Part 11 (1/2)

”That's all the thanks I git for risking my life.”

”Shet up,” Lin almost yelled, ”ye'll not tell one word of this to Mr.

Hatfield.”

”Stan' up 'Al-f-u-r-d' an' look this helgrimite in the face an' shame the devil. Didn't he push ye in the creek?”

”No, ma'am,” falteringly. ”I went in myself.”

Charley began to look triumphant.

”Did he pull you out?”

”No, ma'am, Morg Gaskill pulled us both out.”

Lin fairly hissed: ”I knowed ye was lyin'.”

Thus encouraged, Alfred graphically related the adventures of the day, not omitting any of the details save the dangling of his limbs out of the milk wagon.

Charley was taken aback and thereafter his credibility was destroyed in so far as the mother and Lin were concerned. He pouted and endeavored to deny portions of the younger boy's recital but was met with such positive a.s.sertions from Alfred that he retired entirely discomfited.

Lin's only comment was: ”Durn ye; I'd be afeard to put my head in a circus, much less a church.” Lin looked upon one with as much reverence as the other.

The boys missed the afternoon performance but were there early for the night show. At the opening note of the hand organ in the side-show Cousin Charley and Alfred were inside. The orator had eloquently described the curiosities pictured on the long line of banners in front of the side-show. But the most alluring object had not been mentioned, namely, a long show case filled with jewelry, symbolic numbers, bank notes of all denominations. A dice box on top of the gla.s.s-covered case was the means by which the yokels were a.s.sured they could extract the jewelry, bank notes, etc.

The father had given Charley ample funds to cover admission fees to all shows and a liberal allowance for refreshments. Alfred was very much interested in the big snake and the lady whom the lecturer introduced as a snake charmer.

The lecturer announced that the performance was over, but another would be given in fifteen minutes. All those wis.h.i.+ng to remain for the next performance were privileged to do so. Those congregated around the show case whereon the dice rattled were the only ones to remain.

Alfred heard the man behind the case saying: ”Try your luck again, young man. You were within one number of the capital prize. You can't win it every time. Try again.”

Charley did try again and again. He did not win the capital prize but in lieu of $4 he had two bra.s.s rings, a pair of bra.s.s cuff b.u.t.tons and a lead pencil with a sharpener on the end of it.

The shades of night were falling. The lights in the big tent could be seen over the side wall. Hundreds of candles on a pyramid-shaped candelabra made of boards. Think of it, ye modern Ringlings, candles the only lights!

The band playing, Alfred imagined the show going on: the horses going around. All the glories and beauties he had been antic.i.p.ating for weeks would be lost to him. He implored Cousin Charley to hurry up and purchase their tickets.

Hundreds were buying tickets. The big red wagon was open, the ticket seller handling the pasteboards with lightning-like rapidity. It was Ben Lusbie. He was the lightning ticket seller of the circus world. Such was his dexterity that Forepaugh afterwards lithographed him as an attraction.

Alfred's urgent appeals to ”hurry and get our tickets” were lost upon Cousin Charley. He was seemingly dazed. The man at the big door shouted: ”Everybody hold their own ticket; all must have tickets.”

The hustle and confusion made Alfred still more impatient. He gave the older boy's arm a rough jerk as he urged him to get their tickets.

Cousin Charley seemed to wake up and the awful truth was revealed--Cousin Charley had been robbed. Alfred must stand right there until he took the jewelry back to the side show and recovered his money.

Alfred stood right there. Hundreds pa.s.sed him, laughing and crowding into the big show. The longer Alfred waited the more miserable he became. Despair came over him. He waited, Cousin Charley did not come.

The crowd thinned out; deeper and deeper Alfred's heart sank within him.

Anger began to take the place of disappointment. He would beat Cousin Charley black and blue with the first thing he could lay his hands on.

He would expose all he had been concealing in a hundred mean things Charley had been guilty of.