"By the way, I almost forgot to tell you. We ran over a switchman in the night last night. I don't think it hurt the car any."
"Well, good-bye. I'll write again when there is some news.How's January? Wish I was back, riding him in the ring.Expect I'll have an awful time with him when I start in again.Don't feed him any oats, and keep him off the fresh grass.I don't want him to get a fat stomach, because I can't getmy legs under him to hold on when he bucks."
"Well, good-bye again. Love to all the boys."
"Your friend,"
"Teddy Tucker."
"P. S. Did I tell you we killed the switchman? Well, we did.He's dead. He's switched off for keeps."
"P. S. Yes, Phil says it was a hay barn that the billposter fell off from. Wouldn't it be a good plan to furnish those fellows with nets? Billposters are scarce and we can't afford to lose any good ones."
"More trouble," announced Teddy, one morning a few days later, when the boys awoke in Lawrence, Kansas.
"What's the trouble now, Old Calamity?" demanded Phil, who was washing his face and hands.
Contrary to his usual practice, he had not looked from his stateroom window immediately upon getting up. Teddy had, however. His eyes grew a little larger as he did so, but otherwise the sight that met them did not disturb his equanimity in the least.
"The usual."
"What do you mean? Have we run over another man?"
"Worse than that."
"You are getting to be a regular calamity howler."
"I'm a showman, I am. I keep my eyes open and I know what's going on about me. That's more than you can say for some people not more than a million miles away."
"All right; I will take that for granted. But tell me what it is that is disturbing you so early in the morning?" questioned Phil with a short laugh.
"We're all surrounded," answered Teddy grimly.
"Surrounded?"
"Yes."
"I don't understand."
"You will, pretty soon."
"Surrounded by what?"
"Opposition."
"What!"
"What's the matter, can't you hear this morning?"
"I hear very well, but I don't understand what you mean when you say we are surrounded by opposition. It strikes me we have been surrounded by nothing else since we took charge of Car Three."
Teddy nodded.
"Yep, that's right. But this is different. On our left, if you will observe closely, you will notice the canary yellow of Car Three of the so-called Greatest Show on Earth. On your right, if you still keep your eyes open and look hard, you will discover the flaming red of the Wallace advance car. And—"
"What!"
"And, as I was saying, if that fails to make an impression on you, a glance to the rear will discover to your feeble eyesight, one John Robinson's publicity car."
Having delivered himself of this monologue, Teddy calmly sat down and began to draw on his trousers, yawning broadly as he did so.
"Methinks, milord, that trouble is brewing in bucketfuls," he added.
Phil sprang to the car window, threw up the shade and peered out. He stepped to the other side of the car, looking from the window there.
"You're right."
"Of course I am right. I'm always right. How does it happen you did not discover all this after we got in last night!"
"They were not here then. They must have come in afterwards."
Dashing out into the main part of the car Phil called the men.
"Wake up, fellows!"
"What's up," called a voice.
"The yards are full of opposition. Three advertising cars are here besides our own."
No other urging was necessary to get the crew out of bed. They came tumbling from their upper berths like as many firemen upon a sudden alarm. All hands ran to the windows and peered out.
"Sure enough, they are all here," shouted Conley. "I reckon they have caught us napping this time."
"No; they are not awake yet. I hope they sleep as well as BobTripp's crew did," answered Phil. "But we have a big job beforeus today. You had better hustle through your breakfasts, boys.I will call up the livery and get the country routes off at once.Perhaps we can get ahead of the other fellows."
Phil did so, but as his teams drove up another set swung over the tracks, pulling up before the canary car.
"Hustle it! Hustle it!" cried Phil. "You drivers, if you get out ahead of the others and keep ahead, you'll get a bonus when you come in tonight."
Each side was now striving to get away first. The crew from the canary car made the getaway ahead of Phil's men, but they had less than a minute's headway.
The Circus Boys had their coats off and were hustling cans of paste over the side of the car into the wagons. Every move on their part counted. There was not a particle of lost motion.
Phil sprang into the first wagon to leave.
"Come on, fellows! Never mind the horses. I can buy more, if these break their necks."
With a rattle and a bang both rigs smashed over the tracks, and were on their way down the village street, each team on a runaway gallop. Phil's team was gaining gradually.
"Hang on to the cans!" shouted the Circus Boy. "We are coming to a bad crosswalk!"
People paused on the street, not understanding what the mad pace meant. A policeman ran out and raised his stick. Teddy, who had hopped on behind at the last minute, not wishing to lose any of the fun, now stood up unsteadily, hanging to the driver's coat collar and nearly pulling that worthy from his seat.
They overhauled the first wagon from the canary car and passed it.
"Ye—ow!" howled Teddy as their wagon swept by. "This is a WildWest outfit!"
The paste cans in the two wagons were dancing a jig by this time. Teddy suddenly lost his grip on the driver's collar, sitting down heavily on the nearest can. At that moment they struck the rough crossing, whereat Teddy shot up into the air, landing in a heap by the side of the road.
"Whoa!" commanded Phil, at the same time jumping on the can to keep it from following in the wake of Teddy.
"Go on!" howled Teddy, partially righting himself.
The driver urged his horses on and the team sprang away with loud snorts. But the rival wagon had taken a fresh start, and was drawing up on the Sparling outfit, the rear team, with lowered heads, appearing to be running away.
These horses struck the crosswalk with a mighty crash. The rear wheels slewed. The big can of paste was catapulted over a fence, narrowly missing Teddy Tucker's head as it shot over him. He flattened himself on the ground, but was up like a flash, sprinting out of harm's way.
