The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

by Charles King

  CHAPTER VII.

  _THE CLERK._

  When Teddy recovered from the vicious blow which had rendered himunconscious he saw Dan lying on the ground beside him, but no one elsewas near.

  It was as if they had been fighting with phantoms of the brain, save forthe fact that both bore the most indisputable signs of having beenassaulted by beings of true flesh and blood.

  One of Dan's eyes was closed as if by a violent blow, and Teddy bledfreely from the ear, the crimson fluid telling eloquently of the exactlocation of that superior force which had caused so many stars to dancebefore his mental vision.

  "We got through with that part of it mighty quick," Dan said, ruefully,as he rose to his feet. "There wasn't anything slow about the way theystruck out after we made fools of ourselves by running into them, eh?"

  "I don't understand how it all happened. It wasn't more than threeseconds from the time I first saw them before there was a regular setof fireworks dancing in front of my eyes."

  "It so happens that they saw us first," Dan replied, as he rubbed hishead. "Those men were the thieves, and what I said showed them that wewere on the scent."

  "Where are they now?"

  "You'll have to ask that question of someone else," Dan said, with agrimace of pain. "The last thing I know was when the tall fellow landedone square on my nose, and before I recovered both were out of sight. Wehave done harm rather than good, for now they know we overheard theconversation, an' we'll be mighty lucky if this is all we get before thefair comes to an end."

  "Suppose we tell the police now?"

  "What can you say to them? We heard those men talking about somethingwhich may have had nothing to do with the robbery, and want to have themarrested. On what grounds will we ask for a warrant? Besides, if NathanHargreaves was my uncle, I would let him fight his own battles."

  "But I owe him eighteen dollars."

  "What of that? He wouldn't take a penny off if you got your head brokewhile trying to find his money, and after all that has happened I thinkwe have good reason to let him severely alone."

  "I'm willing to go back to the tent," Teddy said, as he began to feelfaint, and Dan aided him during the short walk, both staggering as theycame through the flap, meeting their host near the entrance, who asked,sharply:

  "What has been going on? I counted on helping a party of boys, ratherthan giving my tent up to a lot of roughs, as you appear to be."

  In the fewest possible words Dan explained what had happened, and inaddition told all the story of Teddy's losing his money, together withthe accusation made by Uncle Nathan.

  "I'm sorry I said a word," and the proprietor of the museum did reallyappear to be grieved. "It makes no difference whether you got a whippingor not, the guilty parties are here, and you can count on my help inturning them up."

  "That's what I'm afraid we sha'n't be able to do," Teddy replied; "wetried our best to-night, and got the worst of it."

  "There is plenty of time between now and Saturday. I'll do all any mancan, an' it'll be strange if we don't get some proof before the faircloses."

  "How did you know we were out?" Dan asked.

  "I saw you go, and there was no reason why I should kick; but I began tobe afraid you were up to something crooked. Now I know the whole story,I'll do my best to help you out of the scrape. Go to sleep, and we'lltalk the whole matter over in the morning."

  This was good advice, but not easily followed. Both the boys began tofeel the effects of the blows received from the thieves, and the painresulting therefrom was not conducive to repose.

  They did manage to close their eyes in slumber now and then, however,and when the day broke Mr. Sweet, the proprietor of the museum, wasstanding ready to minister to their necessities.

  "You haven't got exactly the right kind of faces to bring very bigbusiness," he said, cheerily; "but I reckon we can make a change in thegeneral appearance. Use this plentifully as a bath, and before businessopens you'll be respectable members of society."

  It was certainly necessary for them to do something toward improvingtheir appearance. Teddy's ear was swollen to nearly twice its naturalsize, and Dan had an eye which was rapidly blackening.

  Thanks to the application provided by the owner of the museum, theseevidences of a fight were rapidly reduced, and when Sam awoke theylooked little the worse for wear, although he readily discovered thatsomething serious had happened while he was wrapped in slumber.

  "What has been goin' on?" he asked, suspiciously.

  "Nothing much," Dan replied, with a forced laugh. "The goat walked overus, and we're kinder used up, that's all. Are you ready to go tobreakfast?"

  It was evident that Sam did not believe this explanation, but since hesaid nothing more about it, the two actors in the previous night'sadventures held their peace; therefore it would not be in his power tobetray any secrets.

  Breakfast was eaten at an early hour, and the young fakirs returned tothe grounds in time for Teddy to meet the first visitors.

  Under Dan's instructions he continued to cry out:

  "Here's where you can get a cane or a knife for nothing! Three rings forfive cents, and every time you throw it over the mark you get what youring! Three for five, and every cane or knife you ring is yours!"

