CHAPTER XXIV
MR. MURPHY TAKES A HAND
Agnes Kenway was pretty near at her wit's end. She did not know how tohold Mr. Sorber, and she did not dare to let him go away from the house,for he might meet Neale O'Neil on the road and take him right away fromMilton.
If Agnes could help it, she was determined that their friend Nealeshould not be obliged to leave town just as he was getting on so well.She wanted to consult Ruth. Ruth, she believed, would know just how tohandle this ticklish situation.
Just then Tess and Dot appeared, taking a walk through the yard withtheir very best dolls. Naturally they were surprised to see Agnestalking in the backyard with a strange man, and both stopped, curiouslyeyeing Mr. Sorber. Dot's finger involuntarily sought the corner of hermouth. _That_ was a trick that she seemed never to grow out of.
"Hello!" said Mr. Sorber, with rough joviality, "who are these littledames? Goin' to say how-de-do to old Bill Sorber?"
Tess, the literal, came forward with her hand outstretched. "How do youdo, Mr. Sorber," she said.
Dot was a little bashful. But Agnes, having a brilliant idea, said:
"This is Neale's uncle, Dot. Mr. Sorber has come here to see him."
At that Dot came forward and put her morsel of hand into the showman'senormous fist.
"You are very welcome, Neale's uncle," she said, bashfully. "We thinkNeale is a very nice boy, and if we had a boy in our family we'd wantone just like Neale--wouldn't we, Tess?"
"Ye-es," grudgingly admitted the older girl. "If we _had_ to have a boy.But, you know, Dot, we haven't _got_ to have one."
Mr. Sorber chuckled. "Don't you think boys are any good, little lady?"he asked Tess.
"Not so very much," said the frank Tess. "Of course, Neale is different,sir. He--he can harness Billy Bumps, and--and he can turncartwheels--and--and he can climb trees--and--and do lots of thingsperfectly well. There aren't many boys like him."
"I guess there ain't," agreed Mr. Sorber. "And does he ever tell you howhe was took into the Lions' Den, like a little Dan'l, when he was two,with spangled pants on him and a sugar lollypop to keep him quiet?"
"Mercy!" gasped Agnes.
"In a lions' den?" repeated Tess, while Dot's pretty eyes grew so roundthey looked like gooseberries.
"Yes, Ma'am! I done it. And it made a hit. But the perlice stopped it.Them perlice," said Mr. Sorber, confidentially, "are allus butting inwhere they ain't wanted."
"Like Billy Bumps," murmured Dot.
But Tess had struck a new line of thought and she wanted to follow itup. "Please, sir," she asked, "is that your business?"
"What's my business?"
"Going into lions' dens?"
"That's it. I'm a lion tamer, I am. And that's what I wanted to bring mynevvy up to, only his mother kicked over the traces and wouldn't haveit."
"My!" murmured Tess. "It must be a very int'resting business. Do--do thelions ever bite?"
"They chews their food reg'lar," said Mr. Sorber gravely, but his eyestwinkled. "But none of 'em's ever tried to chew me. I reckon I lookpurty tough to 'em."
"And Neale's been in a den of lions and never told us about it?" gaspedAgnes, in spite of herself carried away with the romantic side of theshow business again.
"Didn't he ever?"
"He never told us he was with a circus at all," confessed Agnes. "He wasafraid of being sent back, I suppose."
"And ain't he ever blowed about it to the boys?"
"Oh, no! He hasn't even told the school principal--or the man he liveswith--or Ruth--or _anybody_," declared Agnes.
Mr. Sorber looked really amazed. He mopped his bald crown again and thecolor in his face deepened.
"Why, whizzle take me!" ejaculated the showman, in surprise, "he'sashamed of us!"
Tess's kindly little heart came to the rescue immediately. "Oh, hecouldn't be ashamed of his uncle, sir," she said. "And Neale is, really,a very nice boy. He would not be ashamed of any of his relations. No,sir."
"Well, mebbe not," grumbled Mr. Sorber; "but it looks mightily like it."
Despite the roughness and uncouth manner of the man, the children "gotunder his skin" as the saying is. Soon Tess and Dot bore the old showmanoff to the summer-house to introduce him to their entire family.
At that moment Ruth arrived--to Agnes' vast relief.
