Conclusion

It seemed a foolhardy thing to do, but Phil understood exactly how togo about it. If he were able to turn the team, he would undoubtedly savethem from plunging into the seats where hundreds of people were sitting.

　　A trained circus horse always will avoid the spectators, but there is noaccounting for what a green animal will do.

　　Grasping the bit of the animal nearest to him, Phil threw his wholeweight into the effort. To his intense satisfaction the team swerved, halfturned and dashed across the arena again. This time, however, they didnot go far. The outfit smashed into the main center pole, and Phil wenton, sitting down violently in the middle of the concourse, unhurt, but moreor less shaken up.

　　By that time ring attendants had caught the frightened horses. Alldanger was over.

　　Phil Forrest was loudly cheered by the spectators, but his borrowedofficer's uniform was a hopeless wreck. It was torn beyond anypossibility of repair.

　　Upon investigation, which Phil made at once, he found that the capthat held the chariot wheel in place, had been removed. No trace of itever was found, and Phil well knew that the mysterious enemy was oncemore at work. The news was conveyed to Mr. Sparling, with theinformation that Phil had gleaned.

　　He also bore the unwelcome tidings to his employer that their leadingwoman chariot driver had broken both arms and that she would notperform again that season, if ever again.

　　Mr. Sparling was so angered over this latest outrage that he wasscarcely able to control himself. Yet he knew that it would be best tomaintain silence until the detective had had an opportunity to make aninvestigation. Some of the circus people, however, had voiced asuspicion that the accident was a deliberate attempt to do the show aninjury, and this was quickly passed from lip to lip, until almost everyonehad heard it. The show people accepted the situation quietly, as wastheir wont, nevertheless they were very much excited. There was notelling when they themselves might fall victims to the mysterious enemy,and each one vowed to run down the scoundrel who they knew must be amember of the circus family.

　　Phil made some guarded inquiries, but was unable to learn whether ornot anyone had been observed about the chariots that day. The hub cap,of course, might have been removed while the chariots were still on theboat, but in that event its loss would no doubt have been noticed, for thecaps were of brass, large and prominent.

　　Phil decided that the act must have been committed just before thechariots were driven into the arena for the Roman races.

　　In this, Phil Forrest was right.

　　The solution of the mystery was at hand, however, and was to come ina most unexpected manner.

　　Supper had been eaten, and most of the performers were out on the lot,enjoying the balmy air of the early evening for the few moments left tothem before they would be obliged to repair to the dressing tent to makeready for the evening performance.

　　Phil decided to go in, after finishing a talk with Mr. Sparling in thelatter's private tent. As the lad passed through the menagerie tent theattendants were lighting the gasoline lamps there and hauling them up thecenter poles.

　　Under the big top, however, one could not see half its length. Thelights there would not be turned on for fifteen or twenty minutes yet. Nota person was in sight as Phil entered the tent, making his way slowly downthe concourse. He paused half-way down, seating himself on agrandstand chair in one of the arena boxes, where he thought over thelatest exploit of the show's enemy.

　　"This time they were not after me, but after the outfit itself," hemuttered. "That is the time the fellow showed his hand, and it gives mean idea. I--hello, there is someone who acts as if he did not wish to beseen."Phil sat still and watched. Someone had slipped in under the tentdown at the other end, directly across the arena from where the bandstandwas located. It had now become so dark in the tent that Phil could notmake out the fellow's features. In fact, the man was a mere shadow.

　　"I wonder what he is doing there?"Then a thought struck Phil Forrest like a blow.

　　"That's where they put the big net between performances."Phil crept down into the arena and made his way back to the entranceto the menagerie tent, where he quickly slipped out into the open and randown along the outside of the big top at his best speed. As he drewnear the spot where he had seen the man, he moved cautiously.

　　Finally Phil dropped down and peered under the tent. He was lessthan ten feet from where the fellow was at work. The Circus Boy couldcatch a "rip, rip" now and then.

　　"The fiend is cutting the net," he muttered. "I wonder who he is.

　　Ah, I know him now! He is one of the tent men. I never thought hewas in this thing. I must catch him--I must make the attempt, for he mayget away. I don't even know the fellow's name, nor do I understand hisenmity toward the show or myself."Phil wriggled in under the tent, now, not fearing discovery, for insidethe tent, it was quite dark. Slowly raising himself to his feet, he edgednearer, step by step, to where the man was at work. The man had partlyspread the net out by this time, to make sure that he was cutting it in theright place so that it would give way beneath the weight of the performerunfortunate enough to drop into it first.