There was reason for his last action. Other things were coming his way. As the wheels of the rival wagon slewed, they struck a gutter.
The wagon turned turtle, and men, paste brushes, paper and all were scattered all over the place.
"Oh, that's too bad!" muttered Phil. "But we can do nothing for them if we stop. There are plenty back there to lend assistance."
His tender heart told him to go back, whether he could be of service to his rival or not, but his duty lay plain before him. He must outdistance the enemy.
A second team came plunging down the road from the canary car, close behind the unfortunate wagon. These horses, too, were instantly mixed in the wreck. The wagon did not turn turtle as the one before it had done, but one of the horses went down.
Now came other wagons of the Sparling outfit. They were running two abreast in the road. But the drivers saw the obstruction in time, slowed down and dodged it. They were off at a tremendous speed, and a few moments later branched off on different roads, quickly disappearing in a cloud of dust.
Phil's wagon crew discovered a farm barn just ahead of them. They drove up to it on a run. All hands piled out. And how they did work! In a few moments the old barn was a blaze of color.
"First blood for the Sparling Combined Shows!" shouted the boy."Now hit the trail for all you are worth!"
They were off again. A cloud of dust to their rear told them that one of their rival's wagons was after them. At the next stop the pursuing wagon rolled by them, the men yelling derisively.
"It is the Wallace Show's crowd!" shouted Phil."Get after them."
The Wallace people went on half a mile further. As Phil drew up on them he shouted to his driver to go on to the next stop. When they made it finally, they were passed by the crew from the canary advance car.
It was give and take. Such billing never had been seen along theKansas highway before. But, up to the present moment, theSparling crew had much the best of it.
"This won't do, boys; I have got to get back. I have no business here. Keep this right up. Don't lag for an instant. Is there a town near here?"
The driver informed Phil that there was one about a mile ahead of them.
Phil rode on until he reached it. Here he jumped out, taking a bundle of paper with him, ordering his men to drive on. With him he carried a bucket of paste and a brush.
Phil went to work like a seasoned billposter, plastering every old stable and tight board fence in the village. By the time the rival crews drove in there was little space left for them, and such spots as were left were all on back or side streets.
"I guess they will know we have been here," decided Phil. "Now I must find a way to get back to the car."
Inquiring at the post office he learned where he might be able to hire a rig.
Losing not a minute the boy hunted up the man who owned the horse, and, by offering to pay him about twice what the service was worth, got the fellow to take him back.
The journey back to town was executed in almost as good time as that which Phil had made in driving out. The rig rattled into town at a gallop, and Phil was landed on his car again, safe and sound after his exciting rides.
"Did you beat them," cried Teddy, as Phil drove up.
"We did and we didn't. But we have got the start of them on the billing. Were any of the other men hurt?"
"One of the canary bird crowd got a broken arm. The others were pretty well bruised up, but they are still in the ring."
"What is doing in the town?"
"I sent our men out to square the locations. Told them not to put up any paper, but to hustle the squaring."
"Good for you, Teddy! You are a winner. Where did you learn that trick?"
"Oh, it's a little trick I picked up the other day. I'm a professional publicity man, you know."
"Are our opposition friends doing the same thing?"
"I think not. I got the start of them by fully an hour. Worked the same game on them that we did on Tripp the other day. You remember?"
Phil nodded. Indeed, he did remember.
"The men were so excited over the race that they couldn't spend time to attend to business. I got a pretty good bump, but I thought it was a good time to get back in the town and hustle our fellows, seeing that you had hit the long trail. I didn't expect you back before the middle of next week, the rate you were going."
Phil laughed good-naturedly.
"You remain here and watch the car, Teddy. I am going to run over town. Had your breakfast?"
"Say, I forgot all about that. I haven't had a thing."
"Your appetite will keep. I must look around a little.Something may be going on that needs attention from our side."
Phil had reason, a few minutes later, to be thankful that his instinct had prompted him to hurry over town.
"The Robinson people, at least, have got to work," muttered the Circus Boy as he made his way downtown. Here and there, at rare intervals, he came across a window bill of the show mentioned.
There were blocks of windows, however, with no billing in them. Phil interpreted this to mean that his own men had secured the requisite permission to place their own bills there.
He smiled as he thought of the little trick. It was an idea of his own to square locations ahead of the lithographers. Ordinarily, the lithographer made his rounds with a bundle of bills on his arm. Entering a store he would say, "May I place this bill in your window?" Phil had adopted the plan of sending the men around first. After they had obtained the signed permission they would go back over the same ground and place the bills. This took a little more time, but it had the merit of fooling his rivals and getting many more places squared than could have been done in the old way.
Suddenly a great wall loomed ahead of him.
Phil paused and surveyed it critically.
"Wouldn't I like to fasten Sparling banners all over that place, though. What a hit that would be. Why," he added looking about him, "it could be seen pretty much all over town."
Phil started on, intending to find out who owned the building. As he did so he saw a man from the canary-colored car entering the building. The man was going into a store on the ground floor.
"I'll bet he is after that very wall. Oh, pshaw! Why didn't I stay in town and attend to my business, as I should have done, instead of racing over the country at that mad pace? I'm going over to see what he is up to."
The Circus Boy hurried along. Entering the store he saw the man from the rival car, who proved to be the manager of it, engaged in earnest conversation with a man whom Phil supposed to be the proprietor.
After a little the manager of the other car hurried out.Phil stepped forward.
