CHAPTER III.
_A FRIEND._
The baggage-master immediately displayed the utmost sympathy for thevictim of the old fakir's seductive scheme, and Sam was loud in hisdenunciations of a brother in the craft who would serve them in such ashabby manner.
"You leave him to me, an' I'll show you what can be done," that younggentleman said, and Teddy replied, reproachfully:
"I've left too much to you already. If you hadn't thought it wasnecessary to make the acquaintance of every fellow who was going to thefair I'd have my fifteen dollars in my cap now."
"I'll get them back for you."
"How?"
"I can't say jest now; but you wait an' see what I can do."
Inasmuch as Teddy must account first to his mother and afterward toUncle Nathan for that amount, the confident assertion of his friendfailed to give him any mental relief, and he said, quite sharply:
"You thought it was all right to give the money to him, an' if youdidn't know any more than a country boy who'd never even heard of suchfellows, I can't see how you can do much toward helping."
At this point the baggage-master, who had been listening to theconversation, broke in with the sage remark:
"It's no use for you fellows to fight over what has been done. The moneyis gone; there's no doubt about that; but it may be you can get itback."
"How?" Teddy asked, eagerly.
"By notifying the police, and it is possible that they may find your manlong before the fair is ended."
"But even if they should, how can I pay Uncle Nathan the eighteendollars he wants, after givin' Deacon Jones the ten which I promised?"
"That, of course, is a question I cannot answer," the officer of thecompany replied, not unkindly; "but it will certainly be better to getsome of the money back than to lose the whole."
"Of course it will," Sam said, promptly, after waiting a few secondswithout hearing any reply from Teddy. "Tell us what to do, an' I'll seeto the whole thing."
"Hello! What kind of a meeting are you holding here?" a cheery voicecried, and, looking up, the disconsolate Teddy saw a merchant whosestock he had been examining a short time previous.
In a few words the baggage-master explained the condition of affairs.
"Can nothing be done?" the merchant asked.
"It is barely possible. The fact of the matter is that the two swindlersleft on the last train, and this boy's money has gone with them beyond adoubt."
Then the merchant turned to the would-be fakir and asked for furtherparticulars, which were readily given, the latter saying, as he finishedthe sad story:
"Uncle Nathan is bound to raise a big row, an' I won't be able to helpmother, as I counted on doing; but I s'pose it serves me right."
"I'm not so sure of that, lad, for all of us are liable to be taken inat some time or another. It is possible you may make money at the fair,and I will give you credit to the amount you lost. Go to the store, showthis slip, and get what you think may be needed."
While speaking the merchant had been writing on a piece of paper tornfrom his memorandum book, and when he handed it to Teddy the almostheartbroken boy read the following words:
The bearer, Edward Hargreaves, is entitled to credit, thirty days' time, on all he may need, to the extent of thirty dollars.
JOHN REAVES.
"But I only lost fifteen dollars," Teddy said, as he read the order.
"I so understood; but you may need more, therefore I have made theamount sufficiently large. Don't hesitate to buy what is wanted, andwhether you ever find the swindler or not, I feel very positive my billwill be paid."
Teddy tried to thank the merchant, but that lump in his throat was stilltoo near his mouth to admit of many words, and Sam whispered:
"Don't say anything more about it. You've struck the biggest kind ofluck, and the safest way is to hold your tongue."
Even had it been possible to speak, Teddy could not have said all thatwas in his heart, and before Sam had time to give any further advice themerchant boarded a train which was just starting for New York, leavingthe young fakir and his newly-made friend to settle matters amongthemselves.
"You're in big luck," the latter said, consolingly. "What's thedifference if you have lost fifteen dollars so long as you know how toget thirty dollars' worth of goods to start in business?"
"But this bill will have to be paid, and Uncle Nathan must have hismoney; that leaves me forty-five dollars in debt."
"S'pose'n it does? You're bound to make a good deal more'n that, an' I'mhere to help you through."
Teddy came very near saying that if Sam had not been there the fifteendollars would still be reposing beneath the lining of his cap; but hesucceeded in checking himself, and the reproachful words remainedunspoken.
At this point in the conversation the baggage-master insisted thatinformation of the swindler should be given to the police, and, whetherthey desired to do so or not, the boys were forced to accompany him toheadquarters.
