_A DISASTER._
Teddy was decidedly uncomfortable in mind after Uncle Nathan departed.
By a combination of circumstances which could not well have been
avoided, he had been made to appear as a confederate of Hazelton, and if
all the facts concerning his relations with the fakir should become
known public opinion would he against him.
He did not allow these forebodings to interfere with business, however.
Customers were plenty; the nickels were coming in as rapidly as he could
make change, and Tim had no hesitancy in saying that Mr. Sweet had set
their receipts of one day considerably too low.
"We've done twice as much as we did yesterday at this time, an' I'm
countin' on gettin' twelve or fifteen dollars as my share of this day's
work."
"It looks as though you wouldn't be disappointed, and that's a fact. I
wish I knew where we could get a few more canes, for we've lost quite a
good many this morning."
"There's no time to go to Waterville; but we can shorten the board by
putting the uprights closer together, an' that'll make the layout look
all right. Here comes your mother, an' if you want to go off with her
I'll promise to keep things goin' here."
That was exactly what Teddy did want to do. He felt that it was
necessary she should know the true condition of affairs, and he could
not talk with her confidentially near the cane-board, therefore when she
came up he proposed that they walk toward the grand stand, where the
Waterville band was doing its best to put in the shade the performances
of the musicians from the Run.
"You are looking worried, Teddy," Mrs. Hargreaves said, as they moved
away in the proposed direction. "What is the matter? Isn't business as
good as you expected?"
"It is a great deal better; but Uncle Nathan has been here again, and
this time I'm afraid it is in his power to do me some harm."
Then Teddy told his mother all that had happened, explaining in detail
the suspicions which might be aroused against him, and she was quite as
disturbed as he when the recital was finished.
"I will talk with him myself," she said, after some thought.
"Don't do anything of the kind, for then he will be worse than ever,
thinking he can frighten me into giving half of all I have made, and
that I won't do, no matter how many warrants he gets out."
"But Teddy, don't you think----"
Mrs. Hargreaves was interrupted by a cry from a half-intoxicated man who
halted directly in front of the young fakir, and shouted to some of his
companions in the rear:
"Here he is! This is the sneak who helped take that jewelry swindler's
money away. I saw him then, an' can swear to his face."
As a matter of course the tone as well as the words was sufficient to
attract a crowd in this place where the throng was so dense that one
could only make his way from one portion of the grounds to the other
with the greatest difficulty, and for a moment, while Teddy stood unable
to decide what should be said or done, every person looked at him
threateningly.
"His partner has been arrested, an' we'll serve him in the same way,"
the man continued, as he advanced toward the boy.
"Why do you want to talk to me like that?" Teddy cried, looking around
in vain for a friend. "There are plenty of people here who know me, for
I live down at the Run, an' never swindled anybody."
"That's a lie!" the man replied, fiercely, seizing the boy by the
collar.
"It's the truth!" Mrs. Hargreaves cried. "I'm his mother, and we have
lived at the Run ever since he was born. Deacon Jones is our neighbor,
and he can answer for the truth of it."
[Illustration: "I tell you to let go of him. He is an acquaintance"]
"I'll see whether he can or not," and the bully was about to drag Teddy
away, aided by his half-intoxicated friend, when a familiar voice from
the outskirts of the crowd cried:
"Hold on there! What are you about?"
"I've caught the feller what sneaked away the jewelry swindler's money,
an' am goin' to put him with his partner."
"You are going to take your hand off his collar this instant, or get
yourself into trouble," and the merchant from Waterville forced his way
through the throng until he stood by Teddy's side.
"Is that you, Mr. Reaves?" the bully asked, in surprise. "Well, you
don't want to interfere in this business, for the boy is a bad one all
the way through. He was deep enough to get the best of us yesterday; but
he won't be so lucky now."
"I tell you to let go of him. He is an acquaintance of mine whom I would
trust a good deal sooner than some whom I see now."
"But you are makin' a big mistake, Mr. Reaves, for I saw him makin' off
with the valise where our money had been put."
It was evident the bully had considerable respect for the merchant, for
he released his hold on Teddy; but was determined that the boy's
alleged character should be made known to all in the vicinity.
"I happen to know all about that affair," Mr. Reaves replied, as he led
Teddy and his mother out of the throng, "and if you want the full
particulars of the affair come to my store when you are more sober than
now."
A very large number of those present were acquainted with the merchant,
and for the majority his statement was sufficient to absolve Teddy of
wrongdoing; but a few, among whom were the intoxicated party and his
friends, vowed to sift the matter more thoroughly before the fair came
to an end.
