The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

by Charles King

  CHAPTER XX.

  _A PROPOSITION._

  Teddy had the most decided objections to taking charge of Hazelton'smoney, and for several reasons. In the first place he did not want tohave the responsibility, and again, the fact of its being in hispossession seemed to make him a partner in the business.

  Mr. Sweet was determined, however. He insisted that Hazelton had statedthis as plainly as was possible under the circumstances, and, despitethe boy's protests, immediately began the transfer.

  "It shall be done in such a way that he can't accuse you of having takenany," the proprietor said, as he pulled the satchel from itshiding-place and broke the lock open with a hatchet. "We'll count it inthe presence of all hands, and each one shall give Teddy a writtenstatement of how much was found."

  An exclamation of surprise burst from Tim's lips as the receptacle wasspread out on the ground, for it appeared to be literally crammed withmoney.

  Mr. Sweet separated the silver from the bank notes, spreading both onthe ground where they could be seen by every person present, and then hecounted them slowly, taking care that the spectators were following hisevery movement.

  "I make it three hundred an' forty-eight dollars," he announced. "Ifthere's anybody here who ain't sure that's right, say so now."

  Each member of the party had seen the amount counted, and agreed withthe result as declared by Mr. Sweet, who forthwith wrote the following:

  We, the undersigned, have seen a valise belonging to Frank Hazelton broken open, and certify that three hundred and forty-eight dollars, the only money found therein, was handed by Jacob Sweet to Edward Hargreaves in conformance with the orders, as we understood them, from the said Frank Hazelton.

  "Now I want every one to sign that," Mr. Sweet said, as he handed hislead-pencil first to the barker, "and then Teddy and I will have someproof of the amount."

  It required quite a while for all to conform with the wishes of theproprietor of the museum, owing to the fact that several of the partywere far from being skillful penmen, but the task was finallyaccomplished, and as the money was handed to Teddy, the latter asked,ruefully:

  "What shall I do with it? I'm afraid of losing so much."

  "That's a risk Hazelton is bound to take. Fasten it in your clothessomehow, an' be sure you don't get into any row where it can be stolen."

  By the aid of many pins, and with the assistance of both Dan and Tim,Teddy finally succeeded in disposing of the money about his person insuch a way that it was not an unusual burden, and then Mr. Sweetinsisted that all hands should try to get some rest in order to be freshfor the supposedly enormous amount of work to be done on the followingday.

  Teddy lay down on the ground with the others, but it was many hoursbefore his eyes were closed in slumber. Sam's untimely death, theguardianship of so much money, and his own business affairs all servedto keep his eyes open until nearly midnight, when he fell into a sleepso troubled by frightful dreams that it was far from being restful.

  It seemed as if he had but just lost consciousness when Mr. Sweetaroused him with the information that the "big" day of the fair wasbreaking.

  "Turn out an' get your breakfast before sunrise, for on this morning theearly bird will pick up many a penny while the lazy ones are yet in bed,an' fakirs must make hay when the sun shines."

  Teddy was on his feet in an instant, and half an hour later, havingbroken his fast, he was at the booth with his clerk and Dan, the lattervolunteering his assistance until the exhibition buildings should beopened.

  The proprietor of the museum had advised him well; the receipts of thecane and knife boards were nearly five dollars before more than half ofthe booths were in condition for trade, because the trains were runningunusually early in order to accommodate the crowds, and when Dan feltobliged to leave, business was so good that the proprietor, clerk, andassistant were all working industriously.

  "If I can get off I'll see you about noon," Dan said, as he walked away,and Teddy replied:

  "Be sure to come, for mother will be here, and I want you to meet her."

  From that time until nine o'clock the crowd increased in numbers, and asTeddy said during a lull in business, "it seemed as if the grounds wereso full that no more could get in."

  When Mrs. Hargreaves arrived her son could pay little attention to her,but he proposed that she should amuse herself by looking at thedifferent exhibits until nearly noon, when he stated that he would takean hour off, no matter how great a rush of customers might be around hisbooth.

  "I earned sixty dollars yesterday, an' before night I'll have a hundredmore, so there's little doubt that this week's work as a fakir willenable me to pay all you owe on the house," he whispered, triumphantly,and his mother walked away, hardly daring to believe what Teddy had toldher.

  During the next hour it seemed as if a steady stream of money wasflowing into the box, and Teddy was feeling confident that Mr. Sweet'sprediction would prove to be correct, when the one especial man hewanted to see came up with a folded paper in his hand.

  It was the merchant from Waterville, and he said, as he handed thedocument to the boy:

  "Here is the receipted bill, and I am more than glad to see you doing sowell."

