The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair

by Charles King

  CHAPTER XXII.

  _A DISASTER._

  Teddy was decidedly uncomfortable in mind after Uncle Nathan departed.By a combination of circumstances which could not well have beenavoided, he had been made to appear as a confederate of Hazelton, and ifall the facts concerning his relations with the fakir should becomeknown public opinion would he against him.

  He did not allow these forebodings to interfere with business, however.Customers were plenty; the nickels were coming in as rapidly as he couldmake change, and Tim had no hesitancy in saying that Mr. Sweet had settheir receipts of one day considerably too low.

  "We've done twice as much as we did yesterday at this time, an' I'mcountin' on gettin' twelve or fifteen dollars as my share of this day'swork."

  "It looks as though you wouldn't be disappointed, and that's a fact. Iwish I knew where we could get a few more canes, for we've lost quite agood many this morning."

  "There's no time to go to Waterville; but we can shorten the board byputting the uprights closer together, an' that'll make the layout lookall right. Here comes your mother, an' if you want to go off with herI'll promise to keep things goin' here."

  That was exactly what Teddy did want to do. He felt that it wasnecessary she should know the true condition of affairs, and he couldnot talk with her confidentially near the cane-board, therefore when shecame up he proposed that they walk toward the grand stand, where theWaterville band was doing its best to put in the shade the performancesof the musicians from the Run.

  "You are looking worried, Teddy," Mrs. Hargreaves said, as they movedaway in the proposed direction. "What is the matter? Isn't business asgood as you expected?"

  "It is a great deal better; but Uncle Nathan has been here again, andthis time I'm afraid it is in his power to do me some harm."

  Then Teddy told his mother all that had happened, explaining in detailthe suspicions which might be aroused against him, and she was quite asdisturbed as he when the recital was finished.

  "I will talk with him myself," she said, after some thought.

  "Don't do anything of the kind, for then he will be worse than ever,thinking he can frighten me into giving half of all I have made, andthat I won't do, no matter how many warrants he gets out."

  "But Teddy, don't you think----"

  Mrs. Hargreaves was interrupted by a cry from a half-intoxicated man whohalted directly in front of the young fakir, and shouted to some of hiscompanions in the rear:

  "Here he is! This is the sneak who helped take that jewelry swindler'smoney away. I saw him then, an' can swear to his face."

  As a matter of course the tone as well as the words was sufficient toattract a crowd in this place where the throng was so dense that onecould only make his way from one portion of the grounds to the otherwith the greatest difficulty, and for a moment, while Teddy stood unableto decide what should be said or done, every person looked at himthreateningly.

  "His partner has been arrested, an' we'll serve him in the same way,"the man continued, as he advanced toward the boy.

  "Why do you want to talk to me like that?" Teddy cried, looking aroundin vain for a friend. "There are plenty of people here who know me, forI live down at the Run, an' never swindled anybody."

  "That's a lie!" the man replied, fiercely, seizing the boy by thecollar.

  "It's the truth!" Mrs. Hargreaves cried. "I'm his mother, and we havelived at the Run ever since he was born. Deacon Jones is our neighbor,and he can answer for the truth of it."

  "I tell you to let go of him. He is an acquaintance"]

  "I'll see whether he can or not," and the bully was about to drag Teddyaway, aided by his half-intoxicated friend, when a familiar voice fromthe outskirts of the crowd cried:

  "Hold on there! What are you about?"

  "I've caught the feller what sneaked away the jewelry swindler's money,an' am goin' to put him with his partner."

  "You are going to take your hand off his collar this instant, or getyourself into trouble," and the merchant from Waterville forced his waythrough the throng until he stood by Teddy's side.

  "Is that you, Mr. Reaves?" the bully asked, in surprise. "Well, youdon't want to interfere in this business, for the boy is a bad one allthe way through. He was deep enough to get the best of us yesterday; buthe won't be so lucky now."

  "I tell you to let go of him. He is an acquaintance of mine whom I wouldtrust a good deal sooner than some whom I see now."

  "But you are makin' a big mistake, Mr. Reaves, for I saw him makin' offwith the valise where our money had been put."

  It was evident the bully had considerable respect for the merchant, forhe released his hold on Teddy; but was determined that the boy'salleged character should be made known to all in the vicinity.

  "I happen to know all about that affair," Mr. Reaves replied, as he ledTeddy and his mother out of the throng, "and if you want the fullparticulars of the affair come to my store when you are more sober thannow."

  A very large number of those present were acquainted with the merchant,and for the majority his statement was sufficient to absolve Teddy ofwrongdoing; but a few, among whom were the intoxicated party and hisfriends, vowed to sift the matter more thoroughly before the fair cameto an end.