Mrs. Hargreaves was terribly excited, and at once insisted that Teddy
should go home with her immediately, regardless of how much money he was
making; but Mr. Reaves said in a matter-of-fact tone, as if such
incidents were of everyday occurrence:
"It would be foolish for him to do that, more especially since it would
be a tacit acknowledgment of guilt, and, besides, his business here is
too valuable to be abandoned simply because a drunken rowdy chooses to
make trouble. I was on my way to see him; I have found a lawyer who will
under-take Hazelton's case, and he can at the same time give Teddy some
good advice."
Then the merchant introduced Mr. Harvey as the most prominent attorney
in the county, and, offering Mrs. Hargreaves his arm, added:
"We will go toward the cane-board, and give them an opportunity to talk.
"There is a great deal to be said which cannot interest us, and when
they are done we shall be readily found."
The widow could do no less than comply, and as soon as they were
comparatively alone the lawyer said to Teddy:
"Now, I want you to begin and tell me the whole story from the time your
money was stolen until this minute. Don't omit any particulars because
you may chance to think they are not important; but give every detail,
and thus I shall be made acquainted with your own case as well as that
of Hazelton."
Teddy obeyed this command to the letter. He dwelt upon the most minute
transaction or trifling movement at sufficient length to give the
listener a clear idea of all that had happened, and laid bare his own
business affairs, even to the extent of making the lawyer acquainted
with the amount of receipts each day.
"I don't suppose it makes any difference what I think," he said, in
conclusion; "but I am almost certain Mr. Hazelton did not have anything
to do with the robbery, and even if I had suspected him, that which Dan
and I heard while we were in the museum tent would have convinced me
that the men whom we saw on the creek are the thieves."
"I believe as you do, my boy, and will send a man to the barn you speak
of this very night, although so much time has now elapsed that I have no
hope of finding anything criminating. However, regardless of what may
happen, I believe we can show that the fakir was not the guilty party,
and, to guard against a possible attack by your uncle, it will be
necessary to know exactly where we can get bail in case you should be
arrested."
"Then he can take me to jail?" Teddy asked, with quivering lips.
"If he proves what he claims to know there is no question that he will
be able to cause your arrest; but whether he can send you to prison is
an entirely different matter. I would now like to have a talk with Mr.
Reaves, and shall see you before I leave the grounds. Do not be
frightened; but continue your business as usual, and in a few moments I
will give you full particulars as to what must be done in the event
anything happens."
Teddy understood this to be an intimation that the interview was at an
end, and he started toward the cane-board, the lawyer asking as he
followed him:
"How shall I find your friend Dan?"
"Go down to the exhibit of the J. Stevens Arms and Tool Company in that
yellow-roofed building, and you will see him showing model pocket
rifles. I will go with you if you think there is any chance of missing
him."
"I can find him without difficulty. Do not leave your place of business
until after I have seen you again."
By this time they had arrived at the cane-board, where Mrs. Hargreaves,
looking decidedly relieved in mind, was talking with Mr. Reaves.
The lawyer invited the merchant to accompany him, and as the two walked
away Mrs. Hargreaves said:
"After talking with Mr. Reaves I will take back what I proposed
regarding taking you home. It is not possible that anything but the
right shall conquer in a case like this, and I believe you will come out
all right, as a boy should who has always been as obedient and loving as
you. It is time for me to be going now; but I will come back again in
the morning."
"Then take this money with you, for I don't want any more in my pockets
than is absolutely necessary," and Teddy counted out the contents of the
box which served him as a "safe."
There was but little time for any lengthy leave-taking. The customers
were plenty; Tim and his assistant had been working several hours
without cessation, and Teddy felt that it was his duty to relieve them.
"You can trust Mr. Reaves, whatever happens," his mother said, as she
kissed him goodby, "and I shall be back to-morrow to learn if you are
all right."
"Don't worry about me," Teddy replied, cheerily. "Uncle Nathan can't
have everything his own way, and he will soon discover that fact."
It seemed to Teddy that his mother had but just left him, when a party
of young men who had been talking in an apparently friendly manner
directly in front of his place of business, suddenly began to quarrel,
and before he was aware of what had happened his booth was overturned,
and a fierce battle being waged upon the ground which he fancied
belonged temporarily to him because of the money paid to the managers of
the fair as rent.
Canes, knives, rings, and timbers were thrown violently about, and,
while trying to save the property, Teddy and his clerk received several
severe blows intended for some of the combatants.