// 
 
 . 
 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 I . THE PLAY GROUND 1 
 
 II . A STARTLING EXPLOIT 19 
 
 III . THE LAST HOPE 34 
 
 IV . BENEATH THE TREE 49 
 
 V. A TEACHER of THE OLDEN TIME 63 
 
 VI . CURING TOMFOOLERY 80 
 
 VII . THE APPEAL 94 
 
 VIII . THE CIRCUS 109 
 
 IX. IN THE RING 123 
 
 X. "To BE, OR NOT TO BE" 138 
 
 XI . THE GATHERING STORM 152 
 
 XII . AN IMPORTANT STEP 169 
 
 XIII . THE FRIEND IN NEED 181 
 
 XIV . THE FIRST PERFORMANCE 198 
 
 XV . ON THE ROAD 216 
 
 XVI . A Row IN PROSPECT 236 
 
 XVII . LOST COMPANIONS 250 
 
 XVIII. THE GOOD SAMARITANS 267 
 
 (iii) 
 
 &*&.> Ql CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES 
 
 2130603
 
 IV. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER PAOB 
 
 XIX. IN THE EARLY MORNING 284 
 
 XX. A SLIP 300 
 
 XXI . THE CLASP OP THE HAND 315 
 
 XXII. THE TELEGRAPH 332 
 
 XXIII . THE HOUR AT HAND 346 
 
 XXIV. CROSSING THE RUBICON 362 
 
 XXV . THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS 378 
 
 XXVI . THE ADVERTISEMENT 393 
 
 XXVII . HOME AGAIN 410 
 
 XXVIII . CONCLUSION . . 419
 
 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 
 
 HP HEY were having high times on the 
 1 playground of the Tottenville school, 
 
 one summer noon, some years ago. 
 The building stood in a square lot at the 
 side of the road, covering an area of a 
 quarter of an acre; and beyond this was a 
 long stretch of cool, shady woods, and 
 another smaller tract of timber, on the 
 opposite side of the highway. 
 
 There is no end to the fun that a lot of 
 school children can extract from such 
 resources as these. They can play "hide 
 and whoop," or start off on imaginary 
 hunting expeditions, or swing like monkeys 
 from the topmost limbs, and fall sprawling 
 through the branches to the ground below, 
 without the least injury. 
 
 1
 
 2 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 In the autumn time they can club the 
 bursting chestnut burrs, or bring the hick 
 ory nuts rattling down upon the crisp 
 leaves. Some of them can make stealthy 
 excursions into the field beyond, where the 
 melons, pears and apples are ripening; for 
 no fruit is so tempting and luscious as that 
 which is forbidden. 
 
 In short, the resources are boundless, and 
 a troop of school children, turned loose in 
 such a place, will not be quiet a minute. 
 
 But there was extra fun to-day, for the 
 reason that the teacher was late. Although 
 there was no such thing as a timepiece on 
 or about the premises, yet the children 
 knew when to expect the unwelcome appa 
 rition of Old Gibbs, as he was generally 
 called, with no feeling of the disrespect that 
 might appear in the title. 
 
 Fully a score of youngsters had darted 
 out in the middle of the dusty road, and 
 cast a searching glance down it, in the 
 expectation of being the first to shout the 
 unwelcome tidings. 
 
 " There he comes there he comes!"
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 3 
 
 But they were disappointed. They 
 knew exactly where he would first be seen, 
 just as the astronomer knows to which 
 point of the heavens he must direct his 
 telescope when a comet is due. 
 
 A half mile away, the road curved so as to 
 shut out all further view. Just there, on 
 the right of the road, in front of the cider 
 mill, the fence was always whitewashed to 
 the cleanest, purest, possible degree. The 
 other side of the road consisted of a huge 
 bank, surmounted by a straggling worm 
 fence. 
 
 The teacher was never known to take 
 that in going to or returning from school; 
 but for twenty years he had slowly plodded 
 back and forth, like some machine that is 
 wound up and runs down everv day. No 
 doubt he had stepped in precisely the same 
 invisible footprints hundreds and thousands 
 of times. 
 
 Always dressed in deep black, the instant 
 he came in sight he was seen in relief 
 against the whit, fence beyond. At that 
 distance no motion of the arms or legs was
 
 4 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 perceptible, but he could be observed slowly 
 gliding along the background, as the hour 
 hand creeps over the face of the clock, 
 coming nearer, nearer shut out from sight 
 awhile by the tall buttonwood that grew in 
 the path in front of " Jack s House," until 
 he again moved to view around the im 
 mense trunk, his own proportions magnified 
 by the temporary eclipse under which he 
 had been approaching. 
 
 But Old Gibbs did not come, although he 
 must be fully a quarter of an hour overdue, 
 and as a consequence, the thirty odd boys 
 and girls played more uproarously than 
 ever. It would never do to lose a minute, 
 and so they well nigh dislocated their necks 
 as they scrambled and tumbled after one 
 another. 
 
 In one place, a dozen were arranged in a 
 ring, looking demure and meek, as each 
 peeped slyly over the shoulder at his or her 
 playmate, who was trotting around, with 
 a handkerchief in her hand, awaiting the 
 chance to drop it undetected behind one of 
 them. Several others were jumping a long
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 5 
 
 rope, which a couple of barefooted gallants 
 were turning for the girls. Near them two 
 others grasped each other s hands, and 
 with their toes together, were swinging 
 around at a delirious rate, staring in each 
 other s eyes, their dresses sailing far out, 
 like the skirts of a fashionable dancer, and 
 suggesting the thought that, if their grasp 
 should break, the centripetal force would 
 send them spinning into the woods, or 
 against the school-house. 
 
 A little fat fellow stands staring at them, 
 with his mouth open, and his yellow hair 
 projecting through the top of his straw hat. 
 Suddenly an urchin runs up behind him, 
 and gets down on his hands and knees. At 
 the same moment a confederate approaches 
 the victim in front, with a hypocritical 
 smile, asking him some trivial question. 
 The conversation is kept up until they are 
 together, when the plotter suddenly gives 
 him a shove, and away he goes, heels up r 
 and turning a back somersault over the sly 
 fellow on his hands and knees. All three 
 laugh, and the victim straightway joins
 
 6 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 them in attempting the trick upon some one 
 else. 
 
 Another, perching himself on the top rail 
 of the fence, grasps an overhanging limb, 
 and swings outward a dozen feet or so, his 
 legs drawn up so as not to flap against the 
 fence while thus oscillating. If a stray 
 wagon goes along, a half-dozen instantly 
 dart out and " catch behind." 
 
 There are some curious facts about a 
 boy s fun. He will seize the springs of a 
 wagon, and run at full speed behind it, 
 enveloped in a cloud of dust, and consider 
 it bliss ; green apples taste better than ripe 
 ones, and both are luscious, if they come 
 from a forbidden tree; he will stuff himself 
 so full of watermelon that he is in the utter 
 misery of a surcharged steam-boiler, and 
 after climbing over the fence, he is ready to 
 eat as much more; he will climb scraggy 
 trees, tear his clothes (knowing by experi 
 ence what the penalty will be when he 
 reaches home), bark his shins, and tire 
 himself out, for no earthly reason at all 
 except the mere sport of doing so.
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 7 
 
 Something unusual had happened, for 
 never was Old Gibbs known to stay away 
 like this. One or two urchins expressed 
 the belief that he had "gone dead;" but 
 they did not seem particularly impressed 
 thereat. As it was, they determined to 
 improve the time to the utmost. 
 
 A stranger, looking upon this joyous 
 scene, would have been struck by the per 
 formances of one boy in particular his 
 display of suppleness and agility being 
 wonderful. He seemed about twelve years 
 of age, of rather light build, and entered 
 into the sport with an abandon that did a 
 person good to witness. 
 
 After running out in the road, and mak 
 ing sure that Old Gibbs was not in sight, he 
 gave a whoop, and with a scarcely percept 
 ible effort, turned a clever somersault; this 
 was followed by another yell and " flop- 
 over, " until he had executed fully a half- 
 dozen, and placed himself in the centre of 
 the play-ground. 
 
 These exploits of Lew Fenwick, or " Lim 
 ber Lew," as he was more generally called
 
 8 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 had wellnigh been the death of a score of his 
 playmates. In attempting to turn a "hand 
 spring," as they persisted in calling it, they 
 generally alighted upon their heads, and 
 were "shook up" so effectually that they 
 were chary about repeating the essay. 
 Then in leaping, running, swimming, and 
 indeed all sorts of athletic exercises, the 
 other lads were nowhere when compared 
 with Lew. He was a long and accurate 
 thrower, and it was a treat to see him l split 
 an apple," with a sharpedged stone, while 
 the fruit hung far up among the branches, 
 or, to strike the gaping chestnut burr, with 
 a force that sent the three brown chestnuts 
 flying apart, as if the burr had exploded. 
 Having completed the somersault, Lim 
 ber Lew dropped on his hands and knees, 
 uttered several sharp cries, precisely like 
 those of a wounded dog, and skurried 
 across the play-ground at an amazing 
 speed, upsetting several urchins whom he 
 managed to take in his way. Then he 
 scrambled upon the fence, made a leap at an 
 overhanging branch, caught it with one
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 9 
 
 hand, and away he went to the top, as if 
 somebody were chasing him up a pair of 
 stairs. 
 
 Matters were going in this swimming 
 fashion, when a nurse, pushing a baby- 
 carriage before her, paused on the edge of 
 the play-ground, and stood looking upon 
 the scene. She attracted no notice, as she 
 frequently passed the school-grounds, and 
 was well-known to them all, as being a 
 servant of Captain Rudolph Reynolds, a 
 wealthy man, whose country-seat was a 
 quarter of a mile distant. On pleasant 
 afternoons, it was her custom to push the 
 handsome carriage, and its much hand 
 somer occupant, along the road, under the 
 shade of the overhanging trees, where she 
 lingered for an hour or two, enjoying the 
 delightful recreation as much as the six- 
 month-old infant did in her way. 
 
 The children felt no special interest in 
 babies, for the reason that most of them 
 had such luxuries at home. Lew Fenwick, 
 obesrving the carriage standing on the edge 
 of the play-ground, ran toward it, and to
 
 10 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 the dismay of Bridget, turned one of his 
 inevitable somersaults over it. 
 
 "Ye little spalpeen!" she shouted, indig 
 nantly, as landing upon his feet, he instant 
 ly reversed the exploit and went backward 
 over the carriage again, "do you want to 
 kill me jewel? Have done wid your non 
 
 sense. 
 
 "I did nt hurt it any, did I?" asked the 
 lad, pausing and looking down in the chub 
 by face, as if searching for wounds. "What 
 is the matter with it?" 
 
 "S pose your foot had thripped when in 
 the air, and ye stumbled into the carriage 
 and mashed the little darling? then ye d 
 be hung for arson and ye d say all your life 
 that ye d been sarved right." 
 
 "But when a fellow is in the air, Bridget, 
 there isn t anything for him to stumble 
 against." 
 
 "Arrah, be off now wid your nonsense!" 
 was the impatient rejoinder of the loyal 
 nurse. "S pose ye were struck by a whirl 
 wind or an arthquake, when above the 
 ground, ye can t tell where ye ll light? If
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 11 
 
 ye thry any more of your thricks around 
 the swatest baby the world ever knew, I ll 
 lay ye over my knee, and whack it out of 
 ye!" 
 
 Exactly how this interview would have 
 terminated can hardly be conjectured, for 
 when it was assuming an interesting phase, 
 a most unlooked-for diversion took place. 
 
 A sudden screaming was heard from the 
 play-ground, and looking in that direction, 
 the youngsters were seen scampering for 
 the school-house in consternation. 
 
 Suddenly, no one could tell from where, 
 a large monkey had leaped among them, 
 landing upon the shoulders of a boy, and, 
 whisking over the head of another, terrified 
 both as much as if a Bengal tiger had 
 dropped upon them. 
 
 Most of the children tumbled and scram 
 bled into the building, screeching, looking 
 back over their shoulders, and so impeding 
 one another in their flight that a much 
 slower creature could have overtaken them 
 all. 
 
 Several of the boys ran behind the school-
 
 12 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 house, and one or two began hastily climb 
 ing trees, as if that could be any refuge 
 from such a creature as a monkey. 
 
 Sitting in a row, under the shadow of the 
 overhanging foilage, were a number of 
 baskets and "blickies," or tin-pails, con 
 taining the remnants of the dinners of the 
 respective owners. 
 
 Finding himself left alone upon the play 
 ground, the monkey galloped toward these, 
 and began overhauling each in turn. Wher 
 ever there was a piece of meat, cake or 
 bread, he handled and munched it with the 
 deftness of a veteran, and with an appetite 
 that seemed insatiable. 
 
 This action of their Darwinian brother 
 seemed to establish a link between him and 
 the youngsters. The fright was turned 
 to amusement, and screams of laughter 
 were heard from the boys and girls, who 
 were hanging half out of the windows, or 
 peering from their other hiding places. 
 
 One girl was disposed to cry, as she saw 
 the animal demolishing a piece of pound 
 cake, with frosting on the top, which she
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 13 
 
 had been carrying for nearly a week, con 
 sidering it too good to eat; but she finally 
 joined the others, and so the fun went on. 
 
 Having filled himself from the contents 
 of the lunch-baskets, the monkey proceeded 
 to indulge in those antics which come 
 naturally to his species. 
 
 The boys, growing bolder, and ventur 
 ing from their hiding-places, began teasing 
 him by poking sticks at him, and shouting 
 all sorts of fancy names. 
 
 He enjoyed it all as much as they and 
 could the youngsters have been assured 
 that the teacher would not put in an ap 
 pearance all that afternoon, nothing could 
 have exceeded their happiness. 
 
 But they had no more than fairly entered 
 into the enjoyment, when one of their 
 number all having swarmed out of doors 
 raised the cry: 
 
 "Old Gibbs is coming!" 
 
 Instantly half the school dashed out into 
 the road, to see whether the dreadful news 
 was true. 
 
 Yes; he could be plainly seen far down
 
 14 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 the road, his dark form in relief against the 
 white back-ground of the fence, as he 
 moved slowly in front of the old cider- 
 house. Late as he unquestionably was, 
 there was and could be no perceptible hurry 
 in his footsteps. 
 
 Such being the case, the boys hastened 
 with their frolic. The monkey was frisking 
 among the children as if he believed he was 
 one of them, and they, having lost all fear, 
 danced and shouted with delight. He 
 seemed particularly partial to the girls, and 
 it looked very much as if some of the bare 
 footed gallants would become jealous of his 
 attentions, if things went on. 
 
 No one enjoyed the fun more than 
 Bridget, the Irish nurse, who, at the first 
 appearance of the creature, gave utterance 
 to a wild shriek, and started for home in a 
 whirl of terror. Before she had gone far, 
 however, she recalled that she had left the 
 baby behind, and she dashed back in 
 greater dismay than ever. 
 
 By the time she reached the carriage and 
 its precious occupant, she had cooled down
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 15 
 
 and saw that there was no cause for 
 alarm. 
 
 The children were on the play-ground, 
 around the frolicsome fellow, and desirous 
 of seeing all that was going on, she pushed 
 the carriage forward and joined the group. 
 
 Thus matters proceeded until the teacher 
 was obscured by the great poplar trunk 
 in front of Jack s House, to which we have 
 alluded ; and the children, with a sorrowful 
 regret which can hardly be imagined, felt 
 that their primest entertainment could last 
 but a few minutes longer. 
 
 The monkey still darting here and there, 
 the girls generally recoiling with a scream, 
 whenever he came too close, and instantly 
 closing about him again. 
 
 "I wonder where he came from," ex 
 claimed Sue Williams, for the dozenth time. 
 
 "He came from Afriky, of course," 
 replied Billy Huggins, who missed his les 
 sons every day, and yet thought he knew 
 more than all the rest of the school together. 
 
 "Well, how did he get here?" persisted 
 the young lady, keeping her eye on the
 
 16 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 monkey, while she continued questioning 
 the young naturalist. 
 
 "Swum, I s pose, or else some one fetched 
 him over in a ship." 
 
 "Think you know everything, Bill Hug- 
 gins, and you don t know anything. Of 
 course he came from some country away 
 off thousands of miles, but how did he get 
 here? I don t know any monkeys but you, 
 that grow in this country." 
 
 "Mebbe he growed up in the woods. I 
 don t see why he couldn t. If they live 
 in the woods in Afriky, why can t they live 
 in the woods here? That s what I d like to 
 know. Come to think, too, I ve heard 
 something like a monkey when I ve been 
 out in the woods, and I ll bet it was this 
 same one. 
 
 Although uttered in all seriousness, the 
 two or three who heard Billy s declaration 
 greeted it with a laugh. It wasn t the kind 
 of statement to believe, especially when 
 made by such a youngster as he was known 
 to be. 
 
 "What do you think about it, Lew?"
 
 THE PLAY-GROUND. 17 
 
 asked Sue, as the lad to whom we have 
 made reference appeared beside them. 
 
