Soon after this the young performers brought their performance to a
close.
But the last trick--how was it performed? we hear some of our readers
say.
It was very simple. When the curtains were closed Leo came forward and
concealed himself under the table. He had a powerful magnet, and
wherever he pushed the magnet under the table the bit of metal on top of
the table was sure to follow.
Leo knew where the circles were to be placed, and made his movements
accordingly. A swift motion at the finish dropped the metal into the
little girl's lap.
"I would like to see you," said a gentleman at the close of the
engagement. "I belong across the river about ten miles north of here.
The folks are going to give a sociable, as we call it. I will give you
twenty dollars if you can give us a first-class entertainment to last
two hours."
"We'll try to suit you," said the young gymnast, and the engagement was
duly entered on a passbook he had purchased.
"We are getting famous!" cried Carl, when the mansion was left behind.
"We are making money faster than we ever did with Nathan Wampole's
combination."
"The trouble is, these snaps may not last, Carl. By the way, I wonder if
Wampole will really succeed in getting our people together again."
"He won't get me. I am done with him."
"So am I."
The two partners, as they now called themselves, slept soundly that
night and did not get up until late. Their hotel bill paid, they found
themselves eight dollars and a half ahead.
"We'll have to open a bank account soon," laughed Carl. "We'll be
waylaid for our wealth."
"Wait awhile, my boy, wait awhile," sang out Leo. "But tell me, how do
we get over to Point Snoker?"
Mr. Cook was appealed to, and told them to take the road to the river.
"You'll come to Jack Hazlett's landing, and he'll ferry you across in
his sloop. We haven't got any regular ferry on the river closer than the
town of Perryskill."
A colored man suggested that they let him wheel their baggage in his
barrow for a quarter, and they accepted the offer, and the start was
made immediately after breakfast.
On the way Carl had considerable fun with the colored man. He played a
number of clever tricks on that individual, and when the river was
reached conjured a quarter from his coat-sleeve, and pretended to wring
the money from the old fellow's nose.
"Here's your quarter, uncle."
"Fo' de law's sake, chile!" cried the darkey, and his eyes rolled around
in intense surprise.
"Easy way to get the money, uncle."
"Yo' must be in wid de ole boy hisself," was the darkey's comment. "Much
obliged."
And off he went with a side glance at Carl, as if half-expecting the
young juggler might conjure the quarter from the pocket in which he had
placed it.
Leo and Carl found that Jack Hazlett was out on the river, but would
soon return. They sat down and waited. While doing so they noticed a
large steamboat coming up the river, crowded with people.
"An excursion of some sort," said Carl. "See the flags flying."
"They are going to land up at yonder island," said Leo. "See, they are
turning into the landing."
While the steamboat was discharging its passengers, Jack Hazlett
returned and took them on board. The passage across the river took them
close to the steamboat.
"She seems to be an old ferryboat fixed up," observed the young gymnast
as they came up. "See, several people have remained on board."
"What is the matter with that young girl!" cried Carl, pointing to a
young lady hanging over the rail. "Can she be seasick?"
"There she goes!" yelled Leo. "My gracious!"
With a loud splash the young lady had dropped over the rail into the
river!
"She'll be drowned!"
"My daughter! Save her! She has a fit!" suddenly cried an old man,
rushing from his seat in the shade.
"A fit--that accounts for it," said Leo. "I'll save her!"
In another moment he was on the boat's rail--the next he was over the
side. He struck out boldly.
"Take care--she may fight you if she has a fit!" called his partner.
Soon Leo reached the girl's side. She was about to sink when he came to
her support. She lay like one dead.
"I guess the fit's gone," he thought, when suddenly she gave a frightful
scream and began to tear at his face like an enraged tigress!
It was a position he had not bargained for, and what to do the young
gymnast did not know.
"Look out for her!" yelled Carl, as the girl in the water began her
attack.
"Keep quiet, please!" gasped Leo to his charge. "I will take you to the
boat."
But the girl paid no attention. Her eyes rolled horribly, and she
continued to clutch at his throat.
Realizing that something must be done, the young gymnast resolved to
duck the girl. He did so, and when she came up again she lay as limp as
before. Ere she could recover he struck out for the boat.
Carl and Jack Hazlett were waiting for him, and quickly assisted him on
board. Here the girl dropped upon the deck unconscious.
"My gracious, that's the worst experience I ever had in my life!" panted
Leo, as soon as he could speak. "I thought she was going to chew me up!"
"She's got fits the worst way," put in the boatman. "I'll take her back
to that steamboat."
This was done. The girl's father was anxiously awaiting their arrival,
and, taking his daughter in his arms, he carried her into the cabin,
where a stewardess waited upon her.
"I had her in a hospital," he explained, "but they discharged her last
week as being cured. You are a brave lad to save her."
Leo smiled faintly.
"Thanks; but I don't want the job again. Come on, Carl."
He was about to go aboard the small boat again, when the fond father
stopped him. Taking a ten-dollar bill from his pocketbook, he pressed it
into the young gymnast's hand.
"Don't say you won't take it," he said. "You deserve more, but it's all
I have with me."
And he made the youth keep the amount.