CHAPTER XXI
AN ELEPHANT IN JAIL
"Who is he?"
"I would not care to answer that question just now, Mr.Sparling," answered Phil calmly. "It would not be right--thatis, not until I am sure about it."
"Tell me, or get out."
"Remember, Mr. Sparling, it is a serious accusation you ask me tomake against a man on proof that you would say was not worthanything. It may take some time, but before I get through I'mgoing either to fasten the act on someone--on a particularone--or else prove that I am wholly mistaken."
The showman stormed, but Phil was obdurate. He refused to givethe slightest intimation as to whom he suspected.
"Am I to go, Mr. Sparling?" he asked after the interview had cometo an end.
"No! I expect you'll own this show yet."
He watched Phil walking away from the tent. There was a scowl onthe face of James Sparling.
"If I thought that young rascal really thought he knew, I'd takehim across my knee and spank him until he told me. No; he's moreof a man than any two in the whole outfit. I'd rather lose ahorse than have anything happen to that lad."
Days followed each other in quick succession. The show had bythis time swung around into Pennsylvania, and was playing acircuit of small mining towns with exceptionally good attendance.The owner of the show was in high good humor over the profits theshow was earning. The acts of Phil Forrest and Teddy Tucker hadproved to be among the best drawing cards in the circusperformance proper. So important did the owner consider themthat the names of the two circus boys were now prominentlydisplayed in the advertisements, as well as on the billboards.
During all this time, Phil and Teddy had worked faithfully on therings under the instruction of Mr. Miaco. On the side they weretaking lessons in tumbling as well. For this purpose what isknown as a "mechanic" was used to assist them in their schooling.This consisted of a belt placed about the beginner's waist. >Fromit a rope led up over a pulley, the other end of the rope beingsecurely held by someone.
When all was ready the pupil would take a running start, jumpinto the air and try to turn. At the same time, the man holdingthe free end of the rope would give it a hard pull, thus jerkingthe boy free of the ground and preventing his falling on hishead.
After a few days of this, both boys had progressed so far thatthey were able to work on a mat, made up of several layers ofthick carpet, without the aid of the "mechanic." Of course theiract lacked finish. Their movements were more or less clumsy, butthey had mastered the principle of the somersault in remarkablyquick time.
Mr. Miaco said that in two more weeks they ought to be able tojoin the performers in their general tumbling act, which was oneof the features of the show.
There was not an hour of the day that found the two boys idle,now, and all this activity was viewed by Mr. Sparling with anapproving eye.
But one day there came an interruption that turned the thoughtsof the big show family in another direction.
An accident had happened at the morning parade that promisedtrouble for the show. A countryman, who had heard that the hideof an elephant could not be punctured, was struck by the happythought of finding out for himself the truth or falsity of thistheory. He had had an argument with some of his friends, hetaking the ground that an elephant's hide was no different fromthe hide of any other animal. And he promised to show them thatit was not.
All he needed was the opportunity. With his friends he hadfollowed along with the parade, keeping abreast of the elephants,until finally the parade was halted by the crossing gates at arailroad.
Now was the man's chance to prove the theory false. The crowdclosed in on the parade to get a closer view of the people, andthis acted as a cover for the man's experiment.
Taking his penknife out he placed the point of it against theside of Emperor, as it chanced.
"Now watch me," he said, at the same time giving the knife aquick shove, intending merely to see if he could prick throughthe skin. His experiment succeeded beyond the fellow's fondestexpectations. The point of the knife had gone clear throughEmperor's hide.
Emperor, ordinarily possessed of a keen sense of humor, coupledwith great good nature, in this instance failed to see the humorof the proceeding. In fact, he objected promptly and in a mostsurprising manner.
Like a flash, his trunk curled back. It caught the boldexperimenter about the waist, and the next instant the fellow wasdangling in the air over Emperor's head, yelling lustily forhelp. The elephant had been watching the man, apparentlysuspecting something, and therefore was ready for him.
"Put him down!" thundered Kennedy.
The elephant obeyed, but in a manner not intended by the trainerwhen he gave the command.
With a quick sweep of his trunk, Emperor hurled his tormentorfrom him. The man's body did not stop until it struck a largeplate glass window in a store front, disappearing into the storeamid a terrific crashing of glass and breaking of woodwork, theman having carried most of the window with him in his suddenentry into the store.
This was a feature of the parade that had not been advertised onthe bills.
The procession moved on a moment later, with old Emperor swingingalong as meekly as if he had not just stirred up a heap oftrouble for himself and his owner.
The man, it was soon learned, had been badly hurt.
But Mr. Sparling was on the ground almost at once, making aninvestigation. He quickly learned what had caused the trouble.And then he was mad all through. He raved up and down the linethreatening to get out a warrant for the arrest of the man whohad stuck a knife into his elephant.
Later in the afternoon matters took a different turn. A lawyercalled on the showman, demanding the payment of ten thousanddollars damages for the injuries sustained by his client, andwhich, he said, would in all probability make the man a cripplefor life.
If the showman had been angry before, he was in a towering ragenow.
"Get off this lot!" he roared. "If you show your face here againI'll set the canvasmen on you! Then you won't be able to leavewithout help."
The lawyer stood not upon the order of his going, and they saw nomore of him. They had about concluded that they had heard thelast of his demands, until just before the evening performance,when, as the cook tent was being struck, half a dozen deputysheriffs suddenly made their appearance.
They held papers permitting them to levy on anything they couldlay their hands upon and hold it until full damages had beenfixed by the courts.