 "He s run away from some show. Meb- 
 be he s been a partner with an Italian, and 
 got mad and left him, because he didn t 
 feed him enough." 
 
 "I should think so, from the way he went 
 into our dinners." 
 
 "You mean from the way our dinners 
 went into him. And there, by George!" 
 exclaimed Lew, like a boy who has made 
 some astounding discovery "there is a 
 circus and menagerie down at Birmingham. 
 I saw the picture in the paper at home, and 
 I wanted father to let me go, but he 
 wouldn t. That must be it, sure." 
 
 "Why didn t we think of that?" said 
 Sue, admiring the smartness of Lew. "We 
 all knowed there was a circus there, and 
 brother Tom promised to take me to-night. 
 I ll get him to ask the keeper about it, and 
 mebbe he ll let us in for nothing." 
 
 "I guess I ll try that on myself 
 
 Further words were checked by Bridget, 
 the nurse, who uttered a scream and in-
 
 18 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 stantly all were spell-bound, for the mo 
 ment, over an exploit of the specimen of 
 quadrumana they were talking about.
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 
 
 AT one leap, the monkey sprang upon the 
 broad shoulders of Bridget, and 
 clawed down her waterfall; and 
 then, with another terrific bound, alighted 
 on the back of Old Gibbs, the teacher, 
 snatched off his hat, put it on his own head, 
 scampered along the fence, and perching 
 upon the top of a post, turned about and 
 chattered at the crowd, well aware that he 
 had done the most comical thing imag 
 inable. 
 
 It was dangerous to laugh at any mishap 
 of the teacher, and yet the children would 
 have done it had they known that death 
 itself was to be the result. Young human 
 nature could not stand it, and the cachinna- 
 tion that went through that group of school 
 children was enough to choke them. 
 
 Mr. Gibbs made a frantic clutch after his 
 silk hat as it was whisked off his head, but
 
 20 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 he was just too late, and he stared like one 
 paralyzed at the audacity of the robber. 
 Then, as he heard the laughter, he looked 
 sternly at his school, with a frown dreadful 
 enough to freeze their blood ; and finally, he 
 began moving stealthily toward the thief, 
 his cane firmly grasped, with the expecta 
 tion of getting near enough to deliver a 
 whack upon its pate, that would make it 
 glad enough to drop the pilfered head 
 piece. 
 
 The children suddenly became silent r 
 deeply interested in the proceeding, while 
 the monkey sat still, perched upon the post, 
 the hat still on the back of his head, which 
 hardly half-filled the covering, while he 
 kept moving his jaws, as if munching 
 invisible food, his manner and appearance 
 being funny enough to make the crossest 
 curmudgeon in the world split his sides 
 with laughter. 
 
 It looked as if the pedagogue were about 
 to succeed, for he approached within a 
 dozen feet without his victim stirring from 
 his position. Suddenly Mr. Gibbs made a
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 21 
 
 leap forward, and struck a tremendous 
 blow with his cane. 
 
 "I ll teach you manners, you little imp!" 
 
 But the stick struck the post instead, 
 jarring the hand that descended; and the 
 monkey, with inimitable dexterity, drop 
 ped upon the ground on the other side, the 
 prize still in his possession. 
 
 The baffled teacher stood staring at the 
 provoking animal ; and in a rage that could 
 not find expression in words, flung his cane 
 to the ground, and started toward the 
 school-house. 
 
 Thereupon the animal did precisely as it 
 is recorded a number of them once did, in 
 the case of a sailor from whom they had 
 stolen a number of caps while he was 
 asleep. 
 
 He snatched the hat off his head and 
 threw it down at his feet. The instant 
 he did so, Limber Lew sprang over the 
 fence, caught it up, and overtook the 
 teacher, who was still striding toward the 
 school building, unaware of the clever per 
 formance of his pupil.
 
 22 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Here, Mr. Gibbs, is your hat, and you d 
 better hold fast to it." 
 
 "Be careful, young man, and don t give 
 me any of your impudence," admonished 
 the teacher, accepting the proffered article, 
 without the least acknowledgment of the 
 favor. 
 
 And then, without deigning to explain 
 to the pupils that his own tardiness had 
 arisen from his taking too long a nap after 
 dinner, he entered the house, walked to his 
 desk, took up his ferule, and advanced to 
 the window, with the purpose of summon 
 ing the children to their studies by rapping 
 upon the sash, as was his custom. 
 
 Before he could do so he was startled by 
 a scream and through the window he 
 witnessed a scene which stirred even his 
 sluggish blood, and caused him to hurry 
 out-doors, ferule in hand, muttering, as he 
 did so: 
 
 " Heavens and earth! what is the imp of 
 Satan doing?" 
 
 Well might he utter the ejaculation, for 
 the monkey, before any one could suspect
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 23 
 
 its purpose, had seized the crowing infant 
 from its carriage, and running with great 
 speed across the play-ground, leaped upon 
 the fence, then upon a limb, and clambered 
 up a tree, apparently with as much ease as 
 if it carried not a feather s weight with him. 
 
 Higher and higher he kept going, until 
 he was compelled to pause at last, because 
 he was nearing the topmost boughs, and 
 could go no higher. 
 
 He held the little one clasped about with 
 one arm, just as a person would have done 
 under similar circumstances, and looked 
 down upon the horrified group, as if invit 
 ing them to admire his performance. 
 
 Poor Bridget, the nurse, was wringing 
 her hands, moaning and crying in agony, as 
 she walked about in a circle, scarcely con 
 scious of what she was doing. 
 
 "Oh, the darlint! May the saints for 
 give me! It is kilt intirely! Why did I 
 lave it alone? Why did I come to this 
 counthry to have me heart broke this way? 
 I ll die I ll die and Captain Reynolds 
 and me missis will go clean daft, for the
 
 24 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 raisin that one of their childers was stole 
 from thim a long time ago, and now this 
 one is kilt! Oh, dear! oh, dear! oh dear! * 
 
 The children stood spell-bound, no one 
 speaking, but all staring with open mouths 
 and white faces at the appalling exhibition, 
 the like of which no one had ever seen 
 before. 
 
 The monkey was fully fifty feet from the 
 ground, so high among the branches that 
 the top of the tree perceptibly bent with 
 the combined weight of himself and infant. 
 
 Even in that terrible minute, the teacher 
 wondered at the astonishing strength dis 
 played by the abductor. True he was 
 unusually large, but so was the baby; and 
 yet, in running up the tree, he did not show 
 that it was any perceptible impediment to 
 him. 
 
 As we have said already, his left arm was 
 thrown around the back of the infant, which 
 was handled as if he was accustomed to 
 such business. 
 
 The scene in the tree was enough to 
 chill the blood of the bravest man. In the
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 25 
 
 very topmost branches was perched the 
 monkey, his black mouth moving with a 
 quick, champing motion, as if he had some 
 thing between his teeth. 
 
 His bright, restless eyes seemed to twinkle 
 like stars as he moved his head from side to 
 side, and his countenance looked hideously 
 black and repulsive, so resembling and yet 
 so in contrast to the human face. 
 
 The baby proved its claim to the oft- 
 repeated assertion of its nurse, that it was 
 the best one in the world. 
 
 Its long white dress flowed down over 
 the limb upon which its terrible captor 
 crouched ; its head, covered with a few small 
 golden curls, was without other covering; 
 its chubby cheeks were as rosy and round as 
 apples; and its big blue eyes frequently 
 wandered to the wrinkled front of the mon 
 key, as if in doubt whether he was its legally 
 appointed guardian or not. 
 
 It would be interesting if we could com 
 prehend the strange ideas that must have 
 flickered through its brain, but whatever 
 they were can never be known. Viewe
 
 26 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 from the ground, it looked very much as if 
 it were ready to break out into a cry; but as 
 yet it held its peace. 
 
 The consternation of those looking at the 
 picture cannot be imagined. The nurse 
 had her apron to her eyes, and was wander 
 ing vaguely about, mourning and heart 
 broken. All at once, she started on a run 
 for home, directly across the fields, impelled 
 by the hope that, somehow or other, relief 
 might be obtained there. 
 
 The girls and boys stared, white and 
 gasping, or whispering to one another their 
 exclamations of terror. 
 
 Just in the rear of them towered the form 
 of Gibbs, the teacher, who never once 
 removed his eye from the couple in the tree- 
 top. What was to be the result of all this 
 was to him a greater problem than any 
 thing he had ever attacked in Euclid. He 
 could think of nothing to do to avert the 
 threatened death, and he was motionless 
 and speechless. 
 
 Suddenly a boy shot forward from the 
 gaping group, and ran toward the tree.
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 27 
 
 "Stop!" commanded the teacher, 
 "What do you want to do?" 
 
 " I was going to climb the tree, and try to 
 get the baby away from him," replied Lew 
 Fenwick, pausing abruptly, and looking 
 back for the coveted permission. 
 
 But the teacher shook his head. 
 
 "Impossible! you could only make him 
 drop the infant, and cause its death. It 
 won t do to disturb him." 
 
 The lad dare not go contrary to such a 
 command as that, and he reluctantly re 
 joined hisjplaymates, muttering, as he did so . 
 
 "If we only had something for the baby 
 to fall on, mebbe it wouldn t be killed at all. 
 
 Gibbs overheard the words, and caught 
 the idea. He looked hurriedly around, but 
 saw nothing that could be made to answer 
 the purpose. 
 
 "John, James and William," said he, 
 recalling the three lads from their daze, 
 "run down to Jack s House and bring a 
 feather bed with you. Tell him I sent you, 
 and it s a case of life and death, and there 
 mustn t be a second s delay,"
 
 28 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Away went the three on a hard run, as 
 eager to do something for the baby, now 
 that the way was opened, as if it were the 
 sister of them all. 
 
 Jack s House, as we have intimated, 
 stood but a short distance from the school. 
 It faced the road, and was near the huge 
 buttonwood, which eclipsed any pedestrian 
 in going up or down the highway. It 
 was a small, ordinary-looking cabin, and 
 there was some legend about its being 
 haunted by the " materialized" spirit of old 
 Jack Booz, who was shot on the premises 
 many years before. It was now occupied 
 by an old German also called Jack with 
 his frau, both honest and hard working, 
 and very manifestly in little sympathy with 
 the bugaboo business. 
 
 Jack was at work at Captain Reynolds, 
 and when the terrified demand was made 
 upon Katrina for a feather bed, she wanted 
 to know what was the matter. 
 
 Remembering the admonition of their 
 teacher to permit no delay, they replied by 
 dancing about and repeating their demand
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 29 
 
 in a more excited manner than ever; while 
 she stared at them, wondering if they were 
 crazy, or, what seemed more likely to her, 
 trying to play some boyish trick upon her. 
 
 It is scarcely probable that they would 
 have succeeded in their purpose, but for the 
 sudden appearance of Jack himself. 
 
 He had been at Captain Reynolds house 
 when Bridget pitched upon the porch, with 
 the awful story of what had happened. 
 
 Despite her frantic terror, the situation 
 was quickly taken in by the father and 
 mother, the former of whom displayed re 
 markable presence of mind. 
 
 "Run, Jack," said he," and take your 
 feather bed for the baby to fall upon. I 
 will be there right behind you." 
 
 He paused only long enough to dart into 
 the house and catch up his rifle. His wife 
 gave utterance to several shrieks, and 
 dropped into a chair, in hysterics. He 
 shouted to a colored servant to look after 
 her mistress, and without stopping started 
 on a run in the direction of the school- 
 house, gun in hand. He loved his wife as
 
 30 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 much as man can love woman, but her life 
 was in no danger, while that of his baby 
 daughter was, and it might all depend upon 
 a second of time whether she was saved or 
 not. 
 
 In the meantime, the lusty German was 
 not idle. He started off with an agility 
 remarkable in one so bulky, and reached his 
 own house a few minutes after the three 
 messengers despatched by the teacher. 
 
 Without pausing to learn their errand, he 
 dashed into the house and up stairs, and, 
 as one of the boys expressed it, " snatched 
 the bed bare-headed. Being a poor man, 
 Jack s luxury in the feather line extended 
 no further than those that had been plucked 
 from hens, and not from geese, but it was 
 likely to answer the purpose if it could only 
 be gotten there in time. It was soggy and 
 heavy, but flinging it over his shoulder, he 
 started up the road on a rapid run. 
 
 The excitement at the school-house had 
 grown, if possible, more intense than ever. 
 The baby, after maintaining silence for a 
 few minutes, indulged in a slight whimper;
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 31 
 
 whereupon the monkey began rocking it, 
 precisely as he had no doubt seen nurses do 
 on many an occasion when they were view 
 ing his antics. 
 
 A moment later he began descending 
 from his elevation, and all trembled with 
 the hope that he was about to come to the 
 ground and restore the baby to its place in 
 the carriage ; but he only moved some six or 
 eight feet, to where there were larger limbs, 
 upon one of which he paused, and began 
 working his way out toward the end. 
 
 Every breath was held in the expectation 
 that he would lose his hold, and either fall 
 with the little one to the ground, or else, 
 saving himself, permit it to be dashed to 
 death upon the hard earth below ; but with 
 the dexterity that is natural to the simian 
 species, he worked his way out and came to a 
 rest again still perched at a dizzying height, 
 and with the suspense as painful as ever. 
 
 Thus matters stood when Mr. Reynolds 
 and his hired man, Jack, arrived on the 
 spot, almost at the same moment; the 
 former, however, slightly in advance.
 
 32 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 " Stand back!" commanded the teacher 
 to the children, feeling that on an occasion 
 like this the father should be director of 
 proceedings. "Make way for Captain Rey 
 nolds." 
 
 The latter gentleman had been a hunter 
 
 in his early days, having spent several years 
 
 1 in the wilds of Asia and Africa, and he held 
 
 in his hand the rifle which had accompanied 
 
 him in all his perilous adventures. 
 
 "Jack," said he, turning toward his 
 servant, and speaking with a military 
 curtness, "place the tick directly under the 
 baby, so as to catch it as it falls." 
 
 The German was in such a hurry to obey 
 that he hindered rather than hastened 
 matters. When he looked up through the 
 leaves, and thought he was in about the 
 right spot, he dumped the soggy load upon 
 the ground, and hastily spread it out and 
 patted it down level, as he had done many 
 a time before he had brought his frau 
 Katrina home to keep house for him. 
 
 When this was completed, Captain Rey 
 nolds called out to him that he was much
 
 A STARTLING EXPLOIT. 33 
 
 too far to the left, and he was required to 
 shift it several times, before the right loca 
 tion was struck. 
 
 All this time the father was the most self- 
 possessed of any. His face was a little 
 whiter than usual and a close observer 
 would have observed a sparkle of the eye 
 which showed that his excitement was none 
 the less because he held it under control. 
 His moustache and goatee were streaked 
 with gray, and he stood as firm as adamant. 
 
 "That will do/ said he. "Now stand 
 out of the way, Jack, for it will be better not 
 to try to catch it." 
 
 "What are you going to do?" 
 
 "Shoot the monkey !" was the calm reply.
 
 34 LTMBEB LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE LAST HOPE. 
 
 "*HE scene at this moment was painfully 
 
 1 thrilling. It seemed that no one in 
 
 the entire group so much as breathed, 
 
 much less stirred. The eyes of every man 
 
 and child were fixed upon the monkey and 
 
 infant, the teacher now and then glancing 
 
 at the statue-like figure of the father, as he 
 
 deliberately raised his rifle and pointed it 
 
 toward the crouching animal, far out upon 
 
 the limb. 
 
 Suppose he should miss the creature, and 
 hit his own infant daughter? The thought 
 was horrifying, and yet it came to the 
 smallest child in the group. Suppose the 
 bullet should bore its way through the skull 
 of the monkey, and the little one were 
 caught upon the bed below, what could save 
 it from being killed, on its way through the 
 branches and among the limbs?
 
 THE LAST HOPE. 35 
 
 Impelled by that wonderful cunning which 
 these creatures sometimes display, it was 
 likely to comprehend the whole proceedings, 
 and defeat their purpose by flinging the 
 infant far from it, so that it would fall upon 
 the hard earth, unless some one were nimble 
 footed and dexterous enough to catch it. 
 
 The distressing silence was broken by a 
 scream, and those who turned their heads, 
 saw Bridget and the mother hurrying 
 across the field. The finger of the father at 
 that moment was pressing the trigger, when 
 he relaxed it and glanced in the direction of 
 the sound, without lowering his weapon. 
 The next instant he brought back his gaze, 
 and his eye once more ran along the gleam 
 ing barrel. 
 
 At this critical juncture, sure enough, the 
 shrewd monkey detected what it all meant, 
 and shifted his position, so that he was 
 partly hidden by the chubby form of the 
 baby, while he peered over its plump 
 shoulder, and looked down in the face of the 
 hunter, grinning and champing, as if to ask 
 him what he thought of that performance.
 
 36 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Had the circumstances been different, 
 this would have made little odds to such a 
 skillful rifleman as Captain Reynolds; but 
 never were his nerves tested as now. The 
 slightest deflection in the bullet would send 
 it through the body of his darling child, and 
 bring it tumbling a corpse at his feet. Des 
 pite his wonderous self-command, his hand 
 trembled and he suddenly lowered his piece. 
 
