“Come down out of that, Clifton, and I’ll punch you good and plenty!” he howled.
Before Tom Clifton could gather his wits together and reply, Victor was speaking again.
“That was about the meanest and silliest trick I ever heard of!” he exclaimed, brandishing2 a small white fist in the air. “I’ve got it in for you, too, Blakelets; and ditto for you, Bob Somers.”
“How did you get here, Victor?” he asked.
“Oh, don’t try to jolly me,” he screeched6. “Put that innocent look off your face, Tom[252] Clifton. And if you’re not too scared step down and get the first instalment of what’s coming to you!”
Tom Clifton, fairly aghast, flushed crimson7. For him to be threatened in the presence of his chums by a boy of Victor’s size was more than his feelings could stand.
Words and actions came to his relief. Springing to the ground he seized Victor by the arm.
“What’s the matter, you silly little duffer?” he exclaimed, fiercely. But, like a flash, the thought came to him that, after all, it might be only a joke. “Oh, it’s all right, Victor,” he added, with forced calmness. “You can’t string me.”
“Or rope me into believing any taffy. I’ll show you how much joke there’s in it!”
Something happened.
Victor’s small fists began to move with truly remarkable8 speed. It was Tom Clifton’s ribs9 that stopped several snappy punches.
“Ouch! Quit it!” yelled Tom, jumping aside with undignified haste. “Stop—stop, I say!”
But whichever way he turned Victor was always dancing before him.
[253]“You would make me miss that motor yacht trip, eh? Thought maybe I looked soft, eh? Well, here’s one for that!”
Two pairs of restraining hands suddenly gripped Victor Collins’ shoulders.
“No more of this, Vic,” commanded Bob, sternly. “We don’t want to start a rival show on this side of the street.”
“You’re making more noise than that fat barker over there!” added Charlie.
Tom Clifton, painfully conscious that he had made no effort to defend himself, and feeling the various assortment10 of punches which Victor had liberally bestowed11 upon him, suddenly decided12 that his reputation would suffer unless some decisive action was taken.
A good shaking, he thought, would be about the proper thing.
“I’ll tend to him myself, Bob. Leave the whole thing to me!” he cried.
While Victor squirmed and struggled in Bob Somers’ strong grasp, Charlie, bubbling over with mirth, had secured a firm hold on Tom Clifton’s arm.
“I guess the circus has been too much for somebody’s nerves,” he chuckled13. “Better[254] stop. There are about eighteen people looking over.”
“I don’t care!” stormed Tom.
“I do,” said Bob. “Let’s begin at the beginning, and come to the end fast. Victor seems peeved14 about something. Speak up, Vic: what’s the trouble?”
“There’d be thirty-nine people looking at us if I had my way,” he said, sullenly16. “This thing isn’t ended yet. Tall Indians are easy for me.”
“Then explanations ought to be easy,” laughed Bob.
Victor poured forth17 the story of his woes18 with a volubility that showed a strong grip on the English language, and, as he proceeded, the faces of the three completely changed expression. Bob and Charlie fairly roared with mirth, while Tom, backing up against the motor car, seemed almost too astonished to speak.
“And Tom did motor it to Milwaukee,”[255] supplemented Bob. “But ‘things are not always what they seem.’”
Briefly20 he explained the situation. His manner and tones were so convincing as to completely silence Victor Collins’ suspicions. The angry look slowly faded from his eyes. He stuck his hands into his overcoat pocket and whistled shrilly21.
For once in his life Victor had learned a lesson.
The story of Tom’s brilliant deductions22 was, of course, too good to keep, so the “grind,” in spite of the tall boy’s frantic23 winks24, gave all the details with a charming disregard for his feelings.
The sheepish expression which had rested on Victor’s face gave place to an enormous grin. He laughed quite as loudly as Bob and Charlie had done a few moments before.
“Well,” growled25 Tom, “can you blame me? Weren’t you all twisted up yourself? I went down to the wharf26 and saw——”
“So did Brandon and I; and all we saw was a mean-looking little fat man. He had the nerve to come up and begin talking. ‘No; not even the glitter of a cent,’ I told the[256] beggar. Whew, wasn’t he hopping27 mad, though! You ought to have seen how he beat it.”
“A little fat man!” cried Tom, opening his eyes. “Why—why, he must have been the very one that told me about the boys going off on the yacht.”
“Yes! Why, he wasn’t any beggar. It wouldn’t take a Sherlock Holmes to see that he had sized up the situation and was going to tell you all about it. If you had only given him half a chance, Victor Collins, this——”
“What! Are you going to try and put the blame on me?” interrupted Victor, fiercely. “It wouldn’t have changed things at all—not a bit of it. I knew the whole crowd had skipped.”
“Say, fellows!” Bob Somers’ loud exclamation29 put an end to the wrangle30. “No wonder that chap over there has a shape like Dave’s! It is Dave; and I knew it!”
“Why, of course it is!” snapped Victor.
“Great Scott!” cried Tom. “What—that fellow with the red coat and dinky little[257] cap our Dave? Somebody fan me with a feather.”
“A rope’s end would suit your case better. Yes; Brandon has had to earn his own living for once.”
“Help!” murmured Charlie. “This has been almost too much for my weak intellect.”
“Now, Vic, do let us have an explanation!” cried Bob.
“You might have told us before, instead of raising such a howl about me,” broke in Tom.
Victor immediately launched forth into a vivid description of their experiences with the circus. He had a great deal to say, but the boys did not stand still while listening to it. Each was too anxious to see David Brandon in his new and astonishing rôle. They rapidly crossed the street, then made as straight a line as booths, stands and people would permit toward the entrance to the show.
All the sights and sounds peculiar31 to circuses were on every side. Their thoughts, however, were centered upon the boy with the red coat and tasseled32 cap who seemed to be talking as easily and naturally as though merely reciting in school.
[258]In the midst of an impassioned argument Dave caught sight of his friends. He waved his arm, but that was all he could do in the way of greeting.
The end of Victor’s story fell on inattentive ears.
Tom felt his heart swell33 with pride—pride that Dave—their Dave—had again shown his versatility34. Forgetting diffidence, he yelled:
“You didn’t know our automobile35 passed you on the road last night, eh, Dave?”
And a moment after these words were spoken he observed a small, thin man, who had been staring toward them, start forward. He also noticed, as the man approached, that he was scowling36 angrily.
“Say, boys,” he exclaimed, in a voice which the Ramblers had heard on the night before, “so it was your car that passed us on the road, eh? Well, I’ve got a word to say!”
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1
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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2
brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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3
chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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4
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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5
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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6
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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7
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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8
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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9
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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10
assortment
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| n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集 | |
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11
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
peeved
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| adj.恼怒的，不高兴的v.（使）气恼，（使）焦躁，（使）愤怒( peeve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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16
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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17
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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woes
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| 困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉 | |
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peals
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| n.（声音大而持续或重复的）洪亮的响声( peal的名词复数 )；隆隆声；洪亮的钟声；钟乐v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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22
deductions
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| 扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演 | |
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23
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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24
winks
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| v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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25
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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26
wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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27
hopping
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| n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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29
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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30
wrangle
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| vi.争吵 | |
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31
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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32
tasseled
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| v.抽穗， （玉米）长穗须( tassel的过去式和过去分词 )；使抽穗， （为了使作物茁壮生长）摘去穗状雄花；用流苏装饰 | |
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33
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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34
versatility
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| n.多才多艺，多样性，多功能 | |
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35
automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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36
scowling
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
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