CHAPTER VII.
BETWEEN THE WAGONS.
Excitement, and a certain reaction which follows all such shocks as theticket man had been subjected to, had brought on a fainting spell. Alittle water soon revived Carter, and he was laid on the blanket fromwhich Matt had gotten up a little while before.
"Now tell me about the robbery," said Burton, "and be quick. Whilewe're wasting time here, the thieves are getting away. I can't affordto let 'em beat me out of the proceeds of the afternoon's show. Who didit, Carter?"
"I don't know, Burton," was the answer.
"Don't know?" repeated the showman blankly. "Can't tell who knocked youdown and lifted the two bags, when it was done in broad day! What areyou givin' us?" he added roughly.
"It's a fact, Burton," persisted Carter. "I was hit from behind andcould not see the man who struck me."
"You've got a cut on your face. How do you account for that if, as yousay, you were struck from behind?"
"The blow I received threw me forward against a wagon wheel. The tirecut my cheek. I dropped flat, and didn't know a thing. When I came tomyself, of course, the money was gone."
"Here's a pretty kettle of fish, and no mistake!" fumed Burton. "Howmuch money did you have, Andy?"
"A little over eighteen hundred dollars."
"Eighteen hundred gone to pot! By Jupiter, I won't stand for that.Can't you think of _some_ clue, Andy? Pull your wits together. It isn'tpossible that a hold-up like that could take place in broad day withoutleaving some clue behind. Think, man!"
"Maybe that new Dutch boy could give you a clue," replied Carter. "He'sa friend of Motor Matt's, isn't he?"
"He's a pard of Matt's," said Burton, casting a significant look at theking of the motor boys. "What makes you think he might give us a clue?Don't hang fire, Andy! Every minute we delay here is only that muchtime lost. Go on--and speak quick."
"I had just left the ticket wagon," pursued Carter, trying to talkhurriedly, "when the Dutchman stepped up to me. He wanted a word inprivate, as he said, and I told him he'd have to wait until some othertime. He said he couldn't wait, and that what he had to tell me wasimportant. I couldn't get away from him, and I agreed to listen towhat he had to say providing he didn't delay me more than two or threeminutes. With that, he led me around back of the "circus top" and inbetween two canvas wagons. That's when I got struck from behind."
Motor Matt listened to this in blank amazement. Boss Burton swore underhis breath.
"It's a cinch the Dutchman had a hand in the robbery," the showmandeclared. "He lured Andy in between the wagons, and it was there thatsome of the Dutchman's confederates knocked Andy down and lifted thebags. If we can lay hands on this Carl, we'll have one of the thieves."
"Don't be too sure of that," interposed Matt. "Carl Pretzel never did adishonest thing in his life, and I'm sure he can explain this."
"Don't let your regard for the Dutchman blind you to what's happened,Matt," warned the showman. "The only thing he asked Andy to go inbetween the wagons for was so that the dastardly work would be screenedfrom the eyes of people around the grounds." He turned away, adding:"We'll have to hunt for Carl--and it will be a hunt, I'll be bound.Unless I miss my guess, he and his confederates are a good ways fromhere with that eighteen hundred dollars."
Burton ran toward the tent door, followed by Matt. Before either ofthem could pass out, Carl and McGlory stepped through and stood facingthem.
Carl had a red cotton handkerchief tied round the back of his head.
"Here he is, by thunder!" cried the surprised Burton.
"So, you see," spoke up Matt, "he didn't run away, after all."
"It's some kind of a bluff he's working," went on Burton doggedly. "Iwant you," he added, and dropped a heavy hand on Carl's shoulder.
"For vy iss dot?" inquired Carl.
"What do you want the boy for?" said McGlory.
"He helped steal eighteen hundred dollars the ticket man was bringingover here for me to take to the bank," said Burton; "that's what I wanthim for."
"Iss he grazy?" gasped Carl, falling weakly against McGlory. "Vat dit Ido mit der money oof I took it, hey? Und ven dit I take it, und vere itvas? By shinks," and Carl rubbed a hand over his bandaged head, "I'mdoing t'ings vat I don'd know nodding aboudt. Somepody blease tell mevat I peen oop to."
"Don't you get gay," growled Burton. "It won't help your case any."
"Give me the straight o' this," demanded McGlory.
Burton stepped back and waved a hand in the direction of Andy Carter.
"Look at Andy!" he exclaimed. "He's been beaten up and robbed of twobags of money that he was bringing here. The Dutchman lured him inbetween a couple of canvas wagons, and that's where the job was pulledoff."