"Are you the proprietor?" he asked politely.
"Yes; what can I do for you?"
"Do you own this building?"
"No, but I am the agent for it."
"Very good. You are the man I want to talk with. I am from the Sparling Shows. I should like the privilege of fastening some banners on that south wall there."
"You're too late, young man. I just gave the other man permission to do that."
"Did he pay you?" asked Phil sweetly.
"No."
"Did you sign a contract with him?"
"No."
"May I ask how much he is to give you for the privilege?"
"Twenty-five dollars."
"He ought to be ashamed to offer you such a mean figure as that for such a privilege."
The proprietor grew interested.
"Where has he gone?"
"Said he had to talk with someone back with the show by long distance telephone before he could close the bargain."
Phil glanced apprehensively at the door.
"I guess you had better sell the privilege to me while you have the chance. He may not come back, you know; then you will be out all around."
"I couldn't think of it. I gave him the privilege of buying the wall."
"Money talks, doesn't it, sir?"
"It does, young man. It always makes such a loud noise around me that I can't hear much of anything else."
Phil grinned.
"Yes; it's pretty noisy stuff."
The lad calmly drew a big roll of bills from his pocket, placing it on the counter before the storekeeper. To the pile he added his watch, a jackknife, a bunch of keys and a silver matchbox.
"Help yourself," he begged calmly.
"Wha—what?" gasped the storekeeper.
"I said help yourself. I want that wall. I leave it to you to say what is a reasonable price for it—a price fair to you and to me. You admit that money talks. This money is addressing its remarks to you direct, at this very moment."
The proprietor hesitated, glanced at the money and other articles that Phil had arrayed so temptingly before him, and turned reflectively facing the rear of the store.
"I will scribble off a little contract," said Phil softly."How much shall we make the consideration?"
"What'll you give?"
"I've got him!" was Phil Forrest's triumphant thought, but he allowed none of his triumphant feeling to appear in his face.
"Well, were I making the offer I should say the wall was worth about forty dollars, no other bills to appear on it until after my show has left town. But I told you to help yourself. I'll stick to my word."
"Count me out forty dollars and take it. I like your style.Your way of doing business makes a hit with me."
Phil inserted the agreed-upon price in the contract.
"Just sign your name there, please," he said, still in that soft, persuasive voice.
The storekeeper read the brief contract through, nodded approvingly, then affixed his signature with the fountain pen that Phil had handed to him.
This done, the lad counted out forty dollars, stowed the rest away in his pockets, together with his other belongings, then extended his hand cordially to the proprietor.
"Thank you very much," murmured Phil, his face all aglow now.
"You're welcome. When do you put up your bills?"
"At once. We leave town tonight, and we have a lot of work to do first."
"Let's see; were you one of the fellows mixed up in that race this morning?"
Phil blushed.
"I am afraid I was very much mixed up in it.Well, good afternoon."
The lad turned and started for the door. At that moment someone entered. It was the manager of the canary car.
"It's all right. I'll take the location," he announced, smiling broadly, as he walked rapidly to where the proprietor was standing, laying two tens and a five-dollar bill on the counter.
"I—I'm sorry," stammered the storekeeper, flushing. "I have just sold it to another party."
"Sold it!"
The manager's face went several shades paler.
"Yes."
"To—to whom?"
"To that young gentleman there."
The manager whirled and faced Phil.
"Who—who are you?"
"My name is Forrest," answered Phil, smiling easily. He could well afford to smile.
"And you—you have bought this location?"
"I have."
"Whom do you represent?"
"The Sparling Combined Shows."
The Circus Boy's rival flushed angrily.
"I demand that the location be turned over to me instantly!It belongs to me, and I'll have it if I have to fight for it.Here's my money, Mr. Storekeeper. I command you to make outa paper giving me the right to bill that wall."
"I do not think he will do anything of the sort, my dear sir," spoke up Phil. "I have bought and paid for the location and I propose to hold it. You had no more right to it than any other man. You did not have the nerve to put down your money for it when you had the chance, and you lost your opportunity. You will see the wall covered with Sparling banners in a very short time."
"I will not!"
"Be on your way, my man. Let me tell you the Sparling banners are going up."
"There's my money!" shouted the manager of the canary colored car. "The wall ismine!"
He dashed out of the store and started for his car on the run.
"If you let those other showmen banner the wall I'll have the law on you!" announced Phil sternly. Then the Circus Boy ran out of the store, starting off at a lively sprint for his own car. He caught up with the rival manager in a moment, passed him and bounded on. His rival already was puffing and perspiring under the unusual effort.
"Turn out every man in town!" he called, dashing into the car. "Teddy, run to the main street and send everyone of our banner men and lithographers to the Ward Building. You and Henry carry over there at once all the banners you can scrape together. Do not lose a minute. But wait! I'll telephone the liveryman for a wagon to carry the paper, brushes and paste pots over. You remain here, Henry, and go with the wagon. Teddy, you hustle for the men. Run as if the Rhino from the Sparling menagerie were charging you!"
Teddy leaped from the car platform and was off, with Phil sprinting after him in long strides.
They passed the manager of the canary colored car just as they were running across the switches in the railroad yard. He was only then getting to his car.
Phil's plans were formed instantly.
He ran to a place where he had seen a painter's sign earlier in the day. Reaching there he ordered the painter to send out to the Ward Building a gang of painters with their swinging platform, tackle and full equipment, telling the man briefly what was wanted of him after the apparatus reached the building in question.