"Oh, Ruthie!" the second Corner House girl gasped. "It's come!"
"What's come?" asked Ruth, in amazement.
"What Mr. Con Murphy said would happen some day. It's all out aboutNeale----Poor Neale! The dam's busted!"
It was several minutes before Ruth could get any clear account from hersister of what had happened. But when she _did_ finally get into thestory, Agnes told it lucidly--and she held Ruth's undivided attention,the reader may be sure.
"Poor Neale indeed!" murmured Ruth.
"What can we do?" demanded Agnes.
"I don't know. But surely, there must be some way out. I--I'll telephoneto Mr. Howbridge."
"Oh, Ruthie! I never thought of that," squealed Agnes. "But supposeNeale comes before you can get Mr. Howbridge here?"
Ruth put on her thinking cap. "I tell you," she said. "Introduce me toMr. Sorber. Get him to promise to stay to supper with Neale. That willgive us time."
This plot was carried out. Ruth saw Mr. Sorber, too, under a much morefavorable light. Dolls were much too tame for Dot and Tess, when theyrealized that they had a real live lion tamer in their clutches. So theyhad Mr. Sorber down on a seat in the corner of the summer-house, and hewas explaining to them just how the lions looked, and acted--even howthey roared.
"It's lots more int'resting than going to the circus to see them," Dotsaid, reflectively. "For _then_ you're so scared of them that you can'tremember how they look. But Mr. Sorber is a perfectly _safe_ lion. He'seven got false teeth. He told us so."
Mr. Sorber could scarcely refuse Ruth's invitation. He was muchimpressed by the appearance of the oldest Corner House girl.
"I reckon that rascally nevvy of mine has been playin' in great lucksince he run away from Twomley & Sorber's Herculean Circus andMenagerie. Shouldn't blame him if he wanted to stay on. I'd wantermyself. Pleased to meet you, Miss."
Ruth hurried to the nearest telephone and called up the lawyer's office.She was not much surprised to find that he was not there, it beingSaturday afternoon.
So then she called up the house where he lived. After some trouble shelearned that her guardian had left town for over Sunday. She was toldwhere he had gone; but Ruth did not feel it would be right to disturbhim at a distance about Neale's affairs.
"Whom shall I turn to for help?" thought Ruth. "Who will advise us?Above all, who will stop this man Sorber from taking Neale away?"
She had a reckless idea of trying to meet Neale on the road and warnhim. He could hide--until Mr. Howbridge got back, at least.
Perhaps she could catch Neale at the cobbler's house. And then, atthought of the queer little old Irishman, all Ruth's worry seemed toevaporate. Mr. Con Murphy was the man to attend to this matter. And tothe cobbler's little cottage she immediately made her way.
The story she told the little Irishman made him drop the shoe he was atwork upon and glare at her over his spectacles, and with his scantreddish hair ruffled up. This, with his whiskers, made him look like awrathful cockatoo.
"Phat's that?" he cried, at last. "Take Neale O'Neil to a dirthycircus-show and make him do thricks, like a thrained pig, or a goose, ora--a--a naygur man from the Sahara Desert? NOT MUCH,SAYS CON!"
He leaped up and tore off his leather apron.
"The ormadhoun! I'd like a brush wid him, mesilf. Con Murphy takes ahand in this game. We nade no lawyer-body--not yit. Lave it to me, MissRuthie, acushla! Sure I'll invite mesilf to supper wid youse, too. I'llcome wid Neale, and he shall be prepared beforehand. Be sure he comeshere first. Never weep a tear, me dear. I'll fix thim circus people."
"Oh, Mr. Murphy! can you help us? Are you sure?" cried Ruth.
"Never fear!
never fear!" returned the cobbler. "Lave it to me. Whin ConMurphy takes a hand in any game, he knows what he's about. And there'smore than two sides to this mather, Miss Ruth. Belike thim fellers wantNeale for the money he makes for them. Hear me, now! Before I'd lit thimtake him back to that show, I'd spind ivry penny I've got buried in theould sock in--Well, niver mind where," concluded the excited cobbler.
But where was Ruth to find Neale O'Neil? That was the question thatfaced the oldest Corner House girl as she turned away from the door ofthe little cobbler's shop. She feared right now that the boy might havereturned to town and stopped at the Corner House to give the children aride before returning to the stable the horses he drove.
