Part 4 (1/2)
Suddenly the man's sharp eyes encountered their own. Feeling that they had embarra.s.sed the man by staring at him, the boys went outside.
”That was Colonel Thunder, the puma trainer at Klatch's Carnival!” declared Joe. ”What's he doing at an auction of domestic animals?”
”Search me,” Chet answered. ”Let's try here!”
49 He led the way into a long, low building filled with a.s.sorted sounds. Chickens cackled, dogs barked, pigs squealed, goats and lambs bleated. The long-eared rabbits hopped about in cages, watching the commotion with twitching noses.
The dogs, mostly working and hunting breeds, were at the end of the room. Chet pa.s.sed the collies and shepherds that might be used for herding, and headed for the hounds, with their long ears and soft, expressive eyes.
”Always wanted a good hound dog!” he said enthusiastically. ”Let's see. What shall we get? c.o.o.n hound? No-too big. Bloodhound? Too gloomy. Ba.s.set? Too fat, 17 and its legs are too short.”
”Look who's talking,” Joe teased.
But Chet was too busy to hear. ”Say, will you look at that, fellows?” He pointed.
In one corner stood a boy about eleven years old. Six fat, half-grown puppies were scrambling around his legs.
”Beagles,” Chet commented, indicating the broad backs, short legs, and pointed tails.
Suddenly one of the pups bounded across the floor and began to nuzzle Chet's trouser leg. As the boy bent down, the beagle's long red tongue licked his hand frantically.
”This has to be the one,” Chet declared happily, lifting the pup in his arms.
”Come here, little fellowl”
50 ”We'll take him,” said Frank to the young owner. ”How much?”
”Five dollars,” the boy replied.
”Sold,” agreed Frank, and took out his wallet.
As he selected a bill, his attention was distracted by his brother, who quietly touched his elbow. With a nod, Joe indicated a transaction taking place a few stalls away. The man they had seen in the other building, Colonel Thunder, seemed to be buying a sheep.
”Friend of yours?” asked the boy with the pups.
”No. We've just seen him some place before.”
”Well, he's gettin' cheated.” The boy snickered. ”That sheep's so old it can hardly stand on its legs. Why would anybody buy a critter like that?”
”Just what I'm wondering,” Joe murmured, as the boys walked out with their puppy. ”Why does Colonel Thunder need a sheep? To feed his pumas?”
Once in the car, the little beagle began to tremble violently. ”He'll be all right,” Chet a.s.sured them. ”Just the first time he's been away from his brothers and sisters.” Kindhearted Chet allowed the new pet to snuggle up inside his sweater.
As Frank started the car he said, ”I want to get back to the cabin. There's just a chance Captain Maguire may have returned.”
51 They had traveled a few miles over the b.u.mpy road when Frank suddenly stopped the car and exclaimed in annoyance. ”What's the matter with me? We can't go back this way! The bridge is out!”
”We'll have to find another route to Black Hollow,” Joe said.
After turning around in a farm lane, Frank consulted the road map for a few minutes. Then he headed back toward the auction. At the next town the boys stopped to eat. As they set off again, the roads improved. It was now about seven o'clock. The sun was still high, but the air was pleasantly cool.
Traffic became increasingly heavy. Many cars were filled with entire families, all going in the same direction.
”I wonder where these people are headed,” mused Joe. ”Most of them are dressed up.”
”There's your answer,” returned his brother.
Just ahead of them beside the highway appeared a familiar line of tents. Soon the wind brought the sound of loud-speakers to their ears. ”Klatch's Carnival has a new location,” Frank observed.
”Good! Let's stop in,” Chet proposed. ”I could use some peanuts and popcorn!”
Frank looked sternly at their chunky friend from one side. Joe looked sternly at him from the other. ”Aw, I was kidding, fellows,” he said. ”What I really want is to see that puma act again!”
52 ”Well, that's better,” Frank admitted. ”I'd like to see it again myself.”
After parking, the three friends made their way to Colonel Thunder's show tent. Chet carried the now-contented puppy inside his sweater. ”I just thought of something,” he said. ”Do you suppose the colonel will be here? We just saw him at the auction.”
18 ”Don't worry,” Joe answered. ”He had time to get here while we were driving in the wrong direction.”
Sure enough, the colonel's amazing act was already in progress when the trio entered. The tall trainer, wearing the same white outfit, managed the dangerous cats with the same daring disregard for the puma that remained always directly behind his back. This time, however, the performance went off without a hitch.
As the rest of the crowd climbed down from the bleachers and filed out, Joe pushed forward to the cage for a closer look at the pumas. They were sleek beasts-young, strong, and well fed.
At this same moment Colonel Thunder emerged from the cage through a small door right next to Joe.
”Some animals you have there,” Joe remarked to the man. ”What kind of food do you give them to eat?”
”Raw meat that we get from local butchers,” the colonel replied. He spoke politely, but his 53 manner was distant, and he walked away immediately.
”But we saw him buying that sheep at the auction!” Joe protested as the boys drove homeward. ”If it was to feed his pumas, why didn't he mention it?”
When Frank pulled up to the cabin it was almost nine o'clock. The sun was gone and the woods were dark, but overhead the sky remained luminous in the afterglow.
The boys, half hopeful that their host had returned, entered the cabin. But the place was silent. Frank's note lay undisturbed on the kitchen table.
Captain Maguire had not returned.
”Where is he?” Joe burst out. ”We must find him-and soon.”
Suddenly Frank held up his hand. ”Listen. Outside-a carl”
The boys ran to the porch. In the clearing an automobile's parking lights gleamed. A plump little man in a business suit got out, slammed the car door, and walked rapidly toward them.
”Where's Maguire?” he demanded in an irritable voice that matched his rather dour face.
”Not here just now,” Frank answered non-committally.