CHAPTER XV
OUTWITTING THE PURSUERS
"Oh, if only I had a faster horse!" Forrest breathed. "I amafraid this old ring horse never will be able to get awayfrom them."
Phil was urging the animal with voice and whip, but it wasdifficult to get the animal into a faster pace than his regularring gait--the gait that he had been following for many years.This was scarcely faster than a man could trot.
Phil espied a pole wagon partially loaded, just ahead of him.At sight of it a sudden idea occurred to him. He acted at once.
Riding close to the wagon the lad slipped off and, giving thehorse a sharp blow with the whip over one hip, Phil ducked underthe wagon.
The ring horse galloped on a few rods and then stopped.
"I guess it's time I was getting away from here," decidedthe lad. "I'll be caught sure, if I do not hurry."
The lot was in an uproar. Men were running this way and that,and above the din could be heard the voice of the owner, roaringout orders.
Phil, being still in his pink tights, was a conspicuous figure.He knew that if a ray from a torch should chance to rest on himfor a moment, they would discover him at once.
Running in a crouching position the boy made for the further sideof the lot, where he hoped to get far enough away so that hecould straighten up and make better time.
He did finally reach a safe place, and climbing a board fence,dropped on the other side and lay down to await developments.These were not long coming. All at once he discovered half adozen men running directly toward him. Whether they had caughtsight of him or not, he did not know. He did know that it wastime to leave.
Phil left. Springing up, he fairly flew over the ground.
The men caught sight of him, as he realized when one of themuttered a yell. But Phil was a faster runner than any of themand in a few minutes, darting this way and that, and finallydoubling on his tracks in a wide circle, he succeeded inoutwitting them.
"The question is, what am I going to do now?" he asked himself,pausing abruptly. "In this rig I don't dare go into the town, orthey will nab me on some trumped up charge and then I shall beworse off. Now I am free, even if I haven't got much on me inthe way of clothing. I might as well not have anything so far askeeping warm is concerned." Phil shivered, for the night wascool and a heavy dew falling.
"I know what I'll do. I'll slip back to the lot and perhaps Ishall be able to find something to put on. There's usuallyplenty of coats lying about on the wagons."
Now that the uproar had ceased Phil crept back toward the circuslot, lying down in the grass whenever he heard a sound near himand peering into the darkness.
At the risk of being discovered he crawled up to a wagon, climbedaboard and searched it diligently for clothes. He found none.Keenly disappointed, Phil made his way to the pole wagon underwhich he had taken refuge in his first effort at getting away.This, he found, was loaded ready to be taken to the train.At any moment, now, a team might be hitched to it.
"I guess I'll have to hurry!" muttered the lad. Phil's knowledgeof circus affairs stood him in good stead now.
To the boy's delight, he found a bundle in which were a coat anda pair of overalls, rolled up and stowed under the driver's seat.
"Fine!" chuckled Phil. "It's a good deal like stealing, but Ihave to have them and I'll send the fellow a new pair if ever Iget back to my own show. He'll be mad in the morning when hegoes to get his clothes. I wish I had a hat and pair of shoes.But I guess I ought to be thankful for what I already have."
Saying this, Phil dropped from the wagon and quickly got intothe clothes. They were old and dirty, but he did not mind that.They were clothes and they would cover his conspicuous ringcostume, which was the most important thing for him to considerat the present moment.
"Now, I'll buy a ticket and get started for Corinto," he decided.
Phil reached under the neck of his shirt for his little bagof money.
"Oh, pshaw! I've lost it. Let me see, did I put my money inthere before I entered the ring?"
For the life of him he was unable to say whether he had done so,or whether his money was still in his clothes back in thedressing tent.
"Well, I shall never see that money again, I am thinking. If Ileft it in my clothes it is gone by this time, and if I didn't itis gone anyway," was his logical conclusion.
The first thing to be done now was to get off the lot, whichPhil did as quickly as possible. Clad in the soiled, well-worngarments with his coat buttoned tightly about his neck, the ladattracted no special attention. Getting well away from thecircus grounds, he halted to consider what his next moveshould he.
"I guess I'll go over to the station and get some information,"he decided. This he did, but the lights looked so bright in thestation that he did not consider it prudent to enter. So Philwaited about until he saw one of the railroad switchmen coming infrom the yards.
"How far is it to Corinto, please?" he asked.
"Fifty miles."
"Whew! So far as that?"
"Yes. Belong to the show?"
"Well, not exactly. I'm with them, but I can't say that I belongto the outfit, and I'm glad I don't."
"Should think you would be glad," growled the switchman, whoevidently held the Sully combination in no high regard.
"Which way do the trains go for Corinto?"
"That way. That track runs right through without a break.It's a single track road all the way."
"Thank you."
"Going to hit the ties?"
"I'm likely to before I get there," laughed Phil, again thankinghis informant and starting away, for he saw some peopleapproaching whom he thought belonged to the show.