"Now hurry it, and I'll double the price you ask if you get there and do the work I am asking of you."
The painter needed no further inducement. Once again money made its announcement in unmistakable tones.
Phil again started off on a run. Reaching the Ward Building he found his banner men and lithographers gathering. A few moments after his arrival the livery wagon with the paste, brushes and paper, came dashing up with Henry, the porter, standing guard over it. Teddy had thoughtfully turned out all the available men in the livery stable and came charging down the street, driving them before him, howling at every jump. That is, Teddy was howling; as he did whenever the occasion presented itself.
By this time quite a crowd had been attracted to the scene, not understanding what all the excitement was about. None of the rival posters had appeared as yet. Phil had got a very good start.
Telling off three of his banner men he sent them to the roof, while the painter was preparing to swing his scaffold.
"I am afraid I shall have to block your store for a short time, Mr. Storekeeper," said Phil, entering the store. "Our friend is going to try to take the place by storm, I think, and we shall have to stand him off."
"He had better not try it," growled the proprietor.
"He will, just the same. But, with your permission, he will not get upstairs to the roof while I am here."
"Do whatever you like. I've got his money, but it's here for him when he wants it."
Phil, having arranged with the proprietor, went out and gave his final instructions to his men.
"You are not to let a man through here unless with my permission," he said. "I am going up to the roof. If anything occurs, call me at once. Teddy, I leave the front of the store in your hands while I am away. There is trouble brewing. I feel it in my bones."
"Yes; trouble for the other fellow," grinned Teddy.
In a very short time the painters had succeeded in swinging their scaffold over the roof. An interested crowd was watching the proceeding from the street.
The banner men climbed down on the swinging platform, and, as if by magic, the Sparling banners began appearing on the big wall.
About this time shouting down in the street drew the attention ofPhil Forrest. Stepping to the edge of the roof he looked down.A crowd was pressing his men back.
In the lead was the manager of the canary car.
"Drive them off!" roared Phil. "Don't let them get by you!"
"We will!" shrieked Teddy Tucker, now in his element.
Phil turned and hurried down the ladder to the upper floor, then took the stairs in a series of jumps until he had reached the ground floor.
Teddy Tucker had proved himself a real general. He had armed his forces with paste brushes, which he had first thoroughly soaked in the sticky paste pots.
Teddy was dancing up and down the line.
"Paste them, fellows!" he roared. "Paste them good and proper.We'll stick them to the walls when we get them properly daubed!"
With a yell the Sparling crowd began wielding the paste brushes. They wielded them effectively, too. Every sweep of the brushes found a human mark.
Shouts of rage followed the onslaught, above which could be heard the voice of the manager of the canary car, urging the crowd on to violence.
Phil came dashing out.
"Drive them back!" he shouted. "But be careful that you do not hurt anybody. Keep your heads, men!"
"Look out—the police are coming!" shouted a voice.
"Never mind the police! Give it to them!" cried the rival.
A squad of bluecoats came charging down the street.
"Steady, fellows! Don't do anything that will cause the police to take you in," cautioned Phil.
The crowd in front gave way as the police charged in; and, as they did so, the Circus Boy pushed his way to the front of his own line.
A sergeant made for him with upraised club, but Phil did not flinch.
"Wait a minute, officer!" he cautioned.
"I arrest you for disturbing the peace!" was the stern reply.
"You will do nothing of the sort, sir. We have not broken the peace. We are within our rights, protecting our own property and the property of this gentleman," pointing to the proprietor of the store.
"Arrest them! They are stealing my property!" came the cry from the rival manager.
"I guess you had better both come over to the police station, and we will let the captain settle this," decided the sergeant.
"Wait!" commanded the rival. "I have here an injunction commanding this fellow to stop work. I have bought the right to banner this location, and he has stepped in and taken it away from me."
"Is this right?" demanded the sergeant, appealing to the storekeeper, whom he knew well.
"No, it's all wrong. That man has bought nothing. He left his money on my counter after I had sold my wall to this young man here."
"Is this right?" repeated the sergeant turning to Phil.
"I am inclined to think it is. If that man has obtained an injunction, he has done so by false representation. Here is my contract, properly signed, giving us the right to put up our banners, and that is exactly what we are going to do in spite of all the police in the state. You can't stop us. You had better not try."
The sergeant glanced over the paper and scratched his head. He was at a loss what to do. At that moment a lieutenant came running up, demanding to know what the trouble was about.
The sergeant explained, handing the contract to his superior.After perusing it, the lieutenant passed the paper back to Phil.
"You can't stop this man as long as he is not disturbing the peace. That fellow's injunction is not worth the paper it is written on. This is a contract as plain as the nose on your face."
"That is the way it strikes me," answered Phil, with a pleasant smile.
"Disperse the crowd. Keep half a dozen men on duty here, and, if there is any further disturbance, lock them all up."
"Thank you," said Phil, edging near the lieutenant. "And, now that the matter is all settled, if you will call at the Sparling advance car this afternoon, at five o'clock, I shall be happy to furnish you with tickets for yourself and family. That is not a bribe, because we have got the matter all straightened out."
The lieutenant smiled.
"I'll do it," he said. "Five o'clock, you say?"
"Yes."
"Now, get out of here, the whole crowd of you. And you, young fellow," indicating the manager of the canary rival, "if you create any further disturbance in this town, you'll go to the cooler, and stay there. Do you understand?"
The rival manager tried to protest, but the lieutenant started for him.
"I want my money!" he shouted.
"Come and get it. I don't want your money."
