Andy the Acrobat

by John Kendrick Bangs

  CHAPTER XIX

  CALLED TO ACCOUNT

  Andy burst out laughing,--he could not help it.

  "That's strange," he said. "A chicken that walks backward?"

  "Yes," answered Luke Belding, soberly.

  "Really does it?"

  "Oh, sure. All the time. I've got it here. I'll show you."

  Luke made a move as if to remove the cloth cover from the box under hisarm, but Andy stopped him.

  "Hold on," he said. "Come with me till I get rid of this cake, and thenyou shall show me."

  "H'm!" observed Luke, smacking his lips with a longing look at the cake,"it wouldn't take me long to get rid of it!"

  "Hungry?" insinuated Andy.

  "Desperately. I'd be almost tempted to sell a half-interest in thechicken for a good square meal."

  "You shall have one without any such sacrifice," declared Andy. "Comealong."

  They found the clown's tent empty.

  "Billy Blow is probably giving Midget an airing," said Andy, half tohimself.

  "Who's Billy Blow?" inquired Luke.

  "The clown."

  "Do you know a real live clown? Say, that's great!" said Luke. "Mustkeep a fellow laughing all the time."

  "I thought so until yesterday," answered Andy. "But no--they have theirtroubles, like other people. This poor, sorrowful fellow has his fill ofit. He don't do much laughing outside of the ring, I can tell you.There, we'll enjoy the cook's gift together."

  Andy drew up the bench and handed Luke fully three-quarters of thetoothsome dainty. It pleased him to see the half-famished boy enjoy thefeast. Luke poked a good-sized piece of the sake under the cage cover.There was a gladsome cluck.

  "Two of us happy," announced Luke, with a smile that won Andy's heart.

  Andy decided that his new acquaintance was the right sort. Luke had aclear, honest face, and there was something in his eye that inspiredconfidence.

  "Now, then," said Andy, as his companion munched the last crumb of thecake, "let's see your wonderful curiosity."

  "I'll do it," replied Luke with alacrity. "Find me a little stick orswitch, will you?"

  Andy went outside to hunt for the required article. As he returned witha stake splinter he observed that Luke had uncovered and set down thecage, which was a rude wooden affair.

  Near it, with a pertly cocked head and magnificently red feathers, stooda small rooster. Luke took the stick from Andy's hand.

  "Walk, Bolivar!" he ordered.

  Andy began to laugh. It was a comical sight. The rooster went struttingaround the tent backwards as rapidly and steadily as a normal chicken.It was ludicrous to watch it proceed, pecking at the ground andturning corners.

  "Now, then, Bolivar!" said Luke.

  He used the stick to direct the rooster, which kept time first with onefoot and then the other to a tune whistled by its owner, ending with atriple pirouette that was superb.

  "Well, that's fine!" commented Andy with enthusiasm. "How did you evertrain it?"

  "Didn't," responded Luke frankly--"except for the dancing. I've donethat with crows and goats, many a time. See here," and he picked up thechicken and extended its feet.

  "Why," cried Andy, "it was born with its claws turned backwards!"

  "That's it," nodded Luke. "See? A regular freak of nature. Odd enough toput among the curiosities?"

  "It certainly is," voted Andy. "The circus wouldn't use it, though--justa side show."

  "I don't care," said Luke, "as long as I get started in with the show.Can you help me?"

  "I'll try to," declared Andy. "Wait here. I want to find Billy Blow andtell him about this."

  Andy went about the circus grounds until he discovered the clown. Billywas quite taken with the chicken, and finally decided to try and placethe boy with his freak.

  He and Luke went away together. When he came back the clown was alone.He told Andy that one of the side shows had agreed to try Luke and hiswonderful chicken for at least a week for the food and keep of both.

  Andy went on with the jockey riders in the evening performance. The lastperformance at Clifton was the next forenoon. He had only a glimpse ofMarco and others of his acquaintance meantime, with everything ona rush.

  "You see, Tipton is a regular vacation for us folks," Billy Blowexplained to him. "Country around isn't populous enough for more thanone day's performances, and then only when the county fair is on. Werest two days, and play Saturday. Then is your chance. There's a gooddeal of shifting and taking on new hands. We'll watch out for you.You'll see some fun, too. All the new aspirants have been told to showup at Tipton."

  "Are there many?"

