The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

by Charles King

  CHAPTER X.

  _AN ENCOUNTER._

  First of all, the jewelry fakir wanted to hear the particulars of theaccident on the lake, and Teddy began by telling him the primary causeof the trouble.

  "I reckon all three of us lost our heads when we saw that man; I know Idid and we were so eager to get on shore that we paid no attention toanything else. Have you seen him?"

  "Who? Long Jim? No; but the boys say he is here somewhere running theswinging ball game."

  "What is that?"

  "A wooden ball is swung on two short uprights about eight inches apart,and between them, in the center, stands a small peg. You pay ten centsfor the privilege of swinging the ball, and if it hits the peg when itcomes back after leaving your hand, you get a dollar."

  "I should think that would be easy enough to do."

  "Well, don't try it with such an idea or you'll go broke mighty quick.It looks simple; but it isn't accomplished very often."

  "Have you done anything since I left here?"

  "Yes, and scooped in as much as I had any right to expect. I don't wantto spoil to-morrow's business, so sha'n't make another pitch, but willspend my time trying to find Jim."

  "What good can that do?"

  "I still count on making him give back your fifteen dollars, if nothingmore. I reckon your Uncle Nathan won't try again to get a warrant outfor us, and so I sha'n't bother my head about learning anythingregarding the robbery."

  "He'll make things just as disagreeable as he can; there's no questionabout that."

  "Well, let him, and we'll see who comes out ahead. Trade is beginning topick up, and you'd better attend to your customers."

  Hazelton walked away, and from that moment until nearly nightfall Teddyhad all the business both he and his clerk could attend to.

  Nearly every one had something to say about the accident on the creek,and the young fakir was forced to tell the story over and over again,until he really got tired of repeating the details.

  When nearly all of the visitors had left the grounds Teddy made up hiscash account, and the sum total surprised both himself and Tim.

  Including the amount paid Uncle Nathan he had taken in fifty-fivedollars and twenty cents. Ten per cent. of this was paid to the clerk,and he found himself possessed of the magnificent sum of thirty-onedollars and seventy cents.

  "At this rate we shall be rich before the end of the week," he said, ina tone of satisfaction.

  "That's a fact; but it don't seem right for me to take so much," Timreplied, as he wrapped the five dollars and a half which had been givenhim in his handkerchief.

  "That was the agreement, an' we'll stick to it."

  "But when you promised ten cents on every dollar neither of us believedtrade would be half so good."

  "You're right; I thought if we got one-third as much business would bebooming; but that has nothing to do with our bargain. You've hung righton here, without even stopping for anything to eat, an' are entitled towhat you've been paid. Everybody says there'll be a bigger crowdto-morrow, an' so we stand a chance to make considerable more. Are yougoing home to-night, or do you count on staying here?"

  "I've got to let the folks know where I am, for when I left it wasallowed I'd be back by sunset. To-morrow I'll come prepared to stay therest of the week."

  "There'll be plenty of stages running, an' you can afford to ride bothways after this day's work. I want to send some of this money home tomother, for it ain't safe to carry so much around with me."

  "Am I to take it?"

  "Yes, an' you can tell her all that has happened. Ask her to come overThursday, an' see for herself that we're getting rich."

  Twenty-five dollars was tied in a bundle with many wrappings of paper,and Tim started off, looking almost afraid at being the custodian of somuch wealth.

  It was necessary Teddy should pack up his entire stock until nextmorning, and this he proceeded to do as soon as he was alone. Mr. Sweethad given him permission to bring his goods into the museum tent, andhis only trouble was how everything could be carried without assistance.Before he was ready for departure, however, Sam came up, and thequestion of transportation was settled.

  "Well, how do you feel now?" Teddy asked, cheerily, for the knowledgethat he had already taken in nearly enough to pay his debts caused himto feel very jolly.

  "I allers get the worst of everything," Sam replied, disconsolately."You an' Dan made a big strike when you tumbled into the water, an' I'vehad a blowin' up; come mighty near losin' my job into the bargain."

  "Why?"

  "'Cause the boss says that I was careless an' reckless, an' that Icouldn't earn enough in a month to pay for the two boats I've smashed."

  "Are they lost entirely?"

  "No, of course not. We pulled 'em out a little while ago, an' it cost sovery much to fix both. The folks in the other boat were as much to blameas me."

  "They certainly were not keeping any better lookout, and, as a matter offact, I suppose I'm more at fault than any one else, for if I hadn'tsung out about the fakir it wouldn't have happened."

