, and we want to know by what right you are advertising us,” said Carl firmly.

Nathan Wampole’s face instantly took on an ugly look.

“Not going to join eh?” he muttered.

“No.”

“And we demand that you take our names from your bills,” added Leo.

“What! Not much!”

“Then we’ll compel you.”

Nathan Wampole’s face grew white.

“You will not. On the other hand, I’ll compel you to perform in my company. I have your signatures, remember.”

“That old contract doesn’t count – you broke it yourself,” returned Carl.

“It was never broken.” Nathan Wampole smiled maliciously. “I’ve been to a lawyer and he says you must perform with me.”

“The lawyer that said that is a fool,” cried Leo.

“No, he’s not – he’s a smart man. You will perform with me and nowhere else. If you don’t – ”

“If we don’t?” queried Carl.

“If you don’t I’ll have you arrested.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Yes, I can.”

“On what charge, pray?” asked Leo.

“On a charge of breaking up my former company and running off with some of my things,” replied Nathan Wampole, triumphantly. “I’ve got witnesses to prove that you two fellows are thieves.”

Scarcely had he uttered the words when both Leo and Carl leaped forward. Two quick blows landed Nathan Wampole flat on his back.

“You contemptible cur!” cried Carl.

“Take that for calling us thieves!” added the young gymnast.

“Whow!” spluttered Nathan Wampole as he struggled to rise. “Wha – what do you mean by attacking me in this fashion?” he howled.

“What do you mean by insulting us?” said Carl sternly.

“I – I told the tru – ”

“Stop or we’ll give you another dose,” ejaculated Leo. “Now let us come to an understanding, Nathan Wampole. You broke your agreement with us, and that ended our engagement. As to the things we took, we can prove our property. Your talk doesn’t go.”

This plain talk had its effect on Nathan Wampole. He was naturally a coward, and he at once began to cringe.

“Well, I – perhaps I was mistaken, gentlemen, but – ah – really, you ought to join our company. It will be the chance of a lifetime, and – ”

“We won’t waste words with you,” said Carl. “But understand, our names come off your bills. If they don’t, we’ll tear the bills down and have you up in court for false pretense. We are done with you.”

Thus speaking, Carl left, followed by Leo. Walking down the street they tore their names from every bill to be found.

Nathan Wampole followed and expostulated, but in vain. He had to rebill the town, and this time took good care that their names did not appear. Wampole never bothered either of them again.

At the proper time Leo and Carl made their appearance at the mansion where they were to perform. The partners had a new trick which they called “Samson’s Strength.”

“Any one can have the strength of a Samson if he so desires,” said Carl on coming forward. “Please to look at these dumbbells.”

He produced a pair of iron dumbbells each weighing about ten pounds.

“Now, if you will observe, I handle these dumbbells with ease.” He gave them a flourish. “Over they go – high in the air – around and around – easy enough, is it not? Bang!”

Down went the dumbbells on a large, flat stool he had provided.

“Will the strongest man present pick them up?”

A tall, well-formed man came forward and caught hold of one of the dumbbells.

He thought he could lift it with ease.

He was sadly mistaken.

In vain he tugged at the dumbbell. It refused to budge.

“You have fastened it down in some way,” he said.

“Fastened it? Nonsense!” cried Carl, and leaning forward he picked up the dumbbell with only his forefinger and his thumb.

“Try the other dumbbell,” he said.

The man did so, and found it equally hard to raise.

“Why, a little girl can pick them up,” said Carl, and he motioned for a young miss of twelve to come forward. “I will strengthen your arms,” he added, and made several mysterious signs over her wrists.

The little girl took hold of the dumbbells. Sure enough, she raised them without trouble.

This trick was a grand success, and the audience wondered how it was accomplished.

The explanation was simple. Under the stool Carl had a powerful magnet connected with the electric current which served the mansion with lights. By applying this magnet to the dumbbells the attraction was so strong they could not be moved. Leo controlled the current from below the floor, and certain movements which Carl made with his foot told the young gymnast when to turn the attractive force off or on.

CHAPTER XXIII. – THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH ONCE MORE

The performance at the mansion lasted longer than had been anticipated. Many visitors were present and the whole affair was voted a big success.

But, though Leo and Carl both tried, they failed to secure another engagement anywhere in the vicinity.

“Never mind, we can’t expect to earn twelve or twenty dollars every night,” said the young gymnast. “If we did that we would be millionaires in no time.”

When they arrived at the hotel at which they were to stop they found several gentlemen talking about eggs and how Columbus had stood one on end.

“Yes, but he cracked the shell,” said Carl. “I will agree to stand an egg on end without cracking the shell. Wait till I put my traps away.”

He disappeared upstairs, but soon returned.

“I’ll bet a dollar you can’t stand an egg up on end,” said one of the gentlemen, and produced an egg brought from the kitchen.

Carl took it and waved it over his head several times.

“You have to daze the chick inside,” he explained. “Now it will stand up all right.”

He put the egg down on the smooth table. Sure enough, it stood up as nicely as one would please. Then he took the egg up, and, making several passes, handed it to the man.

But the egg wouldn’t stand for the man, try as hard as he could.

“You’ve won the bet.”

“Keep your money; it was only a trick,” smiled Carl.

“And how was it done?”

“Ah, that’s one of our professional secrets,” laughed Carl. “Good-night,” and he and Leo retired.

“How was the trick done?” the reader asks. We will tell them. When Carl went out he procured another egg and put in one end a bit of quicksilver. This egg he substituted for the original egg when he waved the latter in the air. The egg with the quicksilver could, of course, be set on end with ease, for the quicksilver’s weight would balance the other end.