There was no trifling with the law, at least not then, and Mr.Sparling was shrewd enough to see that. However, he stormed andthreatened, but all to no purpose.
The intelligent deputies reasoned that Emperor, having been thecause of all the trouble, would be the proper chattel to levyupon. So they levied on him.
The next thing was to get Emperor to jail. He would not budge aninch when the officers sought to take him. Then a happy thoughtstruck them. They ordered the trainer to lead the elephant andfollow them under pain of instant arrest if he refused.
There was nothing for it but to obey. Protesting loudly, Kennedystarted for the village with his great, hulking charge.
Phil Forrest was as disconsolate as his employer was enraged. Theboy's act was spoiled, perhaps indefinitely, which might mean theloss of part of his salary.
"That's country justice," growled the owner. "But I'll telegraphmy lawyer in the city and have him here by morning. Maybe itwon't be such a bad speculation tomorrow, for I'll make this towngo broke before it has fully settled the damages I'll get out ofit. Don't be down in the mouth, Forrest. You'll have yourelephant back, and before many days at that. Go watch the showand forget your troubles."
It will be observed that, under his apparently excitableexterior, Mr. James Sparling was a philosopher.
"Emperor's in jail," mourned Phil.
The moment Mr. Kennedy returned, sullen and uncommunicative, Philsought him out. He found the trainer in Mr. Sparling's tent.
"Where did they take him?" demanded Phil, breaking in on theirconversation.
"To jail," answered Kennedy grimly. "First time I ever heard ofsuch a thing as an elephant's going to jail."
"That's the idea. We'll use that for an advertisement," criedthe ever alert showman, slapping his thighs. "Emperor, theperforming elephant of the Great Sparling Combined Shows, jailedfor assault. Fine, fine! How'll that look in the newspapers?Why, men, it will fill the tent when we get to the next stand,whether we have the elephant or not."
"No; you've got to have the elephant," contended Kennedy.
"Well, perhaps that's so. But I'll wire our man ahead, just thesame, and let him use the fact in his press notices."
"But how could they get him in the jail?" questioned Phil.
"Jail? You see, they couldn't. They wanted to, but the jailwouldn't fit, or the elephant wouldn't fit the jail, either wayyou please. When they discovered that they didn't know what todo with him. Somebody suggested that they might lock him up inthe blacksmith shop."
"The blacksmith shop?" exploded the owner.
"I hope they don't try to fit him with shoes," he added, with agrim smile.
"Well, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they did. We'd have ourelephant right quick. Yes, they tried the blacksmith shop on,and it worked, but it was a close fit. If Emperor had had a bumpon his back as big as an egg he wouldn't have gone in."
"And he's there now?"
"Yes. I reckon I'd better stay here and camp at the hotel,hadn't I, so's to be handy when your lawyer comes on? Emperormight tear up the town if he got loose."
Mr. Sparling reflected for a moment.
"Kennedy, you'll go with the show tonight. I don't care ifEmperor tears this town up by the roots. If none of us is here,then we shall not be to blame for what happens. We didn't tellthem to lock him up in the blacksmith shop. You can get backafter the lawyer has gotten him out. That will be time enough."
"Where is the blacksmith shop?" questioned Phil.
"Know where the graveyard is?"
"Yes."
"It's just the other side of that," said Kennedy. "Church onthis side, blacksmith shop on the other. Why?"
"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering," answered Phil, glancing upand finding the eyes of Mr. Sparling bent keenly upon him.
The lad rose hastily, went out, and climbing up to the seat of along pole wagon, sat down to ponder over the situation. Heremained there until a teamster came to hook to the wagon anddrive it over to be loaded. Then Phil got down, standing aboutwith hands in his pockets.
He was trying to make up his mind about something.
"Where do we show tomorrow?" he asked of an employee.
"Dobbsville, Ohio. We'll be over the line before daybreak."
"Oh."
The circus tent was rapidly disappearing now. "In another statein the morning," mused Phil.
One by one the wagons began moving from the circus lot.
"Get aboard the sleeping car," called the driver of the wagonthat Phil and Teddy usually slept in, as he drove past.
"Hey, Phil!" called Teddy, suddenly appearing above the top ofthe box.
"Hello, Teddy!"
"What are you standing there for?"
"Perhaps I'm getting the night air," laughed Phil. "Fine, isn'tit?"
"It might be better. But get in; get in. You'll be left."
"Never mind me. I am not going on your wagon tonight. You mayhave the bed all to yourself. Don't forget to leave your windowopen," he jeered.
"I have it open already. I'm going to put the screen in now tokeep the mosquitoes out," retorted Teddy, not to be outdone.
"Has Mr. Sparling gone yet do you know?"
"No; he and Kennedy are over yonder where the front door was,talking."
"All right."
Teddy's head disappeared. No sooner had it done so than PhilForrest turned and ran swiftly toward the opposite side of thelot. He ran in a crouching position, as if to avoid being seen.
Reaching a fence which separated the road from the field, hethrew himself down in the tall grass there and hid.
"In Ohio tomorrow. I'm going to try it," he muttered. "It can'tbe wrong. They had no business, no right to do it," he decided,his voice full of indignation.
He heard the wagons rumbling by him on the hard road, the rattleof wheels accompanied by the shouts of the drivers as they urgedtheir horses on.
And there Phil lay hidden until every wagon had departed, headedfor the border, and the circus lot became a barren, deserted andsilent field.