 " What s the matter?" asked Jack, who 
 had shut his . eyes in anticipation of the 
 report, and now opened them, as his master 
 lowered the weapon. 
 
 "I can t do it; my hand trembles, and 
 there s too much risk. " 
 
 "Let me take the gun. Doneration, if 
 I don t shoot him quicker than never vas!" 
 
 Captain Reynolds shook his head. 
 
 "No man shall attempt that which I am 
 afraid to undertake myself. Perhaps I will 
 become more collected after a bit. Mr. 
 Gibbs, suppose you pass around to the 
 other side of the tree, and point your cane 
 at him. That may induce him to uncover 
 so as to give me a chance."
 
 THE LAST HOPE. 37 
 
 An aged school-teacher dislikes to do 
 nothing more than that which appears 
 undignified, and a qualm of repugnance 
 passed through the instructor when he 
 heard this request ; but it vanished the next 
 instant, when he reflected upon the mo 
 mentous consequences at stake, and with 
 no perceptible hesitation, he stalked to the 
 opposite side of the tree, where he raised his 
 hickory cane and leveled it at the imp aloft. 
 
 But the latter was not to be deceived by 
 such means. A sly glance at the peda 
 gogue showed him nothing was to be feared 
 from that quarter, and without bestowing 
 any more attention upon him, he kept the 
 captain under the eye. 
 
 Scarcely any one noticed that closely 
 following the teacher went Lew Fenwick y 
 who stationed himself directly behind him. 
 
 While the old gentleman was still sighting 
 over his harmless stick the lad suddenly 
 drew back, and hurled a goodly-sized stone, 
 with might and main. 
 
 With a peculiar zipzip, it cut through the 
 intervening leaves, and struck the monkey,
 
 38 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 fairly and squarely, in the middle of the 
 back. 
 
 With a scream of pain and rage, he ran 
 along the limb to its junction with the 
 trunk, and then instantly back again, while 
 he looked here, there and everywhere, with 
 lightning-like quickness, as if seeking some 
 refuge from the fire which threatened him 
 in front and rear. 
 
 "What is the meaning of that?" asked 
 Captain Reynolds, who saw that some 
 thing had been done, although he did not 
 understand what it was. 
 
 "Limber Lew hit him with a stone," 
 replied one of the boys; "and he knows how 
 to do it too.", 
 
 "In the name of heaven, don t try that 
 again!" called out the alarmed father, as 
 the young David walked toward him. 
 "Suppose you had hit the baby?" 
 
 "But I didn t," said Lew, with a modest 
 confidence, "and I can plug that critter 
 every time. I aimed at his back, and now 
 I ll hit him in the head, and I bet you he ll 
 see stars!"
 
 THE LAST HOPE. 39 
 
 "You musn t think of it!" said the 
 captain, sternly, unwilling to believe that 
 it was possible to repeat such a throw. 
 "I d rather take the risk of my gun." 
 
 "Young man, you re altogether too for 
 ward, " remarked the teacher, with a frown r 
 recalling the many times he had been com 
 pelled to chastise him on account of his 
 overflowing physical life. "Before you try 
 such a thing, ask permission sir?" 
 
 The reproved lad shrank back among his 
 playmates to avoid the batteries of eyes 
 that were turned upon him, and straightway 
 began conjuring up some other plan for 
 circumventing the cunning abductor. 
 
 At this juncture, the mother and servant 
 arrived upon the scene, white and gasping. 
 
 "Oh, my child my child!" wailed the 
 former, wringing her hands, and scarcely 
 able to stand from exhaustion and terror. 
 "Cannot we save her, dear husband?" 
 
 "Keep quiet compose yourself, dear 
 est!" said he, tenderly. "Don t distract 
 me by your grief. There is hope of rescu 
 ing the baby."
 
 40 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 The poor mother, woe-stricken almost 
 beyond endurance, did her best to master 
 her emotions, while he tried to concentrate 
 himself upon the fearful work before him. 
 It was plain, however, that the presence of 
 his wife had unnerved him somewhat, 
 though he made almost superhuman efforts 
 to overcome it. 
 
 Gun in hand, he walked deliberately 
 around the tree, until he stood out some 
 distance on the other side, when he again 
 raised his weapon. 
 
 But the alert monkey understood whom 
 he was to fear, and he kept his gaze upon 
 him. He still held the child as a shield, so 
 that only the coolest and most skillful 
 marksman would dare risk the shot, and 
 the father understood the danger too well 
 to attempt it. 
 
 " Don t fire!" pleaded the mother, who 
 divined his plan. " Maybe we can coax 
 him to come down without injuring the 
 baby." 
 
 "I do not see how it can be done," 
 replied the captain, who was beginning to
 
 THE LAST HOPE. 41 
 
 show his worriment and vexation at the 
 continued baffling he met at every step. 
 
 It was tried, however, by offering tempt 
 ing bits of food from the fragments which 
 remained in the dinner-baskets, and had it 
 not been for the fact that the creature was 
 already stuffed to repletion, the efforts 
 might have succeeded ; but as it was, not the 
 most dainty food could tempt him to come 
 down from his perch, and surrender the 
 prize whose possession afforded him royal 
 sport. 
 
 Minutes were like hours, and it seemed as 
 if the dreadful tragedy had been verging to 
 its climax for ten times the period actually 
 occupied. 
 
 How much longer could the monkey 
 sustain the weight of the infant? When 
 tired of holding it, what would he do? 
 Would he descend with it in his grasp, or 
 would he let it fall to the ground? Might 
 it not accidentally slip from his hold? or 
 would he, in some freak of devilish malig 
 nity, skurry away among the branches, 
 until beyond reach of the friendly bed on
 
 42 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 the ground, and then let it go to instant 
 death? 
 
 These, and scores of other questions, 
 seethed through the brain of the father, 
 until he was so bewildered that he could 
 scarcely think. 
 
 At times he was on the point of starting 
 to climb the tree, feeling, in his desperate 
 rage, as if he could corner the animal, and 
 compel it to yield its prize. Then he was 
 fearful of exasperating him, dreading lest 
 he should seize some means of revenging 
 himself upon him. 
 
 Again, he had momentary convictions 
 that he was equal to the task of bringing 
 him down with his rifle, without danger to 
 the child. More than once he essayed to 
 raise the weapon, but the fatal tremulous- 
 ness still clung to him, and he shivered to 
 think of what the consequences might be. 
 
 However, so long as the monkey main 
 tained his present perch, no immediate 
 danger impended. Should he let the infant 
 fall, there was the stuffed tick awaiting to 
 catch it, and the faithful German was grasp-
 
 THE LAST HOPE. 43 
 
 ing one corner, and looking upward, ready 
 to shift the bed, the instant the black- 
 muzzled imp moved "out of plumb." 
 
 "He cannot stay there forever," re 
 marked Captain Reynolds, steping back to 
 his moaning wife, with the hope of com 
 forting her. "It must be a heavy load to 
 him, and will soon tire him out. Have 
 hope, my dear, and pray to God to protect 
 our darling!" 
 
 "Do I not do so every hour of the day?" 
 replied the mother, who was indeed a 
 woman of prayer. "But Ralph, you must 
 not think of firing," she added. 
 
 " I will not unless I am sure of hitting the 
 animal." 
 
 "Even then it will not do. The fall is 
 too great even for the bed to save it. More 
 than likely it would strike on its head, and 
 be instantly killed." 
 
 "I will wait, then, until some way seems 
 to open, though I can think of none." 
 
 "Do so. I have faith that God will pro 
 tect our angel. Maybe the creature will 
 descend in a few minutes, and we shall get
 
 44 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 the baby unharmed. The poor animal 
 knows no better," she added, her womanly 
 sympathy for the brute showing itself even 
 in that dreadful moment. 
 
 "Just give me the chance to teach him, 
 that s all!" muttered the father, savagely, 
 in no mood to feel any pity for the author 
 of all this suffering. 
 
 As if to keep the anguish of the parents 
 at the highest pitch, the monkey began 
 shifting his position again. He first stole 
 carefully along the limb, until he was close 
 to the trunk, when he paused, and champed 
 his black jaws at the group below. 
 
 Instantly all were on the alert, expecting 
 that the infant would be dropped, or its 
 captor descend with it. 
 
 But neither expectation was gratified 
 the animal climbing still higher, and work 
 ing his way, with the same care, toward the 
 extremity of a limb upon the other side. 
 
 This made his position such that Jack was 
 compelled hurriedly to drag the tickful 
 of feathers some distance. 
 
 Young as was the baby, it began acting,
 
 THE LAST HOPE. 45 
 
 at this moment, as if it recognized its par 
 ents on the ground. It moved its arms in 
 the vague, uncertain way natural to such 
 innocents, and broke forth in a cry of dis 
 tress, stirring restlessly, as if seeking to get 
 away from its hideous jailer. 
 
 None but a mother can appreciate the 
 feelings of Mrs. Reynolds when she saw the 
 appeal of her infant and could not answer 
 it. It was as if the little one were slowly 
 sinking in the sea, just beyond her reach. 
 Her husband, in mercy to her, led her 
 away, so that the dreadful sight was shut 
 from her view. 
 
 "Stay with her," he said to Bridget. 
 "Comfort her as best you can." 
 
 "It s sorry comfort I can give her when 
 my own heart is breaking," was the truth 
 ful reply of Bridget. "We ll be dead 
 entirely if ye have the little one suspended 
 between heaven and earth much longer." 
 
 Captain Reynolds would have remained 
 to cheer his wife, but for the fact that it was 
 unwise to leave his child for a single minute. 
 He hurriedly stepped back, loaded gun in
 
 46 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 hand, determined that something should 
 be done right speedily, though he could 
 scarcely guess what it should be. 
 
 The spell of horror, which held the child 
 ren paralyzed at first, gradually lifted, and 
 they began moving about, intently watch 
 ing the figures in the tree, and indulging in 
 all sorts of guesses as to what the issue was 
 to be, and explaining a hundred different 
 ways by which the threatened catastrophe 
 could be averted. 
 
 Captain Reynolds was standing grim and 
 sullen, his heart gnawed by the conscious 
 ness that he was held at bay by one of the 
 most insignificant animals of creation. His 
 fingers itched to raise his piece and let day 
 light through him; and more than once he 
 was tempted to do so, and thus end the 
 terrible suspense. 
 
 He was in this torturing state, when Lew 
 Fenwick cautiously approached and said, 
 in a low voice : 
 
 "I think I can fix that chap." 
 
 "How?" asked the father, with con 
 siderable partiality toward the boy, on
 
 THE LAST HOPE. 47 
 
 account of the active sympathy he had 
 shown in the fate of the baby from the 
 beginning. "It won t do to throw stones 
 at him, for that will make him mad, and 
 likely enough lead him to injure the child." 
 
 "That isn t what I mean, though I 
 believe I could fetch him that way. But 
 what I want to do, is to climb the tree and 
 chase him up in a corner, and make him 
 hand over the baby." 
 
 "I wish I could feel as certain of your 
 success as you do, but I never heard of such 
 a thing as cornering a monkey in a tree. I 
 am afraid you would only make matters 
 worse by such a course." 
 
 "I am sure I would not," continued 
 Limber Lew, with so much earnest con 
 fidence, that the captain, who knew him 
 well, was impressed. "I have been think 
 ing this thing all over, and I see how it can 
 be done." 
 
 "But you haven t explained to me." 
 
 "I can t explain as well as I can show you," 
 
 said the lad, afraid that if his scheme were 
 
 fully understood, his friend would reject it
 
 48 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Well, go ahead then, and show me," 
 said the captain; " there can t be any more 
 suffering, if the child is killed before our 
 eyes." 
 
 The permission thus obtained, Lew Fen- 
 wick made a slight bound and whoop, 
 expressive of his exultation, and ran 
 rapidly in the direction of the tree. With 
 one upward leap, he grasped the lower limb 
 in his usual fashion, threw himself over it, 
 and went upward with the same nimbleness 
 as the monkey himself. 
 
 Every eye was fixed upon the daring lad. 
 Even Bridget and the mother came forward 
 and gazed at him with a yearning look, 
 which showed to what an intense degree 
 their feelings were wrought. 
 
 All had the conviction that the crisis had 
 arrived, and that a very few minutes more 
 must decide the fate of the babe.
 
 BENEATH THE TREE. 49 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 BENEATH THE TREE. 
 
 AS Lew Fenwick, or " Limber Lew," as 
 he was more generally known, began 
 climbing the tree in which the mon 
 key was perched, with the infant in his grasp, 
 all attention for the time was centered upon 
 him, for no one knew precisely what he 
 meant to do. 
 
 Gibbs, the teacher, drew forth his bull s- 
 eye watch, and looked as if he were anxious 
 to call school, while the children hurriedly 
 stationed themselves here and there, so as 
 to get the best view possible. 
 
 Jack, the German hired man, slightly 
 shifted the position of the feather tick, to 
 increase the probabilities of catching the 
 precious charge, in case it should fall. 
 
 Captain Reynolds carefully raised the 
 hammer of his rifle, for he saw the certainty 
 of the monkey being forced to uncover
 
 50 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 when closely pressed by the lad; and he 
 was resolved to fire the instant he detected 
 a prospect of gaining anything by doing so. 
 
 The creature seemed to be puzzled and 
 angered at the new turn of events, but he 
 showed no disposition to yield. The babe 
 had ceased its crying, so there was nothing 
 to distract the attention of the crowd, all of 
 whom riveted their eyes first upon one 
 party and then upon the other, as the dis 
 tance between them rapidly diminshed. 
 
 It could not be seen that Lew carried any 
 weapon with him, although it was well 
 known that he was the owner of a jack- 
 knife, with a blade as keen as a razor. 
 
 Several of the urchins below expressed 
 their unalterable conviction that he meant 
 to " stick" the animal with this, although 
 their belief was not shared by the older 
 heads. 
 
 With his dexterity, it required but a few 
 seconds for him to place himself in close 
 proximity to the brute above the monkey 
 remaining stationary, while his jaws moved 
 rapidly, and his black eyes blinked, and
 
 BENEATH THE TREE. 51 
 
 were never once removed from the cour 
 ageous youngster who was trying to force 
 him into a " corner." 
 
 Lew finally found himself astride of the 
 same limb that supported the monkey and 
 the babe. This was heavy enough to bear 
 a much greater weight, and he paused a few 
 seconds to gather all the points in the situa 
 tion. 
 
 "If I crawl out there, he will have to get 
 upon some other limb, jump over me, or 
 stand his ground and fight. There s only 
 one limb near enough for him to catch, and 
 that s over his head, and I ll bend this 
 down with my weight, so as to keep that 
 out of his reach, and that may bring him 
 nigh enough to the one below him; but I ll 
 try it." 
 
 Now that he had entered fairly upon the 
 work, he allowed nothing to prevent his 
 pressing matters. His purpose being to 
 preserve the use of his arms, he sat astride 
 the limb, and began hitching forward, by 
 grasping the branch in front of him with 
 both hands, raising himself and dropping
 
 52 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 down each time a few inches further in 
 advance, . 
 
 Meanwhile he kept his eyes fixed upon the 
 monkey, and the blinking orbs of the latter 
 were fixed upon him. 
 
 "Be careful; not too fast!" called out 
 Captain Reynolds, watching the slightest 
 movement of the lad. 
 
 Lew continued hitching forward in this 
 jerkey fashion, until he was almost within 
 striking distance of the brute, when he 
 paused. His plan of proceedings was 
 settled in his mind, and he hesitated not 
 through any fear, but to gather himself, as 
 it may be said, for the final effort. 
 
 The limb was bent considerably, and he 
 was afraid the animal would attempt to 
 escape him by leaping to another branch 
 an effort that he meant to defeat if possible. 
 
 The instant the lad stopped, that instant 
 the crouching brute rose to his feet, the 
 infant moaning as if it suffered pain. 
 
 Just then Captain Reynolds called out 
 something, but Lew did not understand 
 him. To his surprise, the monkey, after
 
 BENEATH THE TREE. 53 
 
 assuming something like an upright posi 
 tion, began approaching him. 
 
 "By George! I believe he s going to walk 
 over me, muttered the boy, as he braced 
 himself for the meeting. " Mebbe he means 
 to pick me up in his other arm and walk off 
 with us both. Hello!" 
 
 Suddenly the creature sprang aloft, 
 caught a limb that any one would have 
 supposed was beyond his reach, and actually 
 attempted to swing over the head of the 
 youngster, to a landing on the same branch, 
 nearer the tree 
 
 The quick-witted Lew threw up both 
 hands and seized the long white dress of the 
 baby, and gave it such an unexpected pull, 
 that it was drawn from the grasp of the 
 brute before he could prevent it. 
 
 This unexpected collision, as it may be 
 called, upset the equilibrium of boy, mon 
 key, and baby. The second made a clutch 
 at the last, tore a shred from its dress, and 
 dropped, like a shot, through the leaves, 
 striking upon the feather bed. He had 
 scarcely touched it when he leaped up with
 
 54 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 a spasmodic chattering; and doubtless 
 aware that he was in a hostile country, ran 
 off, with great speed, into the woods, and 
 was not seen again. 
 