For Neale O'Neil was very fond of Tess and Dot and never missed a chanceof giving them pleasure. Although Ruth Kenway professed no high regardfor boys of any description--with Tess, she felt thankful there werenone "in the family"--she had to admit that the boy who had run awayfrom the circus was proving himself a good friend and companion.
Many of the good times the Corner House girls had enjoyed during thefall and winter just past, would have been impossible without Neale'sassistance. He had been Agnes' and her own faithful cavalier at alltimes and seasons. His secret--that which had borne so heavily upon hisheart--had sometimes made Ruth doubtful of him; but now that the truthwas out, he had only the girl's sympathy and full regard.
"He sha'n't go back!" she told herself, as she hurried around the cornerinto Willow Street. "This horrid circus man shall not take him back. Oh!if Mr. Murphy can only do all that he says he can--"
Her heart had fallen greatly, once she was out from under the magnetismof the old cobbler's glistening eye. Mr. Sorber was such a big,determined, red-faced man! How could the little cobbler overcome such anopponent! He was another David against a monster Goliath.
And so Ruth's former idea returned to her. Neale must be stopped! Hemust be warned before he returned from the drive he had taken into thecountry, and before running right into the arms of his uncle.
This determination she arrived at before she reached the side gate ofthe Old Corner House premises. She called Agnes, and left the twoyounger children to play hostesses and amuse the guest.
"He mustn't suspect--he mustn't know," she whispered to Agnes,hurriedly. "You go one way, Aggie, and I'll go the other. Neale mustreturn by either the Old Ridge Road or Ralph Avenue. Which one will youtake?"
Agnes was just as excited as her older sister. "I'll go up Ral-RalphAvenue, Ru-Ruth!" she gasped. "Oh! It will be dreadful if that awfulSorber takes away our Neale----"
"He sha'n't!" declared the older girl, starting off at once for the OldRidge Road.
They had said nothing to Mrs. MacCall about the coming of Mr.Sorber--not even to tell the good housekeeper of the Old Corner Housethat she would have company at supper. But Mrs. MacCall found that outherself.
Finding Tess and Dot remarkably quiet in the garden, and for a muchlonger time than usual, Mrs. MacCall ventured forth to see what hadhappened to the little girls. She came to the summer-house in time tohear the following remarkable narrative:
"Why, ye see how it was, little ladies, ye see how it was. I saw thefolks in that town didn't like us--not a little bit. Some country folks_don't_ like circus people."
"I wonder why?" asked Tess, breathlessly.
"Don't know, don't know," said Mr. Sorber. "Just born with a nateral_hate_ for us, I guess. Anyway, I seen there was likely to be a bigclem--that's what we say for 'fight' in the show business--and I didn'tget far from the lions--no, ma'am!"
"Were you afraid some of the bad men might hurt your lions, sir?" askedDot, with anxiety.
"You can't never tell what a man that's mad is going to do," admittedthe old showman, seriously. "I wasn't going to take any chances with'em. About a wild animal you can tell. But mad folks are different!
"So I kept near the lion den; and when the row broke out and the roughsfrom the town began to fight our razorbacks--them's our pole- andcanvas-men," explained Mr. Sorber, parenthetically, "I popped me rightinto the cage--yes, ma'am!
"Old Doublepaws and the Rajah was some nervous, and was traveling backand forth before the bars. They was disturbed by the racket. But theyknowed me, and I felt a whole lot safer than I would have outside.
"'The show's a fake!' was what those roughs was crying. 'We want ourmoney back!' But that was a wicked story," added Mr. Sorber, earnestly."We was giving them a _big_ show for their money. We had a sacred cow, awhite elephant, and a Wild Man of Borneo that you couldn't have toldfrom the real thing--he was dumb, poor fellow, and so the sounds he madewhen they prodded him sounded just as wild as wild could be!
"But you can't satisfy _some_ folks," declared Mr. Sorber, warmly. "Andthere those roughs was shouting for their money. As I was telling you, Idoubled, selling tickets and putting the lions through their paces. I'dtaken the cashbox with me when I run for cover at the beginning of thetrouble, and I'd brought it into the lions' cage with me.
