The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

by Charles King

  CHAPTER XIX.

  _THE ARREST._

  Teddy was dazed by the tidings and apparent proof of Sam's death.Without being able to explain why, it seemed as if the amateur detectivewas not the sort of a boy who might be expected to depart this lifesuddenly, and the news saddened him wonderfully.

  "Just think," he said, "the poor fellow wouldn't try to save the womenbecause of the danger of approaching a drowning person, and in such ashort time he himself is at the bottom of the creek."

  "If he has got any folks some word ought to be sent to them."

  "I never heard him say whether he had or not. Will any one search forthe body?"

  "The man who represents the Davis Company says he will have men out inthe morning, if it is possible to hire any; if not, there will be plentywanting a job by Saturday, and he can then get all he wants. It's boundto be a long search, for there's no telling where the boat capsized."

  Nothing save Sam's untimely fate was spoken of during the time they werepacking up the goods and carrying them to the tent, and then Mr. Sweet,after having been told the sad news, said, without commenting upon it:

  "You boys had better go to supper now, an' get back before dark, forthere's no knowin' but that some of those fellows who called on me maybe waiting to take their revenge out on you."

  "How did you get rid of them?" Dan asked.

  "That part of it was as easy as rollin' off a log, after you boys wereout of sight. I let 'em in one at a time, an' the chumps never tumbledto the fact that you had gone under the canvas. They came to theconclusion you must have climbed over the fence, an' we didn't take thetrouble to show them the mistake. It was a close shave, though. At onetime, when I was talkin' so loud about stealing, I thought we'd have thetoughest kind of a row."

  "Is the money all right?"

  "It's jest where I left it, an' won't be touched till he comes to claimit, unless you boys want to take charge of the property."

  "Indeed we don't," Teddy replied, quickly. "I've had all I want of suchcaretaking."

  "Then go to supper, an' hurry back."

  The boys waited only long enough to stow their goods in the wagon, andthen Mr. Sweet's advice was acted upon.

  As a matter of course Tim wanted to know what the proprietor of themuseum had been talking about, and as they were walking across thegrounds Teddy told the whole story, concluding by saying:

  "It was a little the worst scrape I ever got into; but after the moneyhad been placed in our hands, and the man who left it went off, wecouldn't do different from what we did."

  "That Hazelton had no business to get you into such a row," Tim replied,indignantly. "Why didn't he hang on to the stuff, an' take his lickin'like a man?"

  "I don't think he knew it was to be given to us. The fellow who did ithad seen him leave the satchel with us once, most likely, an' when therewas danger of being robbed, believed we could look out for it again.It's the last time such a thing will happen, for I'm going to tellHazelton that I don't want to be mixed up in his business."

  At this point Dan changed the subject of conversation by speculatingupon the way in which Sam met his death, and this topic was such amournful one that nothing else was thought of until the party returnedto the tent once more.

  Then came the question of how much money had been taken in during theday, and after figuring up the amount he had spent, Teddy reckoned thecash on hand, announcing the result as follows:

  "Countin' what I paid out, we've taken sixty-one dollars an' seventycents since morning. It don't seem reasonable, but a feller has tobelieve it after seein' the money."

  "You'll have a much better trade to-morrow, if it is fair, and you'renot recognized as one of the boys who helped to get Hazelton's moneyaway," Mr. Sweet said, cheerily. "I predict that the receipts willfigure up hard on to a hundred dollars."

  Teddy gasped like a person who is suddenly submerged in cold water atthe thought of earning so much, and he realized that if such should bethe case he would be able to assist his mother very materially.

  "I'll pay you, Tim, before I get so dazzled as to forget it," he said,with a laugh, and the clerk felt almost as rich as his employer when hereceived six dollars and seventeen cents for a day's labor which camevery near being sport.

  "I only wish the fair held on for six months," he said gleefully. "Itseems too bad that there are only two days more, for Saturday nevercounts."

  "You can go to the Holtown fair, and try it for yourself. I'll give youwhat stock we have left on hand."