 Captain Reynolds had plenty of oppor 
 tunity to shoot him, but such a proceeding 
 would not have been satisfactory, and his 
 interest was absorbed by the more import 
 ant actors in the drama. 
 
 In a second he saw what was coming and 
 that both the lad and infant were certain to 
 fall. He dropped his gun and dashed for 
 ward to intercept their descent. 
 
 No doubt Limber Lew could have saved 
 himself by calling into play his remarkable 
 dexterity, but he did not believe his own 
 life was in danger, while that of his tender 
 charge was. He therefore held fast, and 
 the two came down together. 
 
 All would have gone well, but for the 
 intervention of the very lowest limb of the 
 tree. This was violently struck by the leg 
 of Lew, who was knocked sideways, and an 
 involuntary, spasmodic clutching of his 
 hands caused the infant to fall from his grasp.
 
 BENEATH THE TREE. 55 
 
 It fell, however, exactly into the arms of 
 its father, slightly jarred, not a bit hurt, but 
 considerably upset by its last half -hour s 
 experience. 
 
 The captain had scarcely felt its precious 
 weight when the mother rushed forward, 
 and flinging her arms about it, drew it to 
 her breast, kissing and embracing it, and 
 crying for joy. 
 
 "Oh, my darling! my darling! you have 
 come back to me! Thank God! thank 
 God for His mercy ! And you are alive, and 
 not hurt ! How can I thank heaven for all 
 this?" 
 
 Bridget was scarcely less frantic, and she 
 yearned to get the little one in her brawny 
 arms, the two walking away together, and 
 oblivious of everything else except the 
 blessed fact that the precious baby had 
 come back from death into life. 
 
 But Captain Reynolds anxiety, now that 
 his child was safe, was instantly transferred 
 to Lew Fenwick, who had been the least 
 fortunate of the three. 
 
 Burdened by the weight of the child, and
 
 56 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 hit by the limb, as already shown, he nar 
 rowly escaped fatal injury. Although he 
 fell upon the bed spread out to catch him, 
 yet he struck sideways, and almost upon 
 his head and shoulders, and with such force 
 that his horror-struck companions saw that, 
 instead of bounding to his feet, as they all 
 expected him to do, he lay still. 
 
 The captain and his servant immediately 
 stooped over him, and raised his head, the 
 former fearing his neck was fractured. 
 
 " Bring water quick !" he called address 
 ing the staring children who were grouped 
 about him " Stand back, and give him 
 air!" 
 
 Several boys ran into the school entry, 
 where at all times stood the pail upon a 
 bench, with a cup beside it, and with always 
 a goodly supply of water on hand. 
 
 Mr. Gibbs asserted his authority, and the 
 boys and girls were forced back a few paces, 
 where they gazed, scared by the white face 
 and half-closed eyes of their playmate, as 
 his head rested upon the knee of the cap 
 tain, who was fanning him with his hat.
 
 BENEATH THE TREE. . 57 
 
 The next minute the boys were on hand 
 with the pail of water, and a cupful was 
 dashed in his face. It was not very cold, 
 and the captain repeated the action. But 
 not the slightest perceptible result was seen 
 the countenance remaining as immova 
 ble as that of a marble statue. 
 
 "Heisdeadl" 
 
 And as the awful, whispered words passed 
 back and forth among the terrified children, 
 they shrank back from the presence of the 
 body, as if they believed that death had 
 given it new and dreadful power. 
 
 Captain Reynolds himself thought life 
 was extinct, although he continued bathing 
 the temples and face, and ordered several 
 of the boys to take the pail to the spring, 
 and bring fresh and cold water. 
 
 Two youngsters had scarcely departed to 
 obey the order, when little barefooted Billy 
 Muggins came forward, timidly, and said: 
 
 "I think I know what ll fetch 
 Lew." 
 
 " What is it?" 
 
 "Tickle his nose. He hates that awfully,
 
 58 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 and it always makes him jump. I often 
 doit at school " 
 
 " Silence!" announced the teacher, rais 
 ing his cane threateningly. "Will you 
 never learn manners and common sense? 
 Go into the school-room, this instant, and 
 stay there! Do you hear sir?" 
 
 Poor, abashed Billy started to obey, 
 when the captain raised his hand. 
 
 "Wait a minute, Mr. Gibbs. Such re 
 sorts as the one he speaks of are sometimes 
 effectual. If he is peculiarly sensitive to 
 such irritation, as nearly every one is, it is 
 probable that is the best plan. Try it, 
 bub, if you want to." 
 
 Billy Huggins, when he stepped forward 
 in the first place, was armed and equipped, 
 having a piece of long grass, with a tufted 
 head, in his hand. With an awed smile, 
 looking strange on the face of one so young, 
 he moved toward his playmate. There 
 was just enough lingering suspicion that he 
 was about to tickle the nose of a dead boy 
 to make him feel "queer" all over. 
 
 Thrusting out the spear of grass, he
 
 BENEATH THE TREE. 59 
 
 abruptly drew it back before it reached the 
 nostrils of the lad, and looked up at Captain 
 Reynolds. 
 
 "What s the matter?" asked the latter, 
 in surprise. 
 
 "Why, Lew hates to have his nose tickled 
 so bad, that he told me, if I ever done it 
 ag in, he d punch me; and I m afeard he ll 
 do it now." 
 
 Mirth and solemnity are next door to each 
 other, and the words of the urchin were so 
 unexpected, that Captain Reynolds, 
 although well convinced that the brave boy 
 was past human help, laughed outright. 
 
 "Can t you run away when he wakes 
 up?" he asked, compressing his features. 
 
 Billy shook his head. 
 
 "Golly, that won t do! Lew can run 
 faster than any three boys in the country. " 
 
 "All right. I will promise not to let him 
 hurt you. Go ahead." 
 
 Under this guarantee, Billy knelt down 
 upon one knee, and began slowly rubbing 
 the feathery head against the sensitive 
 nostrils of the boy.
 
 60 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 The latter did not stir or give the least 
 sign of life; but every lad and girl who saw 
 the experiment, scratched his and her 
 nose, and even the pedagogue snuffed. 
 
 Thus closely are we drawn by sympathy 
 to one another ! 
 
 " That s queer!" said Billy, getting down 
 close to his work, and not understanding 
 it all. "I never knowed him to do that 
 before. Wonder if he hain t been playing 
 possum all the time? It s mighty mean 
 in him if he has!" 
 
 "Never mind what he did before this 
 attend to your business." 
 
 " That s what I m doing," growled Billy, 
 as he bent to his work again. 
 
 The irritating spear of grass was drawn 
 across the nostrils once or twice, when, 
 without the least warning, the eyes of Lew 
 Fenwick suddenly opened wide, and the 
 next instant he made a leap, and caught 
 the startled Billy Huggins by the 
 hair. 
 
 "What did I tell you about tickling my 
 nose? I ll show you!"
 
 BENEATH THE TREE. 61 
 
 With which he gave his yellow hair a 
 yank that caused him to yell : 
 
 " Murder! murder! Take him off! I didn t 
 know you was going to wake up that 
 suddint, and Captain Reynolds wanted me 
 to tickle your nose, or I wouldn t have done 
 it. He s to blame, and why don t you pull 
 /lishair?" 
 
 Lew, however, released his playmate 
 without hurting him seriously, and turned 
 about to inquire about the baby the 
 whole thing taking place before either 
 Captain Reynolds or the teacher himself 
 could interfere to check the nimble-footed 
 youngster. 
 
 Mrs. Reynolds, having assured herself 
 that her child was unharmed, had regained 
 her composure, and came forward to speak 
 to the brave boy, who, under heaven, was 
 its savior. She came up just as he was 
 inquiring for the little one. 
 
 The mother thanked him from the very 
 depths of her heart. She knew him well 
 and was an occasional visitor at the house 
 of his father, Judge Fenwick, although not
 
 62 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 so frequently since the death of the lad s 
 mother, and the second marriage of the 
 judge. 
 
 Lew blushed, and looked as sheepish as a 
 goodly-sized boy always does when some 
 body looks down in his face and compli 
 ments him extravagantly. 
 
 As he stood thus with his eyes downcast 
 the lady saw the striking resemblance he 
 bore to his mother, now dead and gone, as 
 she appeared twenty years before, when 
 she was the beautiful Inez Livermore 
 the petted favorite of the school. 
 
 She saw ail this, and she sighed; for she 
 knew that the weak, fashionable woman, 
 who was now the wife of Judge Fenwick, 
 had not a single qualification to hold such 
 a sacred position. 
 
 " Would that he might become a son to 
 us!" 
 
 She murmured the prayer so softly that 
 she had no idea that any one heard her; 
 but the lad himself did, and gazed into her 
 face, with a strange, wondering expression.
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 63 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 
 
 ABIJAH Gibbs was a relic of the old- 
 time pedagogues, who perhaps for 
 tunately for the rising generation, 
 are rapidly drifting away. 
 
 Like many an old physician of the present 
 day, he was utterly impatient of any new 
 discovery or improvement in his chosen 
 profession. He taught school precisely 
 after the manner he taught twenty-five 
 years before, and his "programme of exer 
 cises" had scarcely varied an iota in all that 
 time. 
 
 He was harsh, given to loud speaking, 
 and addicted to emphasizing many of his 
 commands with a blow of the switch upon 
 some offending youngster. 
 
 He was tall and slim, with iron-gray hair 
 and with spectacles, and he had a way of 
 throwing his head up and back, and looking,
 
 64 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 under his glasses, down into the face of 
 whomsoever was addressing him. 
 
 During a part of the day he sat in his 
 high chair, behind his lofty desk, engaged 
 in " setting copies," or hearing the little 
 ones read as they came up in turn. 
 
 At other times he would shift his atten 
 uated legs around to the side of his support, 
 and then pace slowly around the room, 
 whip in hand, ready to whack any youngster 
 who chanced to transgress any of his rules; 
 and a great many who went to school in the 
 old whitewashed stone building, believed 
 to their dying day that he could see around 
 a corner, and was more able to penetrate 
 their thoughts than is the modern mind 
 reader now. 
 
 There was a row of desks against the wall, 
 all the way around the room, with the 
 exception of the opening leading into the 
 entry, and at the end of the apartment, 
 where the teacher s own desk was perched. 
 
 Here was a low bench, generally occupied 
 by from one to half a dozen pupils who 
 needed extra spurring in their lessons.
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 65 
 
 As the children sat at these desks, it will 
 be seen they faced the wall, with their 
 backs toward the instructor, who thus had 
 them "just where he wanted them." 
 
 In the centre of the room stood the huge 
 tenplate stove, around which were four low 
 benches, placed at right angles to and for 
 the accommodation of the most youthful 
 children. 
 
 The teacher s tramping-ground was thus 
 between two rows of his pupils, and he had 
 just sufficient space to swing his arm "com 
 fortably," as he walked back and forth. 
 He was ingenious in his different methods 
 of punishment. Often he would shout for 
 some offending youngster very probably 
 a girl to come to him when, the instant 
 she arrived, he would force her head down 
 ward, so that her back was curved like a 
 bow, and "catch" the head, as in the loop 
 of a snare, beneath the edge of his desk, in 
 which painful position he would compel the 
 crying child to stand and study for the 
 greater part of an hour. 
 
 Or he would make a boy hold out the
 
 66 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Bible at arm s length. Many a youngster, 
 the first time he was compelled to do this, 
 would enter upon it enthusiastically, ambi 
 tious to show to the admiring school the 
 " muscle" he had at command; but it was 
 not long before this ambition wilted because 
 of the rebellion of the same muscles against 
 such torture. Then, when he began to 
 crook his elbow, or to equalize matters, by 
 leaning his body far over in the opposite 
 direction, the teacher switched his fingers, 
 and ordered him to hold it straight. 
 
 Thus more than one lad was taught to 
 look upon the Book of Books, "the dearest 
 friend man ever knew," not with affec 
 tionate reverence, but with an aversion of 
 which he was never able entirely to free his 
 mind in after life. 
 
 Again, when a child showed a weakness 
 in the way of whispering, a favorite prac 
 tice of the pedagogue was to insert a block 
 of wood between the teeth, holding the jaws 
 distended to their widest extent for minutes 
 at a time, until, when he was released, he 
 felt and rubbed his aching jaws and ears,
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 67 
 
 to satisfy himself that everything was not 
 knocked permanently out of plumb. A 
 boy who has been through this experience 
 is sure to retain a lively recollection of it, 
 after having grown to manhood. We can 
 certify to that. 
 
 Then he varied his barbarities by twisting 
 a boy s ear, or almost yanking it off, crack 
 ing his knuckles when he didn t hold his pen 
 right, or violently bumping two or three 
 lads heads together when the owners of 
 them were holding a mysterious conference 
 about some water-melon patch, a newly- 
 discovered chestnut tree, or the respective 
 claims to beauty of some young rustic 
 sweet-hearts. 
 
 Thus it was that long after a child was 
 punished the pain and suffering remained 
 by him, and he came to look upon his teach 
 er with aversion and hate, instead of the 
 respect and affection that should always 
 exist between instructor and instructed. 
 
 There were fully a dozen boys among 
 whom was Lew Fenwick who had solemnly 
 vowed that, if they were spared to reach
 
 68 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 manhood, they would get even with the 
 abominated teacher by giving him a thor 
 ough whipping. 
 
 There is nothing to be wondered at in 
 such a determination. Had the teacher 
 first assured himself that a boy really 
 deserved punishment, and then adminis 
 tered it firmly, in a sensible way, that child 
 would have esteemed him all the more; but 
 torture awakens only hatred. 
 
 Mr. Gibbs, like every old teacher and 
 indeed nearly every old man had his pet 
 words and expressions. He " jogged the 
 memory" of his pupils fully twenty times 
 every day, and referred to their " tomfool 
 ery" still more frequently, besides repeat 
 ing other phases without number. 
 
 Scarcely had Captain Reynolds and his 
 family departed, with Jack trudging off 
 homeward, with his feather bed upon his 
 back, when the pedagogue stalked into the 
 building in his deliberate manner, placed 
 his hat on his desk, and rapped upon the 
 window-pane, and the children swarmed 
 into the room, each hurrying to his or her
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 69 
 
 position, with very little regard to order or 
 discipline. 
 
 When all were seated, and something like 
 a hush had fallen upon the school, the 
 teacher was seen to pull his bull s-eye watch 
 and scowl at it. Then he rapped violently 
 upon the desk with his ferule, and called out : 
 
 "There s been so much tomfoolery that 
 we ve lost an hour; we shall therefore keep 
 school an hour later. You ll then have 
 plenty time to get home before dark and do 
 your chores. All to work now, and the 
 first one I see looking off the book I ll jog 
 his memory." 
 
 And with switch in hand he began pacing 
 about the room, as if in quest of some 
 youngster who dared disobey his command. 
 
 But every eye was intent on the book, 
 although a shock of general dismay went 
 through the hearts of all at this dreadful 
 announcement. They all believed that he 
 did it out of malice, always glad to punish 
 himself for the sake of making them suffer. 
 
 But there was no helping it, and they 
 went to their tasks like beasts of burden,
 
 70 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 who had no choice, the first thing in order 
 being a general study of the reading lesson. 
 
 While they were thus employed, the 
 teacher, as a rule occupied himself with 
 setting copies. He never used anything 
 but a quill pen, and its scratch, scratch, as 
 it slid rapidly over the paper, had been 
 heard for a quarter of a century, with no 
 variation in its peculiarity. His atten 
 uated legs, as they sprawled out like the 
 arms of a pair of dividers, were about all 
 that was visible to the urchins who were 
 sitting around the stove. Those who were 
 further away had a glimpse of the iron-gray 
 hair and bald spot on the top of the head; 
 but if any daring youngster ventured on a 
 little sly mischief, one of those eyes could 
 be seen glowering over the horizon of the 
 desk, like the sun coming up beyond the 
 ocean. 
 
 "Aha-a-a! at your tomfoolery again! 
 Just step this way and I ll jog your memory 
 for you!" 
 
 As the abashed youngster slunk forward, 
 the pedagogue placed his quill between his
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 71 
 
 teeth, as a pirate, in a yellow-covered novel, 
 does with his knife, and awaited him with 
 ferule in hand. Two or three resounding 
 whacks were quickly delivered, and the 
 teacher motioned him to his seat. 
 
 "There! if I see any more of your tom 
 foolery I ll give you a double dose!" 
 
 Old Gibbs had a mortal hatred of Afri 
 cans. During the summer, there were 
 usually one or two bound girls, in long 
 shoes and blue gingham aprons, who came 
 with their primers, summer after summer, 
 and never learned their alphabet, and in 
 winter time the other sex was represented 
 in about the same proportion, making a 
 corresponding progress in book lore. 
 
