In the meantime it must not be supposed that Hank Griswold had forgotten
his compact with Nathan Dobb.
The man had been anxious to put his plot against Leo into operation at
once, but Providence willed otherwise. Griswold was taken down with
rheumatism and for several months could scarcely walk.
But now he was better, and one day started west to earn the money the
squire of Hopsville had promised him.
As has been related, Delbier, the expert swimmer, and Leo had become
warm friends. One morning the performer called Leo aside.
"Say, Leo, have you any enemies besides that Porler?" he asked.
"I don't know but what I have," laughed the young gymnast.
"Don't laugh; I am serious."
"Why, what's up?"
"For the past two days I have noticed an ugly-looking man hanging
around, watching you," went on Delbier earnestly.
"Watching me?"
"Yes, and if I'm not mistaken, he follows you wherever you go."
"What kind of a looking man?"
As well as he could, Delbier described the individual. But Leo was not
thinking of Hank Griswold--indeed, he hardly knew the man--and he shook
his head.
"You must imagine it, Delbier."
"I guess not. Better be on your guard."
"All right," and Leo laughed.
When in the country Leo had grown tired of the quietness, but now when
every day brought fresh bustle and confusion he was glad enough to
escape the crowd and go for a quiet walk.
His course took him along a country road which presently followed the
bank of a mountain stream.
It was a clear stream and full of fish, and Leo much regretted not
having brought along a line and hook.
He wandered on and on until the town was left a good two miles behind.
Then he sat down on a rock overlooking the stream to rest.
As he did so he fancied he saw somebody following him.
The individual drew behind some bushes.
Leo at once thought of what Delbier had said.
He resolved to be on his guard, and so kept his eyes open.
But nearly half an hour went by, and as no one appeared Leo began to
think he was mistaken.
A little later the boy started across an open field not far from the
brook.
Then from out of the bushes crawled a man. It was Hank Griswold.
Cautiously he came behind Leo.
Presently our hero soon stumbled across the opening to an old well.
"Hullo, this is dangerous!" he murmured. "It ought to be closed."
A footstep sounded near at hand. He turned, and on the instant received
a shove that hurled him backward into the opening!
For the minute Leo felt that his end must be at hand.
Down he went into the dark and deep well, with the dirt and brush on top
of him.
Had he fallen to the rocky bottom he would most certainly have been
killed.
But, fortunately, when less than ten feet had been passed, his clothing
caught on some projecting rocks.
Instantly he grasped the rocks with his hands.
The dirt, falling on him, nearly choked him.
He steadied himself with difficulty and managed to kick himself clear
from what was above.
The dirt and brush sliding past him, he felt safer, although his
position was still an extremely perilous one.
He looked up and saw the evil face of Hank Griswold peering down into
the well.
It was too dark for the villain to see the boy, and the young gymnast
remained perfectly quiet.
Griswold heard the dirt strike the bottom of the well with a loud sound.
He laughed softly to himself.
"Done for that trip!" he muttered to himself. "Good enough!"
Hank Griswold waited for a few minutes, and then, apparently satisfied,
hurried off.
As soon as he disappeared Leo looked about for some means by which to
get out of his present position.
To an ordinary individual this would have been an impossible
undertaking, for the sides of the well were very slippery.
Leo's gymnastic training now stood him in good stead.
Cautiously he made his way from rock to rock, taking chances more than
once that would have made many a boy shudder, grow dizzy and fall.
At last the top of the well was reached once more.
Griswold had disappeared, but he resolved to follow the man's trail, if
the thing could be done.
"Ought to have one of our Indians along," he thought. There were sixteen
of the redmen traveling with the "Greatest Show on Earth."
But the path through the brush was plain enough. It led to the road
which Leo had originally pursued when coming out for a walk.
When our hero reached the road he saw an old farmer driving along.
Evidently the old man was just coming from town.
"Hold on, sir, I want to talk to you!" cried Leo.
"What's the matter?" asked the farmer, surveying our hero's torn and
muddy clothing in curiosity.
"Did you meet a man on his way to town--a man with a queer walk?"
"I did."
"Take me to that man and I'll give you a five dollar bill."
The old farmer was greatly astonished.
"Who be you?" he questioned cautiously.
Leo told him.
The farmer at once agreed to run down Hank Griswold, if it could be
done.
Leo jumped into the wagon and off they went.
The chase, however, was a useless one. Griswold had taken to a side road
and could not be found.
"But I'll catch him some day," said Leo to Carl, "and then I'll make him
tell why he attacked me."
"Perhaps he was hired to do it," ventured the young magician.
"That is what I think," returned Leo, with a grave shake of his head.
Carl was doing very well. He had several new tricks, some of which he
thought would please the children. One was called "Milk or Water," and
was brought out the day after Leo had the adventure just described.
"I will now show you how easy it is to change water into milk," said the
young magician as he mounted the platform in the circus ring. "Will some
one kindly hand me a glass of water? I have the milk here," and he took
up a small pitcher and passed it around for inspection.
The glass of water was brought and he placed it on the table and covered
it with a handkerchief. Then he tapped the glass and also the pitcher.
Removing the handkerchief, he held up the glass. Sure enough, there was
the white milk, as plain as day. Taking up the pitcher, Carl turned it
upside down to show it was empty.
"Now we'll change them back," he said. Another tap, and lo! the glass
was full of water and the milk was in the pitcher again.
A burst of applause followed.
This trick was simplicity itself. The pitcher really had milk in it, and
the glass was full of water all the time.
When Carl covered the glass with a handkerchief he slipped into the
water a bit of white cardboard, which standing upright made the water
look like milk.
While the audience were inspecting the glass as he held it up he pressed
over the top of the pitcher, inside, a circular card which exactly
fitted the opening. This enabled him to turn the pitcher over for a
second without spilling any milk.
To turn the milk in the glass to water again, he had but to remove the
card. The card in the pitcher was also removed as the receptacle was
handed around for inspection after the trick was done.