Chapter 16 Betrayed By A Sneeze

"How did that beast get up here?" demanded Mr. Sparling.

　　"Who, Cummings?" asked Teddy innocently.

　　"No, no! The donkey.""Oh! Maybe he came up through the smoke stack. If you will lookat it you may find donkey tracks on the inside of the stack.""That will do, that will do, young man."It was found upon investigation that January had gnawed his halteruntil only a thin strand held it together, which was easy for the donkey tobreak. Then he began an investigation of the boat, ending by hisclimbing the broad staircase and frightening the pilot.

　　Next morning the pilot house looked as though it had been through ashipwreck. The whole craft, in fact the entire fleet, was laughing at theexpense of Cummings, who now kept to himself, studiously avoiding theother people. January was tied up with a dog chain after that, and wasnot heard from again during any trip of that season; that is, beyond hisregular acts in the sawdust arena.

　　The next day Phil Forrest began his investigation in earnest. Heknew that Mr. Sparling looked to him to discover who had caused so muchtrouble in the show, besides which, Phil took a personal interest because ofthe attempt that had been made on the lives of Little Dimples and himself.

　　Teddy suggested that he go through the pilot's belongings, expressingthe firm belief that they would find the ostrich egg were they to do so.

　　Phil consulted Little Dimples, that afternoon, as to her opinion of theoccurrences of the past week, but the star bareback rider could shed nolight on them, beyond the fact that certain people with whom Phil had haddifficulties might bear watching.

　　"That's what I think," answered the Circus Boy. "I do not like toaccuse anyone unjustly, but I have these suspicions of the Spanish clown.""Have you mentioned your suspicion to Mr. Sparling, Phil?""No.""Do you intend to do so?""Not unless I find some facts to support my suspicion.""You will get to the bottom of the mystery, I am sure," smiled thewoman.

　　"I am not so sure. Why do you think so?""Because you are one of the cleverest boys I ever knew, that's why.

　　should hate to have you on my track if I were guilty of any particularcrime that you were trying to run down. I should expect to land in jail,and I think I should come straight to you and give myself up," added thewoman with a merry laugh.

　　"I wish I were all that you think I am, Dimples.""You are. You saved my life again yesterday. I'm going to payyou back, however. Someday, when you fall overboard, Little Dimples isgoing to jump right in and rescue you--haul you out by the hair of yourhead--""You can't, it is cut too short.""Then I will pull you out by an ear.""I shall make it my business to fall in, then, at the first opportunity,"laughed Phil. "It would be worthwhile."Dimples gave him a playful tap.

　　"You can turn a compliment as well as you can do a turn in the ring,can't you Phil Forrest?"Despite their narrow escape from serious accident, Phil and Dimpleswent through their double act in the ring that day and evening with perfectconfidence. Previous to going on, Phil had had a ring attendant go overthe sawdust circle on his hands and knees, making a careful examinationof it, to be sure that the ring had not been tampered with.

　　>From that time on until the act went on, the ring was watched, thoughPhil did not believe the miscreant would attempt to lay another trap forhim so soon. Still, he took nothing for granted.

　　That night after the performance, the air being warm and balmy, theCircus Boy strolled out on the lot, sitting down on a little knoll to thinkmatters over. There was plenty of time, for the boat would not leave fortwo or three hours, and Phil wanted to be alone.

　　Lights were twinkling on the lot like fireflies. There was shoutingand singing, but little of this conveyed itself to Phil, for his mind was onother things.

　　All at once he pricked up his ears. He caught the sound of runningfootsteps.

　　"Someone is coming this way," he muttered. "I wonder what thatmeans? Surely none of the circus people would come here. Theywould go around by the road."The lad concealed himself behind the knoll, peering over the top of it.

　　He resolved not to show himself until he had discovered the identity of thenewcomers.

　　They proved to be two men who halted a short distance beyond him,and began to converse in guarded tones. It was so dark that Phil couldscarcely distinguish their figures and their voices were pitched so low thatit was impossible for him to hear what they were saying.

　　"This looks queer," Phil muttered. "I wish I could hear what they aretalking about. Perhaps they are town fellows who have been chased offthe lot because they were in the way. At any rate, I'm going to try to findout what they are up to. Hello, they are coming right over here."Phil crouched down behind the knoll and listened. The men turnedslowly and came toward him. All at once one of them stumbled on thevery knoll behind which he was secreted.

　　The man uttered a growl.

　　"Come, sit down," he said to his companion.

　　"We better go on," answered the other.

　　"No hurry. We've got all the time in the world. If we miss the boatwe can swim. That was a narrow escape. In a minute more we'd hadthat wagon fixed so they would never have got off the lot with it.""Hello," muttered Phil under his breath. "Something surely is goingon here. One of the voices I have heard before, and the other I seem torecognize. I believe that first fellow belongs to the show. I am almostsure of it.""You think the fellow suspects?""The tall one does. But he doesn't know whom be suspects.""We have to take care.""Yes.""But we will get both before the end of the season.""You bet we will. I have a plan that--""What is it?""It is this."Phil had buried his head in the grass and compressed his body intothe smallest possible space that he might avoid discovery. He could hearthe two men breathe, and he reasoned that they might hear him as well.

　　"You know the big net?""You mean the one over which the flying four perform?""Yes.""What about it?""It can be fixed.""How?""By weakening some of the strands on each side.""That is good, but suppose someone noticed.""Not if it is done right. I don't mean to do it all at once. I'll doctorone or two strands every day until the net is so weakened that it won'thold.""Yes, but how will you do this so no one will see?""I'll tell you. After the act is over they roll the net up and carry it out.

　　It is dumped just outside the pad room, where it is picked up by one of theproperty wagons later in the evening. It's in the same place every night.""I think somebody may see us do it.""No danger. Keep cool; that's all. We'll get even with those fellows.

　　We have got to before we can carry out the other plans we have talkedover. They are too sharp. Sooner or later they will get wise to us, andwe've got to get them out of the way before we go any further. The workmust be done in a natural sort of way, so that no suspicion is aroused.""Yes, that's so. But what about the others? You want to hurt them,too?""I don't care, so long as we get the right one, how many get theirbumps.""That's right. But only one of them is on trapeze. What you doabout other?""It is the tall one that I want most. He's got to be put out of therunning. It won't kill him, but it will lay him up in a hospital for the restof the season, and that's enough for us.""Yes.""The other one will be taken care of after we get through with thefirst. The small fellow is sharp, but he can't see beyond his nose. It'seasy to fool him.""The fiends!" muttered Phil. "I believe they are plotting againstTeddy and me. I have a good notion to sail into them right here andsettle it. I believe I could whip the two of them. I--"At that instant a blade of grass tickled Phil's nose. He raised his headquickly.

　　"What's that?" exclaimed one of the plotters.

　　"I heard nothing.""You didn't? Well, I did. There's someone around here and close byus.""Perhaps it was a squirrel in the grass. There is no one here."The blade of grass had done its work, however. Phil tried hard tocontrol himself, but he knew he was going to sneeze.

　　All at once the sneeze came, louder than he had ever sneezed before.

　　The men leaped to their feet in sudden alarm.