 We must not be understood as saying 
 that this backwardness was due entirely to 
 the dullness of the African pupils, but 
 mainly to the neglect of the teacher, or the 
 indifference of those who sent them to 
 school. These latter folks sent them tardily 
 and unfrequently, in compliance with an 
 agreement made with the parents of the 
 unfortunates, and there were white children
 
 72 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 who were too often slighted in the same 
 manner. The instructor gave them very 
 little attention, except in the way of punish 
 ment, and it was small wonder that they 
 made no advancement at all. 
 
 On one occasion, when Mr. Gibbs was 
 hearing the lesson of one of these colored 
 girls, he insisted upon her holding her 
 thumbed primer, without supporting it with 
 her hands. For her inability to do this 
 impossible thing, he whipped her cruelly, 
 and was guilty of equally absurd and shame 
 ful things, little suspecting that some of his 
 victims would remember them against him 
 for long years afterward. 
 
 The one great oasis in each morning and 
 afternoon session was recess lasting in 
 both cases about fifteen minutes. There 
 were nearly always a number who were kept 
 in, for some impropriety of deportment; 
 but on the afternoon of which we are speak 
 ing, for a wonder the whole school were 
 turned loose for a frolic and romp. 
 
 Pell-mell they rushed out of the entry, 
 tumbling over one another, and leaping into
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 73 
 
 the very height of enjoyment, like children 
 who were determined to concentrate all the 
 fun possible in the short space at their dis 
 posal. 
 
 The boys ran shouting over the fence, 
 and down the path for a couple of hundred 
 yards, where was the spring, and a dam, 
 which they had themselves erected. This 
 backed the water of the brook so effectually, 
 that a stream a dozen feet in width at the 
 broadest part, and some three or four feet 
 in depth, was produced, and a capital place 
 for swimming purposes furnished. They 
 were allowed to take a bath in it at noon, 
 but at no other time, it being understood 
 that if any one ventured in it before or after 
 school, or during recess, he was liable to the 
 severest penalty, if the fact became known 
 to his teacher, and somehow or other he 
 always seemed to find it out. 
 
 On the present occasion, no one had any 
 thought of transgression, but several of the 
 lads began a sport which was dangerous 
 from the cause mentioned. This consisted 
 in leaping across the stream, each one
 
 74 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 striving to outdo the others. If by any 
 mishap one of the number should happen 
 to get his feet or clothing wet, the teacher 
 would be quick to seize the opportunity to 
 punish him therefor. 
 
 There were portions of the stream where 
 all the boys could leap across, but Limber 
 Lew was the only one who could clear it at 
 the widest part. This he did by running a 
 short distance, performing the exploit with 
 an ease that would have been praised by an 
 athlete himself. 
 
 Of course there was a great deal of talk 
 over what had happened at noon, and quite 
 a number insisted upon Lew telling them 
 how he felt at the time he was unconscious 
 and didn t feel anything, and a number 
 were free in their praise of his exploit. 
 
 The boys had only gotten fairly at work, 
 or rather at play, when a man came out of 
 the woods and stood on the shore, looking 
 at them. He was dressed in a very ordi 
 nary manner, wore a slouch hat, an immense 
 coal-black moustache, and held a common 
 riding-whip in his hand. He was a stranger
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 75 
 
 and no one remembered ever having seen 
 him before. 
 
 The minute the youngsters became aware 
 that some one was viewing them, they tried 
 harder than ever to outdo themselves. 
 Lew Fenwick showed this natural and 
 pardonable weakness, and selecting the 
 broadest part of the stream, he made a 
 short, vigorous run, and turning a somer 
 sault in the air, landed cleverly upon his 
 feet upon the sod on the other side. 
 
 "By Jove, that was well done!" ex 
 claimed the stranger. "Can you do it 
 again?" 
 
 "I guess so," replied Lew, with a laugh, 
 and flushing with delight at the words. 
 
 Whereupon he repeated the exploit with 
 the same dexterity as before. 
 
 "I d like to hire you to go with me," 
 said the man, approaching and patting his 
 head. "You were cut out for a circus per 
 former." 
 
 " Do you belong to a circus?" asked Lew, 
 as he and the open-mouthed, wondering 
 boys, gathered around him.
 
 76 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Yes; I ve been connected with Simp 
 son s Circus and Menagerie for years, and 
 we are always glad to pick up such little 
 geniuses as you. In a short time you could 
 make a good big salary, and live like a 
 fighting-cock. Can t you go with me?" 
 
 "I am afraid not," replied Lew, with a 
 great sigh. "I don t think father would 
 let me." 
 
 "Who is your father?" 
 
 "Judge Fen wick. He lives half-way 
 between here and Birmingham, where your 
 
 circus is. 
 
 The man was silent, for somehow or 
 other it did not seem that there was much 
 prospect of persuading a judge to allow his 
 boy to travel with a circus. 
 
 "You d like to go with us, wouldn t you, 
 sonny?" 
 
 "You bet I would!" 
 
 "Well, if you can get the governor to let 
 you off, come to our place and inquire for 
 George Girton, and I ll give you a job. 
 
 "Won t you take me?" asked Billy 
 Huggins.
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 77 
 
 "What can you do?" queried the man, 
 with a smile, turning toward him. 
 
 "Well, I m kind o handy, and I can 
 learn to turn somersaults as well as Lew. 
 He thinks he s very smart, but I never half 
 tried." 
 
 "Can you throw a handspring across that 
 brook, just as he did?" 
 
 Billy looked at the stream as if he had 
 never seen it before. He thought possibly 
 the thing might be done, but it always 
 made him shiver to look at Lew when he 
 made the leap. The picture of him, when 
 directly over the centre of the water, his 
 head down and his feet pointing to the sky, 
 was a fearful one, and he thought how lucky 
 Lew was that he didn t drop suddenly, 
 head first, into the water, and join his head 
 to his heels in the bottom, forgetting, or 
 rather not knowing, that his playmate 
 could not do so without violating a funda 
 mental law of mechanics. 
 
 "I d rather practice a little afore I tried 
 that," replied Billy, backing away from 
 the water.
 
 78 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "I m afraid you would have to practice 
 too long, that s the trouble, " said the circus 
 man, who, of course, could read the boy s 
 capacities in the way of gymnastics at a 
 glance. " Your feet are rather too big, and 
 you re too fat and soggy. Your mouth is 
 rather too broad, and you keep it too wide 
 open. I judge you re better at placing 
 yourself outside of buckwheat-cakes and 
 rice-pudding!" 
 
 There was a general snicker at this 
 quizzing of Billy, who didn t seem to mind 
 it, for he had a weakness in the way of rice- 
 pudding, and what boy has not? During 
 the cold season, he was a source of per 
 petual wonder to the folks at home, who 
 could not understand how such a short boy 
 could dispose of so many buckwheat-cakes, 
 smothered in syrup and butter. 
 
 "No, boys, the only chap that I can 
 make use of is Limber Lew, as I hear you 
 call huri. I should like to have him very 
 much; and if he s a-mind to join our circus, 
 it won t be many years before he ll make his 
 fortune. But just now I m looking for a
 
 A TEACHER OF THE OLDEN TIME. 79 
 
 runaway monkey. Have any of you seen 
 one?"
 
 80 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 CURING TOMFOOLERY. 
 
 AT mention of the runaway monkey, the 
 youngsters knew the stranger re 
 ferred to the creature that had 
 created such a rumpus on the play-ground, 
 at noon. 
 
 Of course, they all shouted that they had 
 seen the animal inquired for, and knew all 
 about him; and then each began to tell the 
 story in so helter-skelter a fashion that the 
 man was forced to check them, and secure 
 his information by questioning one or two 
 of the boys. 
 
 When, at last, the whole truth was under 
 stood, he looked at Limber Lew, who was 
 standing a little apart from the rest, and 
 said: 
 
 "And you re the chap that took the baby 
 away from the monkey, are you?"
 
 CURING TOMFOOLERY. 81 
 
 "Well, I helped to do it, I s pose but it 
 wasn t very hard work." 
 
 "Not for you, of course: but it would 
 have been impossible for any one else. 
 What a pity," added the showman, with a 
 great sigh, "that you should be wasting 
 your time in going to school, instead of 
 learning to perform on the trapeze or bar, 
 or riding the ponies in the ring! We have 
 our circus open to-night, and here s a 
 ticket for a reserved seat. Bring that with 
 you," he added, as he handed it to Lew, 
 "and you ll get the best kind of a view to 
 the show. You other youngsters will come 
 any way, so there isn t any need of giving 
 you any. " 
 
 And with this rather original piece of 
 logic, Mr. Girton turned about and started 
 into the woods, whistling for his monkey, 
 Pietro, and determined to give him a good 
 trouncing, when he should catch him, not 
 only for his running away, but for his per 
 formance with the baby. 
 
 Left to themselves, the boys stood talk 
 ing, in awed voices, about the wonderful
 
 82 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 apparition that had just come and gone. 
 In their eyes, he was a greater man than 
 General Washington or Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 Spangles and sawdust! What else, in 
 the wide world, has half the attraction for 
 childhood that they have? 
 
 "By golly, Lew, if I s you I d go with 
 him! " said Billy Huggins, with an indraw- 
 ing of the breath, as if he tasted something 
 superfine in the air. "You can wear them 
 trowsis made out of gold stars, and ride on 
 the hosses, and see the show every day for 
 nothing; and then, when you hain t noth 
 ing to do, you can sit down and look at the 
 bears, and lions, and tigers, and elefunts, 
 and hippomuses, and graffys, and eagles, 
 and boy-constrictors, and whole lots of 
 other things ! Blame it all, why don t you 
 go?" demanded the lad, breaking off 
 abruptly, overcome by the gorgeousness of 
 his own picture. 
 
 "I should like to know how I can go, 
 when father won t let me?" asked Lew, 
 rather impatiently, for he was quarreling 
 with fate itself, and not with the boy. "It s
 
 CURING TOMFOOLERY. 83 
 
 all well enough to talk, but when you can t 
 do a thing, how are you going to do it?" 
 
 " How s your mother on such things?" 
 asked Sam Jones. "I always go for my 
 mother, and if I can fetch her over, she s 
 sure to fetch the old man." 
 
 "I hain t got that kind of a mother," 
 replied Lew, bitterly. " Father always 
 fetches her, and he fetches me, too, some 
 times. When he says anything, I don t 
 care what it is, she says just the same thing. 
 I never heard her quarrel or dispute him in 
 all my life. I believe if he said he had 
 made up his mind that it was best for him to 
 chop her head off, she d say, like she always 
 does, I agree with you perfectly. That s 
 the kind of mother I ve got." 
 
 "But can t you get around her?" asked 
 Tom Smith, who didn t exactly comprehend 
 the logic. 
 
 "Of course I can, but she ain t the one to 
 get round. The old gentleman is boss in 
 our house, and he makes the dust fly. The 
 first thing he asks me when I get home is 
 whether Old Gibbs has whipped me. If
 
 84 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 he hain t, all right. If he has, don t he 
 make me dance though? He used to teach 
 school before I was born, and he knows how 
 to lick better than Old Gibbs can, and he 
 gets just enough practice on me to keep his 
 hand in." 
 
 "If I had such a boss as that," observed 
 Dick Davis, "I d leave him, that s what 
 I d do. If I could n t jine a circus, I d jine 
 an oyster wagon, or set on top of a charcoal 
 wagon and yell C-h-a-r-c-o-a-l! for, I tell 
 you, I m an independent sort of chap, and 
 I don t have anybody putting on airs about 
 
 me. 
 
 And Dick shoved his hands down in his 
 pockets and strutted back and forth, so 
 that all might look upon and admire him. 
 
 "How bout yesterday, when Old Gibbs 
 catched you matching pins, hay?" sneered 
 Billy Huggins, glancing sideways at him. 
 "The first cut he gave you, you slid under 
 the desk, and then he grabbed you by the 
 neck, and pulled you out and lammed you 
 ag in. I guess Old Gibbs put on airs then, 
 didn t he?"
 
 CURING TOMFOOLERY. 85 
 
 "Who s talking about Old Gibbs?" de 
 manded Dick, fairly cornered by the laugh 
 which Billy turned upon him. "Of course 
 there ain t any use in picking up a fuss here 
 at school, though I ve had a notion more 
 than once to lambast him." 
 
 The derisive merriment which greeted 
 this boast didn t tend to comfort Dick, who 
 looked as if he couldn t get much madder 
 without striking or kicking some one. 
 
 The conversation was becoming livelier 
 each minute, and there is no telling how it 
 would have ended, had it not been broken 
 in upon by the loud rap-rap-rap of the 
 teacher s ferule against the window sash, 
 announcing that the recess had terminated. 
 There was an instant s scramble and rush; 
 and as most of the lads were standing closely 
 together, two or three were overturned by 
 the sudden start. 
 
 Curiously enough, Lew Fenwick and 
 Billy Huggins were the sufferers that is, 
 they were the only ones who incurred any 
 serious consequences. The two turned and 
 started in such a manner that they came in
 
 86 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 violent collision, and both not only fell to 
 the ground, but rolled into the water. 
 
 The agility of the former enabled him to 
 avoid much wetting, but both feet went in, 
 and the water came up to his knees. He 
 was out in a twinkling, and caught the arm 
 of Billy, whose bath was about the same. 
 
 "Oh, you ll catch it " exclaimed several, 
 who saw the mishap. 
 
 "Who cares?" replied Lew, angered at 
 the slip, and mistrustful of what was com 
 ing. "It was an accident to us both." 
 
 "You can tmake Old Gibbs believe that. 
 
 Then he can give us a licking, that sail." 
 
 Billy Huggins was barefooted, and he 
 thought he saw a chance of averting a 
 whipping by rolling up his trowsers 
 following a world-wide fashion among boys. 
 If the teacher didn t view him too critically 
 as he came in, there was a good chance of 
 escaping; but he could not look closely at 
 his lower limbs without seeing that the 
 garments were wetted thoroughly. 
 
 The case was different with Lew Fenwick. 
 He was always dressed well, and was
 
 CURING TOMFOOLERY. 87 
 
 never permitted to come to school without 
 shoes and stockings. To have removed 
 them would have attracted the notice of 
 the teacher at once. So he determined to 
 make no effort to escape the inevitable. 
 
 " Never mind, Billy," said he, in a 
 sympathetic tone, as they walked along, 
 side by side. "You just keep still, and 
 don t say anything, and I guess you ll come 
 out all right. I ll have to take it though." 
 
 "It s too blamed bad!" muttered Billy, 
 who, feeling quite hopeful, could well 
 afford to growl at the misfortunes of his 
 playmate. "Wouldn t it be nice if we had 
 a teacher like they ve got over at Ewing- 
 ville, named Mr. Gilbert? He plays ball 
 with the boys, goes and stays over night, 
 and takes a microscope and shows the fellers 
 great big boy-constrictors that are in drops 
 of water; and he never whips any of the 
 chaps, unless they get really ugly and 
 deserve it. And they all learn a plagued 
 sight more than we do." 
 
 By this time the school-house was reached 
 and the youngsters began trooping in, the
 
 88 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 girls ranging along upon one side of the 
 room, and the boys upon the other. 
 
 Nothing unusual occurred, and Lew 
 entertained a faint hope that he had not 
 attracted the notice of the stern pedagogue. 
 
 Reaching his seat, he shoved his legs as 
 far under the desk as possible. Indeed, he 
 overdid the matter, taking such extra pre 
 cautions that they defeated their own pur 
 pose, and drew attention to the efforts he 
 was making to escape suspicion. 
 
 Billy Huggins rolled-up trowsers passed 
 muster and his heart thrilled with hope. 
 
 In a few minutes all were conning their 
 lessons, the room being filled with a hum 
 such as comes from myriads of bees. 
 
 This continued some ten minutes, when 
 it was suddenly broken by the thunderous 
 tones of the teacher. 
 
 "Has there been any tomfoolery going 
 on at recess?" 
 
 The humming ceased and the stillness of 
 the tomb followed; but no one spoke. All 
 knew what it meant, however, and several 
 looked slyly at Lew, whose face flushed;
 
 CURING TOMFOOLERY. 89 
 
 but he bent the more closely over his task, 
 and never looked to the right or left. 
 
 "I say, has there been any tomfoolery 
 going on at recess? I want to know." 
 
 The same profound silence succeeded, 
 no one opening his lips. 
 
 " All those who have behaved themselves 
 while they were out, raise their hands." 
 
 Every one in the room held up his or her 
 hand, although it must be confessed that 
 there were two Lew and Billy who were 
 rather timid about it. 
 
 "Aha-a! that s it; is it?" called the 
 teacher, "I think some boys memories 
 need to be jogged a little. Lewis Fenwick, 
 why don t you speak out?" 
 
 The boy turned his crimson face and 
 looked at the teacher. 
 
 "I haven t been doing anything." 
 
 "You haven t, eh?" repeated the ped 
 agogue, coming down from his perch be 
 hind his high desk. "What s the trouble 
 with your shoes and stockings?" 
 
