CHAPTER VII
TRYING THE CULPRIT
"Stop him!" howled Larry, as he, followed by half a dozenblue-shirted fellows, bolted into the arena in pursuit of the ladwho had emptied the pail of muddy water over him.
Teddy, still clinging to the pail, was sprinting down theconcourse as if his very life depended upon it. A canvasman,hearing Larry's call, and suspecting the boy was wanted forsomething quite serious, rushed out, heading Teddy off.It looked as if the lad were to be captured right here.
But Teddy Tucker was not yet at the end of his resources. He ranstraight on as if he had not observed the canvasman. Just as hereached the man, and the latter's hands were stretched out tointercept him, Teddy hurled the pail full in the fellow's face.Then the lad darted to one side and fled toward the paddock.
The canvasman had joined the procession by this time. Into thedressing tent burst the boy, followed by Larry, the others havingbrought up sharply just before reaching the dressing room,knowing full well that they had no business there and thattheir presence would be quickly and effectively resented.Larry, consumed with rage, did not stop to think about this,so he dashed on blindly to his fate.
At first the circus performers in the dressing tent could notimagine what was going on. Clotheslines came down, propertieswere upset and in a moment the tent was in confusion.
"Stop that!" bellowed an irate performer.
Larry gave no heed to the command, and Teddy was in too big ahurry to stop to explain.
Suddenly Phil Forrest, realizing that his little companion was indanger, gave a leap. He landed on Larry's back, pinioning thefellow's arms to his sides.
"You stop that now! You let him alone!" commanded Phil.
Before the canvasman could make an effort to free himself,Mr. Miaco, the head clown, took a hand in the proceedings.Throwing Phil from the tentman, Miaco jerked Larry about,and demanded to know what he meant by intruding on the privacyof the dressing tent in that manner.
"I want that kid," he growled.
"Put him out!" howled a voice.
"What do you want him for?"
"He--he dumped a pail of water over me. I'll get even with him.I'll--"
"How about this, Master Teddy?" questioned Mr. Miaco.
Teddy explained briefly how the fellow Larry and a companionhad ducked him under the water tank, and had ruined his clothes,together with causing him to miss his train.
"This demands investigation," decided Mr. Miaco gravely."Fellows, it is evident that we had better try this man.That is the best way to dispose of his case."
"Yes, yes; try him!" they shouted.
"Whom shall we have for judge?"
"Oscar, the midget!"
The Smallest Man on Earth was quickly boosted to the top of aproperty box.
"Vot iss?" questioned the midget, his wizened, yellow little facewrinkling into a questioning smile.
"We are going to try this fellow, Larry, and you are to bethe judge."
"Yah," agreed Oscar, after which he subsided, listening to theproceedings that followed, with grave, expressionless eyes.It is doubtful if Oscar understood what it was all about, but hisgravity and judicial manner sent the whole dressing tent into anuproar of merriment.
After the evidence was all in, the entire company taking part intestifying, amid much merriment--for the performers entered intothe spirit of the trial like a lot of schoolboys--Oscar was askedto decide what should be done with the prisoner Larry.
Oscar was at a loss to know how to answer.
"Duck him," suggested one.
This was an inspiration to Oscar. He smiled broadly.
"Yah, dat iss."
"What iss?" demanded the Tallest Man On Earth. "TalkUnited States."
"Yah," agreed Oscar, smiling seraphically. "Duck um."
"Larry, it is the verdict of this court that you be ducked,as the only fitting punishment for one who has committed thecrime of laying hands on a Circus Boy. Are we all agreed on thepunishment meted out by the dignified judge?"
"Yes, yes!" they shouted. "The rain barrel for him."
"Men, do your duty!" cried Mr. Miaco.
"I wouldn't do that," interposed Phil. "You haven't any moreright to duck him than he had to put Teddy under the water tank.It isn't right."
But they gave no heed to his protests. Willing handsgrabbed the red-headed tentman, whose kicks and strugglesavailed him nothing. Raising him over the barrel of waterthey soused him in head first, ducking him again and again.