Here it is possible their story might have been told without excitingmore than ordinary interest if the name of the kindly-disposed merchanthad not been used; but that was sufficient to awaken a decided interest,and every detail was written down carefully.
"We will try to get the money for you," the chief said. "Several of mymen will be at the fair, and if you see this fellow again, informationmust be given to them immediately."
Teddy had but little hope that any good would result by this means, buthe promised faithfully to do as requested, and then the boys were atliberty to finish the business which had been interrupted sodisastrously.
So much time had been wasted that it was necessary to move around verylively in order to have the goods ready before the stage should leave,and Teddy did a great deal toward expediting matters by explaining tothe clerk at the store on which he had the order for credit exactlywhat he proposed to do.
The young man understood at once the kind of goods which would beneeded, and without listening to the many suggestions made by Samselected a good assortment of both knives and canes.
"Ain't you getting more than thirty dollars' worth?" Teddy asked, as theclerk continued to add to the pile.
"I think not. These are all cheap goods, you know, and make a big showwithout amounting to any very great value. I will put in cotton clothenough for the cane board, and as many rings as you will need unlessbusiness should be very brisk."
The clerk was bent on making the bill exactly the size of the order, andwhen the prices had been figured out Teddy had invested just thirtydollars in a stock which must bring in a profit of at least fifty percent. in order to admit of his paying the debts already contracted.
The goods were to be put on the stage by the salesman, and there wasnothing further for the boys to do but decide on their manner oftraveling to the Run.
"After losin' fifteen dollars, I reckon there's only one thing for me todo," Teddy said, as they left the store. "I'm goin'to walk; but you cando as you please."
"S'pose'n we both ride? You're bound to make a pile of money before thefair is over, an' can afford---- By jinks! There's that fakir now!"
In an instant Sam was off at full speed, crying: "Stop thief!" with thefull strength of his lungs, as he pursued a man carrying a bundlecovered with green cloth.
Such an appeal was well calculated to arouse every idler in theimmediate vicinity, and before Teddy fully understood what had happenednot less than twenty men and boys were in chase of the stranger, who,strange to say, had not quickened his pace.
The thought that it might yet be possible to regain his money lentunusual speed to the would-be fakir's heels, and he was among theforemost when the man suddenly halted, turned squarely around, andasked:
"What is the matter with you people? Do you want me?"
"I guess we do," a policeman replied, as he seized the stranger by thecollar. "Somebody yelled for us to stop the thief, and you must be theman."
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"Who says I am?" was the angry question.
By this time both Teddy and Sam had discovered the latter's mistake. Theonly point of resemblance between this stranger and the one who stolethe money was that both carried packages covered with green cloth; butwhile the first bundle was bulky and apparently heavy, this was smalland readily held under the man's arm.
Sam did not wait to explain matters. Fearing lest he might get intoserious trouble because of the mistake, he slipped quietly away, leavingTeddy to bear the brunt of the accused's wrath.
The latter realized that something must be done at once, for the greaterportion of the crowd was looking inquiringly at him, and he said, in avoice which was far from steady:
"I didn't do the hollerin'; but a feller who was with me when a manstole my money thought you must be the one."
"Where is he?" the stranger asked, advancing threateningly.
"I don't know. He ran away when he saw it was a mistake."
The crowd immediately began to disperse. The policeman called down quitethe reverse of blessings on Sam's head, and then walked away, leavingTeddy and the stranger comparatively alone.
"I don't know as it does any harm to have a lot of fools chasing a man,"the latter said, "but it might give him a bad name in his work."
"I'm very sorry, sir, but you see----"
"I'm not blaming you, my boy, since it was the other fellow who did themischief. Tell me how you lost your stuff."
"My what?"
"Your stuff--money."
"Oh!" and Teddy at once gave the stranger a detailed account of all thathad happened, the latter saying, as the story was concluded:
"I wouldn't be afraid to bet my head that Long Jim was the duck whoplayed the trick. I know he came here, headed for the fair grounds, andit's jest about his style of working."
"Do you think there's any chance I'll get it back?"
"He shall give up if I see him. I'll be at the fair myself, working aneat little game, and will see you there."
With this remark the stranger walked away, and Teddy went toward thedepot once more, feeling quite certain he had made a friend who wouldaid him in his new venture.