  Mrs. Hargreaves was terribly excited, and at once insisted that Teddyshould go home with her immediately, regardless of how much money he wasmaking; but Mr. Reaves said in a matter-of-fact tone, as if suchincidents were of everyday occurrence:

  "It would be foolish for him to do that, more especially since it wouldbe a tacit acknowledgment of guilt, and, besides, his business here istoo valuable to be abandoned simply because a drunken rowdy chooses tomake trouble. I was on my way to see him; I have found a lawyer who willunder-take Hazelton's case, and he can at the same time give Teddy somegood advice."

  Then the merchant introduced Mr. Harvey as the most prominent attorneyin the county, and, offering Mrs. Hargreaves his arm, added:

  "We will go toward the cane-board, and give them an opportunity to talk.

  "There is a great deal to be said which cannot interest us, and whenthey are done we shall be readily found."

  The widow could do no less than comply, and as soon as they werecomparatively alone the lawyer said to Teddy:

  "Now, I want you to begin and tell me the whole story from the time yourmoney was stolen until this minute. Don't omit any particulars becauseyou may chance to think they are not important; but give every detail,and thus I shall be made acquainted with your own case as well as thatof Hazelton."

  Teddy obeyed this command to the letter. He dwelt upon the most minutetransaction or trifling movement at sufficient length to give thelistener a clear idea of all that had happened, and laid bare his ownbusiness affairs, even to the extent of making the lawyer acquaintedwith the amount of receipts each day.

  "I don't suppose it makes any difference what I think," he said, inconclusion; "but I am almost certain Mr. Hazelton did not have anythingto do with the robbery, and even if I had suspected him, that which Danand I heard while we were in the museum tent would have convinced methat the men whom we saw on the creek are the thieves."

  "I believe as you do, my boy, and will send a man to the barn you speakof this very night, although so much time has now elapsed that I have nohope of finding anything criminating. However, regardless of what mayhappen, I believe we can show that the fakir was not the guilty party,and, to guard against a possible attack by your uncle, it will benecessary to know exactly where we can get bail in case you should bearrested."

  "Then he can take me to jail?" Teddy asked, with quivering lips.

  "If he proves what he claims to know there is no question that he willbe able to cause your arrest; but whether he can send you to prison isan entirely different matter. I would now like to have a talk with Mr.Reaves, and shall see you before I leave the grounds. Do not befrightened; but continue your business as usual, and in a few moments Iwill give you full particulars as to what must be done in the eventanything happ
ens."

  Teddy understood this to be an intimation that the interview was at anend, and he started toward the cane-board, the lawyer asking as hefollowed him:

  "How shall I find your friend Dan?"

  "Go down to the exhibit of the J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company in thatyellow-roofed building, and you will see him showing model pocketrifles. I will go with you if you think there is any chance of missinghim."

  "I can find him without difficulty. Do not leave your place of businessuntil after I have seen you again."

  By this time they had arrived at the cane-board, where Mrs. Hargreaves,looking decidedly relieved in mind, was talking with Mr. Reaves.

  The lawyer invited the merchant to accompany him, and as the two walkedaway Mrs. Hargreaves said:

  "After talking with Mr. Reaves I will take back what I proposedregarding taking you home. It is not possible that anything but theright shall conquer in a case like this, and I believe you will come outall right, as a boy should who has always been as obedient and loving asyou. It is time for me to be going now; but I will come back again inthe morning."

  "Then take this money with you, for I don't want any more in my pocketsthan is absolutely necessary," and Teddy counted out the contents of thebox which served him as a "safe."

  There was but little time for any lengthy leave-taking. The customerswere plenty; Tim and his assistant had been working several hourswithout cessation, and Teddy felt that it was his duty to relieve them.

  "You can trust Mr. Reaves, whatever happens," his mother said, as shekissed him goodby, "and I shall be back to-morrow to learn if you areall right."

  "Don't worry about me," Teddy replied, cheerily. "Uncle Nathan can'thave everything his own way, and he will soon discover that fact."

  It seemed to Teddy that his mother had but just left him, when a partyof young men who had been talking in an apparently friendly mannerdirectly in front of his place of business, suddenly began to quarrel,and before he was aware of what had happened his booth was overturned,and a fierce battle being waged upon the ground which he fanciedbelonged temporarily to him because of the money paid to the managers ofthe fair as rent.

  Canes, knives, rings, and timbers were thrown violently about, and,while trying to save the property, Teddy and his clerk received severalsevere blows intended for some of the combatants.