AT THE BEAULIEU FAIR.
A country fair was no novelty to the Tambys. They had attended too many
of them already in their young lives to get excited over the inevitable
bustle and confusion. Their chief concern was not to see everybody and
everything, but to attract as large gatherings as possible to their
performances, and induce them to give liberally when the little bowl
was passed around.
This time they felt full of hope. They were greatly benefited by the
brief holiday, and they were thoroughly satisfied with the location
they had secured, and so on the opening day of the fair, after having
carefully locked up the van, and seen to it that Nalla and Steady were
securely tethered, they left Vigilant in charge of their property while
all four of them made a tour of the streets which were given up to the
fair.
In this they had a double purpose. They would "see the sights," and
they would also get a good idea of what were the rival attractions
with which they must needs contend for the patronage of the people.
They found the streets thick-set with booths displaying all sorts of
small-wares, and thronged with light-hearted folk, who, if they had not
much money to spend, would at all events get the full value of every
sou with which they parted. It was neither a brilliant nor a costly
display, but it was quite attractive notwithstanding, and the two
younger Tambys saw many things that they very much wanted to purchase.
Now it would be Abel, and then again Lydia, dragging Nadine or Cæsar
up to some booth, and eagerly indicating the object that caught their
fancy.
But their cutest coaxings were for the most part in vain. It was to
earn money, and not to spend it, that they had come to the fair, and
beyond the purchase of a few inexpensive trifles Nadine would not be
persuaded.
"No, no, my dears," was her firm though gentle reply. "All our money
must go for necessaries. We have none to spend upon things we don't
really need. I wish very much we could afford to spend twenty francs or
even more on the pretty things we see in the booths, but if we did we
might have to go hungry, and we wouldn't like that, would we, little
ones?"
Of course they had to submit as cheerfully as they could manage. It
was no use pouting or sulking, and indeed they yielded to their elder
sister's rule with uniformly good grace.
Having completed their tour of inspection, and satisfied themselves
that, although there would be no lack of competition for popular favor,
they stood a good chance of reaping a fair share of the harvest of coin
to be distributed by the pleasure-seekers, they returned to where they
had left their van.
To their acute amazement and consternation the familiar weather-worn
house on wheels, which contained all their possessions, save the three
animals, had disappeared, and in its place was another, larger, and
newer, painted in glaring gaudy colors, and having a general air of
vulgar audacity.
"Why, Cæsar!" cried Nadine, her fine eyes wide with alarm, and her
heart beating fast. "What can this mean? Who has taken away our van,
and put another in its place?"
Cæsar understood the situation at a glance. The owners of the other
van, finding the location which they had in view already taken, and
learning that it was only four children who owned the shabby old affair
that stood there, had had the audacity to put Steady into the shafts,
and remove the van out of their way while they put their own in its
place.
Burning with indignation he went up to the van, and knocked at the
closed door. After some delay it was opened by a large black-bearded
rough-looking man, who demanded with an oath what the boy wanted.
Undismayed by the ruffianly appearance of the fellow, Cæsar spoke up
stoutly:
"What have you done with our van, and what right had you to take it
away, and put yours in its place?"
Removing a cigarette from his lips the man sent a puff of smoke right
into Cæsar's face, and then, with an insolent chuckle, said:
"Well, my young cock, and what are you going to do about it?"
Half-blinded and choked by the foul reek of the coarse tobacco, and
roused to fury by the ruffian's insolence, Cæsar for a moment could not
speak. When he did find words it was to pour out his wrath in language
so biting that the man was angered in his turn, and he made as though
he would strike the boy, but checked himself when Nadine screamed, and
darted in between them, crying:
"Come away, Cæsar. It's no use quarreling with that fellow. We must
find the gendarme. He will get us our place back again."
The man grunted scornfully. What cared he for their threat? He had the
place now, and they would find it no easy matter to dislodge him.
The first thing, of course, was to find their van and animals. These
were presently discovered in an obscure lane not far away, none the
worse for their being moved. While assuring himself that everything
was intact a daring idea flashed into Cæsar's brain. To appeal to the
authorities would mean delay, and perhaps disappointment in the end,
as they might have difficulty in establishing their prior right to the
location. But there was another way of regaining their rights. The
intruders had taken the law into their own hands, why should not the
Tambys do likewise?
He at once unfolded his scheme to Nadine.
"Oh, no, Cæsar!" she exclaimed. "Don't try that. You'd certainly get
into a big row. He is such a bad looking fellow."