"I told you that before," called the storekeeper.
"Go, get your money, and get out of here!" commanded the lieutenant.
Crestfallen and now thoroughly subdued, the manager of the canary car made his way through the crowd; his money was thrust into his hands; then, calling upon his men to follow him, he hurried away.
"There, I guess we won't hear any more from our canary bird friend today," decided Teddy, strutting about and throwing out his chest.
"Not today, perhaps," answered Phil Forrest; "but I am thinking we have not heard the last of him yet. We shall have to look pretty sharply, or he will get the best of us yet. This is a game that one person cannot expect to win at every day. Boys, you may go back to your lithographing now. The police will see that we are protected until we have finished bannering this building."
Phil walked off half a block to survey the work going on high up in the air.
"That location is worth five hundred dollars to any show," he mused. "And I got it for forty. Good job!"
The work was completed late that afternoon. The Sparling crowd had got the best of their rivals in the window work as well. Sparling show bills were everywhere.
But Phil was thoughtful. He did not like the methods he was obliged to follow, yet he knew that it was a part of the show business. He had the satisfaction, too, of knowing that he had done nothing unfair. He had got the best of his rivals by perfectly fair methods, and he would pursue no others, no matter how badly he was beaten.
After making a round of the town, during which he had twice passed the scowling manager of the canary car, Phil returned to his own car, as there were frequently matters arising there that needed his attention. He found a telegram awaiting him from Mr. Sparling.
"The greatest work ever done by an advance car. I congratulate you all. Keep it up," was what Phil read.
Phil rubbed his forehead in perplexity.
"Now, how in the world did he find out about this so soon, I wonder?" questioned the boy. As a matter of fact, the manager of the Robinson Show's car, who was a friend of Mr. Sparling, had wired him of the day's doings. It was too good to keep, and then again Mr. Sparling's friend was too delighted at the downfall of Snowden, the man whom he thoroughly disliked, to be at all jealous of Phil's triumph.
Phil went over to the yardmaster to find out what train he would be able to go out on that night.
"We are going to send the whole bunch of you out on number 42," was the reply.
"What time does number 42 leave?"
"Half-past eleven."
"What do you mean by 'the bunch of us'?"
"All you advance car fellows. I have got to do that. That is the only train through tonight. You will have to go on that or wait until tomorrow morning."
"Very well; I do not know as I care whether my rivals go on the same train or not. It would do me no good if I did object."
That night the unusual sight of four advance cars hooked together was presented to those who chanced to be in the railroad yards when number 42 pulled out of the station.
Car Three had been coupled up first, the others being hooked on behind it, with the canary car at the rear.
"I am afraid we shall not cut a very big slice tomorrow, Teddy," said Phil after they had got under way.
"Why not?"
"What, with all those crews working against us? It will be a case of three to one. Of course we shall do as much as any one of them, and perhaps a little more, but we cannot expect any great results."
"Maybe I can think of something," mused Teddy.
"I wish you might."
"What would you say to ditching the other fellows?" askedTeddy innocently.
"Teddy Tucker, I am ashamed of you!" exclaimed Phil.
"Sometimes I am ashamed of myself, I am so easy. If it wasn't for my tender heart, Phil, I would have been a great showman by this time."
"Yes, it really is too bad about your tender heart. I—"
His words were cut short by a jolt that nearly threw the lads from their chairs.
"Collision!" yelled Teddy. "Brace yourself!"
"Don't get excited," laughed Phil. "They have forgotten or neglected to couple the airbrake pipes up. Someday one of these crews will wreck us all. I have talked until I am tired. You see there is air on the front end of this train, but these show cars have not been coupled up with the air pipes of the regular train. It is very bad business. I'll report it when we get in tomorrow."
"Let me. I know how to do it up brown."
"No, I will attend to it myself."
"Say, Phil!"
"Yes?"
"If the air was coupled on and the train broke in two in the middle what would happen?"
"Why it would bring everything up standing. Breaking the air circuit would set the brakes the entire length of the train."
"And if the air was not coupled up, what then?"
"In that event nothing would happen."
"The train wouldn't stop?"
"No."
"H-m-m."
"Why do you ask?"
"For information. What do you suppose I am asking for unless I want to know."
Teddy relapsed into a moody silence.
"Why don't you go to bed?" Teddy asked after awhile, looking up suddenly.
"I guess it would be a good idea," replied Phil. "We shall have to get up rather early in the morning. I will set my alarm for three o'clock. I have an idea some of the rival crews will be up and out about that time. They won't be so easily beaten tomorrow."
"Oh, I don't know," answered Teddy. "Maybe so and maybe not.You can't most always sometimes tell."
"Aren't you going to turn in?" demanded Phil, beginning to undress.
"No, not yet. I am not very sleepy tonight."
"You will be, in the morning, and you will not want to get up," cautioned Phil.
"I will take the chance."
Teddy picked up a book and settled himself to read.
Little conversation passed between them after that, and Phil, tumbling into his berth, was soon asleep.
Teddy eyed him narrowly. He waited until his companion was sleeping soundly; then Teddy got up and strolled out to the rear platform. It was deserted. The trainmen did not come back that far, because the doors of the show cars were kept locked so they could not. Show people do not like strangers about them.
Teddy lay down on the platform, peering down between the cars.
"No, no air is coupled on. They ought to be ashamed of themselves," he muttered. "I guess they must have fixed it up for me on purpose."
Teddy opened the door of Car Three softly, listened, then closed it again. Next he leaned out and looked along the tracks, which he could see fairly well, for the moon was now shining brightly.
