_THE TESTIMONIAL._
It was impossible for Teddy to follow Tim's advice to "loaf around."
His heart was so full of sorrow that his greatest desire was to go where
those who might believe he had been a partner of the burglars could not
see him; but since that was impossible, if he intended to obey the
deacon's injunctions and present himself at the grand stand at the
specified time, the next best thing was to remain behind the booth where
his mother tried her best to cheer him.
"It can't be possible that anything to your disadvantage has occurred,
Teddy," she said as she held his hand for mutual sympathy. "Mr. Reaves
would have sent me word at once if that had happened."
"Perhaps he doesn't know about it. Uncle Nathan may have been talking
with the deacon again, an' turned him against me."
"I don't believe it would be possible for him to do such a thing. His
reputation is not so good that people could put faith in all he says,
more especially in regard to this case."
"Then if he didn't do it some one else has, an' that makes it all the
worse," Teddy replied, as he tried to force back the tears.
At this moment the sorrowing ones were startled by hearing the voice of
the man whom they had every reason to call their enemy, and an instant
later Uncle Nathan stood before them.
"Well," he said in what sounded more like a snarl than anything else,
"you see the old skinflint did jest what he promised, an' he'll see to
it that the deacon don't stay on your bail very long unless I get my
rights."
"What do you mean by your rights?" Mrs. Hargreaves asked.
"I lent this ungrateful boy the money to start him in a business where
he's made more in a week than I ever could in a year. Then he helped
people to rob me, an' after all that I made what any man must call a
fair offer. See how much I've lost by him, an' then think of my offerin'
to straighten everything out by goin' in as his partner."
"Why didn't you do this before the fair opened?"
"I couldn't tell how it would turn out," the old man began, and then
realizing that he was admitting something to his discredit, he added,
quickly, "I mean I hadn't lost my money then, an' never suspected how he
would wrong me."
It seemed as if these last words drove Teddy to desperation, and he no
longer-remembered the respect due to age.
"Look here," he cried, angrily, rising, and standing directly in front
of Uncle Nathan, "if you believe I'm a burglar, you can't want to be my
partner. It was only after the fact of my having made considerable money
was known that you offered any trade. If the venture had been a losing
one you are the last person who would have taken hold of it. Now I'm
under arrest on a charge made by you, who know I am innocent, an' we'll
put an end to all this talk. Don't come where my mother and I am; do the
very worst you can, an' some day I'll have my innings."
"You threaten, eh?"
"That's exactly what I'm doing. I have leased this piece of ground until
to-morrow, and warn you that it'll be mighty uncomfortable if you show
your nose here again. Go now an' go quick!"
"That's right, Teddy," Tim shouted in a tone of delight from the
opposite side of the booth. "Give it to him hot, an' I'll do my share.
If you don't want to tackle the job till after the trial, say the word
an' I'll sail in, for it gives me a pain to see him around."
Teddy made no reply to this generous offer; but Uncle Nathan stepped
back very quickly as if fearing an immediate attack.
"You won't be so bold to-morrow," he snarled, shaking his fist in
impotent rage, and then he disappeared from view amid the crowd that had
begun to gather.
Both Teddy and his clerk thought it very singular that business should
be so good on this day, when the majority of the other fakirs were
comparatively idle, and also in view of what had been said against the
proprietor of the cane-board.
Yet the people gathered around by scores, all intent on patronizing the
boys, and at the same time embracing every opportunity to display their
good will.
Teddy and his mother remained partially screened from the gaze of the
curious until nearly two o'clock, when Dan, looking decidedly troubled,
arrived.
"I suppose we've got to go to the grand stand an' find out what the
deacon wants," he said, mournfully. "My boss told me that we must be
there on time, an' we might as well start."
"I want to have it over as soon as possible," Teddy replied. "Nothin'
that comes can be any worse than waitin' here thinkin' of what may
happen."
The two boys walked either side of Mrs. Hargreaves as they went to meet
the deacon, and it seemed very much as if the majority of the people
present knew what was about to occur, for the sad-visaged party was
followed by crowds of the visitors as they walked steadily onward.
It was exactly two o'clock when they arrived at the stairway leading to
the grand stand, and there they were met by the leader of the band from
the Run, who said with a mysterious manner as he opened a gate leading
to the track in front of the judges' stand:
"You are to come this way."
"Where's the deacon?" Teddy asked.
"Waiting for you."
Without further explanation the musician led the three to a spot where
all could see them, and to the intense surprise of the sorrowful-looking
party, the throng assembled on the benches greeted them with the most
hearty applause.
