Ten days later the circus reached the great lakes and settled in Chicago
for a week.
On the following day Leo was strolling down State Street when, happening
to glance up, he saw Hank Griswold coming from a building with a large
letter in his hand.
As quick as a flash he made after the man.
Leo was almost up to Griswold when the latter saw him coming and started
up the street on a run.
Coming to a side street, he turned up that thoroughfare and continued on
his way for a dozen blocks or more.
Leo tried to keep him in sight, but was unsuccessful, and after a search
lasting half an hour he mounted to the elevated road, to take a train to
Jackson Park.
As he went up he did not imagine that Hank Griswold was watching him.
There was a crowd at the station, and this kept increasing, as the train
was late.
Leo stood close to the edge of the platform. Just in front and below him
were the glistening tracks.
With a rumble the train came in sight.
When it was but a few yards away the young gymnast felt a sudden shove
from behind.
He lost his balance and fell from the platform directly in front of the
oncoming locomotive.
To the onlookers it seemed that the boy must surely be killed.
He rolled fairly and squarely upon the railroad tracks, and the oncoming
locomotive was barely a dozen feet from him.
The engineer, who was preparing to stop, jerked the lever to come to an
instantaneous halt, but it was of no avail.
On and on rolled the heavy engine, with its long train of cars.
"The boy will be killed!"
"Oh! oh! Isn't that awful!"
Many turned away, unable to endure the awful sight.
But the crowd made one mistake.
They did not know that Leo, as an acrobat, was used to making
lightning-like movements whenever necessary.
His profession now stood him in good stead.
As he came down he had no chance to use his feet.
But his hands and arms were ready, and like a flash he turned a
handspring and swept out of the way just as the ponderous locomotive
rolled past.
The monster brushed his left leg, but he was unharmed, and in a second
more had reached the platform on the opposite side of the street.
Although attacked so unexpectedly, Leo did not lose his presence of
mind.
"That was that rascal's work!" he muttered to himself.
Reasoning that the man would try to escape from the scene, the young
gymnast rushed down the stairs into the street.
He was right; for scarcely was the pavement touched than he beheld
Griswold on the opposite side walking along at a rapid gait.
"Stop!"
Griswold looked around in horror. His intended victim was not dead! In
abject fear he took to his heels as though Leo's ghost was on his track.
Up one side street and down another dashed man and boy, until, coming to
an avenue, the man boarded a street car and was lost to view.
"The villain!" muttered Leo, as he slowed up to catch his breath. "I
must be on my guard in the future."
He hunted around and brushed up his clothes. Then, as there seemed
nothing else to do, he walked to where he had left his friends.
Here he told his story to Carl, who listened in amazement.
"He is certainly after your life," said Carl. "In the future you ought
to go armed."
"I wonder if he can be hired by any one in Hopsville?" mused Leo.
"That remains to be seen."
"I'm going to capture him the next time we meet," concluded Leo, with a
determined look in his outspoken face.
Mart also heard about the attack and came to Leo full of fear.
"Oh, Leo, do be careful in the future," he pleaded. "What if that bad
man should take your life!"
Two days passed, and as the young gymnast neither saw nor heard of
Griswold, he began again to feel a bit easier in mind.
But one afternoon, while walking in the vicinity of the lake, Leo's
attention was attracted to a small steam tug which was tying up at a
wharf.
"Look! look!" he shouted to Carl, who was with him. "It is Griswold, and
Broxton, who was discharged from the circus for drunkenness, is with
him."
"Shall I call a policeman?"
"Yes. I'll watch them."
Carl hurried off. Ere he had taken a dozen steps Griswold caught sight
of Leo and whispered something the young gymnast could not catch.
Both rascals were on the point of leaving the steam tug, but now they
changed their minds and ordered the captain to cut loose and move on.
"Stop!" called out Leo, and ran to the edge of the wharf.
"Go to thunder!" muttered Broxton.
"We're not to be caught to-day," added Hank Griswold.
In another second the steam tug was clear of the stringpiece of the
wharf.
Leo hesitated not a moment, but, taking a flying leap, landed on her
forward deck. With angry yells Griswold and Broxton rushed on him.
"We've got him now!" said the former. "Down the lake with you, captain,
and be quick!"
"Stop the tug, those men are criminals," said Leo.
The tug captain paid no attention. He was in the pay of the other men.
Griswold had a stick in his hand, and now he aimed a savage blow at
Leo's head.
The young gymnast warded it off as well as he was able, but he was no
match for both men, and soon they had him down.
"A rope!" roared Griswold, and when it was brought he and Broxton and
one of the tug hands proceeded to bind Leo's hands and feet.
This accomplished, the young gymnast was thrown into a dark locker. The
door was shut and locked upon him, and the tug proceeded on her way at
full steam.