"I guess there is no grade here." Stepping across to the platform of the car to the rear of him, the boy partially set the brake until he could feel it grinding on the wheels.
"Now, I think we are all ready," he muttered, as, stepping back to the platform of his own car, he grasped the coupling lever firmly with both hands, giving it a mighty tug.
At first it would not budge. The drawheads of the couplers of the two cars were straining because of the drag of the brake that he had but just set.
Teddy loosened the brake a little, then tried the coupling lever again.
This time it swung over with a bang. The lad lost his balance for an instant, and nearly went overboard.
"My, that was a close shave," he exclaimed, hanging desperately to the platform railing, the wind blowing about him in a perfect gale.
"Hello, I wonder what has become of our friends?" laughed theCircus Boy to himself.
Teddy had uncoupled Car Three from the others in their rear, and the cars of his rivals were dropping behind rapidly. He could see the dim lights in the car nearest to him, but even these were rapidly disappearing. A few minutes later as the train swept around a bend, the rival advertising cars disappeared from sight. Teddy knew that they would stop in a few minutes, and lie there stalled.
Teddy Tucker had done a very serious thing, but in his zeal he thought he had accomplished a great feat. Well satisfied with his efforts the lad entered his own car softly, undressed in the corridor and crept quietly to bed. In a very short time he was snoring, sleeping the sleep of peace and innocence.
Teddy hardly moved again that night, until he was roused out byPhil at three o'clock the next morning.
The lad grumbled sleepily and finally tumbled out rubbing his eyes.
Phil stepped out to the rear platform before dressing, for a breath of the fresh morning air.
"Why, Teddy!" he called through the open door.
"What?"
"The opposition cars are not here. The other train must have carried them on. I wonder if those fellows are stealing a march on us?"
"Is that so?"
"Yes; come out and see for yourself."
Teddy stumbled out to the platform, gazed about sleepily and looked solemn.
"No, not here," he said, turning back into the car.
Phil was worried. He could not imagine exactly what the plans of his rivals might be.
"I will wire on to the next stand as soon as the telegraph office opens, and find out if they are there," he decided.
In the meantime Teddy was taking his time about dressing, while the men of the crew were hurrying into their clothes. Phil did the same, then dropped from the car and walked about the yards, rather expecting to find the cars of his rivals hidden behind freight cars.
They were nowhere in sight.
"Well, it cannot be helped, even if we are beaten into the next stand. This is a small place, but an important one. I cannot afford to skip it, no matter if the other fellows have."
Teddy went about his morning duties as usual, solemn faced and silent, but there was a triumphant gleam in his eyes that Phil Forrest as yet had failed to observe.
Phil was pacing up and down on the platform station, waiting uneasily for the operator to appear. After making ready, the men went off to breakfast, Teddy hanging about the car, busying himself with trifling matters. The car seemed to hold an unusual interest for him that morning.
At six o'clock the livery rigs drove up and the rural route men were soon off for their day's work. Phil started the lithographers and banner men out soon thereafter.
About that time the operator arrived; Phil wrote a message to the liveryman at the next town, inquiring if his rivals had reached there.
The answer came back that nothing had been seen of them. They had not even passed through. The operator at the other end said they were at Salina, where Phil's car was at that moment.
This was a puzzler.
"I am afraid it will take a better railroad man than I am to figure this problem out," mused Phil. "Hey, Teddy!"
"Yep?"
"What do you suppose could have become of those other cars?"
"How should I know?"
"They were on this train last night, when we started, and they have not arrived at the next stand yet. They surely are not here."
"Maybe they got a hot journal and had to stop," suggested Teddy.
"Nonsense! Something has happened to them. However, it is not my business to worry about my rivals. As long as I know they are not ahead of me I shall not disturb myself. It is up to me to improve the opportunity and bill this town from one end to the other," decided Phil, starting off over town.
The work went on at a lively pace, Phil urging his men to greater efforts, momentarily expecting to see the canary and red cars come rolling into town.
But no cars came. The next train from the direction Phil had come was not due until nearly noon, the road being a branch road with little traffic over it.
After a time Phil strolled down to the railroad station.
"Any news?" he asked.
"Yes," answered the operator. "They have found the cars."
"Where?"
"It seems they broke away from the train during the night and lay on the main track until morning. One of the crew walked back ten miles to the next station to ask for an engine to pull them out. They will be here on the next train."
"Funny the train crew did not discover that when they put us on the siding here. I do not quite understand it yet?" Phil walked slowly back to his own car, thinking deeply.
Teddy was sitting on the platform of Car Three narrowly watchingPhil as he approached.
"Anything doing?" he asked.
"Yes."
"What is it—have you heard from the opposition?"
"Yes. It seems their cars broke away from us during the night, and lay all night on the main track miles from anywhere."
"You don't say!" exclaimed Teddy, in well feigned surprise.
"That is what happened. We are in luck this morning,Teddy Tucker. I suppose I should be sorry for our rivals.But it is the chance of war. We all have to take them inthe show business."
"We do," answered Teddy sagely. "At least the other fellow does.When are they coming in?"
"About noon, I understand. I should think someone would lose his job for that piece of carelessness. If it were my car that had been laid out there would be trouble; I can assure you of that."
"Yes; I wouldn't stand for a mean trick like that myself."
Phil stroked his chin and surveyed Teddy thoughtfully. Light was beginning to dawn upon him. All at once he recalled his companion's questions about the air brake pipes the night before.