"You are to come with me, Mrs. Hargreaves," the conductor said, as he
escorted her to one of the front seats, and Teddy and Dan stood as if
stupefied, gazing in dismay at the sea of faces in front of them.
Before the boys had sufficiently recovered from their bewilderment to be
able to speculate upon what was to happen Deacon Jones came down the
steps until he reached a place where all could see him and there began a
speech which caused at least two of that assemblage to gaze at him in
open-mouthed astonishment.
The manager of the fair did not intend to neglect any opportunity of
making himself conspicuous, and he delivered an eloquent address,
looking first at the boys and then at the audience, which cannot be
given here because of lack of space.
He first explained to the spectators that Teddy had taken upon himself
the business of fakir simply that he might aid his widowed mother. Then
he detailed the loss of the fifteen dollars, and finally broached the
one important matter, that of the scene on the creek, when the three
women were rescued from drowning.
By this time the cheeks of Teddy and Dan were flaming red, and if he had
been charging them with the most atrocious crimes they could not have
looked more guilty or uncomfortable.
"As you all know," he said, in conclusion, "we have met here to see
bravery and a spirit of self-sacrifice rewarded. On behalf of the ladies
whose lives were saved by these little heroes I am about to present
Edward Hargreaves and Daniel Summers with one hundred dollars each. In
addition to that amount the managers of the fair and several gentlemen
who do not care to have their names made public, have made up a purse of
one hundred and eighty dollars to be divided equally between them. It is
most gratifying to me that I have been selected as the instrument
through whom this testimonial is presented, and in behalf of my brother
officers as well as myself I will state that these brave boys have the
freedom of the grounds whenever the Peach Bottom fair is open."
As he concluded, the deacon walked with a majestic bearing down to the
bewildered boys, presented each with a well-filled pocketbook and then
waved his hand as a signal for the band, every member of which did his
best to make the music heard above the rounds of applause intended for
the blushing fakirs.
In the meantime the people came down from the benches to congratulate
the life-savers, and for fully an hour the two were forced to remain
there listening to words of praise which they felt were not warranted by
their exploit on the creek.
Among the most welcome of these enthusiastic visitors was Jacob Sweet,
and he said, heartily:
"I heard of this little performance jest in time to get here before that
long-winded speech was begun; but what pleases me the most is that I was
ahead of the whole gang, an' started our little blow-out when it wasn't
known you had so many friends. I'll see you to-night, of course, an' I
must go now, for the bouncer has been around tellin' that you've been
sleepin' in my tent, an' I count on a good payin' crowd this afternoon."
It was considerably past three o'clock when the boys and Mrs. Hargreaves
returned to the cane-board, looking very much different than when they
left it, and Tim cried as they came up:
"I've heard all about it, an' what I want to know is, where was old
Nathan while that speechifyin' was goin' on?"
"I saw him when we first arrived," Mrs. Hargreaves replied, "but he left
a few moments later, although I have no doubt that he remained where he
could hear all that was said without being seen."
"That's where he was wise. It wouldn't be very pleasant for him to show
himself now, 'cause everybody is down on him after what the deacon
said."
Dan was obliged to return to his duties, and he whispered to Teddy
before leaving:
"I tell you what it is, old feller, this has been a reg'lar puddin' for
us, an' I'd give a good deal to see another jest like it."
"You're all right, but I expect after this Uncle Nathan will be so mad
he'll make me a pile of trouble."
"Don't worry about that; his claws are cut now. I'll be back in time to
go to supper."
When he departed Teddy had an opportunity to say a few words to his
mother before she returned home on the stage, which was advertised to
leave at four o'clock, and while he did this all thought of being under
arrest was put far from his mind because of the joy at what he was now
able to perform.
"Never mind what happens to me," he whispered. "I've now got nearly
money enough to pay off all we owe, an' it has been earned honestly,
too, although I believe they paid a big price for what Dan an' I did on
the creek."
"I'm thinking more of the praise you earned than the money, Teddy. It
was very sweet to hear the deacon say so much to you before all those
people."
"Then both of us will be awfully jolly to-night, an' to-morrow I'll be
home, an' bring Dan with me."
"Invite him to stay just as long as he wishes, and I will have a nice
supper ready when the last stage arrives."
Teddy gave his mother nearly all the money he had, including the
"testimonial," and as she walked away he said to Tim:
"I'm willin' to be arrested, an' put into jail a good many days for the
sake of being able to help her as I can do now."