 "When I started to come here, I fell 
 into the water. I got out as quick as I
 
 90 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 could, and had no thought of going in 
 swimming. " 
 
 " That s a fine story to tell a fine story 
 to tell," commented the instructor, who 
 took it for granted that all his boys would 
 lie, under any and every circumstance. 
 "Youngsters like you should keep away 
 from the water, if you can t help falling 
 in. But I know better. You were at 
 your tomfoolery and thought you would go 
 in swimming, and deceive with a story 
 that you had fallen in. Til jog your 
 memory for you. " 
 
 " No, sir, I never go in swimming with my 
 shoes on 
 
 Silence, sir! I want none of your 
 impertinence. " 
 
 "If you don t believe me, ask the boys. 
 They saw it " 
 
 1 Silence ! Don t you hear? " 
 
 "I couldn t help it." 
 
 "Not content with your falsehoods, you 
 must be impertinent. I ll teach you man 
 ners!" 
 
 By this time he had grasped Lew by his
 
 CURING TOMFOOLERY. 91 
 
 coat collar, and he laid the stick over him 
 with cruel vigor. 
 
 The poor lad writhed with pain, for 
 every blow told, and a man who has prac 
 tised whipping youngsters for twenty-five 
 years doesn t waste any effort. 
 
 But not an outcry or whimper escaped 
 the boy. He was proud, and controlling 
 his emotions by a mighty effort would have 
 been whipped to death without a murmur. 
 
 The pedagogue knew that each stroke 
 inflicted intense pain, even if it brought no 
 outcry, and he kept it up until fully satis 
 fied. Then he turned and leisurely walked 
 back to his desk, remarking as he did so : 
 
 " I ll teach boys how to cut up their antics 
 and indulge in tomfoolery, and then tell 
 falsehoods and be impertinent about it." 
 
 He had nearly reached his perch when 
 he observed that Billy Huggins was study 
 ing a great deal harder than usual. There 
 are " signs" in every school which are more 
 significant to the teacher than words 
 and he knew on the instant what this 
 meant.
 
 92 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "It seems to me your pants have a sus 
 picious look/ 
 
 Mr. Gibbs was a stickler for the correct 
 use of words, unaware that he committed 
 an error in speaking of a boy s "pants." 
 His remark, however, uttered in his usual 
 loud voice, sent a shiver through Billy 
 Huggins, who looked up with a pitiful, 
 pleading expression that would have 
 touched the heart of almost any one. 
 
 "Yes, sir; me and Lew started to run, 
 and we run agin each other, and I fell in, 
 too ; but we didn t mean to do it, and I will 
 try and be more careful next time 
 
 "Silence! You and he have concocted 
 this story together. If you had told me 
 the truth, it wouldn t have been so bad; but 
 when a boy adds falsehood to disobe 
 dience " 
 
 "But I hain t told a,ny lie" 
 
 "Silence! Now you re at your imperti 
 nence. When I was a boy of your age I 
 would have had my tongue torn out if I 
 had sauced my teacher in that style." 
 
 "But I ain t sassing anybody," per-
 
 CURING TOMFOOLERY. 93 
 
 sisted Billy, who was so terrified that he 
 was getting things mixed, and was guided 
 by a blind instinct to defer the dreaded 
 punishment as long as possible. "I 
 wouldn t sass anybody for all the world." 
 " Aha-a ! That s a pretty way to talk !" 
 With this he seized him by the nape of 
 his coat, and began the performance with 
 which he had cheered his way for years and 
 years. His second victim was of different 
 temperament from the first, and the first 
 blow had hardly descended, when he 
 emitted a yell of which a Comanche Indian 
 would have been proud. 
 
 This gave the pedagogue an excuse for 
 punishing him for making so great a racket, 
 whereupon he whipped him harder than 
 ever; and as an inevitable result, the poor 
 victim filled the room with his outcries 
 that were all in vain.
 
 94 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE APPEAL. 
 
 /^CHILDHOOD S sorrows are transient; 
 \^S and before school was dismissed 
 Billy Huggins had forgotten his 
 punishment, excepting now and then, when 
 moving about, he was reminded of the sharp 
 blows he had received. At such times he 
 wrinkled his brows with momentary pain, 
 and muttered: 
 
 " I m ten years old, and in ten years more 
 I ll be a man, and then I ll get square with 
 Gibbs. He give me my first licking the 
 first day I come to school, and I made a 
 mark on my slate, and meant to do it every 
 time afterward, so as to keep the account 
 straight. It wasn t long before I got one 
 side of the slate full, and I found if I kept on, 
 and marked it every time, it would take the 
 whole side of the school-house, so I just 
 stopped, and I ll take it all out of him at
 
 THE APPEAL. 95 
 
 once. I ll begin some Monday morning, 
 and hammer him till Saturday night " 
 
 Just then somebody threw a paper wad, 
 which struck the youngster on the end of 
 his nose, causing an abrupt change in the 
 current of his thoughts, as he turned about 
 to find who did it. But every boy was 
 studying with might and main, looking as 
 innocent as cooing doves. The little dere 
 liction had escaped the eye of the teacher 
 even. 
 
 It was near the hour for dismissal, the 
 last exercise being spelling. There were 
 two classes, which were arranged along the 
 side of the apartment, one after the other. 
 Beginning at the head, the teacher gave out 
 the words in turn, until the lesson was ex 
 hausted. Whenever one missed, it passed 
 down the class until it was correctly given, 
 when the successful pupil took his place 
 above all who had failed. Those who 
 failed with two words were required to stay 
 after school, so that all were working hard. 
 
 Some of the boys sat with their hands to 
 their ears to shut out the buzzing, and two 
 
 f
 
 96 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 or three now and then rapidly covered and 
 uncovered them, for the sake of the grotes 
 que uproar that seemed to come and go with 
 the process. Others, especially the girls, 
 had a habit of swaying back and forth, as 
 they studied, and the contortions of some 
 of their lips, as they rolled out their words, 
 were astonishing. 
 
 At last the exercises were finished, and 
 precisely one hour later than usual the 
 school was dismissed, and the children 
 wended their way homeward. 
 
 There was no little indignation expres? ed, 
 particularly by the girls, at the barbarity of 
 the teacher, in punishing the lads as he did. 
 
 The most pity was shown for Billy, as he 
 was the smallest, and had done all the yell 
 ing. There was a sort of belief or super 
 stition that, as Lew excelled them all in 
 personal activity, so he possessed a certain 
 invulnerability against pain, when it came 
 from the teacher s "gad." 
 
 But the boy dreaded the punishment at 
 the hands of his father more than anything 
 else; and as he walked thoughtfully home-
 
 THE APPEAL. 97 
 
 ward, after parting with the others, his 
 thoughts were busy over the problem 
 whether there was no way of escaping this 
 second visitation. 
 
 "I could do it by telling a lie, " he said to 
 himself, "but that won t pay. I promised 
 mother, before she died, that I wouldn t tell 
 any lies, and I ll be murdered before I do it ! 
 If I try to keep out of father s way, it will 
 make him suspicious, and if I put myself in 
 his way, he ll be sure to ask me whether I ve 
 had a licking. If he d only wait till I could 
 explain the particulars, I think he d be a 
 little easier; but he s as bad as old Gibbs to 
 shut you up, when you want to argue. The 
 only way I see is to take the chances. I ve 
 a great notion to do as Tom Smith said, and 
 see whether I can t get round mother. But 
 there ain t much hope there. If she d only 
 get mad, and tear around once in awhile, it 
 would be a good deal nicer; but I don t 
 believe she ever got mad in all her life. 
 She ain t a bit like my own mother. She 
 used to whip me, when I was a bad boy, 
 and I loved her twice as much for it; for 1
 
 98 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 always deserved a little more than I got. 
 She always had me kneel down beside her 
 knee and say my prayers. After I was 
 gone to be^, she would come and tuck me 
 up, and if I was asleep, give me a kiss. 
 When I heard her coming I used to shut 
 my eyes on purpose to get her kiss. She 
 used to scold father, too, and I know he 
 deserved it. When he came home with a 
 very red face, and was very loving and 
 affectionate, she wouldn t let him come 
 near her ; and I heard her scold him half the 
 night about his drinking wine, and she 
 made him promise to stop it, and he did, 
 till he got this new mother for me. 
 
 "That s the kind of mother to have," he 
 added, as he enthusiastically recalled the 
 picture of that noble woman.. "When 
 father was sick, she kept by him night and 
 day, and I heard him tell her, more than 
 once, that she was the best wife God ever 
 made. It s sort of queer," continued Lew, 
 not exactly able to understand where the 
 specific weakness of the stepmother lay. 
 "She never scolds me, and never says a
 
 THE APPEAL. 99 
 
 cross word to father, and yet she don t seem 
 to amount to anything." 
 
 Just there he hit it exactly. The second 
 Mrs. Judge Fenwick amounted to nothing. 
 She was a cipher, a nonentity a negative 
 woman, whose presence in a household is no 
 more felt than that of a bronze image. A 
 woman without a temper is intolerable ; and 
 a person who expects genuine happiness 
 with such a partner, might as well expect to 
 live exclusively on maple candy and bon 
 bons. A man needs a woman with a mind 
 of her own, who will tell him of his fault, and 
 whose instinct will save him from a hundred 
 pitfalls. 
 
 When he has been listening to some oily- 
 tongued sharper, who has filled him with 
 the gorgeousness of his grand speculation, 
 and he rushes home and tells his wife, 
 " there s millions in it," and proposes to 
 mortgage their little property for the sake 
 of going in on "the ground-floor," and 
 making their eternal fortune then s the 
 time for the wife to smile sweetly, shake her 
 head and say: "No, John; I ll never con-
 
 100 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 sent! If it hadn t been for me you would 
 have ruined us all long ago, with these wild 
 schemes of yours. You may as well save 
 your breath, for / won t sign off! In about 
 a week s time, you will come to me and say 
 you were the biggest fool in all creation; 
 and John, my dear, 7 won t dispute you. " 
 
 Perhaps the old gentleman gets angry 
 and stamps off to bed, making some ungen- 
 tlemanly remarks on the way; but in a few 
 days he comes around, and appreciates 
 the crystal-like clearness of his wife s vision, 
 when compared with his own. 
 
 Then perhaps he comes home a little 
 thick of utterance, with a flushed face and 
 a wine or brandy bottle in his pocket, which 
 he sets upon the sideboard with the com 
 placent remark that at last he has found a 
 cure for the dyspepsia, which has tormented 
 him for years, and he recommends to his 
 wife to try a little in the morning and 
 through the day, as it will do a great deal to 
 "tone up" her system, which he thinks 
 needs it. 
 
 This is the time the true wife "takes the
 
 THE APPEAL. 101 
 
 floor," and straightens out matters. The 
 first thing she does with the black bottle is 
 to smash it, and to warn him, in her most 
 awful voice, never to bring the accursed 
 thing into the house again. As for dys 
 pepsia, if he ever really had the fashionable 
 complaint, he has only to stop gormandiz 
 ing , and to stretch his limbs a little, instead 
 of riding, when he has no more than a block 
 to walk. At any rate, the worst possible 
 disease of which a man can die is drunken 
 ness itself. 
 
 Such a woman the second Mrs. Judge 
 Fenwick wasn t 
 
 Lew found, upon reaching home and 
 doing his chores, that his father was not 
 expected until late in the evening; so he 
 took tea alone with his mother, quite hope 
 ful that the terrible hiatus would be bridged 
 over. 
 
 So Mrs. Fenwick occupied one end of the 
 table and Lew the other, and it required no 
 professional phrenologist to read the mental 
 contrast between the two. The lady would 
 be called handsome by a few, for she
 
 102 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 possessed regular features, and her hair 
 and false curls were arranged in the most 
 pleasing way possible. Besides this, she 
 was dressed richly and tastefully, barring 
 there was rather too much jewelry visible; 
 but the gold watch and diamond ear-rings, 
 chain and breastpin, and rings, were all 
 presents from the judge, and she wore them 
 to please him. 
 
 But the face lacked expression, and the 
 words that came from between the pretty 
 lips were insipid; and the wonder was, how 
 a man of Judge Fenwick s ability could have 
 been attracted by such mental flatulence, 
 or if attracted, why it was that he went 
 through the formality of a courtship, when 
 he might have brought her into court upon a 
 writ of habeas corpus, and kept her forever. 
 
 But it is just such old fellows who make 
 fools of themselves, when they come to 
 choose a second helpmate. 
 
 "Mother," said Lew, after a few unim 
 portant observations, "do you think it is 
 right to whip a boy, when he hain t done 
 anything wrong?"
 
 THE APPEAL. 103 
 
 "Well no," she answered, rather fright 
 ened to find herself compelled to make a 
 positive replv. 
 
 "Well, old Gibbs I mean Mr. Gibbs, 
 our schoolteacher, whips us boys when he 
 hadn t ought to." 
 
 "That I should think was very wrong." 
 
 "He whipped me to-day, when he hadn t 
 any right to." 
 
 "Why, how was that?" 
 
 Thereupon Lew proceeded to describe, in 
 his most graphic style, the outrage he had 
 suffered that afternoon, dwelling most 
 emphatically upon the absurdity of his 
 going into the water without taking off his 
 shoes and stockings. He made no reference 
 to the monkey adventure, for he know she 
 would show no interest in that; and in fact 
 he felt none, just then, himself, his purpose 
 being to gain her over to his view of the 
 injustice he had undergone. 
 
 "Now, mother," said he, when he had 
 finished the narration, "don t you think he 
 did wrong in whipping me for what I 
 couldn t help?"
 
 104 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Well yes; it does seem so. But then 
 I shall have to ask the judge his opinion." 
 
 "But haven t you got an opinion of your 
 own? I want you to tell father what you 
 think about it." 
 
 "He hasn t asked me." 
 
 "What of that?" demanded the lad, 
 who was forced to be somewhat pert, in 
 order to keep her to the point. "I don t 
 suppose he will ask you; but you know he 
 has a rule of whipping me whenever I have 
 got it at school. We won t say anything 
 about it unless he asks me, and then I want 
 you to explain the whole thing to him." 
 
 "I am afraid I ll forget the particulars, 
 my dear." 
 
 "There ain t many particulars to forget. 
 He just whipped me when he hadn t a right 
 to. You can remember that, can t you?" 
 
 "I ll try to; but," she added, with a 
 languid air, "I am afraid the judge won t 
 like any interference upon my part." 
 
 "You can t tell till you try. He ll 
 listen to you, when he won t hear a word 
 from me; and I m sure, if you ll only do it,
 
 THE APPEAL. 
 
 it will save me an awful whipping. If 
 you ll try, mother, even if it don t do any 
 good, I ll be the best boy I know how." 
 
 " You ll do that any way, I m sure." 
 
 Lew wasn t prepared to deny this gentle 
 insinuation; but he was certain, if she 
 would join forces with him, he would have 
 a great deal more heart for the promised 
 reformation. It seemed hard to bring her 
 to a realizing sense of the situation; but he 
 had every inducement to stick to the 
 task. 
 
 " You think enough of me, don t you, to 
 want to save me from being whipped, when 
 I have done no wrong?" 
 
 "I think that much of everybody," was 
 the philanthropic answer. "I don t wish 
 anybody to suffer who hasn t done any 
 wrong." 
 
 " That s me," he hastened to say. "I ll 
 bet if any fellow should come up before 
 father for trial on any such a charge, he 
 wouldn t let the jury find him guilty. I 
 don t see, then, why he should serve me 
 worse than a stranger."
 
 106 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 " Oh ! you shouldn t speak that way about 
 the judge Ah! here he comes!" 
 
 At that moment Judge Fenwick, a mid 
 dle-aged, rather portly gentleman, in spec 
 tacles, and with a stern expression of count 
 enance, entered the room, having just 
 turned his horse over to his servant. 
 
 The minute he made his appearance, Mrs. 
 Fenwick clapped her hands with an expres 
 sion of delight, rushed to him, and throwing 
 her arms about his neck, kissed him half a 
 dozen tunes, " gushing" as much as if he 
 had been absent as many weeks as it was 
 hours. 
 
 He used to profess great fondness and 
 pleasure over this evidence of affection, and 
 even now he returned her caresses, although 
 it looked very much as if he considered 
 them something of a bore. 
 
 "Well, Lewis, how have you made out at 
 school to-day?" he asked, as he laid aside 
 his duster and took his seat at the 
 table. 
 
 "Pretty well, sir. I knew all my lessons, 
 and tried to be a good boy."
 
 THE APPEAL, 107 
 
 "Did Mr. Gibbs find it necessary to 
 chastise you for any fault?" 
 
 "We had an awful time at school this 
 noon. There was a monkey come along, 
 and caught up Captain Reynolds baby, 
 and run up a tree with it, and" 
 
 " Never mind about the monkey; you 
 haven t answered my question." 
 
 "Me and Billy Huggins run against each 
 other, and got our feet wet; but it was an 
 accident, and he whipped us both for going 
 in swimming, but I hadn t any more idea 
 than the man in the moon, and I " 
 
 "That will do. Go into the sitting-room, 
 and I will see you after tea." 
 
 As Lew rose to obey, he cast an appeal 
 ing glance at Mrs. Fenwick, but she was 
 looking at her gold watch. 
 