  "Can I talk with you for five minutes?" Teddy asked, hardly noticing thepaper as he put it in his pocket.

  "As long as you want to. What is the matter? Running out of stock?"

  "Oh, no, your clerk made such a good selection for me that I've got allI shall need. This is something more important."

  Then Teddy hurriedly told the merchant how and where he had first metHazelton; explained fully what the latter's business was; of theaccusations made by Uncle Nathan; what he and Dan had heard and seen,and concluded by repeating the request made by the fakir as he was ledaway to jail.

  "Are you willing to do anything for him?" the boy asked, as his storywas finished.

  "I can't say it is a matter which appeals very strongly to mysympathies, because of the swindles he perpetrated, but if it is anunjust accusation something should be done to help him. The one lawyerabove all others who can be of assistance came over with me thismorning. I will see him, and later in the day you shall have a call fromus."

  "Before you go I wish you would take this money," Teddy said, earnestly."It is too large an amount for me to carry around, and it will be safewith you."

  The merchant consented to take charge of Hazelton's ill-gotten gains,and Teddy felt decidedly relieved when the cash was in another'skeeping, and he had nothing of more value than an acknowledgment of thesame to look after.

  "In this matter I shall recognize no other order than yours," themerchant said when the transaction was concluded, "and if the fakirshould succeed in regaining his liberty he must come to you for thenecessary document.

  "I don't care how it is fixed so long as the money is not in my hands,"Teddy replied, in a tone of satisfaction, and then he was called upon toattend to another rush of customers, every one of whom was eager to bewaited upon first.

  Another hour passed, and it was more evident than before that Mr. Sweethad been correct when he stated the sum which should be taken in at thecane-board.

  Teddy, having breakfasted early, was so hungry that he was on the pointof going out to buy a supply of sandwiches, when another visitorarrived.

  This was no less a personage than Uncle Nathan, and he greeted hisnephew with the utmost cordiality, as he said:

  "It looks to me as if you were makin' a power of money here, Teddy. Ihad no idea these triflin' games would so attract the people."

  Glad to be on pleasant terms with the old man once more, Teddy statedthat they had been at work very hard since the first train arrived, andconcluded by saying:

  "I took over sixty dollars yesterday, and Mr. Sweet says it'll come nearto a hundred to-day."

  "Sixty dollars!" the old man cried. "Are you telling me the truth, TeddyHargreaves?"

  "Of course I am, an' I've got the money in my pocket to prove it."<
br />
  "Why, at this rate you'll soon be a rich man, for you don't seem to losemuch of the stock."

  "We buy a good many canes or knives back. When a man puts a ring overone that he don't want we take it in, and give him five more chances. Inthat way there is very little goes out compared to the amount of moneyreceived."

  Uncle Nathan looked around at the players for a moment, and then in avery confidential tone he whispered:

  "See here, Teddy, don't you want a partner? I'll pay for the stock youbought, an'----"

  "I've already done that out of yesterday's receipts," Teddy cried. "Allthe bills are settled, an' what comes in now is clear profit."

  "But suppose I stood here an' called up the people I know, don't youthink it would make business better?"

  "And if it should, do you think we could attend to more customers? Everyminute I talk with you is so much money lost, for the other fellerscan't pick up rings an' make change fast enough."

  "Does that mean you don't want to go into business with me?" the old manasked, angrily.

  "No; but it means that there would be no reason for doing such a thing.I've got no debts, an' there are more customers than can be attended toon so small a board. If you'd made the proposition last Monday it wouldhave been different, but now you can't expect me, after taking all therisk, to divide after the work has been done."

  "Who lent you the money to start, Teddy Hargreaves?" Uncle Nathan cried,his face growing purple with rage.

  "You did."

  "And how have you repaid such generosity? How----"

  "I gave you three dollars for the use of fifteen two days," was theprompt reply.

  "But how have you repaid me for remaining inactive after my money wasstolen?"

  "That was something which did not concern me, therefore I had nothing torepay."

  "It has a great deal to do with you, as shall be shown before this dayis ended, unless you consent to take me as an equal partner in thisenterprise. Your friend in crime has been arrested, and I can swear thathe turned over to you his ill-gotten gains. One word from me at thistime and you will be in the same prison."

  The fact of his having been threatened before made Teddy bold, and hesaid, quietly:

  "I won't pay you for holding your tongue, Uncle Nathan, so do whateveryou choose."

  "I will inform the authorities of all I have learned this morning, andwe shall see what the result will be," the old man cried, in a fury, ashe walked away, and despite the bold bearing he had assumed Teddy firmlybelieved that if the magistrate who issued the warrant for Hazelton'sarrest should know he was in possession of the fakir's money, he wouldbe brought before a bar of justice to explain matters.