_MISSING._
When Dan informed Teddy that Sam was missing, and suggested the
possibility of the burglars having gotten him in their power, both the
boys were decidedly alarmed; but the matter ceased to appear as serious
after it had been discussed in all its bearings.
"Long Jim wouldn't have dared to spirit him away when there are so many
people around," Teddy said, after a long silence, during which he was
trying to imagine what Sam might have done. "Besides, what would be the
good of taking him if we were left behind?"
"Perhaps they count on hauling us in, too."
"That isn't to be thought of for a moment. They don't want to burden
themselves with a lot of boys when every effort must be made to get the
stolen property out of this section of the country before they are
discovered."
"I'll allow all that sounds reasonable, but where is Sam?"
"Of course I don't know. Do you think he would dare to go down the
river again after we landed?"
"No, indeed; he's too much of a coward for that. If there's been any
funny business it was done when the men got back."
"Then we have no need to worry, for there are hundreds of people on the
bank of the creek all the time, an' Sam would know enough to yell if
anybody tried to steal him."
The idea that the amateur detective might be stolen seemed so comical to
Dan that he gave way to mirth, and what had promised to be a most
sorrowful visit speedily became a merry one.
"He had permission to remain away from the exhibition building during
the rest of the day," Teddy finally said, "an' most likely he's goin' to
take advantage of it by roaming around the grounds, exercising his
detective faculties. He'll turn up at the museum to-night all right,
with a big yarn to tell about his supposed adventures."
"I reckon you're right; but I did get a little rattled when his boss
asked me where he was. I'll come back this way when it's time to go to
supper."
"Wait a minute. I'm mighty hungry now, an' business has been so good
that I can afford to treat to sandwiches an' lemonade, if you'll go with
me over to the grand stand. I'll bring you back something, Tim," he
added, as he leaped over the railing.
Dan said he could remain away half an hour from the rifle exhibit, and
Teddy was now so easy in mind concerning money matters that he resolved
to have thirty minutes of sport.
The boys first made a tour of that portion of the grounds where the
fakirs were congregated, stopping a moment to see the whip dealer
lashing a pine stake to show the quality of his goods, and then watching
the "Great African Dodger," who thrust his woolly head through an
aperture in a canvas screen for all those to throw balls at who were
inclined to pay the price.
Then they stopped at the "envelope game," where were spread on a stand a
large collection of cheap, gaudy goods, each bearing a printed number,
every one supposed to correspond with those contained in a box of
envelopes, and this fakir was doing a big business, as was shown by the
fact that he could afford to hire a barker, who cried continually at the
full strength of his lungs:
"Come up now, and try your luck! Here's where we have all prizes and no
blanks! Ten cents buys an envelope, with the privilege of drawing for
yourself, so there can be no job put up against you, and every number
calls for some one of the many valuable articles in the layout. Here's a
gentleman who spends only ten cents and gets a pair of those beautiful,
triple-plated, double-expansion, fine pure metal cuff buttons, worth two
dollars at some stores!"
"Come on!" Dan said, impatiently. "That fellow is almost as big a snide
as Hazelton."
"How do you make that out? I can see a lot of things that cost more than
a dollar. Look at the silver watch, and the revolver."
"That may be all very well; but no one except a fellow who is interested
in the business gets any of those articles."
"You can select any envelope you choose."
"That's right; but the ones with the numbers calling for the big prizes
are lying flat in the box where nobody can get them. If you should
accuse the man of cheating he would turn the whole thing upside down,
and then, of course, they could be found. Here comes a fellow who I know
is cappin' for that fakir. Watch how he does it."
The apparent stranger approached the stand, and after some talk as to
how the game was run, invested ten cents.
The man did not open the envelope he drew; but handed it to the fakir,
who, pretending to look at the card it contained, shouted:
"Number fifty-four. The gentleman has drawn that beautiful solid silver
watch worth fifty dollars, and I will give him thirty for his bargain."
The stranger showed his prize to the crowd that clustered around him,
and business was increased wonderfully, for it had apparently been
proven that the game was conducted fairly.
"Now watch him," Dan said, as the stranger walked away with his prize
ostentatiously displayed, and the two boys followed a short distance
off, until they saw him halt behind a booth, where he turned the article
won over to a barker who had approached.
"That's the way it is done," Dan said, "and when we come back you'll see
the same watch on the layout."
Teddy was rapidly being initiated in the tricks of the fakirs, and the
more he saw the more firmly was he resolved not to follow the business
longer than the present week, although he believed his own game to be an
honest one.
