CHAPTER XVII
EAVESDROPPERS!
"Look out!"
"There he is!"
"Grab him!"
Phil had bounded to his feet, realizing that he could no longerconceal himself from them. As he did so, both men sprang towardhim, the Circus Boy eluding them by a leap to one side.
The men made a rush for him. At first Phil was inclined to standhis ground and give battle, but he reasoned that, being two toone, the chances were against him and that even if he were notcaptured, he might sustain injuries that would keep him out ofthe ring.
That was the deciding factor with Phil Forrest. Although hewould have preferred facing his enemies, he whirled insteadand started on a run, with both men pursuing him at top speed.
"He's out-running us. He'll get away!" cried one of the men."Run, run! Run for all you're worth!"
But they might as well have spared their effort. Phil was fleetof foot, and after getting a slight lead over them he turnedsharply to his right, leaped a fence and lay down.
The men quickly discovered that they had lost their prey.Then they became alarmed.
"Get out of here, quick! He will be following us!"
The men turned and ran swiftly in an opposite direction.
"Do you think he recognized us?"
"I don't know. We can tell by the way he acts when we get back;that is if he doesn't follow us now. We had better separate andgo back to the lot. From there we can go along with the wagonsand not be noticed. Don't let him bluff you."
"Have no fear for me."
The plotters separated and cautiously made their way back to thelot where they were soon lost among the crowd of men at worktaking down the tent.
"I believe one of those two men was Diaz," declared Phil,as he once more tried to place the voice that he had seemedto recognize. "They have given me the slip, too. I know whatI'll do. I will hurry back to the boat and when Diaz returnsI will face him and make him betray himself if I can. I shallhave him then."
Having decided on his course of action, Phil struck off at a trotacross the field. He soon reached a back street of the village,and from there ran at full speed to the docks.
All was activity here. The lad cast a quick glance about, thoughhe did not expect to find the man for whom he was looking.Without pausing in his rapid gait he ran up the companionway tothe upper deck, where he intended to watch at the rail for thearrival of Diaz from the lot.
As he leaned over the rail he felt someone stir near him.Glancing up quickly, the Circus Boy started almost guiltily.There, beside him, sat Diaz on a camp stool with his feet on thesteamer's rail, calmly watching the loading operations on thedeck below.
"Good evening, Mr. Diaz," said Phil quickly recoveringhis self-possession.
Diaz uttered an unintelligible grunt, but did not deign to turnhis head.
"Hey, Phil, is that you?" called the voice of Teddy from furtherdown the deck.
"Yes," answered Phil, rising and moving aft. "How long have youbeen here?"
"About an hour."
"Do you know who is sitting over there?"
"Over where?"
"There by the rail?"
"Sure, I know. That's our old friend Diaz," grinned Teddy.
"How long has he been there?"
"He came in when I did.""An hour ago?"
"Yes."
Phil was perplexed.
"I do not understand it at all."
"Don't understand what?"
"Something that occurred this evening."
Teddy's curiosity was aroused.
"What is it all about, Phil?"
"I should prefer not to talk about it here, Teddy. I will tellyou after we get to bed and there is no one about to overhear us.There is a rascally plot on foot."
"A plot?"
"Yes. I know very little about it, but I know enough to warn methat you and I will have to keep our eyes open or else we shallfind ourselves in serious difficulties before we realize it."
"Is that so? Tell me who the plotters are, and I'll turn Januaryloose on them," explained Teddy. "Do you think they are thefellows who stole my egg?"
"I don't know. Where is Mr. Sparling?"
"I haven't seen him since I ran into him and bowled him over offon the lot."
Phil laughed.
"As I have said many times before, you are hopeless, Teddy.I must go now. If you see Mr. Sparling, please let me know,but say nothing to anyone about what I have just told you."
"I won't."
Phil walked back to the point on the deck where he had firststopped to look over the rail, and, drawing up a stool sat down.He began studying the faces of the belated performers who camestraggling down to the dock, singly and in pairs. None seemedto be in a hurry; not a face appeared to reflect any excitement.After an hour of this Phil felt sure that all the company hadbeen accounted for.
Mr. Sparling had arrived about twenty minutes earlier, and wasstanding on the dock giving orders. As the lad saw the ownerenter the boat he turned away and hurried downstairs.
"When you are at liberty, I should like a few momentsconversation with you, sir," announced Phil.
"I am at liberty, now, my lad," answered the showman with a smileand a friendly slap on the boy's shoulder.
"I would rather not talk here, Mr. Sparling," answered Phil in alow tone.
"Something doing, eh?"
"There is."
"Is it important that you should talk with me at once, or will alittle later on answer the purpose?"
"Later on will do. It is not so urgent as that."
"When the men get these menagerie cages all shifted on deck Iwill meet you in my cabin. That will be in about twentyminutes, Phil."
"Very well, sir; I will be on hand."
Phil walked away, watched the loading operations for a fewminutes, then strolled to the main cabin on the upper deck,where lunch was being served as usual.
The Circus Boy appeared more light-hearted than usual thatevening, as he chatted and joked with his friends amongthe performers. He did not wish the man or men whom he hadoverheard off on the lot to know that he was the eavesdropper.He felt that he could make better progress in his investigationwere they not on their guard.
