_AN ENCOUNTER._
First of all, the jewelry fakir wanted to hear the particulars of the
accident on the lake, and Teddy began by telling him the primary cause
of the trouble.
"I reckon all three of us lost our heads when we saw that man; I know I
did and we were so eager to get on shore that we paid no attention to
anything else. Have you seen him?"
"Who? Long Jim? No; but the boys say he is here somewhere running the
swinging ball game."
"What is that?"
"A wooden ball is swung on two short uprights about eight inches apart,
and between them, in the center, stands a small peg. You pay ten cents
for the privilege of swinging the ball, and if it hits the peg when it
comes back after leaving your hand, you get a dollar."
"I should think that would be easy enough to do."
"Well, don't try it with such an idea or you'll go broke mighty quick.
It looks simple; but it isn't accomplished very often."
"Have you done anything since I left here?"
"Yes, and scooped in as much as I had any right to expect. I don't want
to spoil to-morrow's business, so sha'n't make another pitch, but will
spend my time trying to find Jim."
"What good can that do?"
"I still count on making him give back your fifteen dollars, if nothing
more. I reckon your Uncle Nathan won't try again to get a warrant out
for us, and so I sha'n't bother my head about learning anything
regarding the robbery."
"He'll make things just as disagreeable as he can; there's no question
about that."
"Well, let him, and we'll see who comes out ahead. Trade is beginning to
pick up, and you'd better attend to your customers."
Hazelton walked away, and from that moment until nearly nightfall Teddy
had all the business both he and his clerk could attend to.
Nearly every one had something to say about the accident on the creek,
and the young fakir was forced to tell the story over and over again,
until he really got tired of repeating the details.
When nearly all of the visitors had left the grounds Teddy made up his
cash account, and the sum total surprised both himself and Tim.
Including the amount paid Uncle Nathan he had taken in fifty-five
dollars and twenty cents. Ten per cent. of this was paid to the clerk,
and he found himself possessed of the magnificent sum of thirty-one
dollars and seventy cents.
"At this rate we shall be rich before the end of the week," he said, in
a tone of satisfaction.
"That's a fact; but it don't seem right for me to take so much," Tim
replied, as he wrapped the five dollars and a half which had been given
him in his handkerchief.
"That was the agreement, an' we'll stick to it."
"But when you promised ten cents on every dollar neither of us believed
trade would be half so good."
"You're right; I thought if we got one-third as much business would be
booming; but that has nothing to do with our bargain. You've hung right
on here, without even stopping for anything to eat, an' are entitled to
what you've been paid. Everybody says there'll be a bigger crowd
to-morrow, an' so we stand a chance to make considerable more. Are you
going home to-night, or do you count on staying here?"
"I've got to let the folks know where I am, for when I left it was
allowed I'd be back by sunset. To-morrow I'll come prepared to stay the
rest of the week."
"There'll be plenty of stages running, an' you can afford to ride both
ways after this day's work. I want to send some of this money home to
mother, for it ain't safe to carry so much around with me."
"Am I to take it?"
"Yes, an' you can tell her all that has happened. Ask her to come over
Thursday, an' see for herself that we're getting rich."
Twenty-five dollars was tied in a bundle with many wrappings of paper,
and Tim started off, looking almost afraid at being the custodian of so
much wealth.
It was necessary Teddy should pack up his entire stock until next
morning, and this he proceeded to do as soon as he was alone. Mr. Sweet
had given him permission to bring his goods into the museum tent, and
his only trouble was how everything could be carried without assistance.
Before he was ready for departure, however, Sam came up, and the
question of transportation was settled.
"Well, how do you feel now?" Teddy asked, cheerily, for the knowledge
that he had already taken in nearly enough to pay his debts caused him
to feel very jolly.
"I allers get the worst of everything," Sam replied, disconsolately.
"You an' Dan made a big strike when you tumbled into the water, an' I've
had a blowin' up; come mighty near losin' my job into the bargain."
"Why?"
"'Cause the boss says that I was careless an' reckless, an' that I
couldn't earn enough in a month to pay for the two boats I've smashed."
"Are they lost entirely?"
"No, of course not. We pulled 'em out a little while ago, an' it cost so
very much to fix both. The folks in the other boat were as much to blame
as me."
"They certainly were not keeping any better lookout, and, as a matter of
fact, I suppose I'm more at fault than any one else, for if I hadn't
sung out about the fakir it wouldn't have happened."
