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diff --git a/old/68413-0.txt b/old/68413-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 65d7841..0000000 --- a/old/68413-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5942 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Jack the runaway, by Frank V. Webster - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Jack the runaway - Or on the road with a circus - -Author: Frank V. Webster - -Release Date: June 30, 2022 [eBook #68413] - -Language: English - -Produced by: David Edwards, David E. Brown, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK THE RUNAWAY *** - - -[Illustration: “Jack excelled himself” - - _Page 170_] - - - - - Jack the Runaway - Or - On the Road with a Circus - - BY - FRANK V. WEBSTER - - AUTHOR OF “BOB THE CASTAWAY,” “THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE,” - “TOM THE TELEPHONE BOY,” “THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS,” ETC. - - ILLUSTRATED - - NEW YORK - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY - PUBLISHERS - - - - -BOOKS FOR BOYS - -_By FRANK V. WEBSTER_ - -12mo. Illustrated. Bound in cloth. - - ONLY A FARM BOY, Or Dan Hardy’s Rise in Life - - TOM THE TELEPHONE BOY, Or The Mystery of a Message - - THE BOY FROM THE RANCH, Or Roy Bradner’s City Experiences - - THE YOUNG TREASURE HUNTER, Or Fred Stanley’s Trip to Alaska - - BOB THE CASTAWAY, Or The Wreck of the Eagle - - THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE, Or Herbert Dare’s Pluck - - THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS, Or Who Was Dick Box? - - THE BOY PILOT OF THE LAKES, Or Nat Morton’s Perils - - TWO BOY GOLD MINERS, Or Lost in the Mountains - - JACK THE RUNAWAY, Or On the Road with a Circus - -_Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York_ - - - Copyright, 1909, by - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY - - JACK THE RUNAWAY - - Printed in U. S. A. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I JACK WANTS A DOLLAR 1 - - II AT THE SHOW 11 - - III JACK IS PUNISHED 18 - - IV DISQUIETING NEWS 26 - - V A SERIOUS ACCUSATION 34 - - VI JACK RUNS AWAY 43 - - VII A NARROW ESCAPE 50 - - VIII THE SIDE-DOOR PULLMAN 58 - - IX JACK LOSES SOMETHING 66 - - X A FRUITLESS SEARCH 72 - - XI JACK AT THE CIRCUS 81 - - XII JACK DOES A STUNT 90 - - XIII PLANNING AN ACT 100 - - XIV HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE 106 - - XV JACK HAS ENEMIES 113 - - XVI THE FLYING MACHINE 120 - - XVII JACK MAKES A HIT 129 - - XVIII PROFESSOR KLOPPER APPEARS 138 - - XIX JACK’S TRICK 145 - - XX A TREACHEROUS ACT 152 - - XXI THE MONKEY’S ESCAPE 161 - - XXII IN A STORM 170 - - XXIII THE MAD ELEPHANT 180 - - XXIV JACK’S BAD FALL 187 - - XXV LEFT BEHIND--CONCLUSION 193 - - - - -JACK THE RUNAWAY - - - - -CHAPTER I - -JACK WANTS A DOLLAR - - -“Professor, will you please give me a dollar?” asked Jack Allen, of the -elderly man who sat reading a book in the library. - -“A dollar, Jack?” and Professor Simonedes Klopper, who had retired from -the position of mathematical instructor in a large college, to devote -his declining years to study, looked over the rims of his big glasses -at the boy before him. “A dollar? Why, what in the world do you want of -a dollar, Jack?” - -“I--I want to go to a show,” and Jack rather hesitated for he was -doubtful over the outcome of his request. - -“A show?” and the professor’s eyes opened so wide that, seen through -the powerful lenses of his glasses, they reminded Jack of the orbs of a -cuttlefish. - -“Yes, professor. There’s going to be a show in town to-night, and I’d -like to go. All the boys will be there.” - -“Does it cost a dollar to go to a--er--a performance?” - -“No; not exactly. The tickets are fifty cents, but I wanted a little -extra to treat some of my chums with.” - -“Treat? Ah, yes, I presume you mean to furnish some sort of refreshment -for your youthful companions.” - -“Yes, sir. Can I have the money? I haven’t drawn all my allowance this -month.” - -“No; you are correct there. There is still a balance of two dollars and -thirteen cents in your allowance account for this month, computing the -interest at six per cent. But I shall not give you the dollar.” - -“Why not?” - -“Why not? Because I don’t choose to.” - -“My father would, if he was here.” - -“Well, he isn’t here, and I’m in charge of you, and the money your -parents left for your care and support while they are away. I most -certainly shall not give you a dollar to waste on any such foolishness -as what you term a ‘show’ by which I apprehend that you mean a -performance of some character.” - -“It’s a vaudeville show,” went on Jack. “It’s real funny.” - -“Funny!” ejaculated the professor with a snort. “Fun is a very poor -substitute for knowledge, young man. If you have an evening to spare -you should spend it on your books. You are very backward in your Latin -and mathematics. When I was your age I used to devote my entire evening -to working out problems in algebra or geometry.” - -“Will you give me fifty cents?” asked Jack desperately, not wishing to -let the professor get too deep into the matter of study. - -“Fifty cents? What for?” - -“Well, I can go to the show for that, but I wanted some to treat the -boys with. They’ve bought sodas for me several times, now, and I want -to pay them back.” - -“Humph! That is all the rising generation thinks of! Having a good -time, and eating! No, Jack, I shall not give you a dollar for any such -purpose. And I will not give you fifty cents. Do you know that one -dollar, put out at six per cent, will, if the interest be compounded, -amount in one hundred years, to three hundred and forty dollars? Think -of it! Three hundred and forty dollars!” - -“But I don’t expect to live a hundred years, professor. Besides, it’s -my money,” spoke Jack, with just the least bit of defiance in his tone. - -“It is, to a certain extent,” answered the crusty old professor, “but -I am the treasurer and your guardian. I shall certainly not permit you -to waste your substance in riotous living.” - -“I don’t call it riotous living to go to a vaudeville show once in a -while, and buy an ice cream soda,” retorted Jack. - -“You know nothing about it; nothing whatever. Now if you had asked -me for a dollar, to buy some book, that would impart to you useful -knowledge, I would have complied at once. More than this, I would have -helped you select the book. I have a list of several good ones, that -can be purchased for a dollar.” - -“I don’t want any books,” murmured Jack. - -“You shall have no dollar to spend foolishly.” - -“I don’t think it’s foolish,” insisted Jack. “Look here, professor, -I’ve been studying hard, lately. I haven’t had any fun in a good while. -This is the first chance I’ve had to go to a show, and I think you -might let me go. Dad would if he was here.” - -“You shall not go. I think I know what is best for you.” - -“Then I’m going anyhow!” burst out Jack. “I’m not going to stay shut up -in the house all the while! I want a little recreation. If you don’t -give me the dollar, I’ll----” - -“What will you do?” asked the professor quickly, shutting his book, and -standing up. “Don’t you dare to threaten me, young man! What will you -do if I don’t give you the dollar? I shall write to your father. The -postal authorities must have located him and your mother by this time, -even if they are in China.” - -“Haven’t you had any word yet?” asked Jack, a new turn being given to -his thoughts. - -“No; and it is very strange. All trace of them seems to be lost after -they left Hong Kong, but the letters will finally reach them. I shall -inform Mr. Allen of your conduct.” - -“I think he’d say I was right,” murmured Jack. - -“That would make no difference to me,” declared the professor. “I know -my duty and I am going to do it. But you have not answered my question. -What did you threaten to do if I did not give you the dollar?” - -“I didn’t threaten anything.” - -“You were going to.” - -“I was going to say if you didn’t give me the dollar I’d go to the show -anyhow.” - -“How can you go if you have no money?” - -“I’ll find a way. Please, Professor Klopper, advance me a dollar from -my allowance that dad left with you for me.” - -“Not one penny for such a frivolous use as that,” replied the professor -firmly. “Now let me hear no more about it.” - -“Well, I’m going!” fired back Jack. “I’m bound to see that show, and -have a good time once in a while.” - -“That will do!” cried the professor so sharply that Jack was startled. -“Go to your room at once. I will deal with you later. I never inflict -any punishment when I am angry, and you have very nearly made me so. I -will attend to your case later. Go to your room at once!” - -There was no choice but to obey. Slowly Jack left the library, and -mounted the stairs to his own apartment. His heart was bitter, and he -was not a little worried concerning his father and mother, for, since -Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Allen had reached China, on their trip around -the world, news had been received that there had been serious uprisings -against the “foreign devils” as the Mongolians call people not of their -race. - -Jack Allen, who was a bright, sturdy youth, of about sixteen years, -lived in the town of Westville, in one of our Eastern States. He was an -only child, and his parents were well off. - -Mr. Allen was very fond of travel, and so was his wife, but they had -had little chance to gratify their tastes. A short time before this -story opens Mr. Allen’s firm had some business to transact abroad, in -several countries. Mr. Allen was offered the chance to go, and, as it -was a long-awaited opportunity he decided to take his wife, and, while -they were about it, make a tour of the world. - -Jack begged hard to be allowed to go, but, as it would have broken up -his schooling, and as his father wanted him to become an electrical -engineer, he was, much against his will, left at home. - -Jack attended the Westville Academy, and was one of the best students -in that institution. When his parents decided to make their long trip, -they discussed several plans of having their son taken care of while -they were away. Finally they decided to send him to live with a former -college instructor, Professor Klopper, who was an eminent authority on -many subjects. - -The professor was a bachelor, and, with an elderly sister, lived in a -somewhat gloomy house on the outskirts of Westville. - -There Jack had been for about a year, attending school in the meanwhile. - -He had never liked Professor Klopper, for the aged man was crabbed and -dictatorial, and very stern when it came to lessons. He made Jack study -more than any other boy who went to the academy, and was continually -examining him at home, on what he had learned in school. This, -undoubtedly, was good for Jack’s scholarship, but the boy did not like -it. - -Mr. Allen had arranged that the professor should have complete charge -of Jack, and a goodly sum had been left with the scientist for the -keep of the boy. - -“Give him a little spending money,” Mr. Allen had said to the -professor, “and see that he does not waste it.” - -The trouble was that the mathematical mind of the professor and the -more liberal one of Jack’s father differed as to what a “little -spending money” was, and what was meant by “wasting” it. - -The consequence was that Jack led a very miserable life with the -professor, but he was too manly a lad to complain, so his letters to -his parents said nothing about the disagreeable side of his sojourn -with the former college teacher. - -But, of late, there had come no letters from Mr. and Mrs. Allen. Jack’s -boyish epistles had not been replied to, and the professor’s long -effusions, containing precise reports as to his ward’s progress, were -not answered. - -All trace of Mr. and Mrs. Allen was lost when they got to China, though -up to now Jack had not worried about them, as he realized that mail in -some foreign countries is not as certain as it is in the United States. - -“Professor Klopper is the meanest old codger that ever lived!” -exclaimed Jack, as he mounted the stairs to his room. “I wish dad and -mother would come back. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen them, -and things are getting worse here instead of better. The idea of not -giving me a dollar! - -“All the fellows are saying sneering things about me, too,” he went on, -“because I don’t treat oftener. How can I treat when I don’t get any -money? I’ve a good notion to write to dad, and tell him about it. If I -only knew his exact address I would, but I’ll have to ask old Klopper, -and then he’ll catch on. No, I suppose I’ve got to stand it. But I wish -I could see that show to-night. I wonder if I couldn’t raise the money -somehow? I might borrow it--no, that wouldn’t do. I don’t know when I -could pay it back. If I had something I could sell----” - -He thought a moment, and then an idea came to him. - -“My catching glove!” he exclaimed. “It’s a good one yet, and Tom -Berwick will give me a dollar for it. If I play shortstop this summer -I’ll not need it. I’ll sell that.” - -Jack, who had been rather downhearted, felt better after he had reached -this decision. He began rummaging in a closet that contained various -articles, more or less intimately connected with boyish sports, and -presently withdrew a large, padded catching glove. - -“It cost seven dollars, just before dad went away,” he remarked. “It’s -worth three now, but I’ll let Tom have it for a dollar. That will give -me enough to go to the show and treat the crowd I owe sodas to. I’ll -do it. I’ll go to the show, no matter what Klopper says. But I’ve got -to sneak out, for if he sees me he’ll stop me. Most likely he’ll be -reading in the library this evening.” - -Jack knew his temporary guardian would not make him remain in his room -without supper, for the professor was not needlessly cruel. As the June -afternoon was drawing to a close, Miss Klopper, the professor’s sister, -came to Jack’s door. - -“Here is your supper,” she said, handing in a tray, none too well -filled. “My brother says you are to remain in your room until to-morrow -morning, when he hopes you will have repented. I hope you will, too. -Boys are such perverse creatures.” - -Jack said nothing. He took the tray, for he was very hungry. But he did -not intend to remain in his room all that evening, when there was a -vaudeville show in town. - -“It won’t be the first time I’ve gotten out of the window,” thought -Jack, when Miss Klopper had closed the door. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -AT THE SHOW - - -Jack knew there was little fear of detection, for, on several other -occasions, when he had been denied the privilege of going out on an -evening, he had climbed from the window of his room, out on the roof -of a low shed, and, by means of the lightning rod, to the ground. He -intended doing it this time. - -He finished his supper, and wished it had been larger. But he consoled -himself with the reflection that he could fill the void in his stomach -later with an ice cream soda. - -“Now to get out,” said Jack, as he went to the door and listened, to -see if the professor or his sister was about. He heard nothing. - -It was a small matter for the boy to get out of the window. He had -wrapped the big catching glove up in a paper, and he dropped it out of -the casement, so that he might have both hands free with which to climb -down. - -“So far, so good,” he murmured, as he picked up the glove, and started -down a rear path to get beyond the house, when he would strike out for -the village. But, just as he thought he was safe, he heard some one -moving on the other side of a large lilac bush, and, before he could -get out of the way, he was confronted by Miss Klopper. She had been out -to feed a late supper to a hen and some little chickens in the lower -part of the garden. - -“Does my brother know you have left your room?” asked the lady of the -house. - -“I don’t know,” replied Jack. - -That was truthful enough, for Mr. Klopper had a habit of sneaking up to -Jack’s room, to look through the keyhole, on such occasions as he sent -the lad to his apartment for punishment, and the crabbed old man might, -even now, have discovered the absence of his ward. - -“Didn’t he tell you to stay in your room?” went on Miss Klopper. - -“He did, but I don’t want to. It’s too nice out,” and Jack took in deep -breaths of the air, laden with the sweet scent of roses. - -“You must go back at once,” went on the spinster. - -“I’m not going to,” replied Jack. “I’m going to have a good time for -once in my life.” - -“I shall tell my brother of your insubordinate conduct.” - -“I don’t care,” fired back Jack, as he hurried on. - -“What have you in that bundle?” demanded Miss Klopper, as she saw the -package the youth carried. - -“Something of my own.” - -“I demand to know what it is!” - -“And I’m not going to tell you. It’s mine, and I have a perfect right -to do as I please with my own things. Suffering cats!” exclaimed Jack -softly. “I wish dad and mom was home,” and, not caring to have any -further discussion with Miss Klopper, he passed on, before she would -have a chance to summon the professor. - -Jack was a good boy at heart, and he never would do a mean act, but the -professor and his sister had treated him so harshly, though perhaps -they did not appreciate it, that his spirit rose in rebellion. - -Life at the professor’s house was becoming intolerable for Jack. How -he wished his parents would come home. Yet it seemed now, with no news -arriving from them, that it would be several months more before he -could hope to be released from the guardianship of Mr. Klopper. - -Jack made all haste to the town, from which the professor’s house was -distant about a mile. He wanted to find Tom, and dispose of the glove -in time to see the show from the start. He knew Tom would buy the -mitt, for he had often expressed a wish to purchase it, and Tom usually -had plenty of spending money. - -Passing through the village streets Jack met several boys he knew. - -“Going to the show?” was the question nearly every one of them asked of -him. - -“Sure,” he replied, as though he had several dollars in his pockets, -with which to buy tickets. “I’ll meet you there. Seen Tom Berwick?” he -went on. - -“Yep. He’s down in Newton’s drug store buying sodas.” - -Jack turned his steps thither, and met Tom coming from the place. Tom -was wiping his mouth in a suggestive manner. - -“Why didn’t you see me a minute sooner?” he asked. “I’d have bought you -a soda,” for Tom was a most generous lad. - -“Wish you had,” replied Jack. “Say, Tom, want to buy my catching glove?” - -“What’s the matter with it?” asked Tom quickly, for he had several -times before offered to purchase the big mitt, only to be met with a -refusal. “Ain’t it any good?” - -“Sure, it’s good!” - -“Then what you want to sell for?” - -“Well, I’m going to play short this season, and I don’t need a -catching glove. It’s a dandy. Look at it,” and Jack handed it to Tom, -having taken off the paper wrapping when he was out of sight of the -professor’s house. - -“It’s all right,” acknowledged Tom, after a critical inspection. “How -much?” - -“Give me two dollars?” - -Jack had his own ideas about finance. - -“Go on. I will not.” - -“It cost seven.” - -“Yes; two seasons ago. I can get a new one for three dollars.” - -“Not like that.” - -“Well, maybe not, but good enough.” - -“I’ll let you have it for a dollar and a half,” went on Jack. “That’s -cheap enough.” - -“Give you a dollar,” replied Tom quickly, who knew how to bargain. - -“All right,” and Jack sighed a little. He had hoped to get enough to -put aside some cash for future emergencies. - -Tom passed over the dollar. Then he tried on the glove. It certainly -was a good one. - -“Come on in and I’ll treat you to a soda,” he proposed generously, for -he decided that he had obtained a bargain, and could afford to treat. - -“Going to the show?” asked Tom, as the two came out of the drug store. - -“Sure. That’s what I sold the glove for.” - -“What’s the matter? Don’t your dad send you any money?” - -“Yes, he left some for me, but it’s like pulling teeth to get it from -old Klopper. He wouldn’t give me even fifty cents to-night, and he sent -me to my room. But I sneaked out, and I’m going to have some fun.” - -“That’s the way to talk! He’s a regular hard-shell, ain’t he?” - -“I should say yes! But come on, or maybe we won’t get a good seat.” - -“Oh, I got my ticket,” replied Tom. “Besides, I want to take this glove -home. I’ll see you there.” - -Jack hastened to the town auditorium, where, occasionally, traveling -theatrical shows played a one-night stand. There was quite a throng in -front of the box office, and Jack was afraid he would not get a seat, -but he managed to secure one well down in front. - -The auditorium began to fill up rapidly. Jack saw many of his -chums, and nodded to them. Then he began to study the program. An -announcement on it caught his eye. It was to the effect that during the -entertainment a chance would be given to any amateur performers in the -audience to come upon the stage, and show what they could do in the way -of singing, dancing or in other lines of public entertaining. Prizes -would be given for the best act, it was stated; five dollars for the -first, three for the second, and one for the third. - -“Say,” Jack whispered to Tom, who came in just then, “going to try for -any of those prizes?” - -“Naw,” replied Tom, vigorously chewing gum. “I can’t do nothin’. Some -of the fellows are, though. Arthur Little is going to recite, and Sam -Parsons is going to do some contortions. Why, do you want to try?” - -“I’d like to.” - -“What can you do?” - -“My clown act,” replied Tom. “I’ve got some new dancing steps, and -maybe I could win a prize.” - -“Sure you could,” replied Tom generously. “Go ahead. I’ll clap real -loud for you.” - -“Guess I will,” said Jack, breathing a little faster under the exciting -thought of appearing on a real stage. He had often taken the part of a -clown in shows the boys arranged among themselves, but this would be -different. - -“Ah, there goes the curtain!” exclaimed Tom, as the orchestra finished -playing the introduction, and there was a murmur all over the -auditorium, as the first number of the vaudeville performance started. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -JACK IS PUNISHED - - -The show was a fairly good one, and Jack and the other boys, as well as -older persons in the audience, enjoyed the various numbers, from the -singing and dancing, to a one-act sketch. - -More than one was anxious, however, for the time to come when the -amateurs would be given a chance. At length the manager came before the -curtain, and announced that those who wished might try their talents on -the audience. - -Several of the boys began to call for this or that chum, whom they knew -could do some specialty. - -“Give us that whistling stunt, Jimmy!” was one cry. - -“Hey, Sim; here’s a chance to show how far you can jump!” cried another. - -“Speak about the boy on the burning deck!” suggested a third. - -“Now we must have quietness,” declared the manager. “Those who wish to -perform may come up here, give me their names, and I will announce them -in turn.” - -Several lads started for the stage, Jack included. His chums called -good-naturedly after him as he walked up the aisle. - -“I might as well have all the fun I can to-night,” thought our hero. -“When Professor Klopper finds out what I’ve done, if he hasn’t already, -he’ll be as mad as two hornets.” - -The boys, and one or two girls, who had stage aspirations, crowded -around the manager, eager to give in their names. - -“Now, one at a time, please,” advised the theatrical man. “You’ll each -be given a chance. I may add,” he went on, turning to the audience, -“that the prizes will be awarded by a popular vote, as manifested by -applause. The performer getting the most applause will be considered to -have won the five dollars, and so with the other two prizes.” - -The amateurs began. Some of them did very well, while others only made -laughing stocks of themselves. One of the girls did remarkably well in -reciting a scene from Shakespeare. - -At last it came Jack’s turn. He was a little nervous as he faced the -footlights, and saw such a large crowd before him. A thousand eyes -seemed focused on him. But he calmed himself with the thought that it -was no worse than doing as he had often done when taking part in shows -that he and his chums arranged. - -While waiting for his turn Jack had made an appeal to the property man -of the auditorium, whom he knew quite well. The man, on Jack’s request, -had provided the lad with some white and red face paint, and Jack had -hurriedly made up as much like a clown as possible, using one of the -dressing-rooms back of the stage for this purpose. So, when it came his -turn to go out, his appearance was greeted with a burst of applause. He -was the first amateur to “make-up.” - -Jack was, naturally, a rather droll lad, and he was quite nimble on his -feet. He had once been much impressed by what a clown did in a small -circus, and he had practiced on variations of that entertainer’s act, -until he had a rather queer mixture of songs, jokes, nimble dancing and -acrobatic steps. - -This he now essayed, with such good effect that he soon had the -audience laughing, and, once that is accomplished, the rest is -comparatively easy for this class of work on the stage. - -Jack did his best. He went through a lot of queer evolutions, leaped -and danced as if his feet were on springs, and ended with an odd little -verse and a backward summersault, which brought him considerable -applause. - -“Jack’ll get first prize,” remarked Tom Berwick to his chums, when they -had done applauding their friend. - -But he did not. The performer after him, a young lady, who had -undoubted talent, by her manner of singing comic songs, to the -accompaniment of the orchestra, was adjudged to have won first prize. -Jack got second, and he was almost as well pleased, for the young lady, -Miss Mab Fordworth, was quite a friend of his. - -“Well,” thought Jack, as the manager handed him the three dollars, -“here is where I have spending money for a week, anyhow. I won’t have -to see the boys turning up their noses because I don’t treat.” - -The amateur efforts closed the performance, and, after Jack had washed -off the white and red paint, he joined his chums. - -“Say, Jack,” remarked Tom, “I didn’t know you could do as well as that.” - -“I didn’t, either,” replied Jack. “It was easy after I got my wind. But -I was a bit frightened at first.” - -“I’d like to be on the stage,” observed Tom, with something of a sigh. -“But I can’t do anything except catch balls. I don’t s’pose that would -take; would it?” - -“It might,” replied Jack good-naturedly. - -“Well, come on, let’s get some sodas,” proposed Tom. “It was hot in -there. I’ll stand treat.” - -“Seems to me you’re always standing treat,” spoke Jack, quickly. “I -guess it’s my turn, fellows.” - -“Jack’s spending some of his prize money,” remarked Charlie Andrews. - -“It’s the first I have had to spend in quite a while,” was his answer. -“Old Klopper holds me down as close as if he was a miser. I’ll be glad -when my dad comes back.” - -“Where is he now?” asked Tom. - -“Somewhere in China. We can’t find out exactly. I’m getting a bit -worried.” - -“Oh, I guess he’s all right,” observed Charlie. “But if you’re going to -stand treat, come on; I’m dry.” - -The boys were soon enjoying the sodas, and Jack was glad that he had -the chance to play host, for it galled him to have to accept the -hospitality of his chums, and not do his share. Now, thanks to his -abilities as a clown, he was able to repay the favors. - -“Well, I suppose I might as well go in the front door as to crawl in -the window,” thought Jack, as he neared the professor’s house. “He -knows I’m out, for that old maid told him, and he’ll be waiting for me. -I’m in for a lecture, and the sooner it’s over the better. Oh, dear, -but I wish dad and mom were home!” - -“Well, young man, give an account of yourself,” said the professor -sharply, when Jack came in. Mr. Klopper could never forget that he had -been a teacher, and a severe one at that. His manner always savored of -the classroom, especially when about to administer a rebuke. - -“I went to the show,” said Jack shortly. “I told you I was going.” - -“In other words you defied and disobeyed me.” - -“I felt that I had a right to go. I’m not a baby.” - -“That is no excuse. I shall report your conduct to your parents. Now -another matter. Where did you get the money to go with?” - -“I--I got it.” - -“Evidently; but I asked you where. The idea of wasting fifty cents for -a silly show! Did you stop to realize that fifty cents would pay the -interest on ten dollars for a year, at five per cent?” - -“I didn’t stop to figure it out, professor.” - -“Of course not. Nor did you stop to think that for fifty cents you -might have bought some useful book. And you did not stop to consider -that you were disobeying me. I shall attend to your case. Do you still -refuse to tell me where you got that money?” - -“I--I’d rather not.” - -“Very well, I shall make some inquiries. You may retire now. I never -make up my mind when I am the least bit angry, and I find myself -somewhat displeased with you at this moment.” - -“Displeased” was a mild way of putting it, Jack thought. - -“I shall see you in the morning,” went on the professor. “It is -Saturday, and there is no school. Remain in your room until I come up. -I wish to have a serious talk with you.” - -Jack had no relish for this. It would not be the first time the -professor had had a “serious talk” with him, for, of late, the old -teacher was getting more and more strict in his treatment of the boy. -Jack was sure his father would not approve of the professor’s method. -But Mr. Allen was far away, and his son was not likely to see him for -some time. - -But, in spite of what he knew was in store for him the next morning, -Jack slept well, for he was a healthy youth. - -“I suppose he’ll punish me in some way,” he said, as he arose, “but he -won’t dare do very much, though he’s been pretty stiff of late.” - -The professor was “pretty stiff” when he came to Jack’s room to -remonstrate with his ward on what he had done. Jack never remembered -such a lecture as he got that day. Then the former college instructor -ended up with: - -“And, as a punishment, you will keep to your room to-day and to-morrow. -I forbid you to stir from it, and if I find you trying to sneak out, -as you did last night, I shall take stringent measures to prevent you.” - -The professor was a powerful man, and there was more than one story of -the corporal punishment he had inflicted on rebellious students. - -“But, professor,” said Jack. “I was going to have a practice game of -baseball with the boys to-day. The season opens next week, and I’m -playing in a new position. I’ll have to practice!” - -“You will remain in your room all of to-day and to-morrow,” was all the -reply the professor made, as he strode from Jack’s apartment. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -DISQUIETING NEWS - - -“Well, if this ain’t the meanest thing he’s done to me yet!” exclaimed -Jack, as the door closed on the retreating form of his crusty guardian. -“This is the limit! The boys expect me to the ball game, and I can’t -get there. That means they’ll put somebody else in my place, and maybe -I’ll have to be a substitute for the rest of the season. I’ve a good -notion----” - -But so many daring thoughts came into Jack’s mind that he did not know -which one to give utterance to first. - -“I’ll not stand it,” he declared. “He hasn’t any right to punish me -like this, for what I did. He had no right to keep me in. I’ll get out -the same way I did before.” - -Jack looked from the window of his room. Below it, seated on a bench, -in the shade of a tree, was the professor, reading a large book. - -“That way’s blocked,” remarked the boy. “He’ll stay there all day, -working out problems about how much a dollar will amount to if put out -at interest for a thousand years, or else figuring how long it will -take a man to get to Mars if he traveled at the rate of a thousand -miles a minute, though what in the world good such knowledge is I can’t -see. - -“But I can’t get out while he’s on guard, for he wouldn’t hesitate to -wallop me. And when he comes in to breakfast his sister will relieve -him. I am certainly up against it! - -“Hold on, though! Maybe he forgot to bolt the door!” - -It was a vain hope. Though Jack had not heard him do it, the professor -had softly slid the bolt across as he went out of the boy’s room, and -our hero was practically a prisoner in his own apartment. - -And this on a beautiful Saturday, when there was no school and when the -first practice baseball game of the season was to be played. Is it any -wonder that Jack was indignant? - -“It’s about time they brought me something to eat,” he thought, as he -heard a clock somewhere in the house strike nine. “I’m getting hungry.” - -He had little fear on the score that the professor would starve him, -for the old college instructor was not quite as mean as that, and, -in a short time, Miss Klopper appeared with a tray containing Jack’s -breakfast. - -“I should think you would be ashamed of yourself,” she said. “The idea -of repaying my brother’s kindness by such acts! You are a wicked boy!” - -Jack wondered where any special kindness on the part of the professor -came in, but he did not say anything to the old maid whose temper was -even more sour than her brother’s. Since his parents had left him -with the professor, Jack had never been treated with real kindness. -Perhaps Mr. Klopper did not intend to be mean, but he was such a deep -student that all who did not devote most of their time to study and -research earned his profound contempt. While Jack was a good boy, and a -fairly good student, he liked sports and fun, and these the professor -detested. So, when he found that his ward did not intend to apply -himself closely to his books, Professor Klopper began “putting the -screws on,” as Jack termed it. - -Matters had gone from bad to worse, until the boy was now in a really -desperate state. His naturally good temper had been spoiled by a -series of petty fault-findings, and he had been so hedged about by the -professor and his sister that he was ripe for almost anything. - -All that day he remained in his room, becoming more and more angry at -his imprisonment as the hours passed. - -“The boys are on the diamond now,” he said, as he heard a clock strike -three. “They’re practicing, and soon the game will start. Gee, but I -wish I was there! But it’s no use.” - -Another try at the door, and a look out of his window convinced him of -this. The professor was still on guard, reading his big book. - -Toward dusk the professor went in, as he could see no longer. But, by -that time Jack had lost all desire to escape. He resolved to go to bed, -to make the time pass more quickly, though he knew he had another day -of imprisonment before him. Sunday was the occasion for long rambles -in the woods and fields with his chums, but he knew he would have to -forego that pleasure now. He almost hoped it would rain. - -As he was undressing there came a hurried knock on his door. - -“What is it?” he asked. - -“My brother wants to see you at once, in his study,” said Miss Klopper. - -“Oh, dear,” thought Jack. “Here’s for another lecture.” - -There was no choice but to obey, however, for Mr. Allen in his last -injunction to his son, had urged him to give every heed to his -guardian’s requests. - -He found the professor in his study, with open books piled all about on -a table before which he sat. In his hand Mr. Klopper held a white slip -of paper. - -“Jack,” he said, more kindly than he had spoken since the trouble -between them, “I have here a telegram concerning your father and -mother.” - -“Is it--is it bad news?” asked the boy quickly, for something in the -professor’s tone and manner indicated it. - -“Well, I--er--I’m sorry to say it is not good news. It is rather -disquieting. You remember I told you I cabled to the United States -Consul in Hong Kong concerning your parents, when several days went by -without either of us hearing from them.” - -“What does he say?” - -“His cablegram states that your parents went on an excursion outside of -Hong Kong about two weeks ago, and no word has been received from them -since.” - -“Are they--are they killed?” - -“No; I do not think so. The consul adds that as there have been -disturbances in China, it is very likely that Mr. and Mrs. Allen, -together with some other Americans, have been detained in a friendly -province, until the trouble is over. I thought you had better know -this.” - -“Do you suppose there is any danger?” - -“I do not think so. There is no use worrying, though I was a little -anxious when I had no word from them. We will hope for the best. I -will cable the consul to send me word as soon as he has any additional -news.” - -“Poor mother!” said Jack. “She’s nervous, and if she gets frightened it -may have a bad effect on her heart.” - -“Um,” remarked the professor. He had little sympathy for ailing women. -“In view of this news I have decided to mitigate your punishment,” he -added to Jack. “You may consider yourself at liberty to-morrow, though -I shall expect you to spend at least three hours in reading some good -and helpful book. I will pick one out for you. It is well to train our -minds to deep reading, for there is so much of the frivolous in life -now-a-days, that the young are very likely to form improper thinking -habits. I would recommend that you spend an hour before you retire -to-night, in improving yourself in Latin. Your conjugation of verbs was -very weak the last time I examined you.” - -“I--I don’t think I could study to-night,” said Jack, who felt quite -miserable with his enforced detention in the house, and the unpleasant -news concerning his parents. “I’d be thinking so much about my father -and mother that I couldn’t keep my attention on the verbs,” he said. - -“That indicates a weak intellect,” returned the professor. “You should -labor to overcome it. However, perhaps it would be useless to have -you do any Latin to-night. But I must insist on you improving in your -studies. Your last report from the academy was very poor.” - -Jack did not answer. With a heavy heart he went to his room, where he -sat for some time in the dark, thinking of his parents in far-off China. - -“I wish I could go and find them,” he said. “Maybe they need help. I -wonder if the professor’d let me go?” - -But, even as that idea came to him, he knew it would be useless to -propose it to Mr. Klopper. - -“He’s got enough of money that dad left for my keep, to pay my -passage,” the boy mused on. “But if I asked for some for a steamship -ticket he’d begin to figure what the interest on it for a hundred years -would be, and then he’d lecture me about being a spendthrift. No, I’ll -have to let it go, though I do wish I could make a trip abroad. If I -could only earn money enough, some way, I’d go to China and find dad -and mom.” - -But even disquieting and sad thoughts can not long keep awake a healthy -lad, and soon Jack was slumbering. He was up early the next morning, -and, as usual, accompanied the professor to church. - -The best part of the afternoon he was forced to spend in reading a book -on what boys ought to do, written by an old man who, if ever he was a -healthy, sport-loving lad, must have been one so many years ago that -he forgot that he ever liked to have fun once in a while. - -Jack was glad when night came, so he could go to bed again. - -“To-morrow I’ll see the boys,” he thought to himself. “They’ll want to -know why I didn’t come to play ball, and I’ll have to tell them the -real reason. I’m getting so I hate Professor Klopper!” - -If Jack had known what was to happen the next day, he probably would -not have slept so soundly. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -A SERIOUS ACCUSATION - - -“Hey, Jack, where were you Saturday?” asked Tom Berwick, as our hero -came into the school yard Monday morning. “We had a dandy game,” he -went on. “Your catching glove is nifty!” - -“Yes, Fred Walton played short,” added Sam Morton. “We waited as long -as we could for you. What was the matter?” - -“The professor made me stay home because I skipped out the night before -to go to the show.” - -“Say, he’s a mean old codger,” was Tom’s opinion, which was echoed by -several other lads. - -“Is Fred going to play shortstop regularly?” asked Jack, of Tom -Berwick, who was captain of the Academy nine. - -“I don’t know. He wants to, but I’d like to have you play there, Jack. -Still, if you can’t come Saturdays----” - -“Oh, I’ll come next Saturday all right. Can’t we have a little practice -this afternoon?” - -“Sure. You can play then, if you want to. Fred has to go away, he said.” - -The boys had a lively impromptu contest on the diamond when school -closed that afternoon, and Jack proved himself an efficient player at -shortstop. It was getting dusk when he reached the professor’s house, -and the doughty old college instructor was waiting for him. - -“Did I not tell you to come home early, in order that I might test you -in algebra?” he asked Jack. - -“Yes, sir. But I forgot about it,” which was the truth for, in the -excitement over the game, Jack had no mind for anything but baseball. - -“Where were you?” went on Mr. Klopper. - -“Playing ball.” - -“Playing ball! An idle, frivolous amusement. It tends to no good, and -does positive harm. I have no sympathy with that game. It gives no time -for reflection. I once watched a game at the college where I used to -teach. I saw several men standing at quite some distance from the bare -spot where one man was throwing a ball at another, with a stick in his -hand.” - -“That was the diamond,” volunteered Jack, hoping the professor might -get interested in hearing about the game, and so forego the lecture -that was in prospect. - -“Ah, a very inappropriate name. Such an utterly valueless game should -not be designated by any such expensive stone as a diamond. But what I -was going to say was that I saw some of the players standing quite some -distance from the bare spot----” - -“They were in the outfield, professor. Right field, left field and -centre.” - -“One moment; I care nothing about the names of the contestants. I was -about to remark that those distant players seemed to have little to do -with the game. They might, most profitably have had a book with them, -to study while they were standing there, but they did not. Instead they -remained idle--wasting their time.” - -“But they might have had to catch a ball any moment.” - -“Nonsense!” exclaimed the professor. “It is an idle frivolous -amusement, and I regret very much that you wasted your valuable time -over it. After supper I want to hear you read some Virgil, and also do -some problems in geometry. I was instructed by your father to see that -your education was not neglected, and I must do my duty, no matter how -disagreeable it is.” - -Jack sighed. He had studied hard in class that day, and now to be made -to put in the evening over his books he thought was very unfair. - -But there was no escape from the professor, and the boy had to put in -two hours at his Latin and mathematics, which studies, though they -undoubtedly did him good, were very distasteful to him. - -“You are making scarcely any progress,” said the professor, when Jack -had failed to properly answer several of his questions. “I want you to -come home early from school to-morrow afternoon, and I will give you -my undivided attention until bedtime. I am determined that you shall -learn.” - -Jack said nothing, but he did not think it would be wise to go off -playing ball the next afternoon, though the boys urged him strongly. - -“Why don’t you write and tell your dad how mean old Klopper is treating -you?” suggested Tom, when Jack explained the reason for going straight -home from his classes. - -“I would if I knew how to reach him. But I don’t know where he is,” -and Jack sighed, for he was becoming more and more alarmed at the long -delay in hearing from his father. - -But Jack was destined to do no studying that afternoon under the -watchful eye of Professor Klopper. He had no sooner entered the house -than he was made aware that something unusual had happened. - -“My brother is waiting for you in the library,” said Miss Klopper, and -Jack noticed that she was excited over something. - -“Maybe it’s bad news about the folks,” the boy thought, but when he -saw that the professor had no cablegram, he decided it could not be -that. - -“Jack,” began the aged teacher, “I have a very serious matter to speak -about.” - -“I wonder what’s coming now?” thought the boy. - -“Do you recall the night you disobeyed me, and, sneaking out of your -window like a thief, you went to a--er--a theatrical performance -without my permission?” asked the professor. - -“Yes, sir,” replied Jack, wondering if his guardian thought he was -likely to forget it so soon. - -“Do you also recollect me asking you where you got the money wherewith -to go?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“I now, once more, demand that you tell me where you obtained it, and, -let me warn you that it is serious. I insist that you answer me. Where -did you get that money?” - -“I--I don’t want to tell you, Professor Klopper.” - -“Are you afraid?” - -“No, sir,” came the indignant answer, for there were few things of -which Jack Allen was afraid. - -“Then why don’t you tell me?” - -“Because I don’t think you have a right to know everything that I do. I -am not a baby. I assure you I got that money in a perfectly legitimate -way.” - -“Oh, you did?” sneered the professor. “We shall see about that. Come -in,” he called, and, to Jack’s surprise the door opened and Miss -Klopper entered the library. - -“I believe you have something to say on a subject that interests all -present,” went on the professor, in icy tones. - -“She knows nothing of where I got the money,” said Jack. - -“We shall see,” remarked Mr. Klopper. “You may tell what you know,” he -added to his sister. - -“I saw Jack just as he got down out of his window,” Miss Klopper -stated, as if she was reciting a lesson. “He had a bundle with him. I -asked what it was and he would not tell me.” - -“Is that correct?” inquired the former teacher. - -“Yes, sir,” replied Jack, wondering how the professor could be -interested in his catching glove, which was what the bundle had -contained. - -“What was in that package?” went on the professor. - -“I--I don’t care to tell, sir.” - -“I insist that you shall. Once again, I warn you that it is a very -serious matter.” - -Jack could not quite understand why, so he kept silent. - -“Well, are you going to tell me?” - -“No, sir.” - -Jack had no particular reason for not telling, but he had made up his -mind that the professor had no right to know, and he was not going to -give in to him. - -“This is your last chance,” warned his guardian. “Are you going to tell -me?” - -“No, sir.” - -“Then I will tell you what was in that package. It was my gold loving -cup, that the teachers of Underhill College presented to me on the -occasion of my retirement from the faculty of that institution!” - -“Your loving cup?” repeated Jack in amazement, for that cup was one of -the professor’s choicest possessions, and quite valuable. - -“Yes, my loving cup. You had it in that bundle, and you took it out to -pawn it, in order to get money to go to that show.” - -“That’s not true!” cried Jack indignantly. “All I had in that bundle -was my catching glove, which I sold to Tom Berwick.” - -“I don’t believe you,” said the professor stiffly. “I say you stole my -loving cup and pawned it. The cup is gone from its accustomed place on -my dresser. I did not miss it until this afternoon, and, when I asked -my sister about it, she said she had not seen it. Then she recalled -your sneaking away from the house with a bundle, and I at once knew -what had become of it.” - -[Illustration: “I say you took my cup!” - - _Page 41_] - -“You couldn’t know, for there is absolutely no truth in this -accusation,” replied Jack hotly. - -“Do you mean to say that I am telling an untruth?” asked the professor -sharply. “I say that you took my cup.” - -“And I say that I didn’t! I never touched your cup! If it’s gone some -one else took it!” - -Jack spoke in loud and excited tones. - -“Don’t you dare contradict me, young man!” thundered the former -teacher. “I will not permit it. I say you took that cup! I know you -did!” - -“I didn’t!” cried Jack. - -The professor was so angry that he took a step toward the lad. He -raised his hand, probably unconsciously, as though to deal Jack a -box on the ear, for this was the old teacher’s favorite method of -correcting a refractory student. - -Jack, with the instinct of a lad who will assume a defensive attitude -on the first sign of an attack, doubled up his fists. - -“What! You dare attempt to strike me?” cried the professor. “You dare?” - -“I’m not going to have you hit me,” murmured Jack. “You are making an -unjust charge. I never took that cup. I can prove what I had in that -package by Tom Berwick.” - -“I do not believe you,” went on the professor. “I know you pawned that -cup to get spending money, because I refused to give you any to waste. -I will give you a chance to confess, and tell me where you disposed of -it, before I take harsh measures.” - -Jack started. What did the professor mean by harsh measures? - -“I can’t confess what I did not do,” he said, more quietly. “I never -took the loving cup.” - -“And I say you did!” cried the old teacher, seeming to lose control of -himself. “I say you stole it, and I’ll have you arrested, you young -rascal! Go to your room at once, and remain there until I get an -officer. We’ll see then whether you’ll confess or not. I’ll call in a -policeman at once. See that he does not leave the house,” he added to -his sister, as he hurried from the room. - -Jack started from the library. - -“Where are you going?” asked Miss Klopper, placing herself in his path. -She was a large woman, and strong. - -“I am going to my room,” replied Jack, sore at heart and very miserable -over the unjust accusation. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -JACK RUNS AWAY - - -Jack closed the door of his apartment and sat down in a chair by the -bed. His mind was in a whirl. He wondered if the professor would carry -out his threat, and call an officer. - -“He’s mean enough to,” thought the boy. “But I don’t see how he can -accuse me of taking that cup. I know he values it very highly, and -feels very badly over its loss, if it is gone, but I had nothing to do -with it. I can easily prove, by Tom Berwick, that it was a glove I had -in the bundle.” - -Then another thought came to Jack. He remembered that, after getting -out of sight of the house, he had thrown away the paper from the -catching glove. All Tom could say was that his chum had sold him a -glove. Tom would know nothing about any bundle that Jack had carried -away from the professor’s house. - -“I may have hard work proving that I only took the glove with me,” -mused Jack. “The professor is so quick tempered that he’ll not believe -such proof as I can bring forward. It looks as if I was in a hole.” - -The more Jack thought it over the less inclined he was to await the -return of the professor with an officer. - -“I’ll not submit to the disgrace of an arrest, even though I know I am -innocent,” he declared. “That’s carrying things too far. If dad was -only here----” - -He stopped suddenly, and a lump came into his throat, while there was -suspicious moisture in his eyes. - -“This is the limit!” the boy exclaimed, at length. “I’m not going to -stand it! I’ll skip out! I’ll run away! I’ll go anywhere rather than -stay in this house any longer! - -“Whatever happens to me, or wherever I go I can’t be much worse off -than I have been here, with old Klopper and his sister. I’ve got a -little money left, and I guess I can get work somewhere. I’ll pack up -my clothes and leave. Dad wouldn’t blame me, if he knew. Neither would -mother. I’ll go; that’s what I’ll do!” - -Once he had formed this resolution Jack set about ways and means. First -he looked to see how much money he had. - -“Two dollars and fifteen cents,” he said, as he counted the change. -“Not an awful lot, but I’ll have to make it do. I wish there was -another show coming to town. Maybe I could make a little money doing -my clown stunt on amateur night. But I haven’t any time to wait for -such a thing as that. I’ve got to get out at once.” - -Next he began to consider what he had better take with him. He had -several suits of clothes, and a plentiful supply of other garments. -Selecting the best he placed them in his dress-suit case. - -“Now to get away,” he murmured. “The professor will have to go to town -for an officer, and he can’t get back inside a half hour. I’ve got -about fifteen minutes left. Guess I’d better go by the window. That old -cat of a sister of his will probably be on the watch downstairs if I go -out the door.” - -Jack gave a last look around the room that had been his for the past -year. There were no very pleasant memories connected with it. He saw -his school books lying on a shelf. - -“I won’t need you, where I’m going,” he said. “The term is almost -closed. By the time I get ready to come back, or hear from my folks I -can start a new term, but I hope I’ll never have anything more to do -with Professor Klopper.” - -Jack went to the window to look out, to see if it would be safe to drop -the suit case, and then follow himself. To his surprise, coming over -the back path, which he often used as a short cut to the village, he -saw the professor and a policeman. - -“It’s too late!” he exclaimed. “He took the short way home, and got -here quicker than I thought he would. He kept his threat, and is going -to have me arrested. What’ll I do?” - -Jack thought rapidly. He had made up his mind that he would not submit -to the indignity of being taken into custody, even though he thought he -could, after some trouble, prove his innocence of the charge. - -“I’m not going to let them get me,” said Jack softly. “What had I -better do? I know. I’ll hide in the big attic closet. He’ll never think -to look for me there. But, before I go I’ll just make them think I got -away out of the window. Then they won’t spend so much time looking for -me.” - -Jack took a piece of rope, one of the many things in his room which he -had stowed away, thinking he might some day find a use for it. He tied -one end to his bed, and threw the other out of the window, taking care -that the approaching professor and the officer should not see him. - -“There, they’ll think I got down by that,” he said, “though I never use -it. The lightning rod is good enough for me. Now to hide!” - -Softly opening his door, which, fortunately was not bolted, and -carrying his dress-suit case, he went up to the big attic, which took -up the entire third story of the professor’s house. There was a roomy -closet, or store room in it, and, selecting a place behind a large -chest, Jack sat down there, stowing his case away out of sight. - -“I don’t believe they’ll find me here,” he said, with a smile. “Gee, -but I’m glad I decided to skip out! I couldn’t stand it any longer!” - -He listened intently, and soon he heard his name being called by the -professor. - -“They’ve found out I’m not in my room,” he said. “Well, let ’em hunt.” - -He heard his name being shouted again. - -“That’s Miss Klopper,” he remarked. “I’ve fooled ’em.” - -Then he heard confused sounds throughout the house, and he knew they -were searching for him. But he had selected his hiding place well. -Besides, the dangling rope did deceive the professor and the policeman. - -“The rascal has gotten away,” said Mr. Klopper, when a superficial -search of the house failed to reveal the boy. “I did not think he would -do that.” - -“Most any boy would, under the circumstances,” observed the policeman -grimly. “You shouldn’t have told him you were going to have him -arrested. If you’d come away quietly and got me we would have him now.” - -“I’ll get him yet,” declared the professor savagely. “I will compel him -to tell me where he pawned my gold loving cup. I shall also cable to -his father of what he has done, as soon as I get his address. I never -supposed, after all my teaching, that Jack would prove such a rascal.” - -“Maybe he didn’t take the cup,” suggested the officer. - -“I know he did,” insisted the former teacher, as if that settled it. - -Meanwhile, Jack remained in hiding. He heard the house grow more quiet -after the officer took his departure. The professor had given up the -search, though he had asked the authorities to send out a general alarm -for the runaway boy. - -“It must be quite dark outside by now,” thought Jack, after an hour -or more behind the big chest. “I wonder if it’s safe to venture -downstairs? I’m almost starved, for I didn’t have any supper. Guess I’d -better wait a while. The professor and his sister go to bed early, and -they’re sound sleepers. Then I’ll sneak out and get something from the -pantry.” - -He waited another hour. Then, taking off his shoes, and carrying them -in one hand, while in the other he carried the dress-suit case, he -stole down the attic stairs. - -He listened intently. There was not a sound. The house was dark, and, -as he stood there, anxiously waiting, he heard a clock strike ten. - -“They’re asleep,” he said softly. “Now for something to eat.” - -He made his way to the pantry. He struck a match, one of a supply he -always carried, and found a piece of candle. This he lighted, and, by -its flickering glow, he made a meal from cold victuals which were on -the shelves. - -“Guess I’ll take a little lunch with me,” he remarked softly. “It may -come in handy.” - -He did up some bread and meat, a bit of cake, and a piece of pie in a -paper, which he thrust into his pocket. Then, having put on his shoes, -and grasping his case, he let himself out of the front door. - -“Well, I’ve run away,” he remarked grimly, as he looked back at the -dark and silent house. “Now for a free life, without being scolded -every minute by old Klopper. I’ve got the whole world before me, and I -shouldn’t care if I never came back, if I could only get to where dad -and mom are.” - -Poor Jack! he little realized what was in store for him before he would -see his parents again. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -A NARROW ESCAPE - - -With the one thought firm in his mind, to get safely away from the -house, Jack gave little heed which way he went. Naturally he headed -away from the village, for he knew, late as it was, nearly midnight -now, some one would be about who might know him. - -“I’ve got to keep out of sight for a while,” thought the boy. “If I -guess right, the professor will be so mad because I have run away that -he’ll have the police in all the nearby places on the lookout for me. -Nearly every officer in Westville knows me, so I don’t want to meet any -of them.” - -He walked on, keeping in the shadows, until he was about a mile from -the house, having traveled in an opposite direction to that in which -the village was situated. - -“I’d better make out a plan of campaign, the way Cæsar did,” he said. -“Queer I should think of that old warrior, when I hate Latin so, but -then he knew a good deal about battles, though I don’t remember that -he ever ran away much. - -“Let’s see,” he went on musingly. “If I go this way I’ll reach -Cloverdale in about an hour. They have a regular uniformed force there, -and probably they’ve been warned by telephone to look out for a boy -with a dress-suit case. If I bear off to the left I’ll get to Pendleton -in two hours. There are only a couple of constables there, and I don’t -believe they’ll be on the watch for me. From Pendleton I can take a -train to some other place.” - -Jack thought matters over a little more. He wanted to be sure and -make no mistake, as this was a very important period in his life. He -recalled several stories he had read of boys running away, but none of -them seemed to fit his case. - -“The trouble is, I don’t know just where to go,” he thought. “I don’t -want to go to sea, I don’t care about going out west to fight Indians -or dig for gold, and there’s no special kind of work I can do. The only -thing I would like to do would be to find my folks. Maybe I can, some -time, though when I’ll have money enough to go to China I’m sure I -don’t know. I wonder where I’d better go after I get to Pendleton?” - -Jack thought hard. It was quite a problem for the lad. There were so -many things to consider. First of all, of course, was to keep out of -the clutches of a policeman. - -“I think I’ll go to Rudford,” he announced to himself. “That’s quite -a town, and it’s far enough off so that the professor will not think -of telephoning to it. It will take almost all my money to get there, -but when I arrive I’ll have a better chance to get a job than I would -have in these small towns. I’ll go to Rudford. There’s a train from -Pendleton to Rudford about three o’clock. I can just make it.” - -Off he trudged once more, proceeding faster, now that he had a definite -plan before him. It was rather lonesome, walking along the deserted -country road at night, but Jack had no fears. The worst he could meet -with would be tramps, and he did not worry about them. - -Still, as he came to a stretch where the road ran through a rather -dense patch of woods, he was a little nervous, especially when he heard -something stirring in the forest close to the highway. He stood still, -and he could feel his heart pounding against his ribs. - -“Maybe that’s a crowd of tramps,” he thought, for, of late, several -members of that road fraternity had been committing petty depredations -in the vicinity. - -The rustling in the woods became louder. It seemed as if some one was -running toward the road, snapping the branches under foot. - -Then, from the darkness of the woods, two bright eyes peered out at -Jack, reflecting in the light of the new moon. They showed red and -green. - -“An animal,” said the lad to himself, with a sigh of relief. “A fox, -most likely.” - -Then a distant owl hooted, and the fox, if such the beast was, -disappeared like a flash. - -“I might have known it,” thought Jack, but, nevertheless, it was some -time before his heart beat regularly. At length he saw a distant light, -and knew that he was approaching Pendleton. - -“I’ll soon be there,” he thought. “Then for a ride on the train, and, -as soon as it’s daylight, I’ll look for work in Rudford. I ought to get -a place easily. I’m strong for my age.” - -Half an hour later Jack was tramping through the silent streets of the -village, on his way to the railroad station. He had been there once -before, when the Academy nine played the Pendleton team, and he knew -his way about. - -Just as the youth was turning a dark corner, on a street which he -remembered led to the depot, he heard some one coming toward him. He -peered ahead, and, from the fact that the man he saw carried a long -club, he concluded that the person was a constable. - -“I mustn’t let him see me,” thought the boy. “It’s just possible -there’s an alarm for me here. The dress-suit case will give me away, -sure. I’d better hide it until he gets past.” - -Fortunately, Jack was in the dense shadow cast by a building. The -constable was coming directly toward him, and if he turned back, the -officer would hear him. A sudden idea came to the lad. - -Setting his dress-suit case down in the doorway, where it would be -out of sight, Jack advanced boldly to meet the constable. The officer -rather started on beholding the boy appear from out of the shadow. - -“Can you please tell me the way to the railroad station?” asked Jack. -“I want to get a train.” - -“Right down this street,” replied the officer, which fact Jack knew -well. “Out rather late, aren’t you?” asked the officer suspiciously. - -“Well, it is late,” admitted Jack, as if some one had disputed it. “But -I couldn’t get here any sooner,” which was the truth. “I’m on my way to -Rudford, to work,” he added. “I had to leave rather suddenly, and this -is the first train I could get. There’s one about three, isn’t there?” - -He was glad he knew something about the timetable, though it was not -much. - -“Three-eight,” replied the officer. “You haven’t seen anything of a lad -with a dress-suit case, have you?” - -“A lad with a dress-suit case?” repeated Jack, as though such a -curiosity was not to be met with outside of a circus. Then the alarm -for him had been sent here, after all, he thought. But his natural -manner fooled the constable. - -“Yes,” went on the officer. “We’ve got orders to arrest a lad with a -dress-suit case. Telephone came from the police at Westville.” - -“What’s he wanted for?” - -As if Jack did not know! - -“Stealing a gold cup from some professor there. I don’t know much about -the case. I was only told to arrest a lad with a dress-suit case, and -I’m looking for him. I thought you was him, first, but you haven’t any -case.” - -“Oh, no,” spoke Jack, hoping the one in the doorway would not be seen. - -“I’d like to arrest him,” continued the constable. “I hear there’s a -reward offered for him, and I’d like to get it.” - -Evidently, Professor Klopper must have been very much incensed over his -ward’s escape to offer a reward, for he was very fond of money. Jack -resolved to use every means to avoid capture. - -“Well, I’d better be getting on,” said the officer. “If you go right -down this street you’ll come to the depot. You can just make the train. -Generally it’s a little late. If you see a lad with a suit case, tell -the first constable you meet.” - -“I understand,” answered Jack, and grinned to himself. - -He walked on slowly, looking back once or twice to see if the constable -was watching him. But that officer evidently had no suspicions, for he -did not once peer after Jack. - -When the man had gone some distance, and had turned down a side street, -Jack ventured to retrace his steps and get his suit case. - -“I can’t leave that behind,” he thought. “It’s all I’ve got in the -world now.” - -He reached the station without further incident, congratulating himself -upon his narrow escape. Then, as he walked up the depot platform, he -resolved to practice another bit of caution. - -“The agent there has probably been warned to be on the lookout for me,” -he reasoned. “My dress-suit case seems to be the most conspicuous part -of my make-up. I’ll just leave it outside when I go in to buy a ticket.” - -He was glad he did so, for, when he asked for passage to Rudford, -the agent, rousing himself from his nap, looked out of the little -brass-barred window at the boy in front of him. Very evidently he was -looking to see if Jack carried a suit case. - -“No baggage?” he remarked, in questioning accents. - -“Not so’s you could notice it,” replied Jack, making use of a bit of -slang that served his purpose well, without compelling him to make a -direct statement. - -He went outside, got his case, and remained in the shadow of the depot -shed until the train came along. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE SIDE-DOOR PULLMAN - - -Jack fancied that the conductor, when he took up his ticket, looked -suspiciously at him, but probably this was only the result of his -imagination. At any rate, the runaway was glad when the train stopped -at Rudford, and he could get out. - -It was early morning, and rather cool, in spite of the fact that it was -the last of June. - -“A cup of coffee and some rolls for mine,” thought Jack, as he saw a -small refreshment stand in the station. - -The food tasted good to him, and he decided it was wiser to spend a -little of his money for it than to draw on the supply of cold victuals -in his pocket. - -“No telling when I’ll need them,” he thought, “and I want to be in good -shape to look for work.” Then another thought came to him. He could not -very well go about looking for a job carrying his suit case. Besides, -it would look suspicious, in case there was any alarm here for him. He -saw a notice at the refreshment stand to the effect that valises and -small parcels would be checked at the rate of ten cents a day. - -“That will suit me,” decided Jack, and he handed over his large valise, -receiving for it a paper check. “Now I can travel about better,” he -added. - -Jack’s one idea now was to get a place to work. He did not intend to -stay permanently in Rudford, but he wanted to earn enough money to take -him to some larger place, and that he needed money was very evident, -when he looked over his cash and found he had less than a dollar. The -railroad ticket had taken the most of his small capital. - -Now, whether Jack was not exactly the sort of boy the merchants needed, -or whether there was already a plentiful supply of lads already in -town, or whether there were more boys than there were jobs, Jack did -not stop to figure out. The fact was, however, that he tramped about -all that morning, asking in a score or more of places for work, without -getting it. - -“Well, it isn’t going to be as easy as I though it was,” he said to -himself. “Tramping about makes me hungry. I’ve got to eat. I’d better -tackle the stuff I brought from the professor’s house. The longer I -keep that, the staler it’ll get, until I won’t be able to eat it after -a while. There’s enough for dinner and supper, and for breakfast. We’ll -see what turns up to-morrow.” - -He found a secluded spot, where he dined frugally on the bread and -meat, and the piece of pie. He washed it down with some cool water from -a street fountain. But, oh how he wished he could have an ice cream -soda! - -Signs advertising the various flavors of that drink seemed to stare at -him from every drug store and confectionery shop window, and, as it was -warm from the sun, Jack longed for the cool beverage. - -“But I can’t afford it,” he decided. “Five cents will get me a cup of -coffee in the morning, and I’ll need that more than I need a soda now.” - -In the afternoon he resumed his search for work, but with no success. -Once, as he was passing a printing shop, he saw displayed that magical -sign: “_Boy Wanted._” - -“I see you want a boy,” he remarked, as he went in. “I’d like to get -the job.” - -“Can you kick a press?” asked the man, evidently favorably impressed by -Jack’s appearance. - -“Kick a press? Why should I kick a press?” - -“Oh, it’s easy to see you don’t know anything about the printing -business,” remarked the proprietor, with a smile. “I need a boy to kick -a press, run one with his feet, I mean, and set up simple jobs; but it -wouldn’t pay me to hire one who doesn’t understand the work.” - -“I could learn,” said Jack. - -“No, I haven’t any time to teach you, and you’d spoil more work than -you’d be worth. Sorry,” and he turned back to his desk. - -“I can’t kick a press,” thought Jack, as he went out, “but I can kick a -football. Only there’s no chance on the gridiron these days. Wonder if -I could get a job in some theatre?” - -This plan seemed good to him, as he remembered how he had been -applauded that amateur night, but he was doomed to disappointment, -for, on inquiring of a man, he learned there were no theatres open in -Rudford. - -“Well, that’s the end of that,” mused our hero. “I’ll try a few more -places for a job, though it’s most closing time. I wonder where I’ll -sleep to-night? Running away isn’t as nice and easy as I thought it -was.” - -His search for work was unavailing. He walked along the street, -feeling quite blue and lonesome, when something happened that caused a -great change in his plans. This was the sight of a small type-written -notice tacked on a bulletin board outside of a red brick building. The -building, Jack decided, as soon as he had looked at it, was a police -station. - -The notice which so startled him was one offering a reward for his -capture. Before he realized the danger of it, Jack had come to a halt, -and was reading the statement. - -A reward of fifty dollars was offered by Professor Klopper for the -arrest of the runaway, who was charged with the theft of a valuable -gold cup. Jack was not very accurately described, for the professor was -not aware how his ward was dressed, since Jack had taken several suits -with him. Police and others, however, were advised to be on the lookout -for a boy with a dress-suit case. - -“I wish I didn’t have it,” thought Jack. “But there’s no help for it -now. That’s the only thing they’ll recognize me by. But I’d better be -getting out of here.” - -He hurried past the police station, and, just as he came opposite the -entrance, an officer rushed out. He collided with the boy, and, to save -them both from falling, grabbed the lad. - -“I’m caught,” thought Jack desperately. But it was merely an accident. - -“I beg your pardon,” spoke the officer, as he released Jack. “I’m -hurrying to stop a fight down the street. Word about it has just been -telephoned in. I didn’t see you.” - -“No, and you won’t again, if I can prevent it,” thought Jack, as he -hastened on, glad that the excitement over the collision had caused the -officer to pass on without taking a good look at him. - -“I’ve got to get out of town as quickly as possible,” thought the -startled lad. “This place isn’t safe for me. I wonder where I’d better -go? I must get my suit case, and then see where I can get a ticket -for.” - -He went back to the depot, presented his check, and received his case. -As he reached his hand in his pocket to get the ten cents, he was -startled to find but a single coin there. It was a dime. He paid it to -the man at the refreshment booth, and then, walking to one side, began -a hurried search for the rest of his cash. It was gone! - -“Some one either picked my pocket, or else it was jarred out when that -policeman ran into me,” he said. “Lucky there was this ten cents left. -Now I _am_ up against it.” - -What was he to do? With no money, how could he get out of the town -where, doubtless, every officer was on the watch for him, anxious to -earn the reward? It was a serious problem. - -“I mustn’t hang around here,” thought Jack. “They’ll probably be -watching the railroad stations. I’ve got to walk about and think a bit.” - -He hardly noticed where he turned his steps, but he was brought out of -his unpleasant day-dream by hearing some one address him. - -“What’s de matter, cully?” a voice asked. “You look sort of cheesy.” - -Jack saw that the speaker was a tramp, but rather a good-natured -looking one, and not quite so dirty and disreputable as the average. -The boy also noticed, for the first time, that he was passing along a -street which bordered the railroad freight yard, and that there were -long strings of cars on a track adjoining the sidewalk. - -“Down on yer luck?” asked the man. - -Jack nodded. - -“What’s de matter?” went on the tramp. “Runaway, an’ sorry fer it?” - -“I’m not a bit sorry,” answered Jack, as he thought of the mean -professor. “But I want to get out of town, and I’ve lost all my money.” - -“Oh, dat’s easy,” remarked the tramp, though whether he referred to -losing the money or getting out of town, Jack was not quite sure. - -“If you want t’ make a git-away, I kin fix youse up,” went on the -ragged man. - -“How?” asked Jack, becoming interested. - -“I’ll show youse how t’ git inter a side-door Pullman, an’ youse kin -ride as fur as youse wants.” - -“A side-door Pullman?” - -“Sure. Freight car, wid de side door; ain’t youse wise to dem yet? -Dat’s a swell way of travelin’ when youse ain’t got de chink. Come on, -I’ll put youse next t’ one. Dere’s a freight bein’ made up, an’ dere’s -a lot of empties in it. Be youse particular which way youse goes?” - -“No,” replied Jack. - -“Dat’s good. I am. I want t’ go west, but dere’s a train bound fer de -east goin’ t’ pull out t’-night. I’ll help youse git inter one of de -side-door Pullmans on dat. Come on.” - -Jack followed the man, who, after a cautious look around, to make sure -that there were no police or trainmen watching, led the way into the -freight yard. He stopped before an empty box car, with an open door. - -“In youse go,” he said cheerfully, helping Jack to climb up. “Dere’s -yer baggage,” he added. “Now youse is all right, cully. Git off -whenever youse feels like it. Yer ticket’s good anywhere,” and, sliding -the door almost shut, he walked away, leaving Jack in the car. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -JACK LOSES SOMETHING - - -“Well, things are certainly happening to me,” mused Jack, as he tried -to find the softest board in the floor of the freight car, whereon to -sit. He finally decided that his dress-suit case would make the best -kind of a stool, and, turning it upon end, he sat on it, leaning back -against the side of the “Pullman.” - -“Two days ago I would no more have thought I’d be in this position -than I would of trying to fly. Yet here I am, I’ve run away from the -professor, there’s a reward for my arrest, I have just escaped in -time, and now I’m bound for I don’t know where. Things are certainly -happening to me. Let’s see; that tramp said this train was going east. -I don’t suppose it makes much difference to me, but I almost wish it -was going west. I’d like to find out what’s become of my folks, and the -nearer I get to California, the better chance I have of hearing news -from China. I think, after I get far enough away so there’s no danger -of me being arrested, I’ll strike out for San Francisco. When I get -there I may have a chance to work my passage to China.” - -This thought comforted Jack somewhat. As he sat in the dark car, going -over in his mind what had happened in the last twenty-four hours, he -was suddenly nearly thrown to the floor as the vehicle gave a lurch, -following a loud crash. Another car had bumped into the one in which -Jack was. - -“They’re making up the train,” he said, as he heard the engine whistle. -“We’ll be moving pretty soon.” - -He went to the door and peered out of the small opening the tramp had -left. He could see brakemen running to and fro in the freight yard, -while men in greasy blue suits, carrying flaming torches, for it was -now getting dark, made hasty examinations of the running gear and -trucks of the cars, so that any breaks might be detected before the -train started, while journal boxes, in which rest the wheel axles, that -had not a sufficient amount of waste and oil, were filled, so that the -axles would not get hot, producing what is known in railroad terms as a -“hot box.” - -Then came more signals from the locomotive. Jack heard men shouting out -orders. Next came two short, sharp blasts from the whistle. - -“That means we’re going to start,” thought the boy, and, a moment -later, with many a squeak and shrill protest from the wheels, the -freight train was under way. - -Jack soon discovered that riding in a “side-door Pullman” was not very -comfortable. The freight car was not as well provided with springs -as even an ordinary day coach, and as it went bumping along over the -rails, he was jostled about considerably. - -“Guess if I got in a corner and braced myself, I could ride easier,” -he thought, and, carrying his suit case there, he made himself as -comfortable as possible. - -“This is better,” he remarked to himself. “Guess I’ll eat now, though -I must save some food for breakfast. But what am I going to drink? I -never thought of that.” - -There was no solution of that problem, and Jack was forced to make a -very dry meal on about half of what remained of the food he had brought -from the professor’s pantry. In a little while he was more thirsty than -before. - -“I don’t know how I’m going to stand it,” he said ruefully. “I’ll choke -pretty soon. I’d ought to have brought a bottle of soda water along. -I’ll know better next time. I can’t get out now. The train’s going too -fast.” - -The car was swaying from side to side, and to jump from it was out of -the question. There was nothing to do but stand it. - -“I’ll get out at the first stop,” thought Jack, but he did not know -that he was on a through freight, which made but few stops. - -Soon, in spite of his thirst, Jack felt sleepy. He was very tired, -and the monotonous sound of the wheels clicking over the rail joints -produced a sort of hypnotic effect. Before he knew it, he was -slumbering, having slipped down from his dress-suit case, to lie at -full length on the hard floor of the car, his head pillowed on the -valise and his bundled-up coat. - -When Jack awoke with a start, some hours later, he saw by the daylight -streaming in through the partly opened door of the car, that it was -morning. He got up, feeling lame and stiff, and, for a moment, he could -scarcely remember where he was. - -“Well,” he remarked, with a grim smile, as he donned his coat, “the -conductor didn’t take up my ticket, and the porter hasn’t blacked my -shoes, but I guess I’ll have to let it go. I expect I need a good -brushing down, too. - -“I wonder whereabouts I am,” he went on. “Guess I’ll take a look. I -want to get off as soon as I can. My, but I’m dry! My tongue’s like a -piece of leather!” - -He picked up his suit case and went to the side door. He caught a -glimpse of green fields through which the train was moving. - -Setting the case down in front of the door, Jack put his hands in the -crack, to make it wider, in order that he might see better. The door -stuck a little, and he had to use considerable strength to shove it, -but he finally found it was giving. - -He had one glimpse of a broad sweep of pretty country, with a range of -low mountains in the distance, and then something happened. - -The train gave a sudden swerve as it went around a sharp curve. -The abrupt change in motion nearly threw Jack from the car, but, -instinctively, he clung to the edge of the door with all his strength. - -Just then the train thundered over a bridge spanning a small river. -The car rocked and swayed with the motion imparted to it by the curve, -and then, before Jack could put out a hand to catch it, his dress-suit -case toppled over and slid out of the open door, falling down into the -river. Jack could see the splash it made, as it disappeared beneath the -water, and then, as the train rolled on, the rumbling caused by passing -over the bridge was changed to a duller sound, as solid ground was -reached. - -“My suit case!” exclaimed Jack, leaning from the door and looking back. -“I can’t afford to lose that! I must get it. Maybe it’ll float, and -perhaps the river isn’t very deep. I must get out at the next stop and -go back after it. But will the train stop anywhere near here?” - -Anxiously he noted the speed. It did seem as if the cars were not going -quite so fast now. - -“If they slow up a little more, I’ll risk it and jump,” said the boy. -“I’ve got to get that suit case!” - - - - -CHAPTER X - -A FRUITLESS SEARCH - - -Holding fast to the edge of the door, to steady himself against the -swaying of the car, which was now rumbling along over an uneven piece -of track, Jack peered ahead to see if there was a station in view. - -“Yet perhaps this freight doesn’t stop at the regular stations,” he -remarked. “I’m in a pretty mess, I am. Guess I’d better take lessons in -traveling in side-door Pullmans. I need a keeper, I do. Why couldn’t I -have left the case in the corner? Then the lurch of the car wouldn’t -have toppled it out. Well, it’s easy enough to think that now, but that -won’t bring it back. - -“That looks like a station just ahead there,” he went on. “And I -certainly think the train’s slowing up. I believe I could almost jump -now.” - -But a look at the ground directly below him showed that the car he -was in was moving too rapidly to permit of a safe leap. Then came a -perceptible slacking of the train’s speed. At the same time there was -a long whistle from the engine. - -“That means put on brakes,” reasoned Jack, who knew a little about -railroads. “I believe we’re going to stop. Oh, I see,” he added, a -moment later. “That’s a water tank just ahead there, instead of a -station. They’ve got to stop for water. I’m glad of that; I’d rather -not get out near a station. Some one might want to arrest me, though I -must be pretty well disguised with all the dirt I’ve gathered up from -the floor of this car.” - -A little later the train came to a stop, and Jack leaped from the car -and started back over the route he had come. He saw a little brook -running along the railroad embankment. - -“Water!” he exclaimed. “Just what I need most in the world, next to my -suit case. Whew! But I’m thirsty!” - -He found the water cool and good, and drank heartily. Then he washed -his hands and face, and felt better. He brushed as much dirt as -possible from his clothes, and then took to the track, intending to -walk along it until he came to the river in which his valise had -tumbled. - -“I might as well make my breakfast as I go along,” he reasoned, as he -took from his pocket the last of his scanty supply of food. “Not very -appetizing,” he added, as he saw how dry and stale the bread and meat -was. Of the cake, none remained, but there was part of a very much -crushed piece of pie. Still, Jack was hungry, and he wished he had more -of the same kind of food. - -The railroad ran for some distance along a high embankment, across a -low stretch of meadow, and then it turned, bordering a country highway. -Jack decided it would be easier walking on the road than along the -ties, so he crossed over. - -“It can’t be more than a couple of miles back,” he said to himself. “My -things will be pretty well soaked, but I guess I can dry them out.” - -As he went around a bend in the road, he came to a place where another -highway joined the one on which he was traveling. At the same time he -saw, coming along the other road, a country lad, driving a wagon, in -which were a number of milk cans. The youthful driver spied Jack. - -“Want a lift?” he asked good-naturedly. - -“Thanks, but it depends on which way you are going,” replied our hero. - -“I’m going along this road,” was the answer, and the lad pointed to the -highway bordering the track. “I’m taking this milk to the dairy,” he -added. “Ye can ride as far as I go.” - -“Then I guess I will. I want to get to where the railroad crosses the -river, about two miles back.” - -“That’s the Wickatunk creek; that ain’t no river,” remarked the young -milkman, “Goin’ fishin’ in it?” - -“Well, yes, you might call it that.” - -“There ain’t no fish in it, around here. About three miles down is a -good place, though.” - -“I don’t expect to catch any fish,” said Jack, with a smile. - -“Ye don’t? Then what in Tunket be ye goin’ fishin’ fer?” - -“My dress-suit case.” - -The boy, who had halted his horse, looked at Jack sharply. Evidently he -thought the stranger was not quite sound in his mind. - -“That’s right,” went on our hero, with a smile. “My suit case toppled -into the river as I was riding over it in a freight car. I’m going back -to see if I can’t fish it out.” - -“Oh,” remarked the other lad. “Well, come on up, and I’ll drive ye -there. I thought maybe ye was jokin’.” - -“No, it’s far from being a joke. I hope I get it out. I need the -clothes that are in it, though