CHAPTER XIII THE CIRCUS, AND A MONKEY
The chariot race soon came to an end, and the cadets passed into themenagerie tent once more. Here there was considerable excitement. Byaccident the monkeys had opened the door to their big wagon cage, andfully a dozen of the little creatures were missing. One monkey hadclimbed into a cage containing two lions, and the kings of the forest hadmade a meal of the wanderer in double-quick order.
"Here's fun truly," said Pepper. "Wish I could catch one of the littlebeggars!"
"You'd have your hands full, if Mr. Monk was of the biting kind,"returned Dale.
They watched the circus employees trying to catch two of the monkeys, andthen passed outside. One of the monkeys had climbed clear to the top ofthe flagpole on the circus tent and a crowd of children were watching himwith keen delight.
"He's the king-pin acrobat of the show!" cried Jack. "I don't believeanybody will dare go after him," and so it proved. But the monkey sooncame down when shown some peanuts, and was then placed back in his cage.
"He didn't know what to do with his liberty after he got it," was Andy'scomment. "It's a wonder he didn't take to the woods."
"More than likely he was born in captivity and didn't know what libertymeant," came from Joe Nelson. "I knew some folks who had a tame canary.For an experiment they took the bird to the woods and opened the cagewide. Close by the cage was a brook, and by the side of this they put thecanary's bath tub full of water. Would you believe it, the canary alwayscame back to his cage to roost, and instead of dipping himself in thebrook, took his bath in his old tub!"
"Which showed what habit would do," said another pupil. "He didn't knowanything different."
The boys were soon in the stage, and Pepper took his seat on the rearstep, the stage itself being crowded.
"Don't fall off, Master Ditmore," said George Strong.
"No fear, you can't lose me so easily," replied the fun-loving youth, andsaid this so merrily that everybody had to laugh.
The stage was going along at a good gait when Pepper happened to lookunder the turnout and saw a sight that made him open his mouth wide inastonishment. There, on the bar running from the front to the back axle,sat a little monkey, gazing around in wonder, with his face screwed upinto a curious pucker.
"Well, I declare!" murmured Pepper to himself. "Have you been hidingthere ever since we left the circus grounds?"
As soon as the monkey saw that he was discovered, he gave a littlesqueak, and hopped a few inches away. Then he looked at Pepper in addedcuriosity, as much as to say: "What do you want to do with me?"
"You're a cute little chap," thought the cadet. And then of a sudden hebroke into a grin. What fun might be had if he could capture that monkey!
"I'll do it," he told himself, and feeling into his pocket, he broughtout a few peanuts. As soon as the monkey saw these he came closer,snatched one of the nuts, and proceeded to crack it open.
"Don't you want to come into the stage, Pep?" called out Andy. "We'llmake room for you."
"Oh, I can stay here," was the answer. "It's like a private seat, youknow." And then, when he got the chance, he whispered: "I've got a reasonfor remaining here, but keep mum!"
"What's doing?"
"I'll tell you afterwards."
On and on rattled the stage, the boys singing and tooting their horns topass the time. The monkey did not appear to mind the noise, and evidentlyenjoyed the ride. Luckily a slight shower the night before had laid thedust, otherwise both Pepper and the monkey might have been smothered.
At last they came in sight of the Putnam Hall grounds, and then Pepperrealized that something must be done. He held out some more peanuts, andwhen the monkey reached for them, he caught the animal and held him fast,pushing him inside his jacket. Then Pepper knocked off his own cap intothe road.
"Hi! there goes my cap!" he called out, and leaped to the ground. "Don'twait for me," he added. "I'll walk the rest of the way."
"Pep has lost his cap!" cried several.
"Never mind, it's only a step to walk," came from some others.
"I'm going to walk in with him," said Andy, and leaped to the ground,followed by Jack. As the three were known to be chums, nothing wasthought of this, and in a moment the stage disappeared around a bend.
At first Pepper had his hands full holding the monkey, and he was afraidhe was going to be bitten. But as Jack and Andy came up the creaturequieted down.
"Well, I declare!" ejaculated the young major. "Where did you get themonk?"
"He was on the stage," explained Pepper. "Say, help me make him aprisoner, will you?"
"Sure," came from the others, and soon the monkey had a cord tied aroundhis waist. As this was nothing new to him, he submitted without muchtrouble, and when given half a dozen more peanuts and a bit of candy Andycarried, seemed quite content.
"What are you going to do with him?" questioned Jack.
"Introduce him to old Crabtree," was Pepper's answer.
"Just the thing!" ejaculated Andy. "Let's put him in Crabtree's roomto-night!"
"That's what I was thinking, Andy."