The cheap jewelry dealer; the man who had been selling the remnants of a
stock of knives made by a manufacturer who "had bankrupted himself by
putting into them too expensive material;" the fakir with the dolls
which were to be knocked down by balls thrown from a certain distance,
with a prize of one cigar if the customer could tumble two over, and the
peanut-candy dealer were visited in turn, and then the boys were
attracted by the sound of Hazelton's voice.
He was plying his peculiar trade again, and by the appearance of the
crowd was meeting with great success.
"Let's see how he gets out of it this time," Teddy suggested, and Dan
agreed.
The fakir had arrived at that point where he was giving away the
supposed watches, and the boys listened until they saw his preparations
for departure.
"What beats me is how he gets clear every time," Dan whispered. "I
should think after he had swindled four or five hundred, some of them
would lay for a chance to get even with him."
"He says they do, an' that's why he left his satchel with me."
Hazelton recognized the boys just as he was telling that Nathan
Hargreaves might possibly act as his agent after the close of the fair,
and nodded pleasantly, as he gathered up the reins; but this was one of
the occasions when he was not to be allowed to go scot free.
Two stalwart-looking fellows were standing near the head of the horse,
and when the fakir would have driven off they seized the bridle, one of
them shouting:
"Come down with that money! This is the second time I've seen you do us
countrymen up to-day, and now you've got to square things."
Hazelton swung his whip around, striking the speaker full in the face,
and causing the horse to plunge and rear, but yet the fellows kept their
hold.
The whip was pulled from the fakir's hand, and in an instant it appeared
as if a riot had begun. Those who had been content to keep secret the
fact of having been swindled now grew bold as they saw there was a
leader in the movement, and more than a hundred leaped forward to seize
the representative of the alleged jewelry manufacturers.
"He'll be killed!" Teddy shouted, and would have attempted to go to the
assistance of the man who had been kind to him, despite the fact that he
could not have aided him in any way against so many; but for the fact
that Dan pulled him back, as he shouted:
"Can't you see that it would be fifty to one if you should go in that
crowd? We couldn't help him, and what's the use of gettin' a big lickin'
for nothing? Besides, what would become of your business if the people
here thought you were his partner?"
Before Dan ceased speaking Teddy realized how useless would be any
effort of his, and he remained passive, trying to get a glimpse of the
ill-fated fakir.
The numbers who beset him completely hid Hazelton from view. The
carriage had been overturned by the first desperate rush of the victims,
and the horse was clearing a space around himself by the free use of his
heels.
"They'll commit murder!" Teddy cried.
"I don't believe it'll be quite as bad as that; but he won't be likely
to give away any more lockets while this fair lasts."
As a matter of fact, Hazelton was not left to fight the battle alone.
Like every other fakir engaged in that peculiar business, he had several
partners whose duty it was to mingle with the crowd for the purpose of
intimidating any who might be disposed to make trouble, and these had
closed in upon him, while some of the more timid spectators shouted for
the constables.
[Illustration: "Run as you never did before, Teddy, for if they get hold
of us it'll be a bad job all around!"]
Once Teddy caught a glimpse of the unfortunate man; his glossy hat was
gone, his clothing torn, and his face covered with blood.
"I can see him now!" he cried, "and it looks as if they had about used
him up, for----"
Before he could finish the sentence a stranger rushed toward him, and
showing the familiar black satchel in his hand, said hurriedly:
"Get out of here with that. Hazelton will see you some time this
evening. Don't stop a minute!"
Before the boy could reply the stranger was forcing his way through the
struggling, yelling crowd, in order to aid his partner, and Teddy said
in dismay:
"Now we are in a muss. Here is all his money, an' if anybody sees us
with it we'll have a tough time."
"You can't throw it away, an' we must sneak off," Dan said, and the
expression on his face told how distressed he was that such a
responsibility had been thrust upon them.
"Shall we go back to the stand?"
"No, that would never do, for then they would be sure to vent their
anger on you. Go up to the museum; Mr. Sweet knows Hazelton, an' may be
willin' to help him by keeping the satchel till the row is over."
These words had been spoken as the boys were trying to make their way
through the fringe of spectators which had hemmed them in since the
fight began, and after some difficulty they succeeded; but at the same
moment one of the combatants, who had received more than his share of
punishment, emerged close by their side.
He saw Hazelton's satchel, and recognized it.
"Come here, fellows! two little villains are making off with the money!
That's what we want!"
He at once started in pursuit, as did several others, and Dan cried, as
he helped carry the burden:
"Run as you never did before, Teddy, for if they get hold of us it'll be
a bad job all around!"