He fixed his gaze upon Teddy Tucker's scowling face.
"Young man, do you know anything about those cars breaking away?" demanded Phil sternly.
"I understand they broke away—don't you know that the train broke in two?"
"Yes," answered Phil dryly; "I have heard something to that effect."
Phil stepped over to examine the coupling of his own car, Teddy watching him furtively.
"What I want to know is how it happened," continued Phil.
"Why don't you ask the train crew? They ought to know."
"I'll ask you instead. You uncoupled those cars, didn't you?"
Teddy nodded slowly, his eyes on the ground.
"Is it possible that you did a thing like that?"
Teddy nodded again, demanding sullenly:
"Well, we beat 'em, didn't we?"
"Yes; but do you know what would happen, were it known what you have done?"
"I'm easy. What would happen?" Teddy was rapidly assuming a belligerent attitude.
"You would be arrested, and nothing could keep you from state's prison, Teddy Tucker."
"Oh, fudge!"
"You may scoff all you will. It is the truth, nevertheless. I should not be surprised if there were an investigation over this affair—"
"And you'll go tell all you know, won't you?"
"Not unless I am put under oath. If I am, and am asked, I shall have to tell the truth. I ought to sail in and give you a good thrashing here and now."
"You can't do it!"
"Perhaps not, but I could try." A smile struggled to dissipate the clouds on Phil's face. "Listen to me! Do you know that you might have imperilled a great many lives by that foolish act of yours"
"No. How?"
"In the first place, being cut loose from our train as they were, they might have continued on, provided we were on a down or up grade and—"
"We weren't. I looked to see," interjected Teddy.
"Oh, then you admit the charge. I am glad that you have confessed."
"I haven't confessed!" shouted Teddy, his face growing very red.
"If you said that on trial it would be jail for you for some years to come. To return to the subject under discussion, all the men were asleep in those cars, or at least they were supposed to be. Had there been another train over the road, last night, the chances are that it would have run into those show cars and killed every man in them, besides wrecking the train itself and killing a lot more people. I am willing to take long chances in the line of duty, but I should hope I never would commit a crime in so doing. Let this be a warning to you, Teddy Tucker. Never do a thing like this again. We will beat our rivals by all fair means and we will stop there."
Phil paused, eyeing his companion sternly.
Teddy glanced up inquiringly.
"Is the sermon over?" he asked.
"I have no more advice to offer at the present moment. I hope for your sake that the inquiry in this matter will not extend to us. If it does, I feel sorry for you."
An inquiry did follow. It was stirred up most thoroughly by the manager of the canary colored car. But, fortunately for Teddy Tucker, no suspicion of the truth ever dawned upon the rival manager, and the railroad got out of the scrape by disciplining the train crew that had lost the three cars without knowing it. However, the lesson was a wholesome one for Teddy, even though he would not admit the fact. The lesson lasted him pretty nearly all the rest of the season.
The three rival cars came rolling into the yards early in the afternoon of that day. All hands were angry and ready for trouble. Phil passed the time of day pleasantly with his opponent of the previous day, but the manager of the yellow car did not deign to make any reply to his greeting.
The hour was late before he was able to start his men out, and by that time Phil's crew had pretty well covered the town and the surrounding country, though the posters of the latter territory had very long drives, and were not expected to return until very long after dark.
Phil chafed under this, fearing that he would be obliged to miss the last train out that night, which would again put him on the same train with his rivals next day.
One of his men would have a thirty-five-mile drive back after he had finished his day's work. That would bring the man "home," as the return to the car is called, long after midnight in all probability.
Inquiry at the station and a wire to the division superintendent failed to get a special engine to haul Car Three out that night. But in his talk with the station agent Phil learned something that set him thinking. He pondered over the information he had obtained, for sometime.
"I believe I can do it," he muttered. "Talk about Teddy taking long chances, I am going to try to take some chances tonight that are far more dangerous. But I must do something."
Phil had seen a section gang go out in the morning. They had not come in yet, so the Circus Boy strolled over toward the station shortly after six o'clock waiting for the section gang to return.
They did not come in until after seven o'clock.
As the men were going by the station, having put their handcar away, Phil motioned to the foreman of the gang, a bright faced Irishman.
"How are you?" greeted Phil smilingly.
The foreman waved a hand, at which Phil beckoned the man to come to him.
"Are there any more trains over this division tonight?"
"Only number forty-two going west."
"She is due shortly after midnight, is she not?"
"Yes."
"Do you like to go to the circus, Pat?"
"I do."
"Have you a family?"
"I have."
"Will you do me a favor if I give you tickets to the show for yourself and family?"
"That I will. What show is yours?"
"The Sparling Combined Shows."
"That your car over there?"
"Yes—Car Three."
"You run it?"
"I do."
"Pretty young fellow to handle a car like that, aren't you?"
"I guess you are right. However, I am running it just the same."
"What is it you want me to do?"
"In the first place I want you to keep a close mouth. I do not want you to speak to a human being about my plans. There are some fellows that would like to know them. They must not."
The foreman grinned understandingly.
"I'm your man."
"I knew you were. You have a switch key of course?"
"Sure."
"Then I want you to bring your switch key here at half-past two o'clock tomorrow morning. You have crowbars in the tool house, have you not?"
"Yes."
"Bring two of them with you."
"What are you going to do?"
"Never mind now. I'll tell you when you come around in the morning. Do you think you can wake up in time?"
"Sure, I can."
"You may sleep on my car if you wish."