"There will be some fun when the monk begins to roam around."
After some talk, the boys decided to enter the school by the back way.Jack went ahead to see that the coast was clear, and soon they had theanimal safe in dormitory No. 4, over which the youthful major presided.Then Andy found an empty bird cage in the storeroom of the Hall, and hismonkeyship was transferred to this.
The evening was a long one to the boys, but it finally came to an end,and they retired. Then, when all the lights were out, Pepper and Andystole through the darkened hallways to the door of Josiah Crabtree'sroom. Listening intently, they heard the first assistant teacher snoringpeacefully on his bed.
"Is the door unlocked?" questioned Andy.
"Yes."
No more was said, and Pepper hurried back for the bird cage containingthe monkey, and also for an old school-book he had brought up from below.
Opening the door with caution, they took the monkey from the cage andplaced him at the foot of Josiah Crabtree's bed. Then they hurried to thedoorway once more, and went outside.
"Wait!" whispered Pepper, and taking aim, he sent the book flying atJosiah Crabtree. Then the chums scampered for their dormitory with mightand main.
The book landed on Josiah Crabtree's somewhat bald head, and he awokewith a start and sat up.
"What in the world was that?" he muttered. "Is the ceiling falling down?"
He stared around him. The moon was coming up, and it cast considerablelight into the apartment. He saw a dark object moving around.
"Hi! What's that?" he called out. "Scat!"
Thinking it might be a cat, he made a wild pass at the monkey. At oncethe frisky animal caught him by the finger and gave him a nip.
"Oh, oh!" roared the teacher. "He has bitten me! Take him off! Help!Robbers! Help!" And he flung the bedclothes aside and began to dancearound.
At the excitement of the man the monkey also became excited, and leapedupon the top of a bookcase in a corner, which contained some volumesbelonging to the teacher. Down came a bust on the bookcase with a crash.Then the monkey took up a book and flung it at the man.
"Stop! stop!" roared Josiah Crabtree. "Don't! Help! There is a wild beastin the room!" And he ran around, with the monkey following. Presently theanimal leaped on his shoulder, and then Josiah Crabtree let out a yell asif a dozen wild Zulus were on his track.
The noise aroused the whole school. Doors were flung open, and teachers,hired help, and cadets came forth into the hallways.
"What's the trouble?"
"Is there a fire?"
"I heard somebody say robbers!"
"It's Mr. Crabtree!" shouted Pepper. "Somebody must be trying to rob him.Come on, let us catch the thief!" And on the instant the cadets stormedforward, towards the teacher's apartment, and George Strong and CaptainPutnam followed.
"Oh, dea
r! Scat, I tell you! Let me alone. Don't pull my hair! Oh, willsomebody take him away!" came from the room. "This is simply awful! Whoput this beast here?" and so the cries ran on.
"Something is surely wrong," cried Captain Putnam. "Stand back, younggentlemen, or you may get hurt."
He flung open the doorway, and as he did so, Josiah Crabtree, robed inhis nightdress, leaped out, with the monkey on his shoulder.
"Have you gone crazy?" asked Captain Putnam. And then he added: "Wheredid that monkey come from?"
"How should I know?" roared Josiah Crabtree. "Take him off! He'll have myhair out by the roots!"
"What a pretty monkey!" cried Pepper. "Is he your pet, Mr. Crabtree?"
"My pet? Never! Take him away!" And the teacher continued to dancearound.
Several darted in to secure the monkey, but like a flash the animalleaped to a fixture suspended from the ceiling, and then swung himself toa hall window and slipped outside.
"He has gone!"
"Let us catch him!"
"Whose monkey is it?"
"He must have come over from the circus," said Jack. "They said a lot ofthem had gotten away."
"I'll sue the circus proprietor for this!" howled Josiah Crabtree. "It'san outrage on the public. Oh, my poor head!" And he ran back into hisroom, banging the door behind him.
"Has the monkey gone?" asked Captain Putnam.
"Went through the window," answered Joe Nelson.
They looked out of the window, but could see nothing of the animal. Thensome went below, but the monkey had disappeared. He was captured in themorning and returned to the circus by Snuggers.
"Young gentlemen, you may retire," said Captain Putnam, and one afteranother the cadets did so. Safe in Dormitory No. 4, Pepper told his wholestory, and the boys had a laugh that lasted for a long time.
"Old Crabtree won't get over that right away," said Andy. "What a sighthe did cut, with Mr. Monk on his shoulder pulling his hair!"
"Mum's the word about this," came from Pepper. "If he found me out he'dbe mad enough to chew my head off."
"Well, we are not telling on you," came from one of the others. "We areglad you fixed old Crabtree. He deserves it."