  "About five to every town we've played in," declared Billy. "They allwant to break in, and it's policy to give them a show."

  Andy was sent off by the manager to the superintendent of the movingcrew about noon. There was considerable lifting to do. Andy was tiredwhen, about six o'clock in the evening, he climbed up on a loaded wagonfor the well-earned ride to Tipton.

  He had met one of the circus detectives that morning, who told him theyhad so far discovered no trace of Jim Tapp, or his colleagues, or thestolen mail bag.

  They got to Tipton about eight o'clock in the evening. Andy was "toldoff" to help in the construction work the next morning, and had nowtwelve hours of his own time.

  He was hungry, and knowing that it would be difficult to get much to eatuntil late, when the cook's quarters had been re-established, he leftthe wagon as it reached the principal street in Tipton.

  Andy went to a restaurant and got a good meal. He decided to strollabout a bit, and then join the clown in his new quarters.

  Andy had been to Tipton before. His aunt had some acquaintances there.He walked up and down the principal street, looking in the storewindows, and studying the country people who had come to visit thecounty fair.

  Suddenly Andy drew back into the shadow of a doorway. Leaning against acurb hitching post was a person who enchained his attention.

  "It's Tapp--Jim Tapp," said Andy. "I'd know that slouch of his shouldersanywhere."

  The person under his inspection was swinging a light bamboo cane andsmoking a cigarette. He wore a jet black moustache and a jet black speckof a goatee. Moustache and goatee were unmistakably of the variety Andyhad seen a circus fakir selling for twenty-five cents, back at Clifton.

  Their wearer kept his back to the lighted windows, so that his face wasin partial shadow. He also kept taking sidelong glances up and down thecurb, as if expecting some one.

  Andy watched him for fully five minutes, made up his mind, and at laststealthily glided up behind him.

  Seizing both the fellow's arms, he whirled him around face to face, letgo of him, and with two quick movements of one hand tore the falsemoustache and the false goatee from his face. His surmises were correct.It was Jim Tapp.

  The latter gave Andy a quick, startled glance.

  "Wildwood!" he said, and switched his cane towards Andy's face.

  "No, you don't!" cried Andy, grasping his arms again. "Jim Tapp, thecircus people want you."

  "Let go. Nobody wants me. I've done nothing."

  "Call Benares Brothers, the stake your partner hit me with, the stolenmail bag, nothing?" demanded Andy. "You'll come along with me or I'llcall the police."

  Tapp glanced sharply about. So far nobody seemed to particularly noticethem. He threw out his own arms and grasped Andy in turn. Thusinterlocked, he threw out a foot. Andy was taken off his guard. He wenttoppling, but he never let go of his antagonist. Both landed with acrash on the board sidewalk.

  There was a vacant lot just next to a brilliantly lighted store. As theytook a roll, they landed nearly at the inner edge of the walk.

  "There!" panted Andy, "you won't trip me again."

  He was the stronger of the two, and got Tapp on his back. Sittingastride of him, Andy caught both hands at the wrists.

  "Let go!" panted Tapp. "Say, don't draw a crowd. I'll go with you."

  "You'll go with a police
man," declared Andy, glancing along the walk."There'll be one here soon, for the crowd's coming."

  "Fight! fight!" yelled three or four urchins, dashing up to the spot.

  Others came hurrying along from inspecting the store windows.

  "What's the row?" demanded a man.

  "Fair fight. Let him up. Give him a chance," growled a low-browedfellow, also approaching.

  "What is it? what is it?" inquired a fussy old lady, craning her necktowards the combatants.

  "Say," ground out Tapp, vainly endeavoring to free himself, "let me up.It will pay you. Say, I can tell you something great."

  "Can you?" smiled Andy calmly. "Tell it to the police."

  "Hold on," proceeded Tapp. "I'm not fooling. I know something. I can putyou on to something big."

  "How big?" insinuated Andy, disbelievingly.

  "I can, I vow I can! I'm in dead earnest. Say, Wildwood, nobody knows itbut me--you're an heir--"

  "Eh? Bosh! I guess your heir is all hot air. Ah, here comes thepoliceman--oh, gracious! My aunt!"

  Andy Wildwood let go his hold of Jim Tapp. With startled eyes, in sheerdismay he stared at a woman approaching them, her curiosity aroused bythe crowd.

  It was his aunt, Miss Lavinia Talcott.