CHAPTER XI.
_LONG JIM_.
Teddy's first thought when he was awakened by Sam's yells was that theofficers of the law were coming to arrest him for the robbery committedat Uncle Nathan's store; but in a very few seconds he understood thatthis was not the case.
He and Dan had been sleeping some distance from the remainder of thecompany; therefore, when the hand-to-hand struggle began they were outof it entirely, and owing to the darkness could not be seen by theassailants; but Sam's cries served to show the mob where he was, and oneafter another pounded him when they failed to find any of the otheroccupants.
While one might have counted twenty Teddy and Dan stood motionless,undecided as to what should be done, while the din caused by thecombatants and the screaming boy were almost deafening, and then thelatter said:
"We've got to take a hand in this row, Teddy. Mr. Sweet has given us thechance to sleep here, and the least we can do is to help as much aspossible, for it appears to me that his men are getting the worst ofit."
A broken tent-peg was lying on the ground near at hand, and Dan added,as he seized it:
"Try to light one of the lanterns so we can see which is an enemy, andthen sail in."
It seemed to Teddy as if he would never be able to follow theseinstructions. He had plenty of matches; but in his excitement one afteranother was extinguished until he fancied half an hour must have elapsedbefore the wick was ignited.
The faint glow of light served to show one of the intruders Teddy'sform, and the latter had but just succeeded in hanging the lantern onthe center-pole when it became necessary to defend himself.
The drunken bully made a lunge at him, which he managed to avoid byjumping aside, and in another instant he had seized the man by thewaist, doing his best to throw him.
From this moment Teddy knew nothing more of the row than that portion inwhich he was immediately concerned. He was able to prevent the man fromstriking by hugging close to his body, and the two swayed here and therein the effort to gain the mastery. Now and then they came in contactwith the other combatants, one or both receiving a chance blow, but noespecial injury was done to either.
Had the man been sober, Teddy must have been overcome in a very shorttime; but as he was far from being steady on his feet the odds wereabout even, and the boy succeeded in holding his own until the othershad retreated or been so disabled that it was no longer possible forthem to continue the assault.
Fully thirty minutes had elapsed from the time Sam first sounded thealarm before the occupants of the tent could count themselves asvictors, and then Mr. Sweet and the clown pulled Teddy's adversary away,throwing him bodily out of the tent after administering summarypunishment.
During all this time the other exhibitors who intended to sleep on thegrounds had been gathering around the canvas, but no one cared to riskhis precious body by entering until it was certain the battle had beenended.
Then the tent was filled with sympathizing friends, who endeavored toascertain the amount of injury done, but were interrupted in the work bythe proprietor, who cried, angrily:
"Clear out of here, every mother's son! You didn't dare to come in whenit would have been possible to help us, and there's no need of you now.We were attacked by a crowd of men from the town, who proposed to cleanthe show out because we wouldn't let them in free, and that's all thereis to it."
Not until the last visitor had unwillingly departed did the littleparty pay any attention to their wounds, and then the result of theengagement was ascertained.
The barker had a broken nose, but it would not prevent him from doing afull share of talking on the following day. The clown's eye lookedrather bad, and Mr. Sweet's cheek had been cut, but these were onlytrifling mishaps. Teddy had come out of the affray comparativelyuninjured; Dan showed nothing worse than a bruise under the left ear,and while Sam appeared to be unscathed, he declared that he had beenpounded until every inch of his body felt like jelly.
"You squealed fairly well for a fellow who was so badly done up," Mr.Sweet said, with a laugh, as he proceeded to dress the barker's woundednose, "and I reckon you'll be all right by morning. Light some of theother lanterns so I can see what I'm about, and during the remainder ofthe night we'll stand guard, for no one can say how soon thosescoundrels may attempt to pay us a second visit, although I think theyhad a full dose this time."
How the assailants had fared no one was able to form a very goodopinion. The general belief among the occupants of the tent, however,was that they had received such severe punishment that there would be nofurther attack on this night, at least.
When the wounds had been dressed, Mr. Sweet said, as he took up aposition near the flap:
"You fellows had better try to go to sleep now. I'll keep awake for awhile, and then call some one to relieve me. Dan, can't you borrow oneof those queer-looking rifles you are exhibiting, and bring it with youto-morrow night?"