 "Love, you will have to take this to town 
 to-morrow. I wound it up so hard, to-day, 
 that something broke, and it won t run at 
 all." 
 
 No hope there. Whether she purposely 
 avoided any reference to the subject, or 
 whether she had forgotten all about it, it is
 
 108 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 hard to say, but the lad, as he walked out 
 of the room in obedience to the command 
 of his parent, felt that his labor in that di 
 rection had been thrown away.
 
 THE CIRCUS. 109 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE CIRCUS. 
 
 LEW Fenwick sat down in his chair, and 
 took up his slate and arithmetic, but 
 his heart was heavy. The assistance he 
 had counted upon had been denied him, and 
 having unjustly suffered punishment once 
 he was given the reflection that a repe 
 tition of the cruelty was near at hand. 
 
 "Maybe she wanted to wait till I left the 
 room?" he reflected, with a faint flutter 
 of hope. "I hope so!" 
 
 And he stealthily moved to the door, 
 and drew it slightly ajar, so that he might 
 hear what passed between them. 
 
 They were talking, just then, about a 
 new silk dress that the husband had prom 
 ised the wife, and of course that was the 
 most interesting subject in the world to 
 her; but he seemed to weary of it, and 
 it was necessarily finished before the meal.
 
 110 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Then came a lull, which was unexpectedly 
 broken by Mrs. Fenwick. 
 
 "My love, Lewis wanted me to say 
 something to you." 
 
 "He did, eh? Well, what is it?" 
 
 "He said his teacher, Mr. Smith no; 
 what s his name? Mr. Gibbs punished 
 him very severely to-day. 
 
 "He told me that himself/ said the judge 
 who seemed in no very gracious mood 
 this evening. 
 
 "Sure enough, so he did; but he ex 
 plained the whole circumstance to me, 
 and it was this way I declare, I ve for 
 gotten all about it!" 
 
 "Then I wouldn t try it recall it. It 
 might rack your brains too much." 
 
 "I agree with you perfectly; but, if I 
 am not mistaken, your son thinks he was 
 punished unjustly." 
 
 "Most criminals do and what of that?" 
 
 "I declare, I don t know as there is any 
 thing. Well, he wanted me to speak to 
 you; and I ve done it, haven t I ? 
 
 "So it seems. However, after this, I
 
 THE CIRCUS. Ill 
 
 would not meddle in such matters. The 
 law recognizes the husband as the head of 
 the household, and the wife should never 
 interfere in his discipline." 
 
 "I agree with you perfectly," she as 
 sented, with one of her sweetest smiles. 
 
 "Then when he comes to you with his 
 stuff, do not listen to him. 
 
 "I won t, dear. Will you take another 
 cup of tea, love? 
 
 "No; pour me out a goblet of wine. 
 My duties in court have been very severe 
 to-day, and I am quite used up." 
 
 "I am so sorry for you!" said she, ready 
 to burst into tears, as she sprang up to 
 obey his command. 
 
 "There, dear, I have filled the goblet 
 full. Shall I touch it with my lips to 
 sweeten it, as you used to ask me?" 
 
 "No, no; have done with such non 
 sense ! 
 
 And he took it rather brusquely from 
 her hand, and dashed it off. 
 
 "Will you have some more?" 
 
 "Of course not."
 
 112 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 As she replaced it upon the sideboard, 
 her handkerchief went to her eyes. 
 
 " What s the matter now?" he asked, 
 impatiently. 
 
 "You are angry with me because I 
 spoke about Lew. Indeed, I didn t mean 
 to offend you, and I ll never do so again. " 
 
 And at this point the sobs came so fast 
 that she could say no more. 
 
 She dropped down in her chair on the 
 opposite side of the table, and with her face 
 buried in her lace handkerchief, made a 
 pretty, foolish picture. 
 
 The judge knit his brows, and perhaps, 
 at that moment, he contrasted this sense 
 less doll with the noble woman who had 
 occupied that position before her. 
 
 "There, there!" he said, softening his 
 tones somewhat; "don t be silly. I m not 
 angry with you at all." 
 
 "Then kiss me," she pleaded, as she 
 moved to him and leaned over his shoulder. 
 
 The salute was given, and she went back 
 to her seat, smiling as she wiped the tears 
 from her eyes.
 
 THE CIRCUS. 113 
 
 The tea finished, Judge Fenwick arose 
 from his chair, walked to the pantry, where 
 he kept a rawhide, and then passed into 
 the room where his only child was keeping 
 up the semblance of studying his lesson. 
 
 The boy was expecting him, and did not 
 open his mouth. When his father com 
 manded him to stand up, he obeyed; and 
 he accepted the second punishment as he 
 did the first, without a single outcry, and 
 without attempting to evade its full, cruel 
 force. 
 
 "Now go to your room, and don t forget 
 to report to me to-morrow night," said the 
 judge, as he walked out of the apartment 
 and joined his wife, to hear her discourse 
 upon what shade of silk was the most be 
 coming to her complexion. 
 
 When Lew Fenwick reached his apart 
 ment, in the second story, he carefully 
 locked it on the inside, so as to secure him 
 self against intrusion for he had a plan of 
 his own to carry out. 
 
 The place which he had occupied ever 
 since his mother s death was handsomely
 
 114 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 furnished, for Judge Fenwick was wealthy, 
 and shared with his wife the wish that his 
 family should preserve an appearance 
 worthy his station. 
 
 The lad could complain of nothing, 
 except that which was lost with his own 
 mother a sympathetic love, that could 
 appreciate a child s nature, and that should 
 so beautify and glorify his home that nothing 
 in the world could be sufficient to win him 
 away from it. 
 
 "It isn t much over a mile to Birming 
 ham," the boy said to himself, as he walked 
 to the window and looked out in the moon 
 light. "I can reach it in ten or fifteen 
 minutes by putting on full steam, and then 
 I ll see the whole performance, from a re 
 served seat." 
 
 Still he hesitated, as he stood rubbing 
 his shoulders and arms, to soothe the pain 
 that lingered after the sharp cuts of the 
 rawhide. 
 
 "If father finds out I ve been there, 
 there ll be an awful row, because he always 
 gets furious if he hears I ve been anywhere
 
 THE CIRCUS. 115 
 
 without asking him; but I think I can 
 stand twice as hard a whipping as this if I 
 only know I have deserved it. So here 
 goes!" 
 
 Stepping upon the window-sill, he 
 reached out to the water-spout at the edge, 
 and slid down it as nimbly as Pietro, the 
 monkey, could have done. 
 
 As he dropped lightly to the ground, he 
 paused a minute, to see whether the coast 
 was clear. 
 
 A faint pattering upon the grass caught 
 his ear, and he turned his head. 
 
 It was only Samson, the watch-dog, and 
 he shoved his nose against Lew s leg, seeking 
 recognition. 
 
 The lad called his name, patted his head, 
 and the satisfied brute trotted back to his 
 kennel, while his young master stole softly 
 out of the gate, and took the road to Bir 
 mingham. 
 
 When a youngster starts upon such an 
 excursion, he can no more walk than he can 
 fly, and Lew Fenwick sped forward at his 
 best speed.
 
 116 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 The road was a well-traveled highway, 
 leading by houses and cultivated farms, 
 through small stretches of wood, until it 
 reached the small town named, where 
 " Simpson s Great Moral Menagerie and 
 Circus" had engaged to exhibit for two 
 afternoons and evenings. 
 
 Its coming had been heralded in the usual 
 manner, by flaming posters, displayed 
 wherever there was sufficient space, and 
 when there was not, they erected their own 
 board walls, and covered them. Some of 
 these sheets were the size of the side of a 
 house, and contained all the colors of the 
 rainbow. They represented horses going 
 about a ring, a half-mile in circumference, 
 at full speed, while far up in the air, per 
 haps two hundred feet, were their riders, 
 making all manner of gyrations, prelimi 
 nary to coming down again upon the 
 backs of the steeds. 
 
 Then there was a rhinoceros, with a horn 
 some eight or ten feet in length, impaling an 
 elephant, whose trunk was wrapped around 
 the hogshead-like belly of his assailant,
 
 THE CIRCUS. 117 
 
 while crimson daubs, here and there, 
 showed how plentifully the gore was 
 flowing. 
 
 Beside this, there were cadaverous 
 hyenas, desecrating a graveyard, and a 
 crowd of indignant citizens coming down 
 upon them, and with the evident purpose 
 of interfering; a sort of Samson, with 
 staring eyeballs, uncombed hair, and feet 
 planted far apart, while a dozen lions, 
 tigers and hyenas were charging upon him, 
 with just sufficient rapidity to allow him 
 to seize them by the jaws, and fling them 
 in every direction; and there were the gnu, 
 and wart-hog, and wax-figures grizzly 
 bear, and sacred bull, and boa constrictors, 
 which, if the engraving was correct, was 
 about the size of a coal train of a hundred 
 and fifty cars. 
 
 All these, and much more, had been 
 blazoned forth for days, and even weeks 
 before the coming of the "Great Moral 
 Menagerie and Circus," so that there was 
 not a family within a radius of ten miles 
 that didn t know all that could be learned
 
 118 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 from these same flaming posters and an 
 nouncements. 
 
 Thus it was that, while Birmingham 
 itself was a small place, yet the attendance 
 at each performance was very large, as 
 the surrounding country was freely drawn 
 upon, and the circus was doing such good 
 business that the performers made every 
 effort to please their not over-fastidious au 
 dience. 
 
 The hour was later than Lew Fenwick 
 supposed, and when he reached Birming 
 ham, the performance was under way. 
 
 There was no delay in finding the place. 
 He knew upon what vacant lot these 
 exhibitions were given, and then the beating 
 of the drums, and the blare of music, and 
 the few late and hurrying stragglers, told 
 where the central point of attraction was. 
 
 He fell in with them, and a minute later, 
 passed in beneath the canvas tent, with its 
 hundreds of flags streaming to the air, and 
 the hundreds of lanterns illuminating the 
 interior. 
 
 The audience, with one or two exceptions,
 
 THE CIRCUS. 119 
 
 were through staring at the wild animals, 
 which were much fewer in number than 
 would have been supposed from the 
 pictorial announcements, and the people 
 were gathered in the amphitheatre to view 
 the circus performances. 
 
 The place was crowded, there being fully 
 three thousand present. Lew concluded 
 there wasn t much chance for the reserved 
 seat to which he was entitled, but he had 
 scarcely entered when some one called out : 
 
 "This way. Lew. I ve been saving a 
 place for you!" 
 
 And to his surprise, he recognized the 
 showman, George Girton, who had made 
 the school-boys a visit that afternoon at 
 recess. 
 
 The man reached out his hand as he 
 approached, and taking him by the arm, 
 led him to the only vacant seat left, and 
 one which had been claimed fully twenty 
 times. It was at the bottom of the series 
 of rising seats, elevated just enough to give 
 him the best view possible, without per 
 mitting any one to get in front.
 
 120 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "I m much obliged to you," said the 
 grateful Lew, feeling willing, at that mo 
 ment to undergo a hundred whippings for 
 the happiness that came to him with the 
 exhilarating prospect. "Did you get your 
 monkey to-day? 
 
 "Yes; I found him just after leaving 
 you. He knew my whistle, and came to 
 me, and took his switching like a school- 
 boy." 
 
 Lew blushed, for he thought at first the 
 man must be referring to him ; but he was not. 
 
 "See here," said the showman, leaning 
 over and speaking in a low, confidential 
 voice; "when the trained mules are brought 
 in, and the clown invites the boys to come 
 forward and ride them, I want you to show 
 what you can do. I suppose, of course, 
 you know how to ride?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. I have never been thrown by 
 a horse or colt in all my life, and I ve rid 
 den some of the worst in the country." 
 
 "All right; wait till the youngsters have 
 tumbled about awhile, and then you must 
 come out and show them how to ride. "
 
 THE CIRCUS. 121 
 
 Lew promised to do so, and Girton with 
 drew to leave him to the full enjoyment 
 of the performance, which it may be said 
 was now in full blast. 
 
 The exhibition was similar to that which 
 is given every season in different parts of 
 the country. The horses were of every 
 color, some of them beautifully mottled, 
 and they were well trained in their parts. 
 
 They circled about the ring at full speed, 
 inclining their bodies so far inward that 
 those who did not understand the law of 
 centripetal and centrifugal forces, wondered 
 why they didn t fall over on their sides. 
 
 Some of them were covered with a sort 
 of framework, over which a white cloth 
 was laid, upon which the riders stood and 
 performed their daring feats of horse 
 manship. These consisted of riding at full 
 speed, vaulting into the air, leaping through 
 large hoops covered with thin paper, bound 
 ing over long bands stretched from the 
 centre pole to the side of the ring, and riding 
 two, three, or four horses at a tune. 
 
 Then, a strong man, with one foot upon
 
 122 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 one animal and one upon another, took a 
 tiny boy in his arms, stood him upon his 
 shoulder, and then upon his head, the 
 steeds galloping at full speed all the time. 
 
 Shouts and clapping of hands followed 
 this exhibition of courage and skill, and 
 there were hundreds who looked upon the 
 little fellow as the most wonderful genius 
 the world ever produced. Inspired per 
 haps by the applause, he did still more 
 thrilling feats, such as riding with his head 
 downward, supported by the strong arms 
 of his father. 
 
 When this exhibition was finished, the 
 horses galloped out of the ring. On their 
 way they encountered a cream-colored 
 steed, upon which a small girl was riding. 
 He trotted leisurely into the ring, where the 
 same gentleman who had given the per 
 formance with himself and son, took charge. 
 
 This was Adualina, advertised as "The 
 great child wonder, only ten years of age, 
 and the most skillful equestrian of her age 
 in the world!"
 
 IN THE RING. 123 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 IN THE RING. 
 
 u OENORITA Adualina, the child won- 
 O der, "as she was called, despite 
 her extreme youth, was a beauti 
 ful, sylph-like creature, apparently ten or 
 twelve years old, of surpassing loveliness 
 of feature, and with a figure the perfec 
 tion of symmetry and grace. 
 
 She was attired in the usual fleecy dress, 
 with golden spangles, flesh-colored tights, 
 tiny flashing slippers, and the imitation of a 
 diamond crown sparkling upon her head, 
 her luxuriant black ringlets streaming away 
 over her shoulders, as her steed struck at 
 once into a rapid gallop, and she kissed her 
 little hand to the cheering multitude. 
 
 "She looks like an angel!" exclaimed 
 Lew Fenwick, as he fixed his eyes upon her. 
 "I never saw any one so beautiful. Her 
 cheeks are like let me see like those ox-
 
 124 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 heart cherries, just as they begin to turn 
 red, her eyes sparkle like stars, and oh, 
 what a sweet mouth, and teeth, and nose! 
 She s perfect ! I don t see how I ever could 
 think that Sue Williams and Fanny Thomp 
 son were good-looking! I can never think 
 so again, after looking at Senorita Adua- 
 lina." 
 
 By this time, the mottled steed was 
 whirilng around the ring, and the tiny 
 equestrienne was executing her skillful 
 evolutions, and kissing her hand to the 
 multitude in recognition of their applause. 
 
 First one ribbon was stretched from the 
 centre pole to the outer boundary of the 
 circle, over which she gracefully bounded, 
 while her horse shot beneath, then another, 
 and another, until the ring looked like an 
 immense wheel, with spokes of brilliantly- 
 colored bands, over which she went, rising 
 and sinking as if upon the waves of the sea. 
 
 When this had been repeated several 
 tunes, the hoops were introduced, through 
 which she passed with the same ease and 
 unerring certainty; then she rode upon the
 
 IN THE RING. 125 
 
 horse s hips, where she looked like a 
 beautiful bouquet pinned on, as the animal 
 dashed away upon a dead run. 
 
 After this, a second horse was introduced, 
 and as the two galloped along side by side, 
 she bounded from one to the other with as 
 much ease and accuracy as if they were 
 standing still. 
 
 Her really excellent exhibition continued 
 for some fifteen minutes, when, at a word 
 from their rider, the horses shied off and 
 trotted out of the ring to the tent from 
 which they had emerged, while the lovely 
 senorita kissed her hands again and again, 
 in reply to the thunderous applause, which 
 was continued for some seconds after she 
 had disappeared. 
 
 Hurrah! here comes the clown and his 
 mules. Now look out for fun! Every 
 body laughs the instant they appear, for 
 the jester, with his peaked hat, brilliantly 
 daubed cheeks, and zebra-like suit, cover 
 ing him from neck to feet, means to make 
 them laugh. 
 
 The first mule is a large animal, which
 
 126 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 he appears to be holding by the nose, and 
 endeavoring to keep from trotting so 
 fast; but the animal does not seem to heed 
 him, and keeps trotting right ahead, 
 shoving him, as it were, before him, remind 
 ing us of the check-mule on the tow-path, 
 which throws his whole weight backward, 
 when he hears the word of the driver, and 
 is dragged along by the others. 
 
 The beast is followed by two others, and 
 as they enter the ring, the clown vaults 
 upon the back of the largest, and straight 
 way the sport begins. 
 