by the time I get them they may look as -badly as this suit does,” and he glanced down at the one he wore, which -was wrinkled and dirty from his ride in the freight car. - -Jack got up on the seat beside the farmer lad, and briefly told the -circumstances of his loss, saying nothing, however, about having run -away. - -He said he was traveling in the freight car because he could not afford -any other means of transportation, which was true enough. - -“I’ll help ye look,” volunteered the boy. “I’ve got lots of time. I -started fer th’ dairy early this mornin’. Did yer satchel have anything -heavy in it, so’s it would sink?” - -“Well, I don’t know. I’m afraid it wouldn’t float very well, after the -clothes got water-soaked. Is the river very deep?” - -“’Tain’t a river, I tell ye. It’s a creek.” - -“It looked like a river to me, and a mighty big one, when I saw my case -fall into it. Is the creek very deep?” - -“Not very; only in spots. It’s kinder deep where th’ railroad bridge -is.” - -During the ride that followed, the two lads conversed on various -topics, Jack asking many questions about the country in that vicinity. -He made cautious inquiries as to whether there was any alarm out for -his arrest, and found, to his relief, that there was not. - -Arriving at the bridge, the country lad, who said his name was Ferd -Armstrong, tied his horse, and went down to the edge of the creek to -help Jack look for his property. - -“That’s about where it fell in,” said Jack, throwing a stone into the -water as nearly as he could at the spot where he had seen the case -disappear. “Maybe if I had a long pole I could fish it out.” - -“I know a better way than that,” volunteered Ferd. - -“How?” - -“Take off your shoes and stockings and wade in. I’ll help ye.” - -The boys did this, and soon were walking carefully about in the creek, -peering here and there for a sight of the case. The stream was clear, -and they could see bottom almost everywhere. But there was no sign of -the flat valise. - -“Th’ current must have carried it below th’ bridge,” suggested Ferd. -“We’ll look there. But don’t wade under th’ bridge. There’s deep holes -there, made by an eddy. It’s over yer head in one place.” - -They walked along the bank until they were below the bridge, and then -they resumed their search. Jack got a long pole and poked it into -places where Ferd said it was too deep to wade, but their efforts were -fruitless. The dress-suit case had disappeared. - -“It’s either been carried a long way downstream, or else some one saw -it and walked off with it,” declared Jack. “Well, I suppose I’ll have -to do without it. But it’s tough luck.” - -“Where ye goin’ now?” asked Ferd. - -“I don’t know, exactly. I must get a place to work. Do you know of any -farmers around here who might hire me?” - -“Dunno’s I do. They mostly have all th’ hired men they need by now. Do -ye know anythin’ about milkin’ cows?” - -Jack shook his head. - -“If ye did; dad might hire ye,” went on the young farmer. “He needs a -hand to milk cows. Th’ last man we had left because a cow kicked him.” - -“Then I don’t think I’d care for the place.” - -“Oh, pshaw! A cow kick ain’t nothin’. Their feet is soft. A hoss hurts -when he kicks ye, though.” - -“I should think he would. I don’t believe I care to be kicked by -either. Well, if you don’t think there’s any chance to get work around -here, I’ll have to travel on,” and Jack spoke rather wearily. - -“Ye might git a job at th’ dairy where I’m takin’ this milk,” went on -Ferd. “They have lots of men an’ boys. If you want, I’ll give ye a lift -there, an’ ye kin ask. I know th’ foreman of th’ cheese department.” - -“Thanks, I’ll try it. I’m afraid I have put you to a lot of bother as -it is.” - -“Aw, shucks! That ain’t nothin’. I got up early t’-day, an’ I’ve got -lots of time. Usually I’m two hours later than this bringin’ over th’ -milk from our place.” - -“What was your hurry this morning?” - -“I want t’ git back quick, so’s I kin go t’ th’ circus. I ain’t been t’ -one in two year.” - -“Is there a circus coming here?” asked Jack, a sudden idea coming into -his mind. - -“It’s comin’ t’ Mulford; that’s the next town. It’s a dandy show. I -seen th’ pictures. Be ye goin’?” - -“I don’t see how I can, very well,” replied Jack, though he did not say -that the reason was because he had no money. “I must look for a place -to work.” - -“Maybe ye’ll git a job at th’ dairy.” - -“Well, I hope I do, but if I should I couldn’t leave it to go to a -circus.” - -“No, I suppose not. Waal, that’s hard luck. G’lang there, Dobbin,” this -last to his horse. “Waal, I’m goin’. I’ve been savin’ up fer it over -three months. I’ve got a dollar an’ thirteen cents. I kin git in fer -half a dollar, an’ have sixty-three cents t’ spend.” - -“I guess you’ll have a good time,” commented Jack. - -“Betcher boots I will! That’s what I got up so early fer. Say,” Ferd -added, as if a new thought had come to him, “did ye have yer breakfast?” - -“I had some breakfast,” replied Jack. He hardly felt like calling it -his regular morning meal. - -“I jest happened t’ think they don’t serve meals in freight cars,” -went on the country lad, with a shrewd smile. “Say, how’d ye like a -nice drink of rich milk? Our cows give fine milk.” - -“I’d like it very much,” answered Jack. “But can you spare it?” - -“Shucks, yes! I’ve got a hundred an’ sixty quarts here in these cans. -Wait; I’ll git ye a good drink.” - -“I haven’t a cup or a glass,” objected Jack, “and I’m afraid I can’t -drink out of one of those cans.” - -“I’ll fix it,” replied Ferd. He stopped the horse and then, removing -the top of one of the cans, tilted the receptacle over until a stream -of thick, creamy milk flowed into the cover. - -“There ye are,” he announced. “Drink that, an’ it’ll make ye feel -better.” - -It certainly did. Jack thought it was the best beverage he had ever -had, not even excepting an ice cream soda. - -The ride was resumed, and soon they came in sight of a series of low -buildings. - -“That’s the dairy,” announced Ferd. “Now we’ll see if ye kin git a job -there.” - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -JACK AT THE CIRCUS - - -Ferd drove the wagon up to one of the buildings where a low, broad -platform opened into a room with a concrete floor, about which stood -many milk cans. In one corner was a big tank, partly filled with milk. - -Jack was interested in what followed. Greeting with a cheery “good -morning” the man in charge, Fred proceeded to lift out his cans of milk -to the platform of a scale. - -“Do you weigh the milk?” asked Jack. “I thought it went by measure.” - -“We weigh it here,” answered the man. “That’s the way they do at most -dairies and cheese factories.” - -Ferd was given a ticket showing how much milk he had delivered, and -then turning his wagon about, he drove to a pump that stood on a -sort of elevated tank, with a trough extending from it to a height -convenient for the vehicle. - -“What you going to do now?” asked Jack. - -“Pump up some sour milk for th’ pigs,” replied Ferd. “After that I’ll -take you to th’ foreman of the cheese factory.” - -He stepped up to the pump and began to work the handle. - -“Jest hold that trough over one of th’ cans, will ye?” he asked Jack. - -Our hero did as directed, and, as the country lad pumped, a stream of -curdled milk flowed into the cans that had just been emptied. - -“This is what’s left after they take out th’ cream, or use th’ milk for -cheese,” explained Ford. “It’s fine fer pigs. Ours love it, an’ I take -some home every trip.” - -He filled two cans with the refuse part of the milk, and then, driving -his horse out of the way of any other farmers who might want to get -some of the sour milk for their pigs, for it was given away by the -dairy, Ferd invited Jack to accompany him. - -“I hope you git a job,” he remarked, in friendly tones. - -“So do I,” replied Jack. “But if I don’t get one here I may land a -place somewhere else,” for he had a certain plan in his mind, though he -did not want to speak about it. - -“Hey, Si,” called Ferd to a good-natured looking man, who stood in the -doorway of another low building. “How be ye?” - -“Pritty tol’able. How’s yerself?” - -“Fine. I got up early t’ go t’ th’ circus. Here’s a friend of mine. -Can’t ye give him a job turnin’ cheeses?” For cheeses have to be turned -around quite often to “ripen” properly, and it is quite a task in a -dairy where they make hundreds of them. - -“Waal, now, if you’d come yist’day I could ’a’ done it,” replied Silas -Martin, who was foreman of the cheese department. “But we put a feller -on last night, an’ there ain’t no place now.” - -“Is there any other opening here?” asked Jack, speaking for himself. - -“I don’t believe there is,” replied the foreman. “I’d be glad to give -you a place if I had one, but I can’t. Do you like cheese?” he asked. - -“I’m quite fond of it,” answered Jack. - -“Come in and I’ll give you some that’s nice and mild,” went on Mr. -Martin. “Want t’ take some home, Ferd? Your daddy likes it. It’s full -cream, and it’s just right.” - -“Sure,” replied Jack’s new friend. - -The two boys went into the cheese room, which smelled quite appetizing. -The foreman gave them each large portions of cheese, wrapped in paper. - -“This will help out on my meals,” thought Jack. - -“Wait a minute,” called Mr. Martin, as the boys were about to leave. -“There’s suthin’ that allers goes with cheese. Can ye guess what it -is?” he asked. - -“Crackers?” replied our hero questioningly. - -“Crackers is one thing, an’ apple pie’s another. My wife put me up -a lunch this mornin’ an’ I guess she thought I must have a terrible -appetite. I’ve got more’n I want.” - -He went to a closet and came back with some crisp crackers, and two -large pieces of pie, which he insisted that the boys take. - -“I’ve got twice as much left as I kin eat,” he said. - -Jack accepted his portion with many thanks, and Ferd put his in one of -his big pockets. When he got outside he said to Jack: - -“Say, I ain’t got no use fer this. I had a hearty breakfast, and I’ll -have a bully dinner before I go to th’ circus. Take this.” - -He handed over his cheese, pie, and crackers. - -“Sure you don’t want it?” asked Jack. - -“Sure not. It might come in handy fer you if ye--if ye ain’t got no -money.” - -“Well, I certainly haven’t any money, and I’ll take this very gladly, -if you don’t want it.” - -“Naw. I don’t want it. Say, if ye’ll come back with me I’ll see that ye -git a good dinner.” - -“I’m ever so much obliged to you,” replied Jack. “But I think I’ll go -on. If I thought I could get a job at your farm I’d go with you, but I -know nothing about milking or work about cows and horses. I think I’ll -travel on. But I want to thank you for what you’ve done for me.” - -“Aw, that’s all right,” responded Ferd. “I wish I could ’a’ helped ye -find th’ satchel thet fell in th’ creek.” - -“So do I, but I guess it’s gone.” - -Bidding good-by to the kind and hospitable farm lad, Jack, who had -inquired the shortest way to Mulford, set out for that town, carrying -the food supplies which had so unexpectedly been given him. - -“Luck is beginning to turn my way,” he thought. “When I get to where -the circus is I’m going to try and get a job there.” - -It was quite a tramp to Mulford, and it was noon when Jack came in -sight of the town, which lay in a sheltered valley. He could see the -white tents of the circus, gay with many colored flags, and his heart -beat faster, as does that of every boy when he nears the scene where -one of the canvas-sheltered shows hold forth. - -Though it was early, there was quite a crowd about, watching the men -erect some of the smaller tents, arranging the wagons, or cooking the -dinner for the performers and helpers. - -“Guess I’ll eat my lunch, and then look about,” decided Jack. The -crackers, cheese, and pie tasted most excellent, and when he had taken -a long drink from a spring, which served to supply the circus, he felt -in shape to look about for a job. - -He strolled over to where a gang of men were putting up a tent. -Something seemed to be going wrong, and the man in charge was out of -patience. - -“What’s the matter with you gazaboos?” he asked tartly. “You pull on -the wrong rope every time. Here, haul on the other one, I tell you! -What’s the matter with you? Do you want this tent to get up to-day or -some time next week? Yank on that other rope, I tell you! Good land! -You’re worse than a lot of monkeys! Pull on that short rope!” he fairly -yelled. - -The particular man at whom he was directing his remarks did not appear -to understand. He pulled on a long rope, instead of a short one, -and the tent, which was nearly up, was about to fall down. Jack saw -what was wanted. He sprang forward, and, just in time to save the -big stretch of canvas from collapsing, he hauled on the proper rope, -pulling it into place. - -“That’s what I wanted,” said the man in charge. “It’s a pity you -fellers wouldn’t take lessons off that lad. He don’t need a tent-stake -hammer to have sense knocked into his head. Hold that rope a minute, -sonny, and I’ll come over there and fasten it. I never see such a lot -of dumb idiots in all my born days!” - -Jack held the rope until the man took it from him, and fastened it -properly. - -“I’m much obliged to you,” he said gratefully to our hero. “Only for -you the whole blamed business would have been on the ground.” - -“You’re welcome,” answered Jack. Then a sudden idea came to him. “You -don’t want any more helpers, do you?” he asked. - -“Well, I do need a couple of hands,” was the rather unexpected answer. -“If you want to stick around, and help out, I’ll give you a couple of -tickets to the show.” - -“I’ll do it,” replied Jack, for he had a further scheme he wanted to -try and this just fitted in with it. - -“All right,” spoke the man in charge of the tents. “Come with me. I’ll -find something for you to do.” - -Jack was soon engaged in helping put up other tents, in carrying -gasoline torches here and there, filling them, and getting ready for -the night performance, though the afternoon one had not yet been held. -Several times the man who had engaged him came around to see how he was -getting on. - -“You’re all right, kid,” he said heartily. “You’ll do. I wish I had a -few more like you. Here, just take this note over to the ticket wagon. -Tell the man Ike Landon, the boss canvasman, sent you. He’ll give you -a couple of good seats. I guess you can knock off now. We’re in pretty -good shape.” - -He scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to Jack, who -took it over to the ticket wagon. It was drawing close to the time for -the performance, and there was quite a throng in front of the gaudily -painted vehicle. - -As Jack was working his way through the press to the window, he heard a -familiar voice ask: - -“Waal, are ye goin’ to th’ show? Thought ye didn’t have no money.” - -“Why, Ferd,” exclaimed Jack, recognizing his friend of the milk wagon. -“I’m glad to see you,” he went on. “Have you bought your ticket yet?” - -“Nope, but I’m goin’ to.” - -“Wait a minute, then. I can get two, and I’ll give you one.” - -“Two? How ye goin’ to git two?” - -“I’ll show you.” - -By this time Jack had managed to reach the window. He handed in the -note, saying: - -“Ike Landon, the boss canvasman, sent me with that.” - -“It’s all right,” replied the ticket man, as he glanced at the piece of -paper. “Here are a couple of reserved seats.” - -“Say, ye’re a peach!” exclaimed Ferd admiringly, when Jack gave him -one of the pasteboard slips. “How’d ye do it?” - -“Oh, I pulled the right rope in time,” replied Jack, as he and his new -friend went inside the tent, where the band was playing a lively air. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -JACK DOES A STUNT - - -“Say, ain’t this bully!” exclaimed Ferd, as the procession which begins -each circus performance wound slowly around the arena. “It’s immense! I -wouldn’t ’a’ missed it fer a lot. I’m glad I met you. Now I’ve got half -a dollar more to spend on stuff to eat. Besides, this is a better seat -than I would ’a’ got.” - -“Yes, the seats are all right,” admitted Jack. - -“Ain’t you hungry?” went on Ferd, though he did not take his eyes -off the procession of animals, chariots and performers. “I am,” he -continued, not waiting for an answer. “Let’s have some hot frankfurter -sandwiches.” - -A man with a basket of them was passing among the audience. Jack eyed -the brown sausages, in between the white rolls, with a hungry eye. The -crackers, cheese, and pie had not been very “filling.” - -“Hey, there! Give us some of them,” called Ferd to the man. - -“How many? Speak quick. I’ve got to get out of here in a hurry, before -the performance begins,” replied the vender. - -“Four,” replied the farmer boy. “Ye can eat two, can’t ye?” he inquired -of Jack, who nodded his head in assent. - -“Say, these are all right,” remarked the runaway lad, as he munched the -meat and bread, on which had been spread a liberal quantity of mustard. -“I’m glad I met you, Ferd.” - -“Then we’re even. But here comes the acrobats. I like to watch ’em,” he -added, as the procession came to an end, amid a blare of trumpets, and -the show proper began. - -It was like any other traveling circus, better than some, but not as -good as the large ones, even though the gaudy posters did announce -that the “Combined Bower & Brewster Aggregation of Monster Menagerie, -Hippodrome, Amphitheatre and Colossal Exhibition challenged comparison -with any similar amusement enterprise in the entire world.” - -“Look at that clown!” exclaimed Ferd. “Why, there’s a whole lot of -’em,” he added. “Gosh! but this is great! I never saw such a good show! -I don’t know which way to look!” - -In fact, so many things were going on at the same time that it was -difficult to select any particular feature for observation. - -There were men and women on high trapezes, others doing balancing feats -on elevated platforms, still others performing on the backs of horses, -while in a ring near the two boys ten elephants were being put through -their paces. - -Jack had often been to a circus before, and now, from a reason for -which he could hardly account, he paid particular attention to the -antics of the clowns. - -“I believe I could do as good as some of them, with a little practice,” -he thought. “What is needed is some sort of funny stunt to make the -people laugh. It doesn’t much matter what it is, as long as it’s funny.” - -The clowns did seem to cause considerable laughter. Some of them had -trained dogs, pigs or roosters which they used in their act. Others had -a partner who aided them in provoking smiles or shouts of glee. Some -did acrobatic stunts, some sang or danced, and one, with the help of -a companion, acted as a barber using a whitewash brush to spread the -lather on his partner’s face. - -“This is the kind of life that would suit me for a while,” said Jack to -himself. “I’d like to travel with a circus, and I believe I could do -as good as some of those clowns, if I had a chance. What’s more, I’m -going to try for a job here. I’ll ask the boss canvasman if there isn’t -a chance. I’d just like to be with the show, and maybe I could earn -enough money in the season to pay my way to China, and see what has -happened to my folks.” - -This thought so occupied Jack that he paid little attention to the -performance. He made up his mind he would seek out one of the managers, -as soon as the show was over, and make his request. - -“Say! Look at that! Did ye see it?” suddenly exclaimed Ferd. - -“See what?” - -“Why, that man jumped over ten elephants in a line!” - -“That’s pretty good,” remarked Jack indifferently. - -“Pretty good? I should say it was. I’d like to see you do it.” - -“I think I’ll do it,” spoke Jack, who had just arrived at a certain -decision. - -“What? Jump over ten elephants?” asked his companion, in astonishment. -“Say, are you dreamin’?” - -“That’s right; I guess I was,” admitted Jack, with a laugh. “I was -thinking about something else.” - -“Guess you don’t care much about a circus,” said Ferd. - -“I’m thinking too much of getting a job,” replied Jack. - -Ferd shook his head as if he could not understand Jack’s indifference. -After the performance the farm boy wanted to treat Jack to popcorn, -soda, and more frankfurters. Jack declined everything but the sausage -sandwiches. - -“I can save them to eat when I’m hungry,” he said in explanation. “I -may need a meal to-night.” - -“Why don’t you come home and stay with me a few days?” suggested Ferd. -“My folks wouldn’t care, and maybe you could get a job somewhere in the -neighborhood.” - -Jack thanked his new friend, but said he had other plans. A little -later he parted from Ferd, and, by inquiring, he found the boss -canvasman, who was taking a rest after his labors in superintending the -erection of the tents. - -Jack explained what he wanted--an introduction to the manager, who had -charge of hiring the performers. - -“Sure I’ll take you to him,” replied Ike Landon, “only I don’t believe -you can do anything he’d want. Circus performers have to train for a -good while.” - -“Well, maybe I can do something to earn a little,” replied Jack. “Where -will I find the manager? What’s his name?” - -“His name is Jim Paine, and he’s a strict manager, let me tell you. But -if you make good, why, he’s all right. Come on over and I’ll introduce -you to him.” - -Jack followed the canvasman across the circus grounds, from which most -of the audience had gone. Preparations were already under way for the -evening performance. - -“Mr. Paine, here’s a lad who wants to join our circus,” remarked -Landon, with a grin, as he presented Jack. “He did me a good turn this -morning, and I’d like to help him if I could.” - -“Ha! Hum!” exclaimed the manager, looking at Jack sharply. The runaway -noticed that Mr. Paine was a very pompous sort of person. He wore a red -vest, with yellow spots on it, a big red tie, in which sparkled a large -stone, and he had an immense watch chain. - -Jack wondered if the manager was not going to say anything more than -“Ha! Hum!” But presently the big man made another remark. - -“What can you do?” he asked. - -“Well, not very much, perhaps,” replied Jack. “I’d like to learn to be -a clown, but I’d be willing to knock around and do almost anything for -a while, until I learned the business.” - -“Run away from home?” asked the manager snappily. - -“Yes,” replied Jack quickly, determined to tell as much as was -necessary of what had happened. - -“Ha! Hum! First time I ever knew a boy who had run away from home to -admit it,” spoke the manager. “You deserve credit for that, anyway. -What’s the trouble?” - -Thereupon Jack told of the unjust accusation of the old professor, and -what had happened to him since he had left Westville. - -“So you want to be a clown, eh?” said the manager when Jack’s story was -finished. “Had any training?” - -“I used to take the part in amateur shows me and my chums got up, and I -did a stunt on a vaudeville stage one night.” - -“Let’s see what you can do?” - -Jack’s heart beat fast. Here was the very chance he wanted. Could he -“make good?” So much depended on the first impression. - -“Is there a place where I can make-up?” he asked. - -“Make-up? Do you know how to make-up?” - -“A little bit.” - -“Well, if Ike Landon says you helped him, you must be all right, for -he’s a hard man to please. If you’re going to have a try-out, you might -as well do it proper. You can go to the dressing-tent.” - -“Where is it?” - -“Right over there,” and the manager pointed. “Ike will show you. -Tell Sam Kyle to give him a hand,” the manager called after the boss -canvasman. “I’ll wait here for him,” he added. - -“Say, you’re in luck,” said Ike. “It ain’t many he’d give such a chance -to. Do you know what you’re going to do?” - -“A little.” - -Jack was introduced to a small, fat man, who, in the men’s -dressing-tent, was busy washing the red and white paint off his face. - -“Sam is the head clown,” explained the canvasman. “He’s been in the -business--let’s see, how long is it now, Sam?” - -“Forty years this season. I was one of the first clowns that Barnum -ever hired. You’ll find some grease paint over there,” he added to -Jack; and then he and the canvasman began to talk about matters -connected with the circus, paying no more attention to the runaway lad. - -Jack was quite nervous, but he made-up after an original idea of his -own. He turned his coat and vest wrongside out, and, with the aid of -Ike, put them on backwards. Then, feeling rather foolish over what he -was about to do, he stepped from the dressing-tent and walked over to -where the manager had said he would wait for him. - -Several of the performers who saw Jack emerge laughed at his curious -costume and “make-up.” - -“Well, I must look funny, no matter how I feel,” he said. “I hope I can -do my funny dance.” - -“Ha! Hum!” exclaimed the manager, when he saw Jack. “That’s not so -bad. Let’s see what you can do.” - -A crowd of performers, and some of the circus helpers, gathered in a -ring about the boy. Then Jack began. He repeated some of the things -he had done in the theatre at home, but added to them. He sang, he -danced, and cut all sorts of capers, gaining more and more confidence -in himself as he heard the crowd laughing. He even detected a smile on -the rather grim face of the manager. - -Then, to cap his performance, Jack caught up a couple of paper-covered -hoops, or rings, similar to those through which some of the performers -jumped from the backs of running horses. Holding these under his arms, -like a pair of wings, he began to imitate a clumsy bird. He hopped up -on a board that rested across a saw-horse, and, from that elevation, -pretended to fly to the ground, but doing it so grotesquely that he -stepped through both hoops and was all tangled up in them. - -This produced some hearty laughs, and one or two of the women -performers applauded, for Ike had whispered to them what Jack’s trial -meant. - -“Ha! Hum! Not so bad,” remarked the manager, though his voice was not -very cordial. “That imitation flying was well done. That might be -worked up. I think we can use another clown, as I’m one short. I’ll -engage you, young man. You’ll get ten dollars a week, and your board, -of course. Can you come right on the road?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“Ha! Hum! Well, perhaps we can work you into shape. You need some -practice, but it’s not so bad; it’s not so bad. You can consider -yourself engaged. Report to Sam Kyle.” - -Jack could hardly believe his good luck. An hour before he had not -known where his next meal was coming from. Now he was engaged as a -clown in a large circus. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -PLANNING AN ACT - - -“Say,” remarked Ike Landon, when Jack had made his way through the -little ring of performers, “you did better than I thought you would. -The old man--I mean the boss--is mighty hard to please. If you attend -strictly to business now, there’s no reason why you can’t become a -first-class performer.” - -“I’m going to try,” said Jack. “I need the money for a particular -purpose, for I’m determined to locate my folks if I can. I’ll do my -best.” - -“I’ll tell Sam to give you a few pointers. He knows the business from A -to Z, backwards and forwards, and he isn’t jealous of a new performer -like lots of ’em in this game. You stick to Sam and you’ll be all -right.” - -“Do you suppose I can perform to-night?” asked Jack. - -“I don’t know. Maybe so. Ask Sam.” - -Jack found the head clown eating his early supper in the big -dining-tent. - -“Sit down and eat with me,” invited Mr. Kyle, when Ike had related the -result of the runaway’s trial. “I don’t like to cut up capers on a full -stomach,” he went on, “so I eat early. Well, I hear you made good.” - -“Mr. Paine seemed to like what I did, though I don’t know that it was -very funny,” replied Jack modestly. - -“It’s not so easy to make people laugh,” spoke the old clown. “I’ve -known elaborate acts to fall as flat as a pancake, and, again, some -simple little thing would bring roars of laughter. It all depends on -how it’s done. I’ve been at it forty years, and I’ve still got things -to learn.” - -“Do you think it’s a good thing to have a specialty?” asked Jack, as he -began to eat of the plain but wholesome food which a waiter set before -him. - -“The best thing in the world. My specialty is taking the part of -animals, and I may say I’ve been quite successful. If you can get up a -novel act, something that’s up-to-date, and which will hit the popular -fancy, you’re all right.” - -Mr. Kyle spoke quite seriously, and it seemed rather odd to see him -thus, when Jack remembered what a queer figure he had presented while -in the ring, attired as a big rooster. - -“I was thinking of getting up some special act,” said Jack. - -“What was it?” asked Sam quickly. “You want to be careful of one -thing,” he went on. “Don’t try to imitate any of the other clowns. If -you do they’ll get down on you. Besides, one act of a kind is enough. -What were you thinking of trying?” - -“I thought some stunt that had to do with a flying machine wouldn’t -be bad,” replied Jack. “You know there’s so much of that going on now -that the public is interested. I might get up something to look like -an airship, pretend to fly in it, and come tumbling down. Do you think -that would take?” - -“It might. At any rate, it wouldn’t be any harm to try.” - -“I was wondering how I could get a make-believe airship made.” - -“Why, Pete Delafield, the property man, will help you out if you ask -him. He makes all the things the other clowns and I use in our acts. Of -course you can’t get it for to-night, though.” - -“Oh, no, I don’t expect to. I’ll have to plan it out, and think up how -I’m going to act. Where can I find Mr. Delafield?” - -“I’ll take you to him after we finish eating. You’ll go on to-night, -won’t you?” - -“Mr. Paine didn’t say anything about it, but I’d like to, if you think -I’m good enough.” - -“Well, it won’t much matter at night. You can go out in the ring when -I go, and do your stunt. Even if the audience doesn’t laugh at you, -you’ll gain confidence, so when you’re ready with your airship act -you’ll not be afraid.” - -“That will be a good idea,” replied Jack. “I’m much obliged to you.” - -“That’s all right. I’ll go with you to Pete Delafield in a minute.” - -While Mr. Kyle was finishing his second cup of coffee, a stout man, -whose manner at once proclaimed that he was inclined to be nervous and -fussy, approached. - -“I say, Sam,” he began. “What do you think of this? ‘A Death-Defying -Double Dive Down a Dangerous, Darksome, Decapitated Declivity.’ That’s -to advertise the new bicycle ride down a broken incline, which we’re -going to spring next week. How does that sound to you?” - -“I’d say ‘descent’ instead of ‘dive,’” suggested Mr. Kyle. “There’s no -water in it, is there?” - -“No, but I might have ’em put a tank under it. But I guess you’re -right. I’ll change it,” and he hurried away, writing as he went on a -bit of paper, and murmuring to himself: “Death-Defying Descent Down,” -etc. Jack looked at the head clown, as if asking who the man was. - -“That’s Nolan Waddleton, our adjective man,” said Mr. Kyle. - -“The adjective man?” - -“Yes. He gets up all the big words to describe the special acts and -attractions. Maybe he’ll be putting yours in big type on the posters -some day.” - -“Not much hope of that.” - -“You never can tell, my boy. You may make a big hit. I hope you do. But -come on, now, we’ll go see the property man.” - -Jack was introduced to Mr. Delafield, who agreed to make Jack as good -an imitation of a small airship as possible, provided the boy would -describe what he wanted. - -“I’ll have it for you the middle of next week,” he said. “I’ve got to -make a fake automobile for Ted Chester,” he added to Mr. Kyle. - -“Is Ted going to do an auto stunt?” asked the head clown. “That’s -pretty stale now.” - -“Well, Ted thinks he can freshen it up. It’s none of my affair. I’m -here to obey orders.” - -“That’s so, but I don’t believe Ted will make a hit with an auto. He -had one last season, and the people are sort of getting tired of them.” - -“That’s what I say, but you can’t convince Ted.” - -“No, I suppose not. Well, Jack, come on over to my tent, and I’ll give -you a few pointers about to-night. I want to see you make good,” and -the kind old clown led our hero over to the rehearsing tent, a part of -which was screened off for his own use. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -HIS FIRST PERFORMANCE - - -Jack was more nervous than he had thought he would be when he got ready -for his first performance that evening. Under Mr. Kyle’s direction he -painted his face, and then he donned a suit belonging to a clown who -had left the circus because of ill health. - -“Well, you look, as good as the average clown,” said Jack’s friend -when the boy was fully attired. “Now, it’s what you do that will count -to-night, and until you get your new act. Then you may find it easier -to make a hit. Don’t be nervous. You may think all in the tent are -looking at you, but they’re not. Go ahead just as if you were doing it -for Mr. Paine. He’s the one that counts, for if he doesn’t like your -act he’ll discharge you.” - -“I hope I can do as well as I did this afternoon,” said Jack. - -“Oh, you will, I’m sure. Just remember what I told you. When you speak, -speak slowly and distinctly. A falsetto voice carries a good distance. -I used to be able to manage one, but I can’t any more. I’m too old. But -you can.” - -There was a glamour about the circus at night that was absent in the -daytime. Under the flickering gasolene torches the dingiest suit looked -fine, and the spangles sparkled as they never would in the sun. - -The band struck up a lively air. Once more the procession of performers -and animals paraded around the big tent. Jack felt his heart beating -loudly. So far he only saw the bright side of the circus life. It was -all gaiety and excitement to him now. But he was soon to know the other -and darker side. - -“We’ll go on in a minute, now,” said Sam Kyle to Jack. “You certainly -know how to make up well. Lots of clowns take a year to learn that.” - -Mr. Kyle was adjusting a long black patch over one eye, making his -appearance more grotesque than before. Suddenly the band stopped -playing. The last of the procession, having finished the circuit, wound -out of the ring. Then came a blare of trumpets. - -“Come on!” cried Sam, and he ran from the dressing-tent into the big -canvas-covered arena, where the performance had started. Other clowns -followed him, and a score of additional performers--acrobats, tumblers -and tight-rope walkers--ran out. Jack followed more slowly. This was -to be the real test. He wondered how he would succeed. - -He decided he would repeat the same thing he had done for the manager -that afternoon. He had secured several of the paper-covered hoops, -and he resolved to give as odd an imitation of a man trying to fly as -possible. - -Once he had passed beyond the canvas curtain that shut off the -dressing-tent from the main one, Jack beheld a scene that he long -remembered. In the light of the big gasolene torches, high up on the -tent poles, he saw many performers going through their acts. There -came to his nostrils the smell of freshly-turned earth that formed the -ring banks, the damp sawdust, the odor of wild animals, the stifling -whiff of gasolene. He heard the music of the band, the shouts of the -ringmasters, the high, shrill laughter of the clowns. And he heard -other sounds. They were the merry shouts and applause of the big -audience. - -For there was a large throng present. Jack looked about on the sloping -banks of people. Their faces showed curiously white and their eyes -oddly black in the brilliant lights. Jack’s mind was in a whirl. - -But he was suddenly roused from his daze by a sharp voice calling to -him. - -“Say, what’s the matter with you? Going to stand there all day? What -are you paid for? Get busy! Do something!” - -Then came the sharp crack of a whip, and Jack jumped, for the end of -the lash had caught him on the legs, which were but thinly protected -with his cotton clown suit. - -“Jump lively!” cried the voice, and Jack turned to see Otto Mitz, the -ringmaster, in his dress-suit and white gloves, waving his long whip. -Once more the lash came curling toward Jack, but he jumped aside in -time to avoid it. There was a laugh from that portion of the audience -in front of which he stood. Doubtless they thought it was part of the -show. - -With anger in his heart at the man who had been so needlessly cruel, -Jack broke into a little run. Though he had not known it, he was -suffering a little bit from “stage fright.” The ringmaster had cured -him of it. The boy felt a fierce desire to make the people laugh -heartily--to show that he could “make good.” - -He began his antics. Selecting a portion of the large outer ring where -there were no other clowns, Jack did a funny dance, interspersed with -snatches of songs, though the band rather interfered with this. Then -seeing a board and a saw-horse near him, he put them into place, so -that he might jump from the end of the plank, in his pretended flying -act. - -Flapping the big paper hoops, as a bird does its wings, Jack leaped -from the end of the springboard. He tangled himself all up in the -rings, one coming around his neck and the other encircling his legs. -Then flapping his arms like the sails of an old-fashioned windmill, he -trotted off amid the laughter and applause of the throng. - -He had been told by Sam Kyle that all the clowns repeated their acts -four times, in different parts of the ring, so that the entire audience -might see them. Bearing this in mind, Jack prepared to go through the -same stunt a little farther along. He succeeded even better than at -first, and his funny antics earned him loud applause. - -“Ha! hum! Not so bad,” murmured a voice near him, as he finished his -second attempt. He looked up and saw Mr. Paine. - -“Keep it up, my boy,” said the manager. “I guess you’ll do.” - -Jack was grateful for the praise, and almost forgot the mean -ringmaster, though his leg still smarted where the lash had struck him. - -But if Jack thought he was to have such an easy time winning success, -he was mistaken. He was going through his turn for the fourth and last -time when, just as he “flew” from the end of the board, Ted Chester -came along, doing a stunt in a miniature automobile in which he sat, -propelling it with his feet. Unfortunately, Jack landed right in front -of the other clown, who ran into him, upsetting himself and overturning -the auto. - -This time the crowd applauded more heartily than ever. They thought it -was done purposely. Jack arose, trying to untangle himself from the -paper hoops, in which he found himself fastened differently than at any -time before. He was surprised to see Ted Chester glaring at him. - -“You did that on purpose!” exclaimed the older clown in a low voice. -“You wanted to spoil my act.” - -“No, I didn’t. It was an accident,” replied Jack, rubbing his shin -where he had struck it on the small auto. - -“I say you did! I’ll fix you! I’ll complain to Mr. Paine, that’s what -I’ll do. I’m not going to the trouble of getting up a good act to have -a green kid like you put it on the blink. Get out of my way or I’ll -punch your head. I’ll get even with you for this,” and he shook his -fist in Jack’s face. - -The audience took this for part of a pre-arranged act, and shouted -their approval at the quarrel between the two clowns. This made Ted -madder than ever. - -“I’ll have you fired!” he exclaimed as he righted the auto and started -off with it. “I’ll not work in a ring where there are such clumsy dolts -as you. What’s the profession coming to when they take in green kids -that don’t know anything about acting? But you won’t be with the show -to-morrow, I’ll guarantee that!” - -“I didn’t mean to interfere with you,” said Jack. “It was an accident.” - -“Oh, I’ve heard that story before,” sneered Ted. “You wanted to spoil -my act. You’re jealous of me because I get the most applause. So are -the other clowns. I shouldn’t wonder but what some of ’em put you up to -it. But I’ll get square with you and them, too.” - -“Nobody put me up to it. It was an accident,” insisted the young clown, -but Ted, without answering, made his way to the dressing-tent. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -JACK HAS ENEMIES - - -The circus performance was almost over. They were getting ready for the -chariot and other races which would bring the program to an end. Jack -went to the tent where he had made-up as a clown. He found scores of -the men performers getting off their ring outfits and putting on their -regular garments. The clowns were washing off the grease paint. - -“There he is now!” exclaimed a voice as Jack entered the tent. “There’s -the fresh kid that spoiled my act. He did it on purpose, too. If I find -out who put him up to it----” - -“Look here!” exclaimed Jack, who intended to maintain his rights. “You -needn’t say that, for it isn’t so. I’ve told you it was an accident.” - -“Well, I say it wasn’t.” - -“What’s the row?” asked Sam Kyle, coming into the tent after a burst of -applause had testified to his abilities as an entertainer. “What’s up, -Ted? You seem angry, my child,” and he assumed a playful, theatrical -air. - -“Cut that out!” replied Ted in a surly tone. - -“Ah, you are peevish, little one,” went on Sam, who was a great joker, -outside as well as inside the ring. - -“Ted says the new kid spoiled his auto act,” remarked a clown whose -specialty was to lead a little dog about the ring with a rope big -enough to hold a battleship fastened on the beast’s neck. - -“That’s what he did,” spoke Ted. “He jumped right down on me with those -paper hoops, and spoiled my act.” - -“It was an accident,” put in Jack hotly. - -“We’ll see what Mr. Paine thinks,” went on Ted wrathfully. “I’m going -to report to him.” - -“You’ll report to me first,” declared Sam. “I’m in charge of this part -of the show. Jack, let’s hear your story.” - -Without stopping to remove his clown dress, Jack told exactly what had -happened, and how the thing had occurred so quickly that it had been. - -“Now it’s your turn,” said the head clown to Ted, and the latter made -it appear that it was Jack’s fault. Some of the other performers, -however, had seen what had taken place, and their version made it clear -that it was an accident. - -“You can report to Mr. Paine if you want to,” said Sam, when he had -declared that he believed our hero, “but that’s all the good it will -do. Jack stays.” - -“Oh, he does, eh?” replied Ted. “We’ll see about that.” - -But he did not go to Mr. Paine, for which Jack was grateful, for the -boy thought perhaps, in spite of Sam Kyle being his friend, the manager -might discharge him. - -“Don’t mind Ted,” said the head clown as he took Jack aside and showed -him how best to remove the grease paint from his face. “He thinks every -performer is trying to spoil his act. He’s jealous, that’s all. But -look out for him. He’ll try to make trouble for you, and he has an ugly -temper. Keep away from that part of the ring where he is, and you’ll -get along all right. I watched you to-night. You did pretty well. Keep -at it.” - -“Thanks,” replied Jack gratefully. “I think I can do a better act when -I get my flying machine. Where do we show next?” - -“At Haddington. That’s a big city. But you’d better hustle, now, and -get to the train.” - -Jack finished removing his make-up, and then donned his street clothes. -He was given a trunk by Sam, in which to put his clown outfit and some -tubes of grease paint. So far his baggage was very light. - -“Come on with me and I’ll see that you get a place in the -sleeping-car,” said Sam, for the Bower & Brewster Show had its own -special train, with quarters for the hundreds of performers, employees -and animals. - -Outside the dressing-tent Jack found that very little of the circus -remained. The menagerie had entirely disappeared, and now men were -beginning to take down the big tent. It was quite a different scene -from the one of an hour before. Then it had been light, lively and gay, -with strains of music and the laughter of the crowd. - -Now it was dark; on all sides were rumbling wagons drawn by struggling -horses, and men were shouting and calling to one another, trying to -get their vehicles loaded so they could drive them to the flatcars by -which they were transported. Yet though there was seeming confusion, -everything was done by a careful system. - -Jack found that the interior of the sleeping-car was not much like the -regular Pullmans. But it answered the purpose, and he soon followed -the example of the other circus performers and crawled into his bunk. -He was tired, yet the excitement of what he had gone through kept him -awake. Then, too, there were many disturbing noises caused by making -up the train and loading the big wagons containing the tents, poles, -supplies and animal cages. - -Gentle snores on all sides of him told Jack that his companions were -not disturbed by what, to him, were unusual things, for they fell -asleep almost as soon as their heads touched the pillows. Finally sharp -whistles of the locomotives told him that the train was ready to start, -and soon he felt himself being lulled to slumber by the motion of the -car and the steady click-clack as the wheels passed over the rail -joints. - -He was roused from his sleep by some one shaking him, and he looked up -to see the good-natured face of Sam Kyle looking in on him. - -“Time for breakfast,” announced the head clown. - -“Breakfast? Is there a dining-car on the train?” - -“Yes, for the manager and the star performers, but we’ll take ours in -the tent.” - -“The tent? I thought--why--are we at the next place where we’re going -to show?” - -“That’s what,” answered Sam. “Come on. It’s only a short walk to the -grounds, and if you don’t hustle there may be no steak left.” - -Jack looked from the window of his berth. He saw that the train was in -a railroad yard, and from the flatcars men were sliding down the big -animal cages. - -He hurriedly dressed, made his toilet in the washroom of the car, and -went out to find Sam waiting for him. They were soon at the circus -grounds, and the boy clown saw a crowd of men laying out the canvas for -the big tent. The animal tent was already up, as was the dining one. -While Jack had been sleeping the circus employees had been busy at work. - -Many performers were arriving from the train, and there was an -appetizing smell of coffee and meat on the fresh morning air. Gathered -about were scores of small boys, and Jack remembered the time when he, -as a little lad, used to get up early to see the circus come in. Men -were leading the camels and elephants to water, hundreds of horses -were being driven here and there, there was the rumble of heavy wagons -containing tents and poles, the deeper thunder of the wheels of the -chariots and gilded cages that went in the street parade, the sound of -men yelling and shouting--seemingly confusion added to confusion. Yet -slowly order was coming out of disorder. - -“Come on,” advised Sam. “There’s a good meal waiting for us, and we -don’t want to be left.” - -Jack followed his friend toward the dining-tent. As he passed the heavy -cage containing the hippopotamus, he heard a man, concealed on one side -of it, saying: - -“He says it was an accident, but I know better. Some one put him up to -it. I’ll spoil his act the first chance I get. I’ll be even with him.” - -“Yes, and I’ll help you,” spoke another voice, and then Jack saw Otto -Mitz, the ringmaster, and Ted Chester walking away. - -Jack had made two mean enemies since joining the circus, and through -no fault of his own, for though he could understand why the clown -should bear him a grudge, from not understanding how the accident had -occurred, he saw no reason for the ringmaster holding enmity against -him. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -THE FLYING MACHINE - - -Breakfast was a much better meal than Jack had expected, from knowing -the hurried manner in which it must have had to be prepared and -under what adverse circumstances. But he was to learn that a circus -cannot afford not to feed its employees and performers well, and that -the preparation and cooking of meals had been reduced to a science. -Large stoves were carried on wagons, the sides of which dropped down, -making a regular kitchen. Soup was cooked in immense caldrons, and the -supplies, which had been contracted for in advance, the bread, meat, -milk, vegetables, as well as fodder for the animals, had been brought -to the circus grounds by local dealers before daylight. - -“I’m glad we’ve had good weather this week,” observed Sam as he -finished his third cup of coffee. - -“Why? Did it rain much before I joined?” asked Jack, feeling somewhat -of a veteran already, though it was only his second day with the show. - -“Did it? Well, I should crack my grease paint!” Which was the clown’s -way of remarking that he should smile. “It rained for three days -straight.” - -“And you have to show in the rain, I suppose?” - -“Rain or shine, we go on. Only it’s not much fun. It’s cold and dreary, -and the crowds don’t laugh worth a cent. The sunshine for mine, every -time.” - -Jack wondered whether he had better tell his friend what he had -overheard near the hippopotamus wagon, but he decided he had better -try to fight his own battles, or, at least, wait until he needed help -against the schemes of his enemies. - -For Jack was convinced that Ted Chester would endeavor to do him some -injury. If not a physical one, the vindictive clown would probably try -to interfere with Jack when the boy was doing his turn in the ring. -This would cause him to fail to make the audience laugh, and he might -get discharged. - -“I’ll keep away from the side of the ring where Ted is,” thought the -young clown. “I suppose I’ve got to be on the watch against that -ringmaster, too. His whip certainly hurts. If he hits me again I’ll -tell Sam. I’m not going to stand it.” - -Jack found there was nothing special for him to do until the street -parade was ready to start. This had been omitted in the town they had -just left, as the place was not considered important enough for such -a demonstration. Here, however, one was to be given, and Jack learned -that all the clowns were to ride on top of a big gilded wagon, each one -playing some grotesque musical instrument. - -“But I can’t play anything but a mouth organ,” the boy had objected to -Sam, who told him what was expected of him. - -“That doesn’t make any difference. We only make all the noise we can on -battered horns, broken drums and all the odd things the property man -can get together. I’ll give you a trumpet. All you’ll have to do is to -blow it as loud as you can.” - -Jack thought this would be easy enough, and he soon retired to the -dressing-tent to make-up for the street parade. The big wagon on which -the clowns were to ride was hauled by eight prancing horses, and when -Jack saw it, and knew he was to be on it, he felt a sense of pride that -he had so soon been able to make a place for himself in such a big -aggregation as a circus. - -“All clowns this way!” cried Sam Kyle as he came from the -dressing-tent. “Here are your instruments.” - -The funnily-attired and painted men, including our hero, gathered -around their leader, who handed out such a collection of -noise-producing apparatus as was seldom seen. Each one had once been -a musical instrument, but time and accident, in some cases purposely -done, had changed the character of them. Now they produced nothing but -discordant sounds. - -“All ready!” called Sam. “Get up!” - -The clowns began to ascend to the top of the high wagon, which was -fitted with cross-seats. - -“Come! come! Hurry up!” cried Mr. Paine, running up to the clowns’ -wagon. “The parade ought to have started an hour ago.” - -“We’re all ready,” replied Sam. - -“Step lively!” added another voice, and there came a crack like a -pistol shot. At the same time Jack felt a stinging pain in his hip. He -turned in time to see Otto Mitz, the ringmaster, swinging his vicious -whip. The man did not have on his dress-suit, but was ordinarily -attired. - -Jack started with the sudden pain, and Ted Chester laughed heartily. - -“That’s the way to wake him up,” he said. - -“Don’t you do that again, Mitz!” exclaimed Sam Kyle, for he had seen -the mean act. - -“I guess I will if I like. I’m practicing.” - -“Then you try it on yourself,” added Sam angrily. - -“I’ll try it on you if I feel like it,” went on the ringmaster. - -Sam, with a suddenness that took Mitz by surprise, rushed up to him, -grabbed the whip from his hand and threw it to one side. - -“I wouldn’t advise you to,” he said quietly. “Don’t you flick that lad -again with your whip.” And then he turned and began to ascend the wagon. - -There was an ominous silence about the clowns’ wagon, and more than -one expected to see a fight between the ringmaster and Sam. But Mitz, -with a deep flush on his face, walked over, picked up his whip, and -disappeared into the dressing-tent. - -“He’ll have it in for you, Sam,” remarked a jolly, fat little clown. - -“I’m not afraid of him,” replied Sam. “He’s too free with his whip, and -it’s time some one told him so. Did he hurt you much?” he asked of Jack -in a low voice. - -“Not much,” replied the lad, though the truth was the lash had bitten -deep, and he had had hard work to refrain from crying out. But he -bravely repressed his feelings. - -Then the band on the wagon struck up, the steam calliope began to play, -and the parade started. Soon the procession was in the midst of the -streets of a fair-sized city. Jack, doing as he saw Sam and the other -clown do, blew as loudly as possible on his trumpet. The grotesque -music raised many a laugh, as did the funny antics of the clowns. - -At times some of them stood up and made elaborate bows, as if in answer -to applause, while others did little dance steps. But Jack sat silent, -save when he blew the trumpet. He was beginning to see the darker side -of the circus life. - -“Be a little livelier,” whispered the clown next to him. “There’s no -telling when the old man is watching.” - -By the “old man” was meant Manager Paine, though no disrespect was -intended by this title. Thus urged, Jack tried to be gay and to cut -some of his funny tricks, but it was with no light heart. He realized -now what it meant to have to amuse a crowd when one felt the least like -it. - -He was glad when the parade was over and he could go back to the circus -grounds. Sam told him he could take off his clown dress and wash up, as -it would be several hours until the afternoon performance. - -“A good dinner will make you feel better,” said the head clown to the -boy, for he understood how the lad felt, as he had heard Jack’s story -and had taken an unusual liking to him. - -Our hero did feel better after the meal, and he looked forward, with -something akin to real pleasure, to the performance in which he was to -take part. The big tent was up now, and was gay with many-colored flags -and banners. Jack strolled around to the side shows, and was amused in -getting a near view of the freaks, for he was a privileged character -now. - -“Well, boy, I’ll have that flying machine for you sooner than I -expected,” said a voice at his elbow, and he turned to see Mr. -Delafield, the property man. “I was speaking to Mr. Paine about it, and -he thinks it a good idea. I’ll have it for you the first of the week. -We strike Stewartsville then, and that’s quite a town. Suppose you come -over to my tent and we’ll take a look at what I’ve got done. Maybe you -can suggest something.” - -This gave a new turn to Jack’s thoughts. He found that the property man -had carried out his ideas exactly, for Jack had made a rough sketch of -what he wanted to introduce into his act. - -The flying machine consisted of a big muslin bag, shaped like a cigar, -and held distended by barrel hoops. This was to make it look as if -filled with gas. Above it was a big Japanese umbrella, while below it -was a sort of harness, holding a seat, which Jack could sit astride of. - -On either side were big, tough paper-covered wings, working on hinges, -and they could be operated by his feet. The handle of the big umbrella -extended down through the distended muslin bag, so that Jack could -grasp it with both hands. - -His plan was, after going through some funny stunts, to pretend to -pump up the bag with air. Then he would carry the “flying machine” -to the top of a small, light platform, which had been made for the -purpose. After some further odd mannerisms he would jump to the ground, -a distance of about thirty feet. The big umbrella he calculated would -allow him to land without injury, and as he descended he would work the -paper wings with his feet, giving a fairly good imitation of a person -flying. - -“What do you think of it?” asked Mr. Delafield. “Of course, it will be -all painted up in bright colors before you use it.” - -“It’s fine!” exclaimed Jack enthusiastically. “I wish it was ready now.” - -“There’s quite a lot of work on it yet,” said the property man. “But -I’ll have it for you the first of the week. I hope you make a hit with -it.” - -“I will if I don’t come down too heavy.” - -“Oh, that umbrella will hold you all right. You’ll come down as easy as -a piece of paper. I’ll make it good and strong.” - -“Hello! hello! hello! What’s this? What terror-inspiring bird of prey -from the towering peaks of the Andes Mountains is about to perform -before an awe-struck multitude for the first time in the history of the -world?” asked another voice, and Jack and Mr. Delafield looked up to -see the fat, jolly countenance of Nolan Waddleton, the “adjective man.” - -“Oh, this is a new machine for a flying clown,” explained the property -man. “Jack is going to spring something different.” - -“Ah, I must have that for my posters,” said Mr. Waddleton. “That will -be quite a drawing card. I need something fresh and new. Let’s see. -Nerve-thrilling trip through the terrestrial----No, that won’t do. -You’re going to keep off the earth. Through the towering--no, I’ve used -that before. Oh, can’t you give me a couple of adjectives, some of -you?” and he looked appealingly at Sam and Jack. - -“How would ‘Startling sensation of a Simple Simon sailing serenely, -supereminently and satisfactorily over the heads of a startled, -strabismus-struck, sensation-satiated assemblage in an admirably -adapted aeroplane’ strike you?” asked Mr. Delafield. - -“Excellent! superb! lovely! marvelous! That’ll do first-rate!” -exclaimed the “adjective man” enthusiastically. “I must write that -down. We’ll have you on the bills soon,” he added, turning to Jack. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -JACK MAKES A HIT - - -That afternoon’s performance was well attended. Jack did the same thing -he had done on the previous day and was moderately well applauded. As -usual, however, Sam Kyle created the most laughter, for he had an act -that was mirth-provoking, and he took advantage of various happenings -in the ring to turn a joke or do some odd stunt that was sure to bring -forth clapping. - -Ted Chester, with his miniature automobile, made a hit also. The people -seemed to like him, and this delighted Ted. He strutted about as “proud -as a turkey just before Thanksgiving,” as one of the other clowns put -it. - -“Mind you keep away from my side of the ring,” cautioned Ted as he -met Jack on the big circular track. “If I find you interfering with -me again I’ll take matters into my own hands. I don’t care for Sam -Kyle. If you bother with me and spoil my act, you’ve got to take the -consequences.” - -“I’m not going to bother you,” replied Jack. - -“That’s a hot act you have,” went on Ted. “I wonder the old man lets -you get away with it. What in the world people can find in that to -laugh at I can’t see. It’s on the blink, I think.” - -Jack did not consider that any good would come of answering the mean -clown, and he passed into the dressing-tent, as his turn was over for -the afternoon. He encountered his friend Sam, who was washing up after -the performance. - -“I saw Ted talking to you,” began the veteran clown. “Is he bothering -you?” - -“No--not much,” replied Jack, determined to fight his own battles as -far as he could. - -“If he does, let me know, and I’ll speak to the old man about him.” - -“Oh, I guess I can get along.” - -“All right, only you know I’ll stand by you. Say, I’ve got a suggestion -for you.” - -“What is it?” - -“Why don’t you make the paper-covered hoops you now use more in the -shape of wings? You can easily do it, for the wood frame is light and -not hard to bend.” - -“That’s a good idea. I guess I will, until my regular machine is ready. -I’ll have that Monday or Tuesday, Mr. Delafield said.” - -“That’s good. And say, while you’re about it, why don’t you color the -wings? Get some paint and daub ’em up so’s they’ll show off better. -And you might get up a different sort of suit. I’ve got lots of -material.” - -“Do you think it would be a good idea?” - -“Sure. Change and variety is what we’ve got to give the public. -Besides, the old man likes to see a change in the acts once in a while. -Brighten things up a bit, and I think he’ll appreciate it.” - -“I will,” replied Jack, and that afternoon he made some paper affairs -that looked more like wings than did the hoops, while he sewed some -bright-colored patches on his white suit and made up to look like some -grotesque bird. - -“That’s fine!” exclaimed Sam as he saw his protégé getting ready for -the ring that night. “You’ve got the right knack, Jack. You’d ought to -have been in this business before.” - -“I like it,” said the runaway lad. “It just suits me, so far, though -it hasn’t been all easy sailing. But I sometimes think I’ve made a -mistake. I should have stayed with the professor, for that’s where the -first news of my folks will come, and I’m getting worried about them. -I’m afraid they may have been killed by the fanatical Chinese.” - -“Oh, I don’t believe anything as bad as that has happened,” replied -Sam. “I read the papers every day, and while there are dispatches -telling of trouble in China, no Americans have suffered.” - -“But the trouble is we can’t seem to get any trace of my folks,” went -on Jack. “The authorities don’t know where they are, and how can they -tell whether anything has happened to them or not?” - -“Well, look on the bright side of things. That’s my motto,” answered -the clown. “That’s what we’re for--to make people forget their -troubles. Take a little of your own medicine, Jack.” - -“Yes, I guess that’s a good idea. I’ll try it. Only I wish I could hear -some news of my folks. If I make any money this season I’ll go to China -and hunt for them.” - -“I guess you’ll make some cash,” went on the clown. “But that’s our cue -to enter the ring. Come on now, laugh and smile. A clown that looks as -if he had lost his best friend isn’t much use in a circus. Be happy! - -“Hoop la!” he went on, as he ran from the dressing-tent into the ring. -“Oo la la! Tra-la-la! La-de-da!” - -Then he turned a couple of handsprings, very nimbly, in spite of his -age, and went on with his act, which, if roars of laughter indicated -anything, must have pleased the audience. - -Jack ran out with some of the other clowns, carrying a pair of his new -paper wings. Other pairs, for he had made several that afternoon, were -at different parts of the ring, ready for him, as he broke a pair each -time he did his act. - -There was an unusually large crowd present and every performer, feeling -the stimulation of it, was doing his best. It seemed to Jack that he -could do funnier capers than he had ever before attempted, and soon he -had a goodly section of the assemblage laughing at his tricks with the -imitation wings. - -“Most merrily mirth-making,” said Mr. Waddleton, the “adjective man,” -as he passed near Jack. “I’m watching you. I’m going to have your new -act on the bills.” - -This encouraged the boy, and he went on with a vim, doing his odd -dance, his big wings flapping out behind him. - -“Ha! Hum! Not so bad. Not half bad!” remarked Mr. Paine, the manager, -who, in accordance with his custom, was passing about the ring -observing matters. “You’re doing very well, Jack.” - -This made Jack forget, in a measure, his troubles--those caused by his -life at the professor’s house, and his flight from it, as well as those -for which his enemies in the circus were responsible. - -Jack felt a sense of happiness as he crawled into his bunk in the -sleeping-car that night, and he was becoming so used to the strange -life that he did not lie awake very long. Before he knew it, morning -came, and the show was at the next stop. - -This was on Saturday, and, after a good day’s business in a large -country town, the circus started for Stewartsville, where it was to -remain two days; Sunday, during which no performance would be given, -and Monday, when the usual afternoon and evening exhibitions would take -place. - -Sunday was pretty much a day of rest with the circus folk. Of course -the tents had to be put up in the morning, and the animals arranged in -places. And the beasts had to be fed, and the performers, whose talents -depended on their muscles or dexterity, did not forego their daily -practice, to keep in condition. But, for the majority of the circus -crowd, there was little to do. - -Jack took advantage of the opportunity to go and look at the animals, -for which he had very little time during the regular circus day. He -was fond of wild beasts, and he made the acquaintance of some of the -keepers. He was also introduced to the fat lady and the skeleton man, -who were among the freaks in the side show. He found them both nice -persons, and, in their turn, they seemed attracted to the boy, who, -in spite of his unusually good luck in getting along so well as a -newcomer, in the circus, was quite lonesome at times. - -Toward the close of the afternoon Mr. Delafield called Jack into the -property tent. The sight of a big object in the middle caused Jack to -utter an exclamation. There was his new flying machine, complete. - -“That’s fine!” he cried. “It will be ready for to-morrow, won’t it?” - -“I think so. The paint isn’t quite dry, but it will be by morning.” - -The affair was gaudily colored, to match the suit which Jack had -decided to wear. He could hardly wait for morning to try it, and, as -soon as he had his breakfast, he took it into the main tent, where, -with the help of the property man and Sam Kyle, he had his first -rehearsal. - -It worked fairly well, though it was found necessary to make one or -two readjustments. But these were finished by afternoon, and Jack got -ready for his first appearance in his new rôle, that of an eccentric, -clownish airship inventor. - -He was a little nervous as he took his apparatus with him out into -the ring that afternoon, and set it down in a space in front of the -reserved seats. Then, with an affair that looked like an air pump, he -pretended to fill the muslin bag. All the while he assumed the part of -a man who has just completed an aeroplane and is anxious to see how it -will work. - -“Oh, mamma! See the airship! See the airship!” cried a boy in the -audience close to Jack. “Will he really fly, mamma?” - -“I don’t know, Bertie. Watch and see,” replied the lady. - -“I’m going to fly a little way, if I have luck,” said Jack to himself. - -The attention of a considerable portion of the crowd was now drawn to -him. With a heart that beat faster than usual, he went on with his -grotesque preparations. Then he hauled the machine, which was very -light, up on the platform. - -There was a laugh as he spread out the big umbrella. Then, pretending -to peer up to the sky, as if in search of storm clouds, Jack took his -place on the suspended seat. The affair was so arranged that he could -walk in it to the edge of the platform before he leaped off. - -He recited a funny little verse, composed for him by Mr. Waddleton, -containing references to the various airship inventors then in the -public eye, stood poised for a moment on the edge of the platform, and -then, hoping that everything was all right, and that he would land -safely, he leaped off. - -Down, down, down he sailed, the big umbrella buoying him up like a -parachute. He kicked vigorously with his feet, and the big wings -flapped up and down. The crowd burst into loud laughter and there was -hearty applause. - -Lower and lower Jack sank down, falling gently to the ground. He ceased -to work the wings, and then came the climax. He pulled a string and -there was a report like a small cannon, while the bag which was held -apart with hoops and springs, collapsed, and the umbrella closed up -with a snap. It looked exactly as if the imitation airship had blown -up on reaching the ground, but this was only a trick Mr. Delafield had -devised at the last moment. - -My, what laughter and applause there was then! It was one of the oddest -sights seen in the circus. Jack knew there was no doubt about it--he -had made a hit. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -PROFESSOR KLOPPER APPEARS - - -“That’s the stuff!” cried Mr. Paine, running up to where Jack was -getting out of the collapsed airship. This was the first the boy knew -that the manager had been watching him. But there was very little -that escaped the “old man.” “You’re doing good,” the manager went on. -“Quick, now, on the other side. The people there are wondering what -it’s all about. Here,” he cried to several men, “help get this platform -over by the box and press seats. This is a good stunt!” - -Jack was proud and happy. Of course he had higher ambitions than being -a circus clown, but while he was in that rôle he was going to do his -best. Besides, he wanted to earn all the money he could, so that he -might go and search for his father and mother, and he hoped that if he -did well his salary might be increased. - -“Do the same thing over here,” said Mr. Paine. “Make it as funny as -you can. It’s a hit, all right. Ha! Hum! It’s not so bad! It’s not so -bad!” which was praise indeed from Mr. Paine. - -Jack repeated his act, and was applauded louder than ever. Then he had -to go to the far end of the tent, where the ordinary seats were. There -he was well received, the final collapse of the aeroplane apparently -affording the best amusement of all. - -“Down at the other end now,” ordered the manager, who seemed to be -keeping an eye on Jack. Though the boy did not know it, managers of -shows, whether they be circuses or theatrical performances, are always -on the lookout for novelties, and they are only too willing to advance -young players who show that they can stand out above the average, and -gain the plaudits of the crowd, which is all, save the ticket receipts, -that a manager usually cares about. - -Just as Jack was getting up on his platform for his last airship -performance, Ted Chester, who was creating some amusement by his antics -with the miniature automobile, came along. - -“You’re not going to do your act here!” he exclaimed to Jack. - -“Yes, I am,” replied our hero boldly. - -“I say you’re not! I’m going to show here, and I’m not going to have -you butting in. Clear out of here!” - -“Mr. Paine sent me here.” - -“I don’t care whether he did or not. I say I’m going to do my turn -here, and you can’t. You’re always around bothering me, and I won’t -stand for it!” - -“I’m going to do my act here,” declared Jack. “I was told to by the -manager.” - -“I don’t care whether you were or not.” - -“Besides, the platform is erected here now,” went on the young clown, -“and the men have gone. I can’t move it.” - -“Then cut your act out. You’re not going to spoil mine.” - -“That’s right. Make him quit,” advised Mitz, the ringmaster, who had -just finished putting several horses through their paces, and who was -retiring to the dressing-tent. “Make him quit the show,” he added. - -Jack looked at him apprehensively, but the ugly ringmaster had been -taught a lesson. He did not flick his whip at the boy. - -The young clown hesitated. He did not know whether to ignore Ted and go -on with his act, or appeal to Mr. Paine, who was at the far side of the -ring, making an announcement about a young woman who did a “loop the -gap” act in an automobile. - -But there was an unexpected diversion in Jack’s favor. Sam Kyle, in his -progress around the big ring, had seen that something was amiss. It -was his duty to settle disputes among the clowns, and he often had to -do so, as, since these performers had no regular place for their acts, -one frequently would appear in the same spot where a fellow-actor was -showing off. - -“What’s the matter?” asked Sam, as he approached. - -“He’s butting in on me,” replied Ted, in surly tones. - -“That’s what he is,” added the ringmaster. - -“This is none of your affair,” declared Sam to the man in the -dress-suit. “I think I can settle it. Go on with your act, Jack,” he -said. - -“And spoil mine?” demanded Ted. - -“You’ve already been on four times this afternoon,” said the head -clown. “I’ve been keeping watch of you. This will make your fifth act. -Four’s all you’re allowed unless I say so, and I don’t. Go on, Jack.” - -“But I----” began Ted. - -“Cut it out,” advised Sam. “I haven’t time to listen to you, but let me -tell you one thing, if you interfere again with Jack, and make trouble, -I’ll have you fired, that’s what I’ll do! And you know I’m a man of my -word, and that I can do as I say,” he added significantly. “Take your -auto and get out of the ring. Jack has a good act, and he’s entitled to -the credit of it.” - -“I’ll--I’ll----” spluttered Ted, who was very angry. - -“Don’t you threaten me!” exclaimed Sam. “I’ve told you what to do, and -I want you to do it!” - -Ted had no choice but to obey, though he did it with no very good -grace. Jack prepared for his act, while the ringmaster, who had been -too busy before to notice, looked on sneeringly. He was a great chum -of Ted, and for this reason, more than because he had any reason to -dislike Jack, he had a grudge against our hero. - -The airship act went off well, the applause at the last attempt being -louder than any that had preceded it. Jack felt very proud. - -He repeated his success that evening, and he was more than gratified -when Mr. Paine, seeking him out at the close of the show, announced -that his wages would be raised to fifteen dollars a week. - -“I’ll soon get to China at that rate,” thought Jack, for, since he had -to spend nothing for board, he could save nearly all his salary. - -With practice, Jack became more proficient in odd little parts, until -in about two weeks he was one of the best attractions of the ring. His -act was mentioned on the bills, though he was given no name, for he had -not yet arisen to be a star of that magnitude. - -Meanwhile the circus was traveling about from city to city, and Jack -was becoming accustomed to the free and easy life, though it had its -drawbacks, especially in a storm. - -“Where do we show to-morrow?” asked the boy of Sam, one night when they -were in the sleeping car. - -“Northrup is the next stop.” - -“Northrup? That’s not far from where I live--or used to live,” he -added, as he thought rather sadly that he had no real home now. “Maybe -I’ll see some of the boys from Westville,” he went on. - -Jack was strolling about the next morning, after a good breakfast, -watching the men put up the big tent, an operation of which he never -tired. There was the usual crowd of boys looking on, and our hero -glanced among them for the possible sight of some one he might know. -Often, when he was younger, he had gone from Westville to Northrup to -see the circus come in. But he saw no familiar faces, and was turning -to go back to the dressing-tent, for it was nearly time to get ready -for the street parade, when he was startled by hearing a voice ask of -one of the canvasmen: - -“Is this Bower & Brewster’s circus?” - -“Sure thing,” replied the man shortly. - -“Thank you, my man. I am looking for a certain person, and I heard he -was with this show.” - -Jack’s heart almost stopped beating. He knew that voice only too well. -It was that of Professor Klopper. And a guarded look at the man who -had asked the question showed the boy that he was right. - -Hidden behind a tent-pole wagon, Jack peered cautiously out, and beheld -the figure of his former guardian, stern and forbidding, looking about -him. - -“He’s after me,” thought Jack. “What shall I do? I’ll never let him -arrest me. I must hide! No, I know a better plan than that,” he added -to himself. “I’ll make up in my clown outfit. He’ll never know me then, -even if he does see me. But I’ll take precious good care to keep out of -his sight.” - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -JACK’S TRICK - - -Hurrying to the dressing-tent, but taking good care not to get within -sight of the professor, Jack quickly donned his clown suit. - -“What’s up?” asked several of the other performers, who were lounging -about, or going over their trunks. “It isn’t time for the parade, is -it?” - -“Not exactly,” replied Jack. “I just thought I’d get ready, though,” -for, though a number of the circus people knew something of his story, -he did not think it wise to tell why he was going to dress up so early. -“Ted Chester or the ringmaster would give me up to him as quick as a -wink,” thought our hero, “and I’m not going to submit to arrest now.” - -He went on with his make-up, and was daubing the red and white paint on -his face when Sam Kyle came into the tent. - -“Making up early, aren’t you?” asked Sam, looking at his watch. - -“A little,” admitted Jack. “But I wanted to be ready in time. Then I -guess I’ll practice some new stunts with my flying machine.” - -“Humph! You can practice a good deal better in your regular clothes -than you can in that suit,” remarked Sam. - -But Jack gave no reason for his peculiar action. When he was all rigged -out, ready to take his place on the wagon, or enter the ring, he -ventured out of the tent. - -“I wonder if the professor would know me if he saw me now,” he thought. -“Guess I’ll walk about and see if I can catch sight of him. I’ll have -to be cautious, though.” - -He strolled about the circus grounds, attracting considerable attention -from a number of small boys, for there were no other performers in -sight so early in the morning. Jack walked about, keeping watch for the -professor, and when he did not observe him he began to breathe easier. -He was glad when the time came to get up on the wagon, and take his -place among the clowns who played the odd musical instruments. - -Just as the procession started from the circus grounds to parade -through the streets, he caught sight of his guardian, hurrying along, -and peering about anxiously through his big spectacles. - -“He’s looking for me,” decided Jack. “Queer how he should be so -vindictive. He must know I wouldn’t steal his old cup. I wish he’d go -back home. It’s no fun to fear every minute that you’re going to be -arrested.” - -To better screen himself from the professor’s gaze, in case the elderly -man should inspect the clown wagon too closely, our hero placed his -trumpet to his lips, and began to blow. This was a signal for the other -oddly attired performers to begin, and soon the wagon passed beyond -where Mr. Klopper was standing. - -“I’m safe for a while, anyhow,” mused Jack. “It was a good thing I -thought of this trick.” - -When the procession returned to the grounds most of the performers -began to remove their suits, and the clowns washed the paint from their -faces, as it would be some time before the afternoon performance would -start. - -Jack, however, remained in his clown suit, with the coloring matter -still thick on his face. - -“Going to stay that way until you get your cue?” asked a fellow clown. - -“I--I guess so,” replied Jack. “Might as well. It won’t be long.” - -“Too long for me,” was the reply. “I get enough of it as it is. No -paint for mine until the last minute, and off it comes as soon as I’m -through.” - -But Jack had a good reason for keeping his on. His own mother would -not have known him in his present costume. To avoid the many questions -of the other performers, who could not understand the boy’s action, -Jack, after a hasty dinner, went into the main tent, which was now up, -and pretended to be adjusting his imitation airship. He remained there -until almost time for the afternoon show to start, and then he started -back to the dressing-tent to await the blast of the trumpets that -summoned the company of clowns. - -As he was coming out of the main tent he almost ran into a man who was -standing on the outside, near the dressing-rooms. Jack started back in -surprise, for, as the man turned, he saw that he was none other than -Professor Klopper. - -“I beg your pardon!” exclaimed the former college teacher, “but I am -looking for a friend of mine--a young lad--who, I understand, is with -this circus. He ran away to join it, and I wish to find him about a -very particular matter. Can you tell me where he is? His name is Jack -Allen.” - -Jack almost stopped breathing. He could scarcely believe that the -professor would not recognize him. - -Not daring to trust his voice to make reply, and fearing the professor -would know his tones, if he did not know his ward’s face under the -coating of paint, Jack shook his head to answer in the negative, and -hurried on. - -“One moment,” exclaimed the professor. “Perhaps you----” - -[Illustration: “I am looking for a friend of mine” - - _Page 148_] - -But Jack, still vigorously shaking his head, passed into the tent. He -knew the professor, nor any other outsider, would not be allowed to -enter there. - -“My, that was a close call!” exclaimed the youth to himself, as he -applied a little more paint where it had been rubbed off as he brushed -against a tent flap. “I’ll put it on good and thick,” he decided. “I -can’t take any chances. He’ll be in the audience watching for me, sure.” - -He used more paint than he ever had before, and succeeded in securing a -very comical effect, which added to his queer appearance. - -His nervousness and fear did not prevent him from giving a good -performance, and, as he went to the different parts of the ring, doing -his turn with the airship, he looked anxiously among the throng to see -if he could observe the professor. But it was impossible to pick out -any particular individual in that big audience, and Jack felt safe, at -least for the time being. - -After the performance, instead of removing his costume and washing -off the paint, he remained attired as he was in his clown outfit. His -friends tried to find out why he kept it on all day, but he did not -tell them. - -“He’s getting crazy, that’s what’s the matter with him,” said Ted -Chester, with a sneer. “He’s so stuck on his act that he thinks all -the people are looking at him.” - -“That’s usually the way you are,” commented Sam Kyle. “You can’t throw -any stones, Ted.” - -“Aw, who’s talking to you?” demanded Ted, in surly tones. - -But in spite of the many questions asked him, as to his reason, Jack -kept his suit on. Nor did he go out of the dressing-tent any more -than he had to, for he thought the professor might be strolling about -looking for him. - -Whether or not his former guardian was on the lookout that afternoon -and evening, Jack did not then find out. His one fear was lest the -professor should go to the manager of the circus and make inquiries, -for, in that event, the runaway boy would have been discovered. But Mr. -Klopper evidently did not think of that, and when the show was over -that night, and Jack found he had not been detected, he breathed a sigh -of relief. - -“Well, I should think you’d be glad to get those togs off,” remarked -Sam, when Jack resumed his regular clothes, and started for the train. - -“I am,” was the answer, but Jack said nothing more, and Sam wondered -what was coming over his protégé. - -But if Jack had only known what the professor had to tell him, how -willingly would the boy have revealed himself! Mr. Klopper had come to -the circus, not only to find our hero, but also to impart some valuable -information. But now the news was lost to the boy. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -A TREACHEROUS ACT - - -For several weeks after this the circus traveled about from city to -city, sometimes taking in large towns, and gradually working through -the middle west, spending considerable time in Ohio and Indiana. Jack -was beginning to like the life more and more, in spite of the hard -work, for, though there was plenty of fun connected with it, there was -also no lack of hardships. - -He continued to improve in his act and had received another raise of -salary, now getting eighteen dollars a week, which was as much as some -of the other clowns earned. - -Jack was careful with his money, and, at Sam’s suggestion, left most of -it with the treasurer of the show. For there were many temptations to -spend money when on the road, and Jack had more than once declined to -gamble or spend his cash for drinks or cigars. - -“I never saw such a tight-wad as you are,” said Ted Chester one day, -when he had invited Jack to enter a card game with him. “Why don’t you -loosen up a bit?” - -“I don’t care to waste my money gambling,” replied Jack. “I’ve got a -better use for it. Why don’t you play with some of the other fellows?” - -“Because they’re sports, and they’ve spent all their money until next -salary day.” - -The truth was, though, that few of the circus folk liked to play with -Ted, who had a reputation of cheating when he got the chance. He and -Mitz were generally together, seeking to get some one interested in a -card game, and it was whispered that they acted as partners in fleecing -the unwary ones who played with them. - -But Jack had been warned by his friend, Sam Kyle, to have nothing to -do with any card games, and not to drink or smoke. He would probably -not have done so anyhow, as the boy had the advantage of excellent home -training; but temptation is sometimes very strong, and Sam did not want -to see his protégé get into bad habits. - -“There’s nothing in this sporting life--drinking, smoking, and -gambling,” said Sam. “I’ve done my share of it, and I know what I’m -talking about. It’s fun for a while, but you have to pay a dear price -for it. - -“I used to squander my money that way, but an old man gave me some good -advice in time, and I quit. Now I’m saving up for the time when I get -too old to amuse folks any longer.” - -“And I’m saving up to try and find my folks,” said Jack. - -“Haven’t you had any word from them?” - -“Not a word since I ran away. I don’t suppose I could have received -any, traveling about as we do. Sometimes I wish I had stayed with the -professor. He was real mean to me, and would have had me arrested. But -even then I might have heard some word from my father or mother. Now -I’m not likely to unless I can get to China, or unless I go back to the -professor.” - -“I’d advise you to do the last,” said Sam. “It’s a long way to China, -and I doubt if you could do much, or find out much, after you got -there. Go back to the professor.” - -“But he’ll have me arrested. I don’t want to be locked up for something -I didn’t do.” - -“I don’t blame you for that. But wait a while. There’s no need to go -back right away. Finish out the season with us, if you like. I know the -old man would hate to lose you now.” - -“I want to stay, too,” said Jack. “I’m getting to like the life very -much.” - -“Well, then, stick it out till fall. Then write to the professor, -asking for news of your folks. He’ll give you some, if he has it, even -though he wants to arrest you. But perhaps by then he’ll get over his -anger, or maybe he’ll find, in the meanwhile, that you didn’t steal the -cup. Anyway, you can write to him, and promise to return, if he will -not have you locked up, until you have a chance to prove that you’re -innocent. That’s what I’d do.” - -“I guess I will,” decided Jack. “I’ll write to him when it’s about time -for the circus to close up.” - -“That won’t be for a couple of months yet,” said Sam. “Maybe you’d -better write now.” - -“No, if I do, very likely he’d find out where I was and have me locked -up. I’ll wait a while.” - -But if Jack had only written then he would have saved himself much -anguish of heart, and not a little physical suffering. But he did not -know, not being able to look into the future. - -One day, after he had finished his performance in the ring, Jack went -to the property man. - -“I wish I could have my platform made a little higher,” he said. - -“What for?” - -“Well, there isn’t much chance for the air to get under the umbrella -when I jump off now. If I made a higher leap I could work the wings -a little better, for I’d be in the air longer. Can you raise the -platform?” - -“I guess so. How much?” - -“About ten feet.” - -“But that will make it nearly forty feet for you to jump. Won’t that be -rather dangerous?” - -“I guess not. You see, the umbrella is a big one, and once it gets a -lot of air under it, I’m held up, and I’ll come down slowly. Besides, -it will make a better act. I can make it look more as if I was really -flying.” - -“All right, I’ll do it. Did you ask Mr. Paine?” - -“Yes; and he said it would be all right. He likes the idea.” - -“Mr. Waddleton will have to get some new adjectives to put on the -bills about you,” remarked the property man, with a laugh. “He thinks -you’re quite an attraction. You’ve got Ted and some of the other clowns -jealous. They’re at me all the while to get them up something so they -can make a hit.” - -“Well, there’s nothing to stop them,” declared Jack. “I don’t care how -many queer stunts they do.” - -“Me either; only I’m not going to think ’em out for ’em and then make -’em. I told ’em I’d make ’em if they’d tell me what they wanted, but -they haven’t got brains enough to do that. They make me tired!” and the -property man went on with his work of patching up a big sea serpent -that one of the clowns used in an act. “I’ll make that platform higher -for you to-morrow,” he said to Jack; “only you want to be careful how -you jump off from such a height.” - -“I will,” said the young clown, and then he went into the tent to rest -until the evening performance, for he was rather tired, as he had -responded to several encores that afternoon. - -The platform, made ten feet higher, was ready for him the next day, -when they opened in a good-sized city in Indiana. He got his flying -machine in readiness, and it was carted out by a couple of the ring -hands, for since Jack had made such a success he was given more -attention by the manager, who detailed two men to help the lad, since -the apparatus was now quite bulky to move about, though it was very -light. Jack had made one or two changes in it, and had rigged up some -United States flags on the top of the umbrella, the emblems being -suddenly displayed by the pulling of a string as he began to sail -downward. - -“Now, Jack,” said Sam Kyle, as the clowns ran out of the dressing-tent, -in response to the trumpet signal, “let’s see how your improvement -works. I expect you’ll sail all about the tent now.” - -“Hardly; but I can give a better exhibition, I think.” - -He climbed up to the top of the slender platform. Then, after his usual -song and dance, he prepared to take his place on the seat of the flying -machine. First, however, as was his custom, he carefully examined the -umbrella, for it was on this he relied to save him from the effects of -his high jump, the big Japanese affair acting as does a parachute when -a man leaps from a balloon. - -Something about some of the ribs attracted the boy’s attention. He -looked more carefully. To his horror, he saw that nearly all of -them had been cut through so that when he jumped the umbrella would -collapse, and let him fall to the ground with such a suddenness that he -would be seriously hurt, if not killed. For a moment the terror of his -discovery of the treacherous act deprived him of the ability to move or -speak. - -“Some one did this so I’d get hurt,” he whispered. “I wonder who it -could have been?” - -Yet he at once thought of Ted Chester and his crony, the ringmaster. - -“What shall I do?” thought Jack. “I can’t go on with the act with this -umbrella.” - -He stood on the platform, undecided what to do. The crowds, which had -heard of his act, were impatiently calling for him to leap. - -“What’s the matter?” asked Mr. Paine, running to the foot of the -platform. He had seen from the other side of the ring that something -was wrong. - -“My umbrella ribs have been cut,” replied Jack. “I can’t jump with it -this way.” - -“Great Scott!” exclaimed the manager. “That’s a mean trick! I’ll look -into this. But wait. Haven’t you a spare umbrella somewhere?” - -“Yes, several of them.” - -“All right. Come down. I’ll send for Delafield to help you rig up -another one. In the meantime I’ll send Sam Kyle over here to jolly -the crowd along until you’re ready. He’ll say you have to fix up your -airship, because one built by the German government tried to destroy it -last night. And say nothing about the umbrella until you hear from me. -Quick, now, get down.” - -Thus did the quick-witted manager save the situation. Jack descended, -and soon, with Mr. Delafield’s aid, he was attaching another umbrella -to the airship. Several had been supplied, in case one might be -damaged, and so little time was lost, though the two flags could not be -attached. - -Meanwhile Sam Kyle mounted to the platform, and was keeping the crowd -in roars of laughter by his antics. As soon as Jack was ready he came -down, and our hero took his accustomed place. - -Once more he carefully examined the umbrella before venturing on his -flight. This caution had been impressed on him by Sam, and some of his -other friends. None of the performers who had to do their acts high in -the air, they said, would go on a trapeze, bar or rope without first -testing it. For, not only were accidents likely to occur, but often -vindictive rivals would cut a rope partly through, with the hope of -maiming their more successful fellows. - -But this new umbrella was strong, and Jack made ready for his leap. It -was with more fear than he had known since he had perfected his act -that he got astride the swaying seat, and, holding to the umbrella -handle, launched himself from the platform, his feet working the big -wings as fast as they would flap. - -To his delight, his new plan worked to perfection. The air, having -more of a chance to get under the umbrella, buoyed him up considerably -better, and he sailed gracefully to the ground, the flight taking -several seconds longer. The chief drawback to it formerly had been that -it was over too quick. Now this objection had been removed. - -Then Jack pulled the cord which fired the shot, and the ship seemed -to fly apart, the umbrella closing down and the bag collapsing. There -was hearty applause for the young clown, but through it all Jack was -wondering at the motive of those who had so nearly caused a serious -accident. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -THE MONKEYS ESCAPE - - -When the afternoon performance came to an end, Mr. Paine sent for Jack. -He closely questioned the boy about the cut umbrella. Jack could throw -no light on when it had been done. - -“Whom do you suspect did it?” asked the manager. - -“I--I don’t know,” replied Jack. - -“Yes, you do. You have some idea. Who’s got a grudge against you?” - -“Well, I suppose Ted Chester has, though I never did anything to him.” - -“Who else?” - -“Well, Mr. Mitz was rather mean to me.” - -“Ha! Hum! I begin to understand something. You may tell Mr. Delafield I -want him.” - -Jack summoned the property man, and the manager closely questioned him -as to whether he had seen any one about the airship just before the -performance began, for it had been proved that the apparatus was in -perfect order that morning. - -“I didn’t see any one interfering with it,” replied Mr. Delafield. - -“Were you in the property tent all the while?” - -“Yes--that is, nearly.” - -“What do you mean by that?” - -“Well, Mitz called me out to see about making a new tub for the baby -elephant to stand on.” - -“How long were you gone?” - -“About ten minutes.” - -“Ha! Hum! That would be time enough. I think I see how this was done. -Mitz and Chester put up the game, and a mean one it was. While Mitz got -you out, Chester slipped in and cut the umbrella. Say nothing about it, -however. I’ll have a talk with them. I’ll put a stop to this business.” - -What the result was of the manager’s talk to the mean clown and his -crony, the ringmaster, Jack never heard. Evidently there was not proof -enough to make certain the guilt of either of the two men, though when -they came from the manager’s tent they looked worried and uneasy. - -The affair resulted in one thing that benefited Jack, however, for, -after that, neither the clown nor Mitz bothered him, though Ted Chester -said mean things to his young rival every chance he got. - -After that Jack was more than usually careful to look to all the ropes -and other strengthening devices on the airship, as well as to the -umbrella; for leaping off from such a height as he did it would not -take much to cause him to take a terrible tumble. - -The circus played a number of one-day stands through the lower part -of Ohio, and then swinging around in a big circle, began to work back -east. As the larger cities were reached they stayed longer in one -place, in some remaining a week, which gave the performers and animals -a chance to get a good rest. - -Meanwhile, Jack had heard nothing more from the professor, nor about -the efforts to cause an arrest for the theft of the gold cup. The -young clown kept a wary eye out for the sight of a policeman who might -be looking for him, and he was also on his guard against meeting Mr. -Klopper. - -But he need not have worried. The professor, after his one attempt to -locate Jack, gave it up personally, though he tried other means to find -the boy, for, as before stated, he had something very important to tell -our hero. - -The circus reached a town in western Pennsylvania one morning during -quite a heavy storm. It had been raining off and on for a week, and the -temper of all the employees and performers was tried by the unpleasant -weather. A circus is quite a miserable place in the rain, for the usual -crowds do not turn out, and everything seems to go wrong. - -“I hope it clears up by this afternoon,” said Sam Kyle gloomily, as he -left the breakfast tent, which leaked in places, and, with Jack, and -some of the other clowns, looked up at the dull sky. “I’m sick of being -wet through.” - -The show had to go on, rain or shine, however, and the parade usually -took place no matter how hard it stormed. This was very unpleasant -for the performers, especially the clowns, as the paint would persist -in running off their faces, giving them a streaked and bedraggled -appearance, which, while it added to their funny aspect, was not just -what they wanted. - -“It looks as if it might clear,” said Jack hopefully. “The wind seems -to be shifting.” - -But it was raining when the parade started, and Jack and his fellow -clowns were wet and cold riding on top of the open wagon, playing their -battered instruments. - -Now, whether the rain was the cause for what happened when the -procession reached the middle of the town, where quite a crowd had -gathered to view it, or whether the little beasts managed to break -open the door, was not disclosed. At any rate, just as the parade was -turning back to the grounds, the cage containing the monkeys suddenly -opened. - -Jack was the first to notice it, for the clowns’ wagon was right behind -that containing the long-tailed creatures. He saw several of the -monkeys leaping out of the opened door, and swinging themselves up on -top. - -“The monkeys! The monkeys!” he cried. “They’re getting loose!” - -“They’re already loose,” observed Sam grimly. “Now there’ll be some -fun. They’re the hardest of all animals to catch, once they get out.” - -Shouts and laughter from the crowd, which, now that there was more -than the usual excitement, did not seem to mind the rain, told the man -driving the monkey wagon that something was wrong. But he hardly needed -this warning, for, a moment later, one of the mischievous simians -snatched off the driver’s hat, and clapped it on its own queer head. -Another monkey grabbed it from the first one, and soon the whole troop -was on top of the wagon fighting and chattering over the possession of -the hat. - -The driver wound the reins about his whip, and scrambled up on top -of the vehicle in a desperate endeavor to capture some of the nimble -animals. But, no sooner did they see him coming than, with one accord, -they scrambled down the sides of the wagon, reached the ground, and, -rejoicing in their new-found freedom, scattered about the street. - -“Come on, boys!” cried Sam. “Those monkeys are valuable. We’ll have to -help catch ’em.” - -“Let the animal men look after ’em,” said Ted Chester. - -“The boss will appreciate it if we help,” remarked the head clown. -“Come on, boys.” - -Jack and the other clowns dropping their battered instruments, climbed -down from the high wagon, which had come to a stop, and began running -after the monkeys. But the mischievous beasts had scattered among the -crowd now. - -Yells of laughter from the men lining the roadway, mingling with the -frightened screams of women and children, told that the monkeys were -creating plenty of excitement. - -“Grab ’em, folks! Grab ’em!” cried Sam to the crowd. - -“I’d like to see myself,” objected a fat woman. “One of the ugly beasts -tore my best bonnet to pieces. I’m going to sue the circus!” - -Just then a shout caused Jack to look where several men were pointing. -He saw a monkey perched up on top of a store awning, tearing to pieces -something that looked like a bouquet of many-colored flowers. - -“My bonnet! Oh, my bonnet!” yelled the fat woman. “There’s the ugly -beast, now, tearing my bonnet to pieces, and it cost three dollars!” - -Yells from other women in the crowd indicated that they, too, feared -the same thing that had happened to the fat lady. Nor were they far -wrong. The monkeys seemed to be attracted by the gay headwear of the -women in the crowd, and soon there was presented the odd sight of half -a dozen of the creatures, perched up on high vantage points, tearing to -pieces the flowered and ribboned hats, and scattering the pieces to the -ground. - -“Help! Help!” suddenly cried a man. “One of ’em’s trying to choke me!” - -Jack ran to where he heard the cry. Perched upon a man’s back was a -monkey--a small one. - -“Take him away! Take him away!” yelled the man. “He’s choking me to -death!” - -The simian had one arm around the man’s neck, but it was not trying -to choke him. Instead, the odd little creature was trying to reach a -bright-red balloon, one of the small kind sold when the circus comes to -town. The man had bought it for his little girl. - -“Give him the balloon!” cried the crowd, delighted at the antics of the -monkeys. - -“No, no, daddy! It’s mine! Get the monkey for me, too,” cried the -little girl. - -“Stand still a minute!” called Jack. “I’ll catch the monkey.” - -He hurried up to the man, and grabbed the hairy little brute. The -monkey tried to get away, but Jack held it tight, and soon had carried -it back to the cage, having caught the first one of the runaways. - -“That’s the way to do it,” said the man in charge of the monkey wagon. -“The old man will have a fit if we lose any.” - -Jack ran back to try and capture some more. It was an odd sight to see -the queerly-dressed clowns, with the paint on their faces running into -all sorts of streaks, darting through the crowd after the monkeys. The -excitement among the women continued, and several bonnets had been -ruined. - -Some of the men in the throng now turned in to help, and five or six of -the long-tailed beasts were caught. Jack captured another, and some of -the other clowns managed to grab the nimble creatures as they scampered -about. - -In about ten minutes half of the number in the cage had been caught. -The others--the large ones--had climbed to high points of the buildings -along the street, where they chattered away, as if defying the men to -get them. - -“I’ll bring ’em back,” said the man who had charge of them. He went -into a store, and purchased some apples, peanuts and candy. These -things he gave to the recaptured monkeys in the cage, and the cries -they set up as they fought over the possession of the dainties, -attracted the others, who, anxious not to miss the feast, came trooping -along, only too glad to submit to being captured, if only they could -get something to eat. - -“Whew! That was a strenuous time,” panted Jack, as he took his place -again on the wagon with his fellow clowns. “That was as good as part -of the circus.” - -“Yes, the crowd got its money’s worth,” replied Sam. “I suppose the old -man will have to pay damages for those hats, however.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -IN A STORM - - -Once more the parade started, and it completed the circuit without -further accident. To the delight of every one, the rain ceased, and the -sun came out to dry off dripping tents, and drive away the moisture -from the soaked ground. - -“We’ll have a fine crowd out this afternoon and to-night, I think,” -said Sam. “This is always a good town to show in.” - -Events proved that he was right, and when it came time for the -afternoon performance the big tent was taxed to its capacity to hold -the throng gathered. All the performers seemed to have new vim and -vigor with the advent of better weather, and the acts went off with a -snap that had been absent during the wet spell. - -“Now, Jack, show ’em what you can do,” advised Sam Kyle, as it came the -turn of the clowns to enter the ring. “Make a good flight.” - -Jack excelled himself, for he had added a new turn to his stunt, and -this was the first time he tried it. This was to take with him, in a -cage concealed on top of the muslin bag, a tame rooster that belonged -to one of the clowns, who had temporarily given up using it, as he had -a new act. - -Chanticleer was put in a cage, and the sides of it were covered with -white muslin, arranged on a frame work so that they would fall down -when a spring was released, revealing the rooster on top of the -airship. Until the sides fell down, however, it merely looked like a -small square box on top of the distended muslin bag. Jack could bring -the rooster into view by pulling on a cord. - -Jack’s act was getting to be quite complicated. In addition to jumping -off a high platform, he had to operate the wings of his machine with -his feet, and just as he reached the ground he had to pull a cord that -shot off a blank cartridge and allowed the balloon to seemingly fall -apart, yank another that displayed the two United States flags, and now -there was a third one, that would release the rooster. - -The bird had been trained to fly, flap its wings and crow as soon as -the sides of its cage fell, and Jack counted on making quite a hit this -time. - -He succeeded. Everything went off well, from the time he jumped with -his apparatus off the tower platform until he shot off the cartridge, -unfurling the flags and revealing the rooster, who added not a little -to the novelty of the act by crowing most vigorously. - -“Ha! Hum! Not so bad! Not so bad! Not half bad!” was all Mr. Paine -said, when he saw Jack’s latest performance; but the young clown knew -that was the highest praise the manager ever bestowed. - -“If it goes off as well to-night as it did this afternoon, you’ll get -two dollars more a week,” went on Mr. Paine. “I like my clowns to think -up new things. It’s a wonder some of you fellows wouldn’t put a little -more ginger into your work,” the manager continued to Jack’s fellow -workers. “Some of you are all right, but unless the rest of you wake -up, you’ll be looking for other jobs soon.” - -He walked away, and several of the clowns murmured among themselves. -The majority, however, knew they were all right, for they were -continually improving their acts. - -“This is what comes of letting a fresh young kid get in among older -performers,” said Ted Chester. “I’m going to quit soon if he don’t. He -gets all the attention.” - -“That’s right,” added two or three others. “The manager thinks he’s the -whole show.” - -“If we could queer his act some way maybe it would take him down a -peg,” suggested a tall, lanky clown, whose specialty was to lead an -educated pig around the ring. - -“Say, I’ve got an idea,” whispered Ted. “Come over here, you fellows.” - -The dissatisfied ones were soon whispering among themselves, but -whenever any one came near them they seemed to be discussing the most -ordinary topics. - -That night when Jack went to get his apparatus ready for his -performance, he could not find the trained rooster, that was kept in a -cage in a small tent with other animals used by the clowns. - -“Have you seen Pippo?” Jack asked the clown who had loaned him the bird. - -“Seen Pippo? Why, no. I told you to take care of him. I hope he isn’t -lost.” - -“I put him in his cage, in here, just as you told me to, after the -performance this afternoon,” replied Jack. “Now he’s gone.” - -“Yes, and the lock on the cage has been broken off,” declared the -clown, when he had examined the small box, which was kept locked -between performances. “I must tell Mr. Paine.” - -The manager was wrathful when informed of what had happened. - -“There’s some queer game going on in this show,” he exclaimed. “If I -find out who’s responsible I’ll discharge him at once. Look around, -Jack, and have some of the men help you. That’s a good part of the -act, and I don’t want it spoiled. Maybe some one hid the rooster for a -joke, though it won’t be very funny for him if I find out who it was.” - -Careful search was made for the rooster, but it was not to be found. -It was getting close to the time of the performance when the living -skeleton came in from the freak tent. - -“Where’s the old man?” he asked Jack, as Mr. Paine had gone to another -part of the dressing-tent. - -“I don’t know. Why?” - -“Because the fat lady has kicked up a row, and she says she won’t go on -exhibition. That’ll queer the show.” - -“What’s the matter with her?” asked Jack, not caring particularly, -however, as he was anxious about his own act. - -“Why, there’s a rooster under the raised platform she sits on, and -she’s superstitious about roosters. She’s afraid she’ll have bad luck.” - -“A rooster!” cried Jack. “I’ll get it! I’ll bet it’s the one I’m -looking for!” - -He ran to the freak tent, the inmates of which knew nothing of the -missing rooster. Lifting up the canvas side of the raised platform, -upon which sat Madam Rosallie del Norto (stage name, her real one -being Mrs. Susan McGinness), Jack saw the missing bird. No sooner was -the canvas flap raised than the rooster began to crow. Doubtless it -imagined it was in the regular cage on top of the airship, and was -waiting for the falling of the sides. - -“Some one stole him out of the cage, and hid him here,” thought Jack, -“and I believe I know who did it. Well, I haven’t time to do any -investigating now, for I must get ready for my act. But I’ll tell Mr. -Paine afterward.” - -Jack did not get a chance to inform the manager, however, for that -night after his act, which went off successfully, there were hurried -preparations for departure, as there was every indication of another -storm. - -The performance was cut short, Mr. Paine going about the ring, urging -the performers to hasten their acts. Jack only did his turn three -times, instead of four. - -“There’s a big thunder storm coming up,” explained the manager, “and I -want to get the people out of the tent before it breaks. I’m going to -cut out the final concert.” - -But, try as he did, the performance took some time, and when he gave -orders to omit the chariot and other races, there was such objection -from the crowd that he was forced to put them on. - -The menagerie tent had been struck, the canvas and poles being loaded -into wagons, and the vehicles started toward the train. There only -remained up the big tent, and as fast as the performers finished they -packed their costumes in trunks, which were carted away. - -“Well, we’re done,” said Sam to Jack, as the clowns finished their -turns. “Let’s pack up and get into the car. It’s going to be a bad -storm.” - -“I thought we had had enough rain,” observed the boy. - -“So did I, but you never can tell much about the weather this time of -year.” - -They donned their regular clothes, and, having packed their trunks, -went outside of the dressing-tent. As they did so the whole western sky -seemed to burst into a sheet of flame. At the same time there was a -loud clap of thunder. - -“Here it comes!” cried Sam. “Let’s get inside the tent.” - -No sooner had they gotten under the shelter of the big canvas than the -rain came down in torrents. The storm suddenly broke in all its fury. - -There was incessant lightning, and the thunder was terribly loud. The -wind swayed the big stretch of tent, and women began to scream in -fright. - -“There’ll be a panic in a minute,” said Sam, looking rather alarmed. “I -guess this will end the show.” - -It did, for no one cared to look at the races while such a storm was in -progress. The crowd began leaving, and men, at the direction of Mr. -Paine and his assistants, began taking up the board seats, the rattle -and bang of the planks adding to the din and confusion. - -The race horses were hurried out of the tent, so that if the people -made a rush the animals would not get frightened and break loose among -them. - -Suddenly there came a terrific gust of wind. Some of the smaller tent -poles began swaying dangerously, for there was a terrible strain on -them. - -“The tent’s falling down!” cried a foolish man. “Run, everybody!” - -Scores of women screamed, and one or two fainted. Then that seemed to -become epidemic, and more women fell backward, pale and trembling. - -“It’s all right! It’s all right!” cried Mr. Paine, trying to quiet the -hysterical ones. “There’s no danger! The tent will not fall!” - -But his words had no effect. Louder sounded the thunder, and faster -fell the rain. The tent seemed swaying more and more, and one of the -smaller and unimportant poles snapping in two caused a panic-stricken -rush of people from its vicinity. - -“They’re rushing right against the side of the tent!” cried Sam. -“There’s no way to get out there, as it’s against a high bank! There’ll -be a lot of women trampled under foot!” - -“Why doesn’t the band play and quiet the rush?” asked Jack, who had -read of such things being done in theatres when there was a fire panic. - -“That’s the stuff!” cried Sam. “Good idea! Come on, we’ll get over to -the band-stand and tell the leader to strike up a tune. Come on!” - -He grasped Jack by the arm and half led, half dragged him through -the press of people, who, every second, were becoming more and more -unmanageable. - -“Sit down! Stand still! There’s no danger!” cried Mr. Paine, but all -in vain. No one paid any attention to him. He even began pushing the -people back, to prevent the rush against the bank of which Sam had -spoken. He was only shoved to one side. The crowd wanted to get out, -and that in the quickest manner possible. - -Just as Jack and Sam got near where the band was stationed (for the -musicians had kept their places), one of the big centre poles began to -sway. - -“That’s going to fall,” said Jack, in a low voice, to the head clown. -“It’ll kill a lot of people if it does!” - -“Play! Play!” cried Sam frantically. “Play for all you’re worth, -fellows! It’s the only way to stop the rush!” - -The band leader comprehended. He gave a signal and the men, who were -rather alarmed at the signs of panic all about them, placed their -instruments in position. - -Jack, with horror-stricken eyes, watched the swaying pole. Others were -also looking at it. One man set up a hoarse shout, and more women -screamed. Then, just as the band struck up a lively air, Jack saw Ike -Landon, the boss canvasman, and several of his helpers spring from the -centre of the middle ring toward the swaying pole. Would he be able -to catch the slipping ropes in time, and hold them? The lives of many -depended on him now. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -THE MAD ELEPHANT - - -But Ike was equal to the emergency. With one motion, he had leaped -to the foot of the swaying pole, which held up a great weight of wet -canvas, and he had grabbed the rope which had slipped on account of the -manner in which the tent swayed. - -“Come on, you fellows!” yelled Ike to his men. - -They came with a rush. The rope was slipping from the grasp of the head -canvasman, but with the aid of his sturdy helpers he managed to hold -it. They took a turn about a tent stake driven deep into the ground, -and the fallen pole was held in place. - -“That was a close call,” whispered Sam to Jack. - -The boy clown nodded. He had had a glimpse of the dangers that beset a -circus, and he had no liking for them. Only by a narrow margin had a -terrible tragedy been averted. - -But now the band was playing. The crowd, that had seen the masterful -manner in which Ike saved the pole from falling, was becoming quieter. -The panic was dying away, though the storm was now fiercer than ever. -The big tent withstood the blast, however, and the maddened throng, -being turned back from rushing at the steep bank, swerved around and -poured out of the main entrance and into the driving rain. - -“Those who wish to remain until after the shower is over may do so!” -shouted Mr. Paine, when the band had done playing. “We will not take -the tent down for some time yet.” - -There were cries of thanks from many who had no liking for going -out and getting drenched. Many did go, however, for they lived at a -distance and wanted to get home. Others, more nervous, still had some -fear that the tent would fall. - -“We can’t do much in this storm, anyhow,” said the manager to some of -his men, who had gathered near him. “Get the seats out of the way, and -we’ll take the tent down as soon as it stops blowing. The other stuff -can go, and we’ll hold a few cars for the canvas and rush it through on -an extra.” - -Half an hour later the storm had practically ceased, and then came the -hard work of taking down a wet tent. You boys who have gone camping, -and been obliged to handle your small tent when it was soaking wet, -have some idea what it means to handle tons of damp canvas. Yet the -circus men went at it as if it was the easiest thing in the world, and -to such a system had they reduced the work that the tent was down in a -short time, and packed in wagons, ready to run on the flat cars. - -Jack and Sam, when they saw that the danger was over, had gone to the -train, and, with the other performers, were soon being whirled to the -next town where the show was to give an exhibition. - -“Well, this is something like weather,” remarked Sam the next morning, -as he peered out of the sleeping-car window. The sun was shining -brightly and the air was soft and warm. There was scarcely a trace of -yesterday’s storm, though this town was but thirty miles from the one -where the tent had so nearly fallen. - -“I dreamed I was being smothered under a lot of canvas coverings,” said -Jack. - -“I nearly was, once,” declared Sam simply. - -“How?” - -“Just like last night. Tent blew down in a tornado, and the whole show, -and a big crowd, was caught. Pole hit me on the head, and I lay there -unconscious and slowly smothering. They got me out in time, but fifteen -people were killed.” - -“This is a more dangerous life than I thought,” mused Jack. - -“Dangerous? I guess it is. Folks on the outside don’t know anything -about it. They think being in a circus is fun. I wish some of them had -about six months of it.” - -The performances that afternoon and evening went off well, and for -a week after that the circus played in good weather. The show was -gradually working back east, and as there had been big crowds, and no -mishaps to speak of, every one was in good humor. - -Jack had no further trouble with the ugly ringmaster and Ted Chester, -and his act was now looked upon as one of the most “drawing” features -of the show. Mr. Paine promised the lad if he would stay with him the -next season that he would pay our hero twenty-five dollars a week. - -Jack did not know what to do. He had quite a sum saved up, but not -enough to go to China with, and yet he desired to go and seek his -parents. He disliked to do as Sam had suggested, and appeal to the -professor, although he felt that it might be the best plan. If no news -had been received from China, Jack made up his mind he would remain -with the circus for another summer, but there was one difficulty in the -way. - -The show had no winter season, and Jack would be out of a job until -next spring. He would have to live in the meantime, and, unless he -could get a place in some theatre, which was doubtful, all his savings -might go to support him while the show was in winter quarters. It was -a harder problem to solve than he had any idea of, and he decided he -would talk with Sam about it. - -“That’s what I’ll do,” Jack decided one day after the afternoon -performance had come to a close. “I’ll ask him what he would do.” - -Sam was not in the dressing-tent, and on inquiring where he was Jack -was told that his friend was in the animal tent talking to one of the -trainers. Thither the boy clown went. - -As he passed the roped-off enclosure where the elephants were chained -to heavy stakes, Jack saw Bill Henyon, the trainer of the huge beasts, -rather carefully regarding Ajax, the largest tusker in the herd. - -“Going to put him through some new tricks, Mr. Henyon?” asked Jack, for -he had made friends with the elephant trainer. The man shook his head. - -“Something’s wrong with Ajax,” he said. “I don’t like the way he’s -acting. He’s ugly with me, and he never was that way before. I’m afraid -I’m going to have trouble. He acts to me as if he was going to have a -mad spell.” - -“Do elephants get mad?” asked Jack. - -“Well, not in the way dogs do, but there comes a certain time when -they get off their feed, or when they have distemper or something like -that, and then they go off in a rage, destroying everything they come -up against. When an elephant gets that way in the wild state they call -him a ‘rogue,’ and even the best hunters steer clear of him. He’s a -solitary brute, that kills for the love of killing.” - -“Do you think Ajax will get that way?” - -“I hope not, yet I don’t like the way he’s behaving. I think I’ll -double shackle him.” - -Jack passed on, glad that it was not his duty to take charge of the big -ungainly brutes. Mr. Henyon proceeded to fasten Ajax to the ground with -heavy chains about the animal’s feet. - -“Now if you want to go off on a tantrum, you’ll have hard work getting -away,” remarked the elephant man. - -Ajax looked at his keeper with his wicked little eyes, and, lifting up -his trunk, gave a shrill trumpet. Nor was the animal trainer’s mind -made any more easy as he noticed that Ajax was not doing his accustomed -swaying motion, which all those big beasts, at least in captivity, seem -to be always doing. Clearly something was wrong with Ajax. - -Jack found Sam, and had a long talk with his friend. The head clown -again advised the boy to write to the professor, and see if any news -had come from the boy’s folks. - -“If they’re still somewhere in China,” said Sam, “you had better stick -with the show. Maybe I can help you get a place in some theatre this -winter.” - -“All right, I’ll do as you say,” agreed Jack. “I’ll write to-morrow. -But now I’ve got to go and fix some things on my airship. I broke a -hoop in the bag this afternoon.” - -Jack started for the property tent, and he had scarcely reached it -when, from the menagerie, there came such a terrifying yell, mingled -with a trumpet of rage, that every one who heard it stood still in -horror. - -“That’s an elephant!” cried Mr. Delafield. “Something’s gone wrong!” - -“Ajax! It must be Ajax!” shouted Jack. “Bill told me he was acting -queer a while ago!” - -“Then he’s killed some one,” exclaimed the property man, as he rushed -from his tent. “I know that yell. I heard one like it once before! Ajax -has killed a man!” - -Jack ran out of the tent after Mr. Delafield. As he got outside he -heard the shrill trumpet again. Then came a rattle of chains, and a -side of the animal tent bulged out. - -“Ajax’s loose! Ajax’s loose!” cried a man, and the next instant the mad -elephant, which had broken the double chains, rushed from the tent, -trunk in the air, trumpeting shrilly, its wicked little eyes agleam -with rage. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -JACK’S BAD FALL - - -Behind the big brute came a score of the animal men, armed with clubs, -pitchforks, iron bars and elephant hooks. But Bill Henyon was not among -them. The elephant trainer--the master of Ajax--had given that big -brute his last command, for, as they ran, the men from the animal tent -told how the elephant had seized Henyon in his trunk, and dashed him to -the ground, maiming him so terribly that he was a cripple for life. - -But now every man who could be spared from the circus grounds started -to race after the fleeing elephant. Canvasmen, drivers, trainers, even -the trapeze performers, joined in the hunt, and of course Jack, Sam, -and several of the other clowns were there. - -“If he runs toward town he’ll do a lot of damage, and maybe kill two or -three people before his rage dies down,” said Sam. - -“Can’t they catch him in time?” asked Jack. - -“It’s a hard question. There, he’s heading for the creek. Maybe that’ll -cool him off.” - -The circus tents had been pitched near a small stream, and toward this -the big brute was now headed, for, heavy as an elephant is, he can -outrun a man for a short distance, and sometimes beat him in a long -race. - -Into the water plunged Ajax, filling his trunk with it and spraying it -all about. He took up his position in the middle of the stream, as if -to bid defiance to his pursuers. - -“Go slow now,” cautioned Hank Servdon, who was the boss animal man. -“I’ll keep him engaged in front, while some of you sneak up behind and -shackle one leg with a long chain.” - -It was a risky plan, but it worked. While Hank slowly approached Ajax -from in front, wading out into the creek, with his elephant hook -raised, ready to catch it in the sensitive trunk of the brute, other -men approached through the water at the rear, holding in readiness -heavy chains. Ajax concentrated all his attention on Hank, whom he -doubtless hoped to treat as he had served poor Henyon. - -“Ajax! Attention! Up! Up!” suddenly cried Hank, giving the beast the -order to stand on his hind legs. Habit was too much for the brute, -enraged as he was. With a trumpet of protest, he rose slowly. - -[Illustration: “To bid defiance to his pursuers” - - _Page 188_] - -“Now, men!” cried Hank, and in a trice two chains had been slipped -about the hind legs. Ajax was caught before he had gotten into town, -but there was sorrow among the circus folk when they heard how -grievously Bill Henyon was hurt. Ajax had caught him unawares, as the -elephant man stooped over to adjust one of the chains that the big -creature had pulled loose. - -But the show must go on, no matter what happens to the employees or -performers, and when the news got around that one of the elephants in -the circus had nearly killed his keeper there was a bigger crowd than -usual at the night performance, every one anxious for a glimpse of Ajax. - -The brute had quieted down somewhat, but there was an extra fence of -ropes about his enclosure in the animal tent, and he was so heavily -shackled with chains that it would have been a task even beyond his -terrible strength to get loose. - -Every one in the circus was more or less nervous that night, and even -the veteran performers on the high wire and on the flying trapeze did -not feel so sure of themselves as usual. - -Once, during a particularly long jump clear across the tent, when -one of the trapeze performers swings loose to catch in the hands of -another, there was a miscalculation, and the performer fell quite a -distance into the net. After that Mr. Paine called the act off. - -“It’s too risky,” he said. “I’m afraid something’s going to happen -to-night.” - -Perhaps all this got on Jack’s nerves, for, though he was usually clear -headed, he found himself feeling somewhat nervous as he climbed to the -top of his platform, ready for his first leap with the flying machine. - -“Pshaw!” he exclaimed to himself. “What’s the matter with me, anyhow? -I’m thinking too much of poor Mr. Henyon. Well, here goes,” and he -launched himself down. - -He landed safely, amid the laughter of the crowd at his queer act. - -“I guess I’m all right,” he thought. His success made him more -confident, and he did the next two turns even better than the first. -Then came the last one. - -“I’m tired to-night,” thought Jack. “I don’t feel just like myself. -Guess I must be getting homesick. Oh, but I would like to see dad and -mom again! I wish I was back in Westville, even if the professor would -have me arrested. Well, here goes for the last turn, and then I’m going -to bed and sleep.” - -There was some delay in getting his platform over to the far side of -the tent, where he was to make his last jump, and it was almost time -for the final races when it was in position. - -Jack climbed up, and his airship was hoisted up to him. He did his -customary song and dance, and then prepared to give his exhibition of -flying. Yet in spite of the confidence that had come back to him when -he found that he had done the trick three times successfully, he felt -his nervousness returning. - -“I guess I’d better take a tonic,” he told himself. “Well, here goes.” - -He leaped forward, grasping the handle of the big umbrella that -extended down through the distended bag. He expected to feel himself -buoyed up as usual by the big Japanese affair, but as his feet began to -work the pedals controlling the wings, and as he got ready to pull the -strings to fire the shot and display the flags and rooster, he realized -that something was wrong. The umbrella was not holding him up. In fact, -he was falling swiftly to the ground. - -The crowd not understanding that something was wrong, began to laugh as -it always did, but there was terror in Jack’s heart. - -Suddenly there was a ripping sound, and the big umbrella turned inside -out. Jack fell rapidly and heavily toward the earth, having no support -to break his terrific fall. - -As he landed, his hand unconsciously pulled the strings and the shot -was fired, the flags fluttered out, and the rooster crowed. The crowd -yelled and applauded, but poor Jack felt a pain in his left leg as if -some one had run a red-hot iron into it. Then it seemed as if some one -had hit him on the head with a club. The lights, high up on the tent -poles, died away. All became black, and Jack knew nothing more. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -LEFT BEHIND--CONCLUSION - - -When Jack regained his senses he found himself in a soft bed, and, as -his eyes roved about they did not encounter the familiar hangings of -the circus sleeping-car. Instead, they saw a room neatly papered, and -at a window hung with white curtains sat a young lady. Jack stirred -uneasily. Perhaps he was dreaming. - -The woman at the window heard him, and came over to the bed. - -“So you’re awake, are you?” she asked pleasantly. “How do you feel?” - -“Rather--sore--and--stiff,” replied Jack slowly. -“What’s--the--matter--with--my leg?” - -“Oh, nothing much. It’s broken, that’s all; but the doctor says it’s a -clean break. You’ll soon be better.” - -“My--head----” - -“Yes, you got quite a bad blow on the head, and you’ve been -unconscious for several hours, but it’s nothing serious.” - -“Unconscious for several hours?” repeated Jack more quickly. “Where’s -the circus?” - -“It’s gone on.” - -“Gone on? And--left--me--behind?” - -He spoke more slowly, and he felt a queer sensation. A lump came into -his throat. His eyes felt hot and heavy. Surely he couldn’t be going to -cry? Of course not! - -“Left--behind!” he murmured. “They left me behind!” - -“Why, they couldn’t take you with them,” said the pretty young woman. -“You couldn’t stand it to be moved, you know. But they felt dreadfully -bad at leaving you.” - -“Who did?” asked Jack dully. - -“Oh, ever so many. There was one big man with a red tie, Mr. Rain, I -think he said his name was.” - -“Mr. Paine. That’s the manager.” - -“Yes. Well, he gave orders that you should be taken good care of. Then -there was a clown, I guess, for all the paint wasn’t washed off his -face when he came here. He left a lot of addresses for you, where the -show would be.” - -“That was Sam Kyle.” - -“Yes; and then there was, oh, such a fat lady! She said she once had a -boy just like you, and she made me promise to give you chicken broth -every day. You have a lot of friends in that circus.” - -“Where am I?” asked Jack, beginning to feel a little better at these -evidences of care. - -“Why, you’re in a room at the hotel, and I’m a sort of nurse. Mr. -Rain--I mean Mr. Paine--engaged me for you before he left. Now you’re -to be quiet, for the doctor doesn’t want you to get excited.” - -“How long will I have to stay here?” asked Jack. - -“Oh, about a month. But don’t fret.” - -“A month? Why, the show will close then, and I can’t be with it. Who’ll -do my act? I must go!” - -He tried to sit up, but the pain in his leg, and the ache in his head, -made him fall back on the pillow. The nurse gave him some quieting -medicine, and he soon fell asleep. When he awakened he felt much -better, though he was almost heartbroken at the thought of being left -behind. He questioned the nurse and she told him what had happened. - -There had been some flaw in the umbrella he used, and it had collapsed, -letting him fall almost the entire forty feet to the ground. That he -had not been worse hurt was regarded as very fortunate. The show had -been obliged to go on, but Mr. Paine had left a goodly sum with the -hotel proprietor for Jack’s board, and had also left a note telling -the boy that all his savings, including his salary to the end of the -season, would be held for him, and sent wherever he requested. - -So there was nothing for Jack to do but to remain in bed. How he -longed to be with the show, and performing his act again, even after -the accident, no one but himself knew. He said nothing about it to the -nurse, but there was a great longing in his heart. - -The nurse and the hotel people were kind to him, but all the while the -boy was becoming more and more homesick. He was worrying and fretting -about his parents, and he had about made up his mind to write to -Professor Klopper. This fretting did him no good, in fact it increased -his fever. - -“That boy has something on his mind more than merely being left behind -by the circus,” said the doctor to the nurse one day. “If he doesn’t -get quieter he’ll have a relapse, and that will be bad.” - -“I’ll see if I can’t find out what it is,” the nurse said. None of the -circus people had told Jack’s story. - -The day after this Jack asked for something to read, and while the -nurse went to get him a book she handed him a newspaper, published in -a town not far from where Jack lived. He looked at it idly hoping he -might see some item about the circus, but the show had evidently passed -farther on. - -Then, as he turned the pages, he caught sight of an item that gave him -a sudden start. - -For, staring at him, in black type on the white page, was this notice, -dated from Westville, where he lived: - - “INFORMATION WANTED concerning Jack Allen, supposed to be with a - traveling circus. He left his home with Professor Klopper under a - misapprehension. Everything is all right. If he sees this will he - please communicate at once with the undersigned? A reward will be - paid for suitable information of the whereabouts of the boy. - - “SYLVESTER ALLEN.” - -“It’s my father! My father! He’s back from China!” cried Jack. “Hurrah! -Dad’s back! Hurry, some one! Get me a pen and paper. I’ll write at -once! No, I’ll telegraph! Whoop! Now I’m all right!” - -The nurse came running back into the room. - -“What is it?” she asked. “What has happened? You must not excite -yourself. You will have a relapse.” - -“I don’t care if I do,” cried Jack. “My father and mother are back from -their trip around the world. They’re back from China. I must telegraph -them at once.” - -“Here, drink this. It will quiet you,” said the nurse, thinking Jack -was out of his mind. - -“I don’t want to be quiet! I want to yell and sing! Dad’s home! So’s -mother! I’m all right now!” - -It took him some time to convince the nurse that he knew what he was -talking about, but when he had showed her the notice in the paper, and -had told his story, she brought him a telegraph blank, and the happy -boy sent a long message to his father. - -How anxiously he waited for the answer! At last it came: - - “DEAR JACK: We will be with you as soon as possible. Father and - mother. The professor is coming, too.” - -“I don’t know that I want to see the professor,” mused Jack, “but I -guess it must be all right, or dad wouldn’t bring him.” - -Three hours later Jack was being clasped in his mother’s arms, while -Mr. Allen, with moisture in his eyes, was holding his son’s hand. - -“My poor boy!” said his mother. “To think of you being a clown in a -circus!” - -“It was bully fun, while it lasted,” said Jack enthusiastically. “But I -guess I’ve had enough of it. But what happened to you? Why didn’t you -write?” - -“We couldn’t, Jack,” replied his father. “We were detained in a -province which was surrounded by warring Chinese factions, and we -couldn’t get out, nor send any word. When we did, your mother and I -decided we had had enough of traveling around the world and we started -for home. We got here, after sending word to the professor that we were -coming, but when we arrived we found that you had run away.” - -“Did he--did he tell you what for?” - -“Yes, Jack,” said Professor Klopper, coming forward awkwardly. “And I -want to beg your pardon. I--I fear I was a bit hasty.” - -“Then you know I didn’t steal the cup?” asked Jack rather coldly. - -“No one stole it. It fell down behind my bureau, and slipped into a -hole in the wall where the plaster was off. I found it not long after -you had--er--left so unceremoniously, and I wished I could have found -you. - -“Then when I got word from your folks, and I managed to learn that you -had joined a circus, I went to the performance, though I do not believe -in such frivolous amusements. But I could not find you to tell you the -good news. I suppose you were with some other amusement enterprise, -Jack?” - -“No, I saw you,” replied the boy, laughing now, “but I kept out of -your way. I was afraid you wanted to arrest me.” - -“Poor Jack!” whispered his mother. “You had a dreadful time!” - -“Oh, not so bad,” was the answer. “I earned about three hundred -dollars, and I’ve got most of it saved up.” - -“Three hundred dollars, if put out at six per cent interest, and -compounded, will double itself in eleven years, three hundred and -twenty-seven days,” remarked the professor thoughtfully. “I would -recommend that you do that with your money. In less than twelve years -you would have six hundred dollars.” - -“Not for mine,” said Jack, with a laugh. “I’m going to buy a motorcycle -as soon as my leg gets well. That’s as near flying as I care to go for -a while.” - -Jack was taken home as soon as it was practical to move him, and he -and the professor became pretty good friends afterward, for it was -no small matter for the dictatorial old college teacher to admit, to -a mere boy, that such wisdom as could figure out the hardest problem -in trigonometry could be wrong when it came to the simple matter of a -missing gold cup. - -Jack got his motorcycle, and a beauty it was, for when he received his -money from the circus treasurer he found it was nearer four hundred -than three hundred dollars. Part of it he decided to save. - -“Because you know,” said Jack, “I might some day want to buy a flying -machine, and if I put some money out at interest long enough I can get -it.” - -With the check that represented his savings from the circus came a -letter from the manager, stating that whenever he wanted an engagement -he could have one. There were messages from all his friends, and a pass -to the show good forever at any place where the Bower & Brewster circus -held forth. And Jack often used it, taking with him some of his boy -friends, and renewing acquaintance with the performers. But there was -no such attraction as a clown in an imitation flying machine, though -Sam Kyle and his fellows cut up some queer antics in the ring. - -But if Jack ever felt any desire to go back to the circus life, he -never told any one about it, for he had higher ambitions after that -than to don a multi-colored suit and daub his face over with red and -white paint. - - -THE END - - - - -THE WEBSTER SERIES - -By FRANK V. WEBSTER - -Mr. WEBSTER’S style is very much like that of the boys’ favorite -author, the late lamented Horatio Alger, Jr., but his tales are -thoroughly up-to-date. - -Cloth. 12mo. Over 200 pages each. Illustrated. Stamped in various -colors. - -Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid. - -[Illustration] - - =Only A Farm Boy= _or Dan Hardy’s Rise in Life_ - - =The Boy From The Ranch= _or Roy Bradner’s City Experiences_ - - =The Young Treasure Hunter= _or Fred Stanley’s Trip to Alaska_ - - =The Boy Pilot of the Lakes= _or Nat Morton’s Perils_ - - =Tom The Telephone Boy= _or The Mystery of a Message_ - - =Bob The Castaway= _or The Wreck of the Eagle_ - - =The Newsboy Partners= _or Who Was Dick Box?_ - - =Two Boy Gold Miners= _or Lost in the Mountains_ - - =The Young Firemen of Lakeville= _or Herbert Dare’s Pluck_ - - =The Boys of Bellwood School= _or Frank Jordan’s Triumph_ - - =Jack the Runaway= _or On the Road with a Circus_ - - =Bob Chester’s Grit= _or From Ranch to Riches_ - - =Airship Andy= _or The Luck of a Brave Boy_ - - =High School Rivals= _or Fred Markham’s Struggles_ - - =Darry The Life Saver= _or The Heroes of the Coast_ - - =Dick The Bank Boy= _or A Missing Fortune_ - - =Ben Hardy’s Flying Machine= _or Making a Record for Himself_ - - =Harry Watson’s High School Days= _or The Rivals of Rivertown_ - - =Comrades of the Saddle= _or The Young Rough Riders of the Plains_ - - =Tom Taylor at West Point= _or The Old Army Officer’s Secret_ - - =The Boy Scouts of Lennox= _or Hiking Over Big Bear Mountain_ - - =The Boys of the Wireless= _or a Stirring Rescue from the Deep_ - - =Cowboy Dave= _or The Round-up at Rolling River_ - - =Jack of the Pony Express= _or The Young Rider of the Mountain Trail_ - - =The Boys of the Battleship= _or For the Honor of Uncle Sam_ - - - CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK - - - - -THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES - -BY WILLARD F. BAKER - -_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors_ - -_Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid_ - -_Stories of the great west, with cattle ranches as a setting, related -in such a style as to captivate the hearts of all boys._ - -[Illustration] - - -=1. THE BOY RANCHERS= - -_or Solving the Mystery at Diamond X_ - -Two eastern boys visit their cousin. They become involved in an -exciting mystery. - - -=2. THE BOY RANCHERS IN CAMP= - -_or The Water Fight at Diamond X_ - -Returning for a summer visit to their western cousin’s ranch, the two -eastern lads learn, with delight, that they are to be allowed to become -boy ranchers in earnest. - - -=3. THE BOY RANCHERS ON THE TRAIL= - -_or The Diamond X After Cattle Rustlers_ - -Our boy heroes take the trail after Del Pinzo and his outlaws. - - -=4. THE BOY RANCHERS AMONG THE INDIANS= - -_or Trailing the Yaquis_ - -Rosemary and Floyd visiting their cousins Bud, Nort and Dick, are -captured by the Yaqui Indians. The boy ranchers trail the savages into -the mountains and eventually effect the rescue. - - -=5. THE BOY RANCHERS AT SPUR CREEK= - -_or Fighting the Sheep Herders_ - -Dangerous struggle against desperadoes for land rights brings out -heroic adventures. - - -=6. THE BOY RANCHERS IN THE DESERT= - -_or Diamond X and the Lost Mine_ - -One stormy night there arrived at the bunk house a strange figure. He -was an old miner almost dead from hunger and hardship. The boys cared -for him and, out of gratitude, he told them the tale of the lost desert -mine. - - -_Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_ - - - CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York - - - - -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: - - - Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. - - Emboldened text is surrounded by equals signs: =bold=. - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. - - Archaic or variant spelling has been retained. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JACK THE RUNAWAY *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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