"I might get the one I use for shooting at a target; but you wouldn'tthink of trying to kill a man, would you, Mr. Sweet?"
"I could do a good deal toward scaring them, and if a crowd insisted onforcing an entrance, I'd take mighty good care that one would carry awaya bullet to remember me by."
"I'll bring the rifle," Dan replied, and Teddy whispered:
"When I came here to run a cane-board I didn't count on being obliged todo any fighting."
"I don't reckon there'll be much more here. The managers of the fairwill see to it that those fellows are put where they can't do anyadditional mischief, for the exhibitors must be protected, and we shallbe safe enough, except something else comes up to make a row."
Then the sore, tired party lay down in search of slumber once more, and,strange as it may seem after the exciting events, all save the sentinelwere soon wrapped again in slumber.
Each in turn was aroused to do his share of guard duty before morningcame; but no enemy appeared, and at sunrise the three boys went acrossthe grounds to the boarding-house, where, as Dan said: "The price wastwice as big as the breakfast."
Teddy had his place of business ready for the reception of customersbefore the first stage-load of visitors arrived, and when Tim came hehad already taken in nearly a dollar.
"What's the news?" he asked, as the clerk appeared, looking radiant andhappy at the thought of earning as much money as on the previous day.
"Your mother was pretty nigh wild when I told her what we took inyesterday, an' says she'll be here sure on Thursday. There's no morenews of your Uncle Nathan's goods, an' he's still tryin' to have youarrested; but your mother says not to be afraid, 'cause she has talkedwith a lawyer, an' don't think there'll be any trouble. I told the folksat home that the old skinflint made you pay three dollars interest onthe money what was stole, an' everybody in town will know it beforenight."
Tim was forced to stop his story to wait upon a party of young gentlemenwho were eager to get dollar canes for five cents, and the boothsadjoining Teddy's place of business had not yet been opened when heannounced that there were four dollars in the money box.
"We're bound to have a big day," Tim said, confidently. "The band fromthe Run is comin' over this mornin', an' if the city people hear aboutit you bet they'll jest crowd in to hear the music. There'll be [----]of the boys to see you, but take my advice an' don't let 'em have anyrings on credit, for I wouldn't trust the best of the whole lot at fairtime. I'm goin' to stay till Friday; do you s'pose that man will let mesleep in his tent with you fellers?"
Teddy promised to inquire, and then advised Tim to have a look at thegrounds before business began to be rushing, and the clerk was glad totake advantage of the proposition.
He started off with the air of one who owned the entire inclosure, andwas hardly lost to view amid the fast-gathering throng when Teddy wasliterally dazed by seeing Long Jim, the very man who had robbed him inWaterville, lounging along toward his stand.
Not until the fakir stood directly in front of the boy did he appear torecognize him, and then he would have
turned quickly away but for thelatter's cry:
"Somebody hold that man till I get a constable! He stole my money."
Realizing that a flight across the grounds with hundreds of men and boyscrying "Stop thief!" in full pursuit would be disastrous, Long Jimturned to face his young accuser.
"What do you mean by saying such a thing?" he asked, angrily. "If youwasn't so small I'd make you eat the words."
"I was big enough for you to steal from, and I want my money."
It was only natural that a crowd should gather after such an accusation,and Long Jim looked around for some means of escape, but, realizing thathe could not well get away while so many were near, he stepped close toTeddy, as he whispered:
"If you say another word I'll smash your face, you young whelp! Holdyour tongue if you want to leave here alive."
"I'll say exactly what's true. Give me my money, or I'll find some oneto have you arrested!"
"The boy is a liar, and, what is more, has just robbed his uncle'sstore, if what they say over at the Run be true," the fakir said,excitedly, as he turned to face the crowd. "I don't want to hurt him;but I won't be insulted by a thief, so the best thing for me to do is toleave."
Saying this, he walked deliberately away, and the curious ones, who amoment previous had been friendly to Teddy, began to sympathize with theman.
"Don't let him off!" the boy cried, starting to follow, and thenremembering that he would be forced to leave his wares at the mercy ofthe crowd, turned back, while Long Jim continued straight across thegrounds unmolested.
"It looks like it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black," anold farmer said, and his immediate circle of friends laughed heartily,while the younger portion of the crowd gazed earnestly at Teddy,believing they saw before them a fullfledged burglar.