"Speak to me about this!" murmured the dazed McGlory. "What about it,Matt?" he added.
Matt did not answer, but stepped over to Carl.
"Why did you ask Carter to step in between the wagons, Carl?" the youngmotorist asked.
"Pecause I vanted to shpeak mit him alone by himseluf," answered Carl."Vat's der odds aboudt der tifference, anyvay?"
"What did you want to speak with him about?"
"Vell, I don'd like blaying der pancho for dot Zulu feller. I dit idvonce, und den fired meinseluf. Vat I vant iss somet'ing light undconshenial--hantling money vould aboudt suit me, I bed you. Dot's vatI vanted to see der ticket feller aboudt. I vanted to ask him vould heblease gif me some chob in der ticket wagon, und I took him off vereve could haf some gonversations alone. Dot's all aboudt it, und oof Ishtole some money, vere it iss, und vy don'd I got it? Tell me dot!"
"That's a raw bluff you're putting up," scowled Burton. "You'renobody's fool, even if you do try to make people think so."
"I ain't your fool, neider," cried Carl, warming up. "You can't makesome monkey-doodle pitzness oudt oof me. You may own der show und be apig feller, aber I got some money meinseluf oof it efer geds here fromInchia, so for vy should I vant to svipe your money, hey?"
"What happened between the wagons, Carl?" went on Matt. "Just keep yourideas to yourself, Burton," he added, "and don't accuse Carl until hehas a chance to give his side of the story. Did you see the man whoknocked Carter down?"
"I don'd see nodding," said Carl.
"Do you mean to say," asked Carter, rising up on the blanket, "that Iwasn't knocked down?"
"I don'd know vedder or nod you vas knocked down. How could I tell dot?"
"You were there with Carter--there between the wagons," cried Burtonangrily. "Why shouldn't you have seen what happened?"
"Look here vonce."
Carl pulled off his cap and bent his head.
"Feel dere," he went on, touching the back of his head. "Be careful mityour feelings, oof you blease, und tell me vat you findt."
"A lump," said Matt.
"Ouch!" whimpered Carl. "It vas so sore as I can't tell. My headt feelslike a parrel, und hurts all ofer. Dot's der reason I ditn't see vathabbened. I vas knocked down meinseluf, und it must haf peen aboudt dersame time der dicket feller keeled ofer."
"There you have it, Burton," said Matt, facing the showman. "Carlwanted a job in the ticket wagon, and thought he might get it bytalking with Andy Carter. When they got in between the wagons they wereboth knocked down."
"Rot!" ground out Burton. "Why didn't Carter see the Dutchman when hecame to? Or why didn't the Dutchman see Carter, if he got back his witsfirst?"
"Carl was looking for Carter when I met up with him," put in McGlory.
"The Dutchman wasn't near the wagons when I recovered my senses," camefrom the ticket man.
"Und I don'd know vedder you vas dere or nod, Carter," explained Carl."Ven I got to know vere I vas at, I foundt meinseluf vanderin' aroundmit a sore headt. But I tell you somet'ing, Burton. I peen a tedectif,und a fine vone. How mooch you gif me oof I findt der t'ieves undrecofer der money? Huh?"
"I believe you know where that money is, all right," declared theshowman, "and if you think I'm going to pay you somet
hing for giving itback, you're wrong. If you want to save yourself trouble, you'll handover the funds."
"You talk like you vas pug-house!" said Carl. "I ain't got der money."
"Who helped you steal it?"
"Nopody! I ditn't know it vos shtole ondil you shpeak aboudt it."
"Stop that line of talk, Burton," put in Matt. "Carl's story isstraight, and it satisfies me."
"How much money did the Dutchman have when he came here this morning?"asked Burton.
"T'irty cents," replied Carl. "Modor Matt paid my railroadt fare fromLafayette to Chackson."
"Search him, McGlory," ordered Burton. "Let's see if he has anythingabout his clothes that will prove his guilt."
Carl began to laugh.
"What's the joke?" snorted Burton.
"Vy," was the answer, "to t'ink I haf eighdeen huntert tollars aboudtme und don't know dot. Go on mit der search, McGlory."
Carl lifted his hands above his head, and the cowboy began pushing hishands into Carl's pockets. In the second pocket he examined he foundsomething which he pulled out and held up for the observation of all.It was a canvas sack, lettered in black, "Burton's Big ConsolidatedShows."
"One of the bags that held the money!" exclaimed Carter.
"I told you so!" whooped Burton.
Matt and McGlory were astounded. And so was Carl--so dumfounded that hewas speechless.