"Take him out. You'll drown him," begged Phil.
Then they hauled Larry out, shaking the water out of him.As soon as his coughing ceased, he threatened dire vengeanceagainst his assailants.
Four performers then carried their victim to the opening of thedressing tent and threw him out bodily.
Instantly Larry's companions saw him fall at their feet, andheard his angry explanation of the indignities that had beenheaped upon him. There was a lively scrambling over the ground,and the next instant a volley of stones was hurled into thedressing tent.
Phil was just coming out on his way to the main entrance as therow began. A stone just grazed his cheek. Without giving theleast heed to the assailants, he turned to cross the paddock inorder to slip out under the tent and go on about his business.Most lads would have run under the circumstances. Not so Phil.His were steady nerves.
"There he is! Grab him!" shouted Larry, catching sight of Philand charging that Phil had been one of those who had helpedduck him.
Such was not the case, however, for instead of having taken partin the ducking, Phil Forrest had tried to prevent it.
Larry and another man were running toward him. The lad halted,turned and faced them.
"What do you want of me?" he demanded.
"I'll show you what I want of you. You started this row."
"I did nothing of the sort, sir. You go on about your businessand I shall do the same, whether you do or not."
Phil raised the canvas and stepped out. But no sooner had hegotten out into the lot than the two men burst through theflapping side wall.
The boy saw them coming and knew that he was face to facewith trouble.
He adopted a ruse, knowing full well that he could not hopeto cope with the brawny canvasmen single handed and alone.Starting off on a run, Phil was followed instantly, as he feltsure he would be, but managing to keep just ahead of the men andno more.
"I've got you!"
The voice was almost at his ear.
Phil halted with unexpected suddenness and dropped on all fours.
The canvasman was too close to check his own speed. He fell overPhil, landing on his head and shoulders in the dirt.
The lad was up like a flash. Larry was close upon him now, andwith a snarl of rage launched a blow full at Phil Forrest's face.But he had not reckoned on the lad's agility, nor did he knowthat Phil was a trained athlete. Therefore, Larry's surprise wasgreat when his fist beat the empty air.
Thrown off his balance, Larry measured his length on the ground.
"I advise you to let me alone," warned Phil coolly, as thetentman was scrambling to his feet. Already Larry's companionhad gotten up and was gazing at Phil in a half dazed sort of way.
"Get hold of him, Bad Eye! What are you standing there like adummy for? He'll run in a minute."
Phil's better judgment told him to do that very thing, but hecould not bring himself to run from danger. Much as he dislikeda row, he was too plucky and courageous to run from danger.
Bad Eye was rushing at him, his eyes blazing with anger.
Phil side-stepped easily, avoiding his antagonist without theleast difficulty. But now he had to reckon with Larry, who,by this time, had gotten to his feet.
It was two to one.
"Stand back unless you want to get hurt!" cried Phil, with awarning glint in his eyes.
Larry, by way of answer, struck viciously at him. Phil, with aglance about him, saw that he could not expect help, for ther
ewas no one in sight, the performers being engaged at that momentin driving off the angry laborers, which they were succeeding indoing with no great effort on their part.
The lad cleverly dodged the blow. But instead of backing awayas the canvasman's fist barely grazed his cheek, Phil, with ashort arm jolt, caught his adversary on the point of his chin.Larry instantly lost all desire for fight. He sat down on thehard ground with a bump.
Now Bad Eye rushed in. Again Phil sidestepped, and, thrusting afoot between the fellow's legs, tripped him neatly.
Half a dozen men came running from the paddock. They were thefellows whom the performers had put to rout. At that moment thebugle blew for all hands to prepare for the parade.
"I guess I have done about enough for one day," decided Phil."And for a sick man it wasn't a half bad job."
With an amused glance at his fallen adversaries Phil ran to thebig top, less than a rod away, and, lifting the sidewall, slippedunder and disappeared within.