CHAPTER XV.
MEETING THE HINDOO.
Andy Carter, as it turned out, was playing his part in good faith.Perhaps he reasoned that he had been sufficiently treacherous, and thatthe very least he could do was to wind up a bad business on the square.
The basket, removed by him from the canvas wagon to prevent the Hindoofrom making off with it, had been carried to a clump of bushes not farfrom the railroad tracks, on the north side of the show grounds, andcovered with a pile of broken sticks and other refuse.
Men were already pulling down some of the auxiliary tents and loadingthem into wagons and driving the wagons to the waiting train. Theelephants and nearly all the animal cages had been loaded, while theband wagons and the "chariots" had been stowed in their cars late inthe afternoon.
"I suppose you're through with me, now?" inquired Carter, after Burtonhad secured the basket.
"I will be," said Burton, "as soon as I make sure that all the money ishere."
"You'll be too late to catch the Hindoo," demurred Carter, "if youinsist on going back to the wagon and counting over all that stuff."
"Then we'll lay the Hindoo by the heels before we count it. You can gowith us, Carter. It'll do you good to see the fellow caught."
"He'll kill me!" declared Carter, drawing back.
"I guess he won't. There are too many of us for him to cut up veryrough."
"If he sees all of us coming across the grounds, he'll suspectsomething and sheer off."
"There's sense in that, all right," remarked Burton. "On the whole, Ibelieve I'll change my plans."
Burton stopped one of the wagons that was moving toward the train.
"Where's Harris?" he asked of the driver of the wagon.
"He's comin' right behind me," was the answer.
Harris was Burton's brother-in-law, and had always been in theshowman's confidence. He was riding on a pile of tent poles, holding acouple of trunks on the load.
"Harris," called Burton, "I want you to take this basket down to thetrain for me. Don't let it get out of your hands."
"Another snake in it, Burton?" queried Harris, as he reached down forthe basket.
"Well," answered Burton, "I wouldn't look into it to find out. Mindwhat I say and don't let the basket get away from you."
Having been reassured on this point by Harris, Burton, Matt, McGlory,and Carter moved on. Picking up two men at the dismantled animal tent,Burton turned Carter over to them.
"Andy has resigned," the showman explained dryly to the men, "and hewants to go to the train after his trunk. You men go with him, and keephold of him all the time. Understand? See that he don't take anythingbut what belongs to him."
Carter was none too well liked among the show people, and the two menagreed cheerfully to look after him.
"Now," said Burton, as he walked off with Matt and McGlory, "we're inshape to meet the Hindoo. I don't know what I can do with the scoundrelafter I get my hands on him. If he is put in jail here, I'll have tocome back myself, or send somebody else, to make out a case againsthim. That wouldn't do--it would only cause extra expense and a loss oftime. I guess we'll tie him up and take him along with us on sectiontwo of the train."
"Dhondaram ought to be made pay for what he has done," said Matt."I think you ought to go to a little inconvenience, Burton, in theinterests of law and order."
"The inconveniences may be more than you think, Matt. Suppose you wouldhave to come back here to testify against the Hindoo? That would meanno a?roplane work for two or three days. I couldn't stand for that."
By that time, the three were close to the south side of the grounds.There were scattered clumps of bushes, here, and a few trees.
"We'd better hang back, Matt," whispered Burton, "while you go on anddo the whistling. We'll be near enough to help you when Dhondaram showshimself. If he's too ugly, I'll use the revolver."
"He's got a bowie, Matt," cautioned McGlory. "Don't let him get a hackat you with it. He could help out Ben Ali's scheme of vengeance a gooddeal handier with the knife than with the cobra."
Matt stepped on ahead of Burton and McGlory, and began to whistlesoftly. He had not gone twenty feet before the whistle was answered anda dark figure stepped shadowily from behind some bushes.
"Carter Sahib!" came a low call.
"Dhondaram?" returned Matt.
"Here!" came the eager answer. "Have you brought the basket, sahib?"
"You know why I was to meet you," replied Matt, ignoring the question.
He disguised his voice as well as he could, and the low tone in whichhe spoke served still further to hide his identity.
The Hindoo could see that Matt was not carrying anything, and evidentlyhis distrust was aroused.
"The sahib is fooling me!" he exclaimed. "You have not brought with youthe basket. Part of the money is mine."
Matt had supposed that the Hindoo would run, as soon as he detected thetrick. But he did not. On the contrary, he bounded straight at Matt andcaught him by the shoulders.
"I want you, Dhondaram!" cried Matt, dropping his attempts atconcealment. "You're a prisoner!"
Matt was strong, but the Hindoo was as slippery as an eel. With hisarms about him, Matt tried to hold the villain, and in a measuresucceeded. Dhondaram, however, heard the running feet and the voices ofBurton and McGlory and redoubled his desperate efforts to escape.
He broke from Matt's arms, but Matt caught his left wrist and clung toit like a leech. With his right hand the Hindoo jerked his knife fromhis sash and made a vicious lunge with it.
Matt avoided the lunge, and before the attack could be repeated theshowman and the cowboy had reached the scene.
Then, even with all three of them against him, Dhondaram made adesperate resistance. But numbers prevailed, and the rascallyscoundrel's hands were bound at his back by means of his turban, whichwas opened out and twisted into a makeshift rope.
"He's a fighter, and no mistake," panted Burton, as he held theprisoner by one arm while McGlory took the other. "No more nonsense,Dhondaram," the showman threatened, flashing the weapon in front of hiseyes. "You see what I've got? Well, look out that I don't use it."
The six-shooter, dimly visible in the gloom, had a quieting effect onthe Hindoo.
"Don't shoot, sahib," he begged. "I go where you want."
"That's better," said Burton. "Trot along, and we'll soon be wherewe're going."
Their destination was the train, and they presently had Dhondaramin the sleeping car attached to section two. Very few of the showpeople had arrived, as yet, and an attempt was made to get a littleinformation out of the prisoner.
But the Hindoo would not talk. In response to every question put tohim, he shook his head and held his tongue.
"He'll talk with us in the morning," said Burton confidently. "Just tiehis feet, boys, and leave him here. I've got to go back to the ticketwagon."
Matt and McGlory made the prisoner's feet secure, and a tap on thewindow called Matt's attention. Thinking it might be Burton, wishing togive him a private message, Matt left the car.
It was not Burton, but Carter and the two men set to watch him. Carterwanted his hat and coat.
While Matt was returning the borrowed garments, Carl and Ping camealong, talking amiably with each other. Matt sent them into the car tolook after the Hindoo, and also to tell McGlory to come out and helpprepare the a?roplane for loading.
"I don't know, pard," said McGlory, as he and Matt made their wayhastily to the place where the _Comet_ had been left, "but I reckon themotor boys have got a little the best of this ruction that Dhondaramkicked up. Burton has recovered the stolen money, Carter has beenfired, and Dhondaram is a prisoner. Luck's on our side after all, eh?"
"That's the way it looks," answered Matt.