　　"The fiend!" repeated Phil, clenching his fists. "I'm glad I am the oneto discover him. Mr. Man, I have a score to settle with you and I'm goingto begin the settling up now."Phil crouched low. He was now only a few feet from the stoopingfigure.

　　All at once the boy threw himself forward. He landed on the man,forcing him to the ground. As he struck, Phil raised his voice in theshowmen's rallying cry.

　　"_Hey, Rube!_" he shouted in a sing-song voice that was heard in thedressing tents and even out in the menagerie tent.

　　His first care, then, was to pinion the man so he could not use hishands, for the Circus Boy knew that his captive had a knife in one hand.

　　Men came running from all directions, Mr. Sparling among thenumber, for he had been in the menagerie tent when the cry reached him,and feared some fresh trouble was at hand.

　　"What is it? Where is it?" roared the showman.

　　"Here, here! Bring lights. Bring--"The man beneath him began to struggle. In fact the fellow staggeredto his feet, the boy being too light to hold him down.

　　Phil grabbed him about the waist, pinioning the man's arms to hissides. Then began a desperate struggle, during which the combatants fellto the ground, rolling over and over in their fierce battle.

　　"It's Phil Forrest!" shouted the owner.

　　He sprang forward and with a mighty tug, jerked the tentman free ofthe Circus Boy's body. At that instant the fellow leaped to his feet andstarted to run.

　　"Stop him!" howled Phil.

　　Teddy, who had come running up, suddenly stooped over andconstituting himself a battering ram, ran full tilt into the tentman, the boy'shead landing in the pit of the circus hand's stomach. The fellow wentdown, whereupon Teddy promptly sat on him until the others reachedthe scene.

　　"Now, what does this mean?" demanded the showman sternly.

　　"It means that I caught this fellow cutting the net. If you will look atit you will find it to be badly mutilated, I think." An examination provedthat Phil was right. Mr. Sparling had all he could do to prevent the angrycircus men from wreaking their vengeance on the wretch then and there.

　　Teddy, in the meantime, had been peering into the man's face.

　　"I know him! I know him!" howled the Circus Boy, dancing about.

　　"You know him?""Yes, do you remember Bad Eye who was mixed up with Red Larry,the fellow we sent to jail two or three seasons ago?""Yes.""That's Bad Eye," pointing to the prisoner, "and he is bad medicine,besides.""Is it possible?" muttered Phil, a new light breaking over him.

　　Suddenly Teddy uttered a yell.

　　"I've got him! He's the fellow who stole my egg." Teddy made adive for the prisoner, but strong hands pulled him away.

　　Bad Eye, it developed, smarting under the punishment that had beenmeted out to his companion, had once more joined the show, determinedupon revenge. He had in the meantime grown a full beard, so that no onerecognized him. Now, Phil Forrest knew why the voice was dimlyfamiliar to him when he had heard it that night out on the lot.

　　Caught red-handed, Bad Eye made a full confession. And to thesurprise of everyone, he implicated Manuel, the assistant to the Spanishclown. Bad Eye admitted having thrown Phil Forrest overboard, as well.

　　He denied having stolen Tucker's egg, placing the full responsibility forthis on the shoulders of Manuel.

　　What was done with the egg was never known, though Manuel wasbelieved to have thrown it overboard. Diaz, after his one violentoutbreak, had made no further evil attempts.

　　Bad Eye and Manuel were tried and convicted in due time, and placedwhere they would do the show no further harm.

　　The show went on, and after several successful weeks, reached NewOrleans, where the final performance of the season was given. All handsthen turned their faces northward. Teddy and Phil decided to take asteamship for New York, thence proceeding to their home by train. Eachlad was a few thousand dollars richer than when he had joined out in thespring.

　　They waved their adieus to Mr. Sparling from the deck of an oceansteamer next morning as the big ship slowly poked its nose out into thegulf.

　　"You can't down the Circus Boys," said Phil, with a pleased smile asthey leaned over the rail.

　　"At least, not this season," added Teddy.

　　But the exciting experiences of the Circus Boys were not yet at an end.

　　The lads will be heard from further in another volume, under the title:

　　"THE CIRCUS BOYS ON THE PLAINS; Or, The Young Advance AgentsAhead of the Show."In this forthcoming volume the lads pass through a phase of circus lifenever experienced by them before. They will find, too, that all the thrillsof the circus life are not confined to the sawdust arena, but that there isevery whit as much excitement and real peril in the daily life of theadvance man on the advertising car ahead of the show.

The End