"Twomley tried to pacify the gang, but it was no use. They were going totear the big top down. That's the main tent, little ladies.
"So I knocks Old Doublepaws and Rajah aside--they was tame as kittens,but roared awful savage when I hit 'em--and I sings out:
"'Here's your money, ladies and gentlemen. Them that wants theirs backplease enter the cage. One at a time, and no crowding, gents----' Haw!haw! haw!" exploded the showman. "And how many do you suppose of themfarmers come after their money? Not one, little ladies! not one!"
"So the lions saved your money for you?" quoth Tess, agreeably. "That'smost int'resting--isn't it, Dot?"
"I--I wouldn't ever expect them to be so kind from the way they roar,"announced the littlest Corner House girl, honestly. She had a vividremembrance of the big cats that she had seen in the circus the previoussummer.
"They're like folks--to a degree," said Mr. Sorber, soberly. "Some menis all gruff and bluff, but tender at heart. So's--Why, how-d'ye-do,ma'am!" he said, getting up and bowing to Mrs. MacCall, whom he justsaw. "I hope I see you well?"
The housekeeper was rather amazed--as well she might have been; butTess, who had a good, memory, introduced the old showman quite as amatter of course.
"This is Neale's uncle, Mrs. MacCall," she said. "Neale doesn't know heis here yet; but Ruthie has asked him to stay to supper----"
"With your permission, ma'am," said Mr. Sorber, with another flourish ofhis hat.
"Oh, to be sure," agreed the housekeeper.
"And Neale runned away from a circus when he came here," said theround-eyed Dot.
"No!" gasped the housekeeper.
"Yes, Mrs. MacCall," Tess hurried on to say. "And he used to be a clown,and an acrobat, and----"
"And a lion in a Daniel's den!" interposed Dot, afraid that Tess wouldtell it all. "Did you _ever_?"
And Mrs. MacCall was sure she never had!
Meanwhile Ruth and Agnes had run their separate ways. It was Agnes whowas fortunate in meeting the carriage driven by Neale O'Neil. The boywas alone, and the moment he saw the panting girl he drew in his horses.He knew something of moment had happened.
"What's brought you 'way out here, Aggie?" he demanded, turning thewheel so that she might climb in beside him. His passengers had beenleft in the country and he was to drive back for them late in theevening.
"It--it's _you_, Neale!" burst out Agnes, almost crying.
"What's the matter with me?" demanded the boy, in wonder.
"What you've been expecting has happened. Oh dear, Neale! whatever shallwe do? Your Uncle Sorber's come for you."
The boy pulled in his team with a frightened jerk, and for a momentAgnes thought he was going to jump from the carriage. She laid a handupon his arm.
"But we're not going to let him take you away, Neale! Oh, we won't! Ruthsays we must hide you--somewhere. She's gone out the Old Ridge Road tomeet you."
"She'll get lost out that way," said the boy, suddenly. "She's neverbeen over that way, has she?"
"Nev
er mind--Ruth," Agnes said. "It's you we're thinking of----"
"We'll drive around and get Ruth," Neale said, decisively, and he beganto turn the horses.
"Oh, Neale!" groaned Agnes. "What an _awful_ man your uncle must be. Hesays he used to put you in a cage full of lions----"
Neale O'Neil suddenly began to laugh. Agnes looked at him in surprise.For a moment--as she told Ruth afterward--she was afraid that the shockof what she had told him about Mr. Sorber's appearance, had "sort ofturned his brain."
"Why, Neale!" she exclaimed.
"Those poor, old, toothless, mangy beasts," chuckled Neale. "They had tobe poked up half an hour before the crowd came in, or they wouldn't acttheir part at all. And half the time when the crowd thought the lionswere opening their mouths savagely, they were merely yawning."
"Don't!" gasped Agnes. "You'll spoil every menagerie I ever see if youkeep talking that way."
The laugh seemed to bring Neale back to a better mind. He sighed andthen shrugged his shoulders. "We'll find Ruth," he said, withdetermination, "and then drive home. I'll see what Mr. Murphy says, andthen see Mr. Sorber."
"But he's come to take you away, Neale!" cried Agnes.
"What good will it do for me to run? He knows I'm here," said the boy,hopelessly. "It would spoil my chance at school if I hid out somewhere.No; I've got to face him. I might as well do so now."