The pilot, Cummings, was not in the cabin. He had not beenseen there since his trouble with Teddy. Despite the pilot'sdetermination to resign, he was still on duty, he andMr. Sparling having come to a satisfactory understanding.
Teddy was helping himself liberally for the second time since hisreturn from the lot.
"Do you think you will ever be able to satisfy that appetiteof yours?" laughed Phil.
"I hope not," answered Teddy solemnly. "That's the only fun inlife--that and the donkey."
Just then Mr. Sparling passed through the cabin on the way to hisstateroom and office. He gave Phil a significant glance, towhich the Circus Boy did not respond. A few minutes later,however, Phil strolled out to the deck. Reaching it he turnedquickly and hurried aft, entering the passageway there and goingdirectly to Mr. Sparling's quarters.
"Come in," invited the owner in response to Phil's gentle rap.
The blinds had been drawn up, though the windows were letdown into their casings out of sight. Phil noted this ina quick glance.
"Sit down and tell me what has happened, Phil. I am sure youhave made some sort of discovery."
"I have and I haven't."
"What do you mean?"
"That I am deeper in the mire than ever."
"Tell me about it."
"While I have made no discoveries that will help us much, I havelearned just enough to understand that there is a diabolical ploton foot."
"Against whom?"
"I am not sure, but I think it is against Teddy and myself."
"Is it possible? Who are the plotters?"
"That is the worst of it; I do not know. I wish I did.I thought I had one of the men identified, but I find Iam all wrong. I am more at sea than ever."
"Who did you think it was?"
"As long as I am mistaken, why should I accuse anyone?"
"You are right. Have you reason to believe it is someoneconnected with this show?"
"I am sure that at least one of the men is."
"Then there is more than one in this thing?"
"There are two men. At least I have seen two. There may be morefor all I know."
"Now, tell me what it is all about. You haven't said a wordregarding this plot yet," urged the showman drawing his chairaround the corner of his desk and leaning forward with his handson his knees.
Phil told how he strolled off into the field adjoining thecircus lot, and went on in detail to relate all that hadoccurred after that. As he proceeded with his story the faceof James Sparling grew serious and then stern.
"I presume I should have stood my ground and given battle tothem, if for no other reason than to find out who they were,"concluded the lad, somewhat ruefully.
"Phil Forrest, you should have done nothing of the sort,"answered Mr. Sparling sharply. "You take quite enough risk asit is. You think the plot now is to tamper with the big net?"
"Yes, sir."
"Is it possible that such scoundrels are traveling with theSparling shows?"
"I wish I did not think so."
"Phil, it is not the man who was responsible for severalaccidents the first year you were with us, is it?" demandedthe showman shrewdly, darting a sharp glance at Phil.
"No, sir," answered the boy flushing a little. "That man is nolonger with the show."
"I thought so. Now I have him located."
"The--the man I saw tonight--you know him?" gasped Phil.
"No. I did not mean that. I refer to the fellow who nearlycaused your death three years ago."
"Oh!"
"You had some trouble with Diaz a short time ago, did you not?"
Phil was surprised that the showman was aware of this.
"Yes."
"Where is Diaz tonight?" demanded the showman almost sternly.
"In his stateroom, or else out on deck."
"Are you sure?"
Phil nodded.
"What time did he return from the lot?"
"He was here when I went on deck. He came to the boat directlyafter the performance."
"You are sure of this?"
"I am."
"You are a very shrewd young man, sir," said Mr. Sparling,with a mirthless smile. "However, these guilty men must befound and punished. You think their first efforts will bedirected toward the net?"
"Yes, according to what I overheard. I have an idea, however,that they will not do so at once, fearing they may have beenrecognized, or at any rate that their plans are known tosomeone else."
"Do you think they recognized you?"
"I do not. I did not speak. I was on the point of doing so,then checked myself."
"Right! You are one in a hundred. I will have a watch kept onthe net, and an examination made of it before every performance."
Phil smiled faintly.
"I am not afraid for myself."
"No, that's your greatest failing. You are not afraid ofanything and you take very long chances. I hope you will bemore cautious in the future. You must be careful, Phil, andyou had better caution your partner, Teddy Tucker. Does heknow of this?"
"No, but I intend to tell him. He is more interested in thepossibility of recovering his egg than in any personal dangerto himself or to me," said the Circus Boy with a short laugh.
"Keep your eyes open, and take care of yourself. If we failto get a clue by the time we get to Des Moines I shall sendto St. Louis for the best detective they have and put him onthe case. Perhaps it would be best to do so now."
"I think--" began Phil, when his words were arrested by a loudnoise just outside the cabin, on the deck.
Mr. Sparling and Phil started up, for the instant notunderstanding the meaning of the disturbance.
"Wha--what--" gasped the showman.
Phil ran to the window and looked out.
The deck at that point was deserted. He thought he saw a figuredodge into an entrance near the stern of the boat, and lookingforward he discovered another disappearing in that direction.
The Circus Boy sprang for the door.
"What is it, what is it?" cried the showman.
"Eavesdroppers!" answered the lad, darting out into thepassageway, followed closely by Mr. Sparling.
"You go that way and I'll go this," directed Phil.
The Circus Boys on the Mississippi; Or, Afloat with the Big Show on the Big River Page 18