Leaving the town the next day, Leo and Carl struck out for a city five miles away, having heard that it was a good place in which to perform. There was no stage running to the city, so the pair walked the distance. When they reached the outskirts Leo suddenly stopped short and pointed to several billboards fastened to the side of a barn.

“What’s the matter?” asked Carl. “I don’t see anything but circus bills. And the circus won’t be here until the day after to-morrow.”

“It’s the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ – the circus I used to travel with,” said the young acrobat.

“Oh, that’s so. Well, we needn’t come in contact with the crowd, if you don’t care to do so,” said Carl.

For Leo had told his friend the whole story of the stolen circus tickets and Carl sympathized with him over the fact that he was under suspicion.

“If only I could get at the bottom of that affair.” murmured Leo as they walked along one of the city streets.

“Those ticket thieves are sure to be run down some day,” put in Carl, “and then your name will be cleared.”

“They can’t be run down any too quick for me.” answered Leo.

Since leaving the circus he had often thought of Barton Reeve, Natalie Sparks and his other friends. No communications had passed between them for the reason that none of those traveling with the circus knew where Leo was.

In Chalburgh, for such was the city’s name, Leo and Carl were lucky enough to strike an engagement with a fat men’s association. The association gave a picnic in a large grove, and the pair performed on one end of the dancing platform. This engagement brought in eight dollars more, and when they were paid off the head man of the committee asked if they intended to remain in the city long.

“That depends,” said Carl. “We’ll stay if we can find another opening.”

“I might be able to find you an engagement with another society,” said the fat man, who tipped the scales at three hundred and ten pounds. “I can let you know by to-morrow night, if you can wait that long.”

Leo and Carl consulted together, and agreed to remain in Chalburgh, and the fat man took down their hotel address.

So the time went by until the day came when the circus was to perform in the city. Long before daybreak the wagons arrived and also the canvas and ring men. Leo could not resist the temptation to take a walk down to the circus-grounds for a look at the familiar scene.

While he stood there somebody touched him on the shoulder. It was Barton Reeve.

“How are you, Leo,” said the menagerie manager heartily, as he held out his hand.

“I am pretty well, thank you,” replied the young gymnast.

“Where have you been all this time?”

“Knocking around on my own hook,” and Leo smiled faintly. He was glad to see Reeve still considered him a friend.

“I heard you had joined Wampole’s specialty company.”

“I did, but I had to get out,” answered the boy, and told of the theatrical manager’s doings and of how he was now giving private exhibitions with Carl.

“I wish you were back in our show,” said Barton Reeve. “All of us miss you.”

“Has Mr. Lambert discovered the ticket thieves yet?”

“No, but he’s got his eyes on several fellows who are following us around.”

“Is Snipper still with you?”

“Yes. But nobody likes him. Natalie Sparks thinks Snipper may be in with the ticket thieves – that’s between you and me, of course,” added Barton Reeve quickly.

“I have the same kind of an idea, Mr. Reeve. But the thing is to prove it.”

“Of course. Until you can do that you had better remain silent.”

While conversing, the two had been skirting the circus grounds, and now they came to a halt near a lemonade stand. Leo looked up, to see Jack Snipper not over fifty feet away.

“There is Snipper now,” he exclaimed. “Who are those two men with him?”

Barton Reeve gave a look.

“I declare, they are two of the crowd that Lambert has under suspicion,” he ejaculated.

“The three are going somewhere,” said Leo quickly. “If you have the time to spare, let us follow them.”

Barton Reeve looked at Leo, and saw what was passing in the young gymnast’s mind.

“I have the whole morning on my hands and will go willingly,” he replied.

They set off side by side, taking care that Snipper should not notice them.

A half dozen blocks were covered, and the old gymnast and his two companions turned into a low-looking drinking resort.

Passing the place, Leo and Barton Reeve saw the men take a drink and then walk into a back room.

At once Leo led the way through a side yard belonging to the drinking resort.

Here was a window opening into the back room, and standing close to this the two could hear and see all that was going on.

The men were counting over several bags of money.

This finished, one of them brought out several bundles of unsold tickets.

“When can you get more for us, Snipper?” asked one of the circus swindlers.

“I don’t know. They have discovered this loss already,” replied the second-rate gymnast.

“Didn’t you put it off on the boy, as you said you would?”

“Certainly. But they think the boy is too good to steal,” growled Snipper.

Then one of the other men began to figure up profits and mentioned how the money was to be divided.

“Hurry up,” said Snipper. “I don’t want to stay away too long. It might excite suspicion.”

At this Barton Reeve motioned to Leo to walk a distance away.

“Run for a couple of policemen,” he whispered. “I’ll keep an eye on the crowd.”

The young gymnast needed no second bidding, but went off swiftly.

At the first corner he ran across a bluecoat and hurriedly related his story.

At once the policeman rapped for an assistant.

Then the three joined Barton Reeve.

Snipper and the swindlers were just preparing to leave the saloon.

The back window was wide open, and with a bound Barton Reeve leaped into the apartment.

Leo came close behind, and the policemen followed.

Jack Snipper turned as pale as death when he saw how he was trapped.

He started to sneak out through the drinking resort, but Leo caught him and threw him down on the sawdust floor.

Then a struggle took place between the swindlers and Barton Reeve and the policemen.

But at last the swindlers were overcome and handcuffed.

Snipper was also made a prisoner, and the whole crowd marched down to the police station.

The excitement was great at the circus when it was learned that Leo was innocent and Jack Snipper was guilty.

In her joy Natalie Sparks actually hugged Leo, while the boy blushed most furiously.

In due course of time Snipper and the swindlers were tried, and each was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.