  "That's what I told the boss; but he's chuck full of foolish talk aboutthe bravery he says you an' Dan showed, an' is tryin' to get up what hecalls a testimonial for you."

  "A what?" Teddy cried, in surprise.

  "I heard him say testimonial; but if you know what that means you can goto the head."

  "I don't, and I hope it won't amount to anything. I've been paid enoughfor what was done by the boom it gave my business."

  "Of course, you an' Dan are bound to have the best end of it."

  "Why didn't you stop an' do the same thing?"

  "'Cause I had sense enough to look out for myself first."

  "But you know how to swim."

  "What of that? It's mighty risky catchin' hold of people in the water,an' I don't mean to take any chances. How much have you made to-day?"

  When Teddy told him, the expert in rowing looked decidedly envious.

  "You've got all that money in one day?"

  "Yes; but I sent the most of it home to mother."

  "It's funny what luck some folks have, when them as knows the businesstwice as well don't much more'n earn their salt," Sam said, as if tohimself, and before he could continue Dan arrived.

  He wore his own clothes, and carried those Teddy had left in theboat-house.

  "These were dry, so I brought 'em up. You needn't carry back the onesyou borrowed till to-morrow, so Sam's boss says."

  Then Dan asked concerning business, and by the time all three hadfinished discussing this very important matter the knives and canes werepacked ready for removal.

  Each boy took a load, carried it to the tent where Mr. Sweet wasfiguring up his receipts for the day, and then went to supper, returninghalf an hour later so tired that there was no desire on the part ofeither to do anything other than sleep.

  The proprietor of the museum was in very good spirits. He had taken inone hundred and six dollars and eighty cents, and said, in a tone ofsatisfaction:

  "I reckon this fair will pan out all right. Trade is bound to be betterto-morrow, and Thursday is always the biggest of the week. I hear youboys have been distinguishing yourselves. Tell me about it."

  Dan related the incident of the day very modestly, interrupted now andthen by Sam, who was eager to pose as a hero also, and Mr. Sweetexpressed himself as being well satisfied with their behavior.

  "Chasing a thief and getting a whipping in the night, and then savingthe lives of three people the next day is record enough for one week, soyou'd better not try for any more adventures," he said, with a laugh.

  Now that the incident of the previous night had been spoken of soopenly, it was necessary Sam's curiosity should be satisfied, and Danwas forced to tell the story.

  While he was doing so, and listening to the oarsman's comments, Teddyhad an opportunity to see the "barker" and clown who arrived thatmorning. Neither was a very prepossessing-looking man. They were lyingon the ground some distance from t
he boys, as if bent on minding theirown business, and there was no real reason for an unfavorable opinionconcerning them.

  But little time was spent in conversation on this evening. Every one wasthoroughly tired, and each sought for a soft spot on which to pass thenight.

  As before, Sam crawled up on the wagon to be out of harm's way when thegoat should be unfastened, while Dan and Teddy lay down in very nearlythe same place as before.

  "I don't fancy we shall hear many secrets between now and morning, nomatter how many men come around here to talk," the former said,laughingly. "It won't take me two minutes to fall asleep, and the noisethat can awaken me then will have to be very great."

  Teddy's only reply was a yawn, and in even less time than Dan hadmentioned he was wrapped in slumber.

  Shortly after the proprietor of the exhibition began to make hispreparations for retiring, and the clown asked:

  "How did that row start this afternoon?"

  "Half a dozen of the village toughs tried to get in without paying, andI had to polish one of 'em off," the barker replied.

  "You must have done it pretty quick, for when I got out there the thingwas over," Mr. Sweet said.

  "The fellow was more than half-drunk, an' it wasn't a very big job. Theythreaten to come back and clean the whole show out."

  "Yes, I've heard such threats made before; but never lost much sleepworrying about it."

  Ten minutes later all the human occupants of the tent were enjoying awell-earned rest, and the goat had about concluded it would be aprofitless job to prospect for anything more to eat, when the sound offootsteps could have been heard from the outside.

  Had Mr. Sweet been awake he would have decided that these late visitorswere trying to find the flap of the tent, for they walked cautiouslyaround the canvas twice, and then a sharp knife was thrust through thefabric.

  An instant later Sam awoke his companion with a yell that would havedone credit to any Indian.

  Some one had given him such a blow as sent him from the seat to theground, and the remainder of the party leaped to their feet only to beconfronted by a large party of half-drunken toughs who had come toavenge the insult received during the afternoon.