"No; I have a bunk in the tool house. I will come back and sleep there after supper."
"Excellent. Do you want an alarm clock?"
"No; I have one in the shanty. I often sleep there when I expect a call to go out on the road during the night."
"I am right, am I not, in my understanding that unless I get away on forty-two I shall not be able to leave here before noon tomorrow?"
"That's right. You are not going on forty-two, then?"
"I think not."
"The other fellows going on forty-two?"
"No; they will not be through billing here before sometime tomorrow."
The foreman grinned.
"I smell a rat," he said.
"Don't. It might not be healthful for you if you were to be too wise. Be on time and say nothing. How far is it to the next town?"
"Nigh onto twenty-five miles."
"All right. That's all. I will have your tickets ready for you when you come on in the morning. Good night, if I don't see you again until then."
All hands save Phil and Teddy went to bed early that night and the car was soon dark and silent. The late man from the country route did not get in until half-past one o'clock in the morning. He unloaded as quietly as possible, not knowing what plans of the manager he might disturb were he to make his presence known.
By this time every man of the crew was well aware that their young manager seldom was without some shrewd plan for outwitting his competitors, but these plans he ordinarily kept well to himself until he was ready to carry them out.
Phil busied himself during the night in posting his books, making out the payroll for the car, and writing the report sheet for the owner of the show.
Right on the minute at the appointed hour there came a light tap on the car window. Phil stepped out to the platform.
"I am ready, sir." It was the section foreman.
"Come inside," said Phil. "Do not make any noise, for the men are all asleep. I will awaken two of them soon, but I do not want those other car men to get awake, not for any price."
"Now, what is it you want to do?"
"You are sure there will be no more trains over this road in either direction tonight?" asked Phil.
"Not a train."
"That's good. Now I will tell you what I want you to do. I want you to open that switch to let us out on the main track."
The foreman opened his eyes.
"But how are you going to get out there?"
"I'll show you after you get the switch open. There is no grade up or down between here and the other side of the station, is there?"
"No; dead flat till you get ten rods beyond the station, then she drops."
Phil nodded thoughtfully.
"Get the crowbars while I call a couple of the men."
The Circus Boy went inside and gently awakened Billy Conley andRosie, telling them to dress and report to the office at once.
The men made no protest. They knew their young manager was planning some new ruse by which to outwit his rivals. When they heard his plan they opened their eyes in wonder.
"Come on, now, and not a word nor a sound out of you, fellows!" commanded Phil.
Once outside, Phil threw off the brakes and then the foreman of the section gang brought his knowledge to bear on the situation. He directed the men to get their crowbars under the rear wheels of the coach. After several attempts they succeeded in prying the car ahead a few inches. After repeated efforts they got the car moving slowly.
Now the foreman took a third crowbar; jumping from one side to the other he relieved the men until the car was making very fair progress under its human power.
Teddy had been standing on the platform, rubbing his palms in high glee.
"Going to push her all the way to Marion like this?" he demanded.
"You keep still up there unless you are looking for trouble," warned Phil. "Get off the platform. Think we want to drag you along, too?"
Teddy hopped down, thrust his hands in his trousers pockets, and watched the operation of moving the heavy car.
It was slow work, but inch by inch Number Three crept nearer to the station.
"Let me know when we get right on the grade, so I can slap on the brakes," ordered Phil.
"I'll let you know. You'll know without my telling you,I reckon."
At last the car was at the desired point. Phil sprang to the platform and set the brakes, while the section man ran back and closed the switch.
"Here are your tickets," said Phil when the man returned."And thank you very much."
"You're welcome, but don't you let on that I have helped you out.I will sure lose my job if you do."
"You need not worry. I do not forget a favor so easily as that."
"You better wait till daylight before you start," advised the foreman.
"Yes, I am going to. I do not want to take any more chances thanI have to. There are enough as it is."
"Anything more I can do for you, sir?"
"No, thank you."
"Then, good night."
"Good night," answered Phil.
Teddy did not yet fully understand what his companion's plan might be. Billy, on the contrary, understood it fully.
"You beat anything I ever came across," Conley remarked in Phil's car as the two were standing at the side of the track in front of Number Three.
"Wait! Don't throw any flowers at me too soon. We have not done it yet. I understand there is a short up-grade about seven miles below here. If we get stalled on that we will be in a fine fix and likely to get smashed into ourselves. It looks to me like a storm. What do you think?"
"I think yes—thunderstorm. I saw the lightning a moment ago." "Good! I hope it storms. It will be a good cover to get away under."
"Slippery rails will be bad for our business, though," warned Billy.
"We shall have to take the chance."
They had not long to wait after that. Day soon dawned but the skies were dark and forbidding. As soon as it was light enough to see well, Phil began to make preparations for his unique trip.
"Now what are you going to do?" demanded Teddy.
"My dear boy, we are going to try to coast all the way to Marion. We may land in the ditch or we may get stalled, but I am not going to lie here and waste nearly a day. Let the other fellows spend the time here if they wish. I reckon they will be surprised in the morning, when they wake up and find Car Three has dropped off the map."
Teddy uttered a long whistle of surprise.
"Don't you ever find fault with me again for doing a trick likeI played."
"What trick was that?" questioned Billy.
"Never mind. That's my secret. It isn't any of your affair," grumbled Teddy.
"Teddy, you get on the back platform. Keep your hand on thebrake wheel every second of the time. Keep your ears open.When I jerk once sharply on the bell rope set the brakes tight.If I jerk it twice, just apply them a little to steady the car."