  "Then I'll do it," Tim replied, emphatically, and straightway he beganto speculate as to the enormous amount of money he would earn.

  Teddy tied his money in as compact a package as possible, intending togive it to his mother when she should arrive on the morrow, and Mr.Sweet had advised that all hands "turn in" early, when the flap wasraised, admitting a man who appeared to be covered with adhesive plasterand bandages.

  Not until the newcomer had approached within the circle of light cast bythe lantern did the occupants of the tent recognize him as the jewelryfakir, and Teddy cried in surprise:

  "Why, Mr. Hazelton! We didn't expect to see you to-night!"

  "Did you think I was dead?"

  "It looked as if you would be killed for a certainty, and you did getpretty well done up."

  "Yes; as the reports of the prize fights put it, 'I'm badly disfigured,but still in the ring.' Was the money taken away all right?"

  "Mr. Sweet has hidden it."

  "And how did you come out of the scrape?"

  "If it hadn't been for the folks here we should have fared about thesame as you did."

  "I'm sorry, my boy, that you were dragged into the matter, and itwouldn't have happened if I'd understood what Kelly was going to do. Heknew you could be trusted, and so turned it over; but it was a meansituation to put you in."

  "It wasn't pleasant for any of us," Mr. Sweet said; "but you can thankthe boys for hanging on to the bag as if it had been their own. Mostfellows of their age would have dropped it long before reaching here.How did you get off?"

  "When the cry was raised that the money had gone the greater portion ofthe crowd started in pursuit, an' my partners and I managed to hold ourown until a couple of constables came up. They took charge of the team,and gave us a chance to slip through the gates."

  "What are you going to do now? Try it to-morrow?"

  "With this face? Well, I should say not. There is a fellow here who hasbought my right to the privilege, and I shall leave Peach Bottom earlyin the morning."

  "That's about the best thing you can do, and I'd advise that you don'tspend much time out of doors until then."

  "I'm not intending to. It was necessary to come here, and, unless youobject, I'll stay a while so's they will have time to sober up a bit."

  "You're welcome to what we've got, even if I don't like your way ofdoing business."

  "I want to straighten matters with the boys, and if they----"

  Hazelton did not finish the sentence, for at that moment the canvas flapwas pushed aside and a man entered with an unmistakable air ofauthority.

  "Hold on there, friend," Mr. Sweet shouted. "We don't allow visitors atthis time of night."

  "I understand that, but reckon you won't make any very big kick when Itell you that I'm one of the deputy sheriffs of this county, and havecome to serve a warrant."

  "On whom?"

  "Frank Hazelton, who claims to be an agent for a firm of jewelrymanufacturers. I believe you're the man," he added, approaching thedisfigured fakir.

  "You've got that part of it straight enough, but what am I to bearrested for?"

  "You are suspected of being concerned in the burglary which wascommitted in this town last night."

  Hazelton did not express nearly as much surprise as the boys, who werereally dazed by the announcement.

  "So Hargreaves has finally succeeded," the fakir said half to himself,and the officer replied, quickly:

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

  Hazelton remained silent several seconds, during which time the sheriffwaited 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 withthe 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, howevertrifling it may be."

  "Well, I don't suppose it can make much difference," and without risingfrom his seat, Hazelton continued, "Teddy, you believe I had nothing todo 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 dothis for me: After the fair closes go to that merchant who was so kindto 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 themoney from Mr. Sweet that may be needed, and pay the lawyer's fee. Sendhim to me as soon afterward as possible. It is nothing more serious thanlying in jail a few days, and that won't be such a great hardship, nowI'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 themuseum had hidden. "The merchant will understand and advise if you tellhim everything--that is, I think he will; but in case he refuses, talkwith some one else whom you can trust."

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

  No one spoke until after he had been absent several minutes, and thenTeddy 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 haveagainst him. It's his business that has done a great deal towardinducing a magistrate to issue the warrant, for once a man shows himselfto 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, andwe'll count it out, after which his stock in trade shall be buried, forI want nothing to do with it."