Part 9 (2/2)

After a journey of what seemed hours, and during which, Phil Forrest had lost all sense of direction, the wagon came to a halt.

He could hear the hum of conversation as his captors consulted in low tones. Then all at once he found himself jerked from the wagon and plumped down on the ground.

Teddy went through a similar experience, excepting that his fall was considerably more severe. Teddy struck the ground with a jolt that made him utter a loud ”Wow!”

He was on his feet in a twinkling, only to find himself pounced upon and borne heavily to earth again.

Fuming and threatening, Teddy was roughly picked up, Phil being served likewise.

The boys felt themselves being borne up a short flight of steps and down a long hall. Then came more steps. This time it was a long flight of stairs, the kidnappers getting their burdens up this with evident effort.

”I hope they don't drop me, now,” thought Phil. ”I shall surely roll all the way to the bottom, though it might enable me to get away.”

Finally an upper floor was reached. The captors bore their burdens in and placed them on the floor. The Circus Boys realized, at the same instant, that the vigilance of the kidnappers had been relaxed for the second.

Throwing, the blankets off Phil and Teddy leaped to their feet ready for flight. As they did so they met with the surprise of their lives.

CHAPTER VI

IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY

Teddy had squared off, and was landing sledge-hammer blows on the empty air.

Phil, too, had squared himself prepared to give battle, but his hands fell sharply to his sides.

”Wha--what--” he gasped.

”Come on!” bellowed Teddy.

They were in a large room, brilliantly lighted, and about them, in a semi-circle, was a line of laughing faces. From them the eyes of the astonished Circus Boys wandered to a long table on which were flowers and plenty of good things to eat.

”Why, it's our old recitation room in the high school, Teddy,”

breathed Phil.

”I don't care what it is. I can lick the whole outfit!” shouted Teddy Tucker advancing belligerently.

”It's the boys, Teddy, don't you understand?” laughed Phil.

”Well, of all the ways of inviting a fellow to dinner, this beats anything I ever saw before.”

”How does it feel to be kidnaped?” grinned President Billy, extending his hand.

”So you are the young gentleman who put up this job on us, are you?” demanded Phil.

”I guess I am one of them. But I wasn't unlucky enough to get a black eye, like Walter over there. You gave that to him, Teddy.

My, what a punch you have!” laughed Billy.

<script>