The Adventures of a Country Boy at a Country Fair Part 41

On seeing the boy the burglar gave a start of surprise, and allowed the incriminating question to escape his lips:

"Has Phil been pinched, too?"

"I took care of that business, an' we'll bring him in some time to-day.

Say, what about that awful lickin' you was goin' to give me?"

"I'll cut your throat before this job is finished," was the angry reply, and there was no longer any necessity of asking Sam if he recognized the prisoner.

"You say you can show us the stolen goods, and the other burglar is where the officers can get him?" Mr. Harvey asked.

"That's just what I can do," Sam replied, proudly.

"Then you will have earned fifty dollars, for Mr. Hargreaves has promised, even sworn, that he will pay that amount for the return of his property," Mr. Harvey continued.

"He might as well give me the money now, for I'm ready to turn the stuff up, an' when there's more big detective work to be done, come to me."

"I don't know about payin' any reward till I'm certain the little villain isn't one of the thieves himself, an' is doin' this to swindle me," Uncle Nathan cried, quickly.

"He shall have the reward if the story is true," the 'Squire replied.

"You can't go back on what you've sworn to, an' must pay up. Mr.

Constable, get two or three men an' go with this boy. Don't lose sight of him for a minute until he has given all the information in his power."

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

_IN CONCLUSION._

Sam was led away before either Teddy or Dan could speak privately with him; but they went at once to congratulate Hazelton on his apparently happy escape, and, in response to Mr. Harvey's request, the 'Squire said:

"The prisoner can remain here, or in your custody, until the party returns. If the boy has told the truth there is nothing for me to do but discharge him, and I am really glad that he has come out so fortunately."

"Don't think I'll ever forget what you've done for me," Hazelton whispered to Teddy.

"But it isn't me at all. Sam seems to have fixed everything."

"I've got an idea that I know pretty near the truth of the whole story, never mind how he tells it. At all events, we've no reason to complain, for if the goods and the other burglar are found, we are out of our trouble. Your uncle's charges can't hold after that."

It was, as Teddy now realized for the first time, a happy conclusion to the troubles of both, and his heart was lighter than it had been at any time since the accusation was made.

There was no question that those who had gone with Sam would be absent several hours, and the little party in the court-room had more time at their disposal than could well be occupied by the discussion of their affairs.

After the different phases of the case had been gone over in detail, Hazelton asked Teddy:

"How did you come out at the fair?"

"I haven't figured up; but I know I've made a good deal, an' it must be almost enough, countin' the money Deacon Jones gave us, to pay the debt on the place."

Until this moment Teddy had had so much on his mind that the princ.i.p.al cause of his turning fakir was absent from his mind; but now, with nothing better to do, he began to count up the week's work, announcing the result a few moments later by saying:

"I took in two hundred an' fifty-two dollars an' fifty cents during the week. Out of that must come the money I lost at Waterville, what I paid Uncle Nathan, the privilege, the money I paid Mr. Reaves for the stock, Tim's wages, an' my board. That leaves one hundred an' forty-five dollars an' ninety-eight cents. With what came in from the testimonial I'll have enough to pay off the debt on the house, an' pretty near eight dollars for myself, which is what I call a big week's work."

"I'm glad you have made it," Hazelton replied, heartily. "There is a little matter between you an' I which yet remains to be settled, and when that has been done you should be considerably better off."

"I don't want you to do a thing," Teddy said, quickly. "So many people have helped me since the fair opened that it seems as if I was nothing more or less than a beggar."

"You come very far from deserving that t.i.tle," the fakir replied, and then the entrance of Mr. Reaves interrupted the conversation. After talking with the lawyer, the merchant said to Teddy:

"I am more than pleased to learn that you will be freed from all your troubles in a short time. Next week I shall be in need of a clerk, and if you wish to take the situation it shall be left open until you are ready to go to work. The wages are six dollars a week for the first year, with an increase as soon as you can earn it, and I will really be pleased to have you in my employ."

"I'd like to come," Teddy replied; "but it don't seem just right to leave mother."

"There is no necessity of doing so. You can ride back and forth on the stage, unless your mother should decide, as I think she will eventually, to make her home in Waterville."

"If she approves of the plan I'll come to work next week."

"Make it two weeks, so that there'll be plenty of time to arrange matters, and I will expect you," the merchant replied in a tone which showed that he was more than satisfied with the arrangement. "I only came over to see if you needed any a.s.sistance; but Mr. Harvey says you'll soon be free from the charge your uncle made, therefore I will go back at once."

About an hour after the merchant departed Sam and the constables returned with Phil and the stolen goods.

The amateur detective was in the best possible spirits, and now that the burglar had been apprehended through his a.s.sistance the boy felt absolutely certain he was the greatest detective in the country.

As a matter of course, there was nothing the 'Squire could do save discharge Hazelton from custody, and after Mr. Harvey had given his word that he would take care Sam should appear when wanted as a witness, the boy rejoined his friends, saying as he did so:

"If you fellers had done as I wanted you'd be way up now, the same as I am. Of course, I don't blame you for being afraid; but when you go out on such work the only way is to hold on."

"I wonder how long you'd have held on if the men hadn't made you stay with them?" Dan asked.

"Who told you that?" Sam said. "If I staid, it was because I knowed it wouldn't be long until I got the upper hand of the gang, an I've done it."

Before the party separated, and while Uncle Nathan was identifying the goods which had been stolen from him, Mr. Harvey insisted that the reward should be paid, and although it was very much like drawing a tooth, the old man was finally induced to make his word good.

"It's a pile of money, but I earned it," Sam said, as he tucked Uncle Nathan's grudgingly bestowed cash in his trousers pocket. "There ain't many 'round this part of the country who could have done what I did, an'

it's only right detectives should be well paid."

Then, with many protestations of friends.h.i.+p, the lawyer started for home, after returning to Hazelton the money which Teddy had given Mr.

Reaves for safekeeping, and the fakir said as he walked out of the court-room with the four boys:

"Now, I want you to come with me, until my business is settled, and then I'll shake the dust of Peach Bottom from my feet in the shortest possible time."

Not understanding what he meant, the boys accompanied him to the nearest jewelry store, and there he bought two silver watches, which he presented to Teddy and Dan, as he said:

"These are only to remind you that I am grateful for what has been done.

It isn't much of a present; but it will suffice to show I'm not ungrateful. Some time in the future I may meet you again, and then the full debt shall be paid if I'm solid enough to do it."

He was gone almost before the astonished boys could thank him, and with his departure this story should properly be concluded, since Teddy has made his last appearance as a fakir.