But Cæsar was determined. They had the right on their side, and he
felt confident that if there was a row, and a crowd gathered, that
the sympathy would be with them, not with the ruffian, and they would
regain their place.
So, with many misgivings, Nadine consented, and they set to work at
once. Steady was put into the shafts, and the van, followed by Nalla,
drawn back into the square.
Then Cæsar mounted the elephant. The man had gone back into his van,
and closed the door. Obeying his young master's orders as accurately as
if he had possessed human intelligence, Nalla seized the shaft of the
intruding van, and began to pull it out into the center of the square.
At the first movement the man flung open the door, swearing furiously,
and shouting out:
"What are you doing? Leave my van alone! How dare you interfere with it?"
When he saw how it was being moved, however, he made no demonstrations
against the elephant. He was altogether too big an antagonist. It was a
case where discretion was decidedly the better part of valor.
But he abused Cæsar in the vilest language, striving to terrify him by
the sheer violence of his threats.
[Illustration: NALLA SEIZED THE SHAFT OF THE INTRUDING VAN.]
Cæsar, securely seated upon Nalla's neck, only laughed at him, while,
without pausing, the elephant tugged away at the van until it was
drawn well out into the middle of the square.
By this time quite a crowd of spectators had gathered, and, Nadine
having in her own vivacious way explained what it all meant, they
unanimously took her side. If the infuriated owner of the van had
attempted to resort to violent measures he would assuredly have found
himself mobbed in short order.
The space being now clear, Cæsar slipped down from Nalla's neck, and
bidding the sagacious monster stand in front of the strange van in
readiness to check any action on the part of its proprietor, he took
hold of Steady's bridle, and proceeded to put his van into its former
position amidst the approving laughter of the crowd.
Almost beside himself with rage the owner of the other van rushed at
Cæsar with fists clenched intending to pummel him. But before he could
reach him Nalla's long supple trunk swept his legs from under him, and
sent him headlong, whilst the spectators roared with delight at his
ignominious downfall.
Like all bullies he was in reality a coward, and, it being very plain
that everything was against him, he submitted to defeat with a very
bad grace to be sure, but without any further attempt at reprisals.
Procuring his own horses he hitched them to the van, and drew it away
to another part of the town, vowing vengeance against the youngsters
who had thus dared to expose and discomfit him.
Nadine felt worried over the affair, but Cæsar made light of it.
"We'll see no more of that rascal," he said, confidently. "He knows
he's killed himself in this place by his mean trick, and instead of
doing us harm he has really done us good, for he has got the people
interested in us, and they will be all the more likely to come to the
performance."
Cæsar was right enough in this. As was the case when the mischievous
students stampeded Nalla, an apparent misfortune turned out a benefit.
The episode with the man of the black beard, and the brave way in
which the young people had borne themselves, as also the wonderful
intelligence shown by Nalla, proved an admirable advertisement, and
their first performance was anticipated with much interest.
Relying upon a larger patronage than they were wont to have at their
ordinary stopping-places, they thought it wise to hire half a hundred
chairs, for which they would charge ten sous each, five sous being
asked for a seat upon the planks, and standing room being free.
Before the hour announced for opening the people had already begun to
gather, and by seven o'clock every seat was occupied, and a goodly
number were standing behind them. They were all in the best of humor,
and prepared to enjoy themselves by heartily appreciating what the
Tamby family had provided for them.
This good fortune attended them throughout the whole week of the fair.
Nadine's sweet singing, Cæsar's clever juggling, the amusing antics
of Vigilant, and the remarkable intelligence displayed by Nalla and
Steady maintained their interest for the populace to the end, and when
on Saturday night, tired out but happy, they counted up their profits
after the payment of all expenses, they found that they had no less
than five hundred francs to the good.
"Why, that is a small fortune, isn't it, Nadine?" exclaimed Cæsar
joyously. "That will help us over the winter finely, and we will
doubtless make more before the season ends, eh?"
"I hope we will," responded Nadine, her charming face radiant at the
handsome result of their week's work. "We'll need it all before spring,
and we must be very careful how we spend what we have. It won't do
to be extravagant because it seems such a big sum of money to have at
once. But what was that?" she cried, her face suddenly growing grave.
"Did you see anything, Cæsar?"
"No," replied Cæsar, looking all about him. "I saw nothing--what was it
startled you?"
"I may be mistaken," answered Nadine, speaking in a steadier tone, "but
I thought I saw a face peering in at the window just as I was putting
the money away, and it frightened me a little. It would be dreadful if
any one tried to rob us of our money, wouldn't it?"