Leaning up against a freight car the lad considered what he hadbetter do. At first he was inclined to try to steal a ride onthe circus train, but after thinking the matter over he concludedthat this would be dangerous.
"If they catch me again they surely will handle me prettyroughly, and they may throw me off the train. A few knocks moreor less might not make much difference, but I am not anxious tobe thrown from a rapidly moving circus train. I guess I'll walk.Let me see, tomorrow will be Sunday, and it is fifty milesto Corinto. I should be able to make the town by tomorrownight sometime. Yes, I'll try it."
Having formed this resolve, Phil started manfully off for hislong walk to Corinto. He did not stop to consider that he wouldbe hungry before he got there.
He left the yards, for these were now full of employees busilyengaged in loading the cars. Off near the outskirts of the townhe turned back to the tracks.
For two hours he plodded along cheerfully, but by this time therough traveling over the ties so hurt his feet, clad as they werein light slippers, that he could scarcely walk. Phil took offthe slippers and trotted about in the damp grass at the side ofthe railroad track, until getting some relief, then startedon again.
An hour later the first of the circus trains thundered by him.He could see the dim lights in the sleepers, and now and thenhe made out the figure of a man stretched out under a cage ona flat car.
"Anyway, I would rather be walking than locked up in that narrowlinen closet," decided the Circus Boy philosophically, once moretaking up his weary journey.
At sunrise Phil found that he was too tired to go much furtherwithout taking a rest, so, as soon as he found a wooded place,he climbed a fence and lay down in the shade of the trees, wherehe quickly went to sleep.
The afternoon was well along when finally he awakened, sore andstiff in every joint.
"If I should try to ride a bareback horse now I should falloff for sure," he moaned, rubbing his lame spots vigorously."My, but I am hungry! I wonder how far I am from Corinto?"
A mile post a little further along told him that he had coveredjust twenty miles of his journey. He still had thirty miles togo--a long distance for one in his condition.
All during the rest of the day Phil was obliged to takefrequent rests. Whenever he came to a stream he
would haltand thrusting his feet into the cooling water, keep them therefor some time. This helped him considerably, for his feetwere swollen and feverish. The sun beating down on his headmade him dizzy and faint, which was made the more disturbingbecause of his empty stomach.
He managed, just before sunset, to get a sandwich at a farmhouse,though he was looked upon with suspicion by the housewife whogave him the food. Phil offered to do something to pay for theslender meal, but the woman refused and bade him be on his way.
"I don't blame her. I must be a tough looking customer," grinnedthe boy, again climbing the fence and starting along the track.He fought shy of villages during daylight, fearing that he mightbe arrested for vagrancy and locked up. That would defeathis plans.
"I simply must get to Corinto and warn Mr. Sparling," he gritted."He doesn't know the plans these people have to harm him. If itwere not for that I wouldn't try to go any further today.I could get somebody to help me out for a day or so, until Icould write to Mr. Sparling."
Now and then he met a tramp or two, but none that he thoughtlooked any more disreputable than he himself did. He passed thetime of day pleasantly, with such, and continued on his way.
Late in the evening he once more lay down for a rest. But Phildid not permit himself to sleep long. He feared he should notbe able to wake up until morning if he did, and then he neverwould reach the show town in time to warn Mr. Sparling of theimpending danger.
At daylight he was still ten miles from his destination.
"I must make it. I shall make it!" he breathed, starting on arun, having found a path at the side of the track.
However, he could not keep this up for long, and was soon obligedto settle back into his former slow pace.
At last Phil came in sight of the church spires of a town.
"I believe that is Corinto," he said, shading his eyes andpeering off at the distant town. "At any rate I can't be farfrom it now."
The knowledge was almost as good as a meal. Its effect on PhilForrest was magical. He forgot all about his tender feet andempty stomach as he swung into a good strong pace.
All at once he halted and listened. The blare of the big hornsof a circus band reached his ears.
"The parade has started. I must hurry now. The Sully wretchesmay do something to the parade," Phil cried, starting away ona run. Nor did he slacken his pace until he had gotten well intothe town. Now he could hear two bands playing, and knew that therival parades were under way.
"Where is the circus lot--where is the parade," he asked a man ashe dashed by.
The man pointed off to the right and Phil took the next cornerwith a rush. As he swung into that street he saw the bannersof the Sparling show fluttering in the breeze as the parademoved majestically toward him. Taking to the street, for thesidewalks were crowded, Phil ran with all speed. Mr. Sparling,in his carriage at the head, saw him coming. At first he didnot recognize the lad; then all at once he discovered who theboy was.
Phil dashed up to the carriage. Mr. Sparling reached out a handand pulled him in.
"Phil!" he cried.
"Quick, get the tents guarded! Sully's gang are going to cut theguy ropes. Look out for the parade too. I suspect they will tryto break it up!"