  It was yet too early for the exhibits to be opened, therefore Teddy hadthe assistance of his friends in reclaiming the rings thrown, and afternearly four dollars had been taken in with a loss only of a ten centcane, the amateur fakir began to understand that it would be necessaryfor him to have a clerk.

  "You're bound to do a good business this week," Dan said, at about eighto'clock. "Sam and I must go now to attend to our own work, an' if yousee some fellow who can be trusted, I advise you to hire him, orthere'll be considerable trade lost, for when these people want to spendtheir money they won't wait for you to hunt up assistants."

  "Yes, I reckon there's more'n a thousand who are jest aching to see howI can row in one of them dandy boats," Master Sam added; "but if you getinto any kind of a scrape, an' don't know how to get out, come to me.I'll see you through, no matter how good business is."

  These two friends and advisers had hardly left him when a particularchum from the Run came up, and knowing he could be trusted, Teddyimmediately made a trade for his services.

  Tim Jones accepted the offer of ten cents on each dollar which might betaken in, and straightway engaged himself as Teddy's clerk, promisingfaithfully to account for every penny he should receive.

  "I know you are honest," the proprietor of the board said to his friend,"and I want you to help me on the square, so I'm willing to give a fairprice, for I may have to be away a good deal of the time."

  "You mean that Nathan Hargreaves is goin' to have you arrested?"

  "Why do you say that?"

  "Because he's tellin' around town at the Run that you know who robbedhis store, an' says he'll have a warrant out, if he has to go toWaterville for it."

  "That is where he's making a great big mistake, Tim; but if he should doanything of the kind I expect you to do your best here," and Teddy spokevery solemnly, for he really believed his uncle would succeed in havinghim arrested. "I don't know positively who broke into his store; but Danan' I heard enough last night to make us believe we can find the thievesif we have time to work it out."

  "I'd let him hustle to get the stuff, if it was my pudding," Tim repliedwith emphasis, and then as a party of young fellows bent on spendingmoney approached the board he began to cry, as lustily as might havebeen expected from any old fakir:

  "Here's where you get 'em, three rings for a nickel, and every cane orknife you ring is yours; all for the small sum of five cents!"

  Convinced that he had a capable clerk, who was willing to work hard inorder to earn an additional percentage, Teddy contented himself withmaking change for the rush of customers, which continued unabated untilnearly ten o'clock and then came a lull, when he was able to watch theother fakirs around him.

  Up to this point busine
ss had continued in the most promising manner,and if it held out as well there would be no difficulty in his payingall the money he owed, even although there might be no very largeprofit.

  "I only want to get out square," he said to himself, while nursing hisinjured ear; but this experience led him to believe it was possible todo very much toward helping his mother, and already had he begun todream of large returns, despite the fifteen dollars out of which he hadbeen swindled.

  It was just when his customers had gone to other parts of the ground,and after Teddy had figured up the amount of money taken in, showingthat there was nearly eight dollars in the treasury with an offset onlyof one twenty-cent knife and two ten-cent canes lost, that the youngfakir saw Hazelton standing some distance away beckoning to him.

  "Look out sharp for things, Tim," he cried, as he vaulted over therailing and ran to the side of the man whom he believed to be a friend.

  "Did anything happen last night?" the latter asked.

  Teddy told him the whole story, keeping back not one incident.

  "I heard quite so much in the hotel where I board. It is Long Jim andhis partner who have done the job of which both you and I are accused.As for your uncle, he isn't worth a minute's thought; but I'm going toget to work, an' what he says may go against me, so you and I must turnthose fellows up if we can."

  "Ain't your business honest?" Teddy asked, in surprise.

  "Well, when we come right down to dots, I don't suppose it is. Watch mewhen I leave here, and you'll have a chance to judge for yourself. Imay want to leave my satchel with you for a while, and I reckon you'rewilling to take care of it?"

  "Of course I am. I'll do anything you ask."

  "Better wait and see the game first, but don't forget that we've got toturn up the two men who whipped you and your friend last night, or standthe chance of being hauled up for the robbery ourselves."

  "Did you say anything to Uncle Nathan to make him think you would breakinto his store?"

  "No; I only played him for a jay, as you shall see me do with two orthree hundred of these smart fellows here, and he jumped down on mebecause there was no one else on whom to fasten the crime. I've got togo, now. Don't forget to hurry back to your cane-board when you see I'mgetting through with my first stand, for I want to leave my stuff withsomebody whom I can trust."