"That's what I told the boss; but he's chuck full of foolish talk about
the bravery he says you an' Dan showed, an' is tryin' to get up what he
calls a testimonial for you."
"A what?" Teddy cried, in surprise.
"I heard him say testimonial; but if you know what that means you can go
to the head."
"I don't, and I hope it won't amount to anything. I've been paid enough
for what was done by the boom it gave my business."
"Of course, you an' Dan are bound to have the best end of it."
"Why didn't you stop an' do the same thing?"
"'Cause I had sense enough to look out for myself first."
"But you know how to swim."
"What of that? It's mighty risky catchin' hold of people in the water,
an' I don't mean to take any chances. How much have you made to-day?"
When Teddy told him, the expert in rowing looked decidedly envious.
"You've got all that money in one day?"
"Yes; but I sent the most of it home to mother."
"It's funny what luck some folks have, when them as knows the business
twice as well don't much more'n earn their salt," Sam said, as if to
himself, and before he could continue Dan arrived.
He wore his own clothes, and carried those Teddy had left in the
boat-house.
"These were dry, so I brought 'em up. You needn't carry back the ones
you borrowed till to-morrow, so Sam's boss says."
Then Dan asked concerning business, and by the time all three had
finished discussing this very important matter the knives and canes were
packed ready for removal.
Each boy took a load, carried it to the tent where Mr. Sweet was
figuring up his receipts for the day, and then went to supper, returning
half an hour later so tired that there was no desire on the part of
either to do anything other than sleep.
The proprietor of the museum was in very good spirits. He had taken in
one hundred and six dollars and eighty cents, and said, in a tone of
satisfaction:
"I reckon this fair will pan out all right. Trade is bound to be better
to-morrow, and Thursday is always the biggest of the week. I hear you
boys have been distinguishing yourselves. Tell me about it."
Dan related the incident of the day very modestly, interrupted now and
then by Sam, who was eager to pose as a hero also, and Mr. Sweet
expressed himself as being well satisfied with their behavior.
"Chasing a thief and getting a whipping in the night, and then saving
the lives of three people the next day is record enough for one week, so
you'd better not try for any more adventures," he said, with a laugh.
Now that the incident of the previous night had been spoken of so
openly, it was necessary Sam's curiosity should be satisfied, and Dan
was forced to tell the story.
While he was doing so, and listening to the oarsman's comments, Teddy
had an opportunity to see the "barker" and clown who arrived that
morning. Neither was a very prepossessing-looking man. They were lying
on the ground some distance from the boys, as if bent on minding their
own business, and there was no real reason for an unfavorable opinion
concerning them.
But little time was spent in conversation on this evening. Every one was
thoroughly tired, and each sought for a soft spot on which to pass the
night.
As before, Sam crawled up on the wagon to be out of harm's way when the
goat should be unfastened, while Dan and Teddy lay down in very nearly
the same place as before.
"I don't fancy we shall hear many secrets between now and morning, no
matter how many men come around here to talk," the former said,
laughingly. "It won't take me two minutes to fall asleep, and the noise
that can awaken me then will have to be very great."
Teddy's only reply was a yawn, and in even less time than Dan had
mentioned he was wrapped in slumber.
Shortly after the proprietor of the exhibition began to make his
preparations for retiring, and the clown asked:
"How did that row start this afternoon?"
"Half a dozen of the village toughs tried to get in without paying, and
I had to polish one of 'em off," the barker replied.
"You must have done it pretty quick, for when I got out there the thing
was over," Mr. Sweet said.
"The fellow was more than half-drunk, an' it wasn't a very big job. They
threaten to come back and clean the whole show out."
"Yes, I've heard such threats made before; but never lost much sleep
worrying about it."
Ten minutes later all the human occupants of the tent were enjoying a
well-earned rest, and the goat had about concluded it would be a
profitless job to prospect for anything more to eat, when the sound of
footsteps could have been heard from the outside.
Had Mr. Sweet been awake he would have decided that these late visitors
were trying to find the flap of the tent, for they walked cautiously
around the canvas twice, and then a sharp knife was thrust through the
fabric.
An instant later Sam awoke his companion with a yell that would have
done credit to any Indian.
Some one had given him such a blow as sent him from the seat to the
ground, and the remainder of the party leaped to their feet only to be
confronted by a large party of half-drunken toughs who had come to
avenge the insult received during the afternoon.