 The mule goes along at a leisurely trot, 
 until he has once passed around the circle, 
 when he suddenly halts, and his rider goes 
 over his head all in a heap, falling in such a 
 ridiculous manner that the multitude roar 
 
 * 
 
 with laughter. Then the clown gets up, 
 and brushes the sawdust from his clothes 
 with such a comical, woe-begone look, that 
 the laughter breaks out more than ever. 
 
 Then it seems suddenly to strike him that 
 he ought to punish the animal for this treat 
 ment, and walking up to where he was
 
 IN THE RING. 127 
 
 standing, he made a great flourish, which 
 terminated with a kick upon the haunch of 
 the mule, who on the instant kicked back 
 again. His hoof did not hit the clown, who 
 of course knew it was coming; but every 
 body in the audience supposed it did, for 
 he gave a yell, and tumbled so violently 
 backward that he turned a complete somer 
 sault. 
 
 More than one man was seen to laugh so 
 hard that he rolled off his seat, and the 
 hilarity became furious. 
 
 Then the jester, assuming the same mel 
 ancholy expression, shook his head, and 
 walked to the second mule, which he 
 mounted, and held on with so wild, anxious 
 expression of countenance, that it was 
 comical, indeed, to see. 
 
 The animal went along very gravely 
 for a few minutes, when all of a sudden up 
 went his heels, and away went the clown in 
 a pile again, amid the deafening applause of 
 the delighted spectators. 
 
 When the discomfited jester rose to his 
 feet, he affected a bewilderment that was
 
 128 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 excessively funny, and in walking vaguely 
 about, ran smack against the centre-pole. 
 
 He instantly started back, paused to 
 look questioningly at the offending ob 
 struction a moment, and then kicked it, 
 apparently with might and main. On the 
 instant his mouth assumed the shape of 
 the letter 0, his forehead was wrinkled 
 with a frightful frown, and catching the 
 foot in his hand, he hopped about upon 
 the other as if he had fractured all his toes. 
 
 When you come to analyze all these per 
 formances, most adults will pronounce 
 them exceedingly foolish, but no boy and 
 none of the audience thought so. They had 
 come there to be amused, and there was no 
 question about their being gratified. 
 
 Finally, the clown seemed to act as if 
 he had decided to make one more effort to 
 ride the refractory creatures, and fixed upon 
 the remaining animal, that as yet was un 
 tried. This was the smallest of all the 
 others, being in reality a dwarf, so that he 
 had only to throw one leg over it and sit 
 down. This he did; but the cunning little
 
 IN THE RING. 129 
 
 creature took a couple of steps forward, and 
 his would-be rider came down with a bump 
 upon the ground instead. 
 
 No boy ever saw any one attempt to sit 
 in a chair, and miss it, without laughing 
 outright, provided the victim was not 
 injured by his mishap, and it is not nec 
 essary to say that an uproarous outburst 
 followed this slip. 
 
 Once more the jester approached the 
 cunning creature, but manifestly with great 
 caution and misgiving. Reaching out, he 
 grasped him by one of his long ears with 
 one hand, while the other seized his tail. 
 
 This looked as if he could hold things 
 steady until he had time to secure his seat, 
 but in making the attempt, he seemed to 
 become entangled in some way, and slid 
 off as often as he got on, until at last he 
 secured his place, but it was reversed 
 his back being toward the animal s head. 
 However, he held fast to the mule s caudal 
 appendage, and shouted to him to go ahead 
 he was ready. 
 
 The creature obeyed orders, going around
 
 130 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 with great docility until he had made sev 
 eral circuits ; then he paused, placed his 
 nose between his fore legs, and threw up 
 his heels until he appeared absolutely per 
 pendicular. 
 
 That ended the clown s exhibition of 
 horsemanship, and after picking himself 
 up, he walked to the middle of the ring, 
 and called out to the multitude: 
 
 "How shall I ride them ere mules? 
 It s a conundrum that I give up. If there s 
 any man that thinks he can do it, let him 
 come out and try that s all I ve got to 
 say." 
 
 It was hardly supposed that, after such 
 an exhibition, any one in the audience 
 would be anxious to run the risk of getting 
 his neck broken, and yet, to the surprise 
 of all, a man stepped out and came toward 
 the ring. 
 
 He was dressed in dilapidated garments, 
 with an immense stove-pipe hat jammed 
 down on his head, trowsers stuck in his 
 boot-tops, the flapping skirts of his coat 
 almost reaching the ground, and he carried
 
 IN THE RING. 131 
 
 a huge umbrella under his arm. More 
 than this, as he walked forward, his gait 
 was so uncertain that it was plain to all 
 he was partly intoxicated. 
 
 Such audiences are not over-critical, 
 or very aesthetic in their tastes, and loud 
 shouts of delight went up from the hundreds 
 as they saw this new element in their 
 amusement. 
 
 The clown gravely doffed his hat and 
 extended his hand, by way of salutation, 
 as he approached, and conducting him to 
 the largest mule, went through the form 
 of introducing the two. 
 
 The antics of the man were laughable in 
 the extreme, if one could lose sight of the 
 moral sadness in the sight of a man in such 
 a maudlin state. 
 
 "Poor man! I wonder whether he has 
 any children here?" muttered Lew, the 
 thought coming to him in spite of the sur 
 roundings; but like the impressions of 
 childhood, it was transitory, and gone in an 
 instant, and he turned and entered into 
 the spirit of the scene.
 
 132 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Although the mule seemed very docile, 
 yet the man had no sooner mounted him 
 than he made a slight flirt of his heels, 
 which sent him tumbling to the ground. 
 
 The clown assisted at the effort to re 
 mount, but so overdid matters that he 
 shoved the rider over the other side upon 
 the ground again. 
 
 The poor fellow showed a commendable 
 perseverance, and at last seated himself 
 fairly, only to be thrown, the next mo 
 ment, so far over the mule s head that 
 more than one person believed he was se 
 riously hurt, although the laughter was not 
 perceptibly the less; but he came up again, 
 apparently unharmed, and there were many 
 reminded of the commonly-accepted fact 
 that a drunken man is much less liable 
 to be injured from a fall than a sober one, 
 as his muscles are more lax and non-re 
 sistant. 
 
 The clown affected great solicitude for 
 the welfare of the horseman, who returned 
 it by turning furiously about and giving 
 him several kicks, that sent him skurrying
 
 IN THE RING. 133 
 
 across the ring, to the immeasurable en 
 joyment of the audience, intensified by the 
 woful, amazed look he bestowed upon the 
 man who had served him in that unex 
 pected manner. 
 
 He made no attempt to retaliate, for it 
 may be said he had his revenge before 
 hand. 
 
 The ground and lofty tumbling continued 
 for some time longer, until the jaws of 
 everybody were aching from excessive 
 laughter, when an unexpected change took 
 place. 
 
 The mule, that had borne so prominent 
 a part in the exhibition, his two com 
 panions remaining stationary in the middle 
 of the ring, suddenly stood still, and the 
 drunken man, to the amazement of all, 
 staggered to his feet upon the back of the 
 animal. 
 
 The next second, the brute bounded 
 away at full speed around the circle, his 
 rider still maintaining his upright posi 
 tion. 
 
 Suddenly he threw off his flapping coat,
 
 134 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 then his vest, and at one leap he went out 
 of his pantaloons, boots and all, which were 
 kicked to the ground, and presto! he stood 
 arrayed in the spangled uniform of a cir 
 cus performer. 
 
 All semblance of intoxication had van 
 ished, and the graceful athlete saluted the 
 boisterous audience, and amid the wildest 
 enthusiasm, proceeded to give the finest 
 exhibition of horsemanship of the even 
 ing. 
 
 The whole thing, of course, was pre 
 arranged, and was all the more enjoyable 
 from its complete deception. 
 
 The cast-off garments were flung in a 
 heap at the centre, and the mule galloped 
 out of sight; his accomplished rider indulg 
 ing in all sorts of antics, until he vanished. 
 
 The clown was still left, with the other 
 two animals, and he now invited others to 
 come forward and show what they could 
 do. Girton was still standing in front of 
 the reserved seats, and he turned and beck 
 oned to Lew Fenwick, who advanced at 
 once toward the ring.
 
 IN THE RING. 135 
 
 "Hello, Lew! are you going to try it? 
 Blamed if I don t, too!" 
 
 It was Billy Huggins who called to him, 
 and he and another boy followed after 
 them. Lew held back a little, so as to 
 allow them to try it first. The jester re 
 ceived the two very graciously, helped 
 each upon his steed, and then, picking up 
 the whip of the ring-master, gave it a series 
 of flirts, which caused the lash to snap like 
 the reports of fire-crackers. 
 
 Away went both animals on a gallop 
 around the circle, the clown following and 
 using his whip more vigorously than ever in 
 the air, while both boys kept their places 
 with all the ease imaginable. 
 
 "Who can t do this?" called out Billy, 
 proud of his own skill. "I always could 
 ride any horse in the country, and any 
 feller that can t stick to an old mule is a 
 big fool. It s just as easy as " 
 
 Billy had reached this point in his gen 
 eral observations, when he discovered, in 
 stead of being upon the back of the long 
 eared quadruped, he had bumped upon the
 
 136 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 ground, and as he tried to rise, his com 
 panion came pitching over him. 
 
 "What made that mule tumble over?" 
 he asked, composedly, as he got up and 
 looked around, no one able to hear his 
 words amid the deafening tumult that 
 fairly made the canvas tremble. 
 
 He was not hurt, for there was an abund 
 ance of sawdust; but as soon as he could 
 collect his senses, he noted that neither of 
 the animals was down. They were stand 
 ing motionless, and as demure as lambs, 
 awaiting the next change in the pro 
 gramme. 
 
 "I think I ve got enough of that," said 
 the other boy, understanding the trick 
 that had been played on him. "Them 
 ain t the kind of mules I want to ride." 
 
 And disregarding the coaxings of the 
 clown, and his assurance that he could do 
 better next time, the lad ran back among 
 the audience. 
 
 "You ain t scared, are you?" he asked, 
 approaching Billy, who was a little un 
 certain of what was best to do.
 
 IN THE RING. 137 
 
 "No, I ain t scared a bit, only a little 
 afraid," he replied. "I ll try it again, and 
 see whether I can hold on tighter. Just 
 give me a boost on t other mule, will you? 
 I think I can manage him better than the 
 one that fell with me." 
 
 The clown gladly did as requested, and 
 Billy was quickly placed astride of him. 
 Precisely the same performance was re 
 peated, the urchin being thrown with such 
 ease that he became convinced it was use 
 less for him to make any further trials at 
 managing such cunning creatures; and he, 
 too, ran back and joined the throng of 
 spectators. 
 
 "Well, sonny," said the funny man, 
 addressing Lew, who all this time had been 
 carefully studying the way the thing was 
 done, "do you want to show the people 
 how well you can ride?" 
 
 "I don t mind trying it," he replied. 
 
 "All right! Come ahead, and I ll help 
 you aboard." 
 
 The next minute, Limber Lew was astride 
 of one of the mules.
 
 138 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE." 
 
 MEN, women and children had laughed 
 until they were tired, and when Lew 
 Fenwick advanced from the audi 
 ence, and was helped upon the back of one 
 of the tricky mules, there was a general 
 feeling of indifference, for they believed the 
 performances were to be repeated, and they 
 wished a change of programme. 
 
 There were a number who recognized the 
 youngster, and knowing his skill and activ 
 ity, believed he would make a better exhi 
 bition of horsemanship than any of the 
 others a prospect which lessened the plea 
 sure, of anticipation, as the fun of the whole 
 thing was the ease with which the riders 
 were thrown. The spectators did not con 
 ceive it possible that any one could main 
 tain himself upon the brutes. 
 
 The few minutes spent by Limber Lew as
 
 "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE." 139 
 
 an observer had been improved, and he 
 gained a point or two. He selected the 
 smallest mule of the three, and when he 
 found himself on his back, discovered, as he 
 had expected, that he could fo -ce his heels 
 underneath his belly far enough to hold 
 himself in his position. This was all he 
 wanted. 
 
 Fixing himself in place, he took up the 
 reins, and said to the clown: 
 
 "Go ahead, and do your best." 
 
 A ringing crack from the whip, and the 
 little mule started off on a trot around the 
 circle, his gait speedily becoming a gallop, 
 the jester still snapping the lash, and fol 
 lowing on the inner and smaller circle. 
 
 The spectators had settled into a quiet, 
 expectant mood, their eyes fixed upon the 
 mule and his rider, awaiting impatiently the 
 " catastrophe." 
 
 Suddenly the animal planted all four feet 
 on the ground, as rigid and stiff as those of 
 his brother in the Andes when he slides down 
 the rocky descent. The stoppage of his 
 speed was instantaneous, and according to
 
 140 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 all the rules of mechanics, Lew Fenwick 
 should have gone tumbling over his head; 
 but he did not. He was prepared, and he 
 held his place on his back as firmly as if he 
 were bound like Mazeppa. 
 
 The hundreds who were gazing at him 
 appreciated his skill, and a general clapping 
 of hands showed that he had their sym 
 pathies. 
 
 The clown was perhaps the most sur 
 prised of all, for he had never yet seen this 
 diminutive pet fail in flinging any boy from 
 his back. 
 
 "The Prince," he said to himself, allud 
 ing to his favorite animal, "must have made 
 a slight miscalculation. He ll fetch him 
 next time." 
 
 No doubt the quadruped himself was 
 mystified, with the others, when he found 
 that, after all, he still had a boy on his back ; 
 and he galloped away again, at a greater 
 speed than before. 
 
 Lew knew what was coming, and kept 
 himself rigidly braced and prepared. 
 
 Presently the same thing was repeated,
 
 "TO BE, OB NOT TO BE." 141 
 
 the lad maintaining himself with ease, 
 while Girton, the circus man, led the 
 overwhelming applause. 
 
 "The mule has his master at last!" 
 exclaimed hundreds to their neighbors. 
 "There s a younker that knows how to 
 ride." 
 
 The clown, convinced that the lad was 
 unusually skillful, walked forward and 
 patted him encouragingly on the back. 
 
 "Keep it up, Johnny, and look out, for 
 he s going to take you on another tack." 
 
 Prince made no further attempt to dis 
 mount his rider by sudden stoppages. 
 Two trials convinced him of the futility of 
 that method, and he took another course. 
 Trotting to the centre of the ring, he whirled 
 rapidly around, something like a dozen 
 times. The result of this, as a rule, was 
 that, whoever was on his back, became so 
 bewildered and dizzy that he was easily dis 
 placed. 
 
 Lew saw things mixed and blurred for a 
 minute or two, but quickly rallied, and 
 stood it as well as the beast.
 
 142 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 The applause that followed this was 
 "vociferous," and nerved the boy to do his 
 utmost. 
 
 The mule now reared upon his hind legs, 
 standing for an instant almost perpendicu 
 lar ; but Lew threw one arm about his neck 
 and held himself from sliding off. 
 
 Then the beast elevated his hind quarters, 
 balancing upon his fore feet, and the young 
 ster had all he could do to save himself ; but 
 by bracing his legs and arms, and making 
 his body as rigid as iron, he succeeded. 
 
 Again the mule reared, and Lew played a 
 trick that made him his master. When the 
 mule was poised, as it may be said, upon 
 his hind legs, Lew threw his arm beneath 
 his throat, and gave the animal such a jerk 
 that he fell over backward. As the boy 
 did this on purpose, he was prepared for the 
 fall, and bounded out of the way in time to 
 save himself. 
 
 The animal was scared at what had taken 
 place. It doesn t take such a creature long 
 to learn that he has met his master; and 
 when he scrambled (as it may be described)
 
 "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE." 143 
 
 to his feet, and the boy leaped upon his back 
 again, he was thoroughly subdued. 
 
 In obedience to the snapping of the 
 clown s whip, he cantered around the ring 
 several times, bearing his youthful rider, but 
 he made no attempt to displace him, even 
 though the jester gave him several perempt 
 ory signals to do so; and finally he turned 
 and trotted out of the ring, Lew springing 
 off, and walking toward his seat. 
 
 The applause that followed his victory 
 was enough to turn the head of an older 
 person. Everywhere hands were clapping, 
 youngsters were shouting, men swung their 
 hats, and rose to their feet, to catch a 
 glimpse of the boy that had conquered the 
 trained mule, and beat him at his own game. 
 
 "Who is he? who is he?" was asked here 
 and there, and they who knew the lad were 
 kept busy answering and disseminating 
 their knowledge, until every hun^an being 
 under the canvas knew that it was the only 
 son of Judge Fenwick that had performed 
 the remarkable exploit. 
 
 All this time, Lew Fenwick was doing his
 
 144 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 best to shrink back from observation. His 
 face was flushed, his heart thumped, and he 
 was drinking in for the first time the intoxi 
 cating and dangerous nectar of applause. 
 
 There was something sweet in it, and it 
 seemed to him, while his ears were filled 
 with the cheering and shouting and hurrah 
 ing, that there were lengths and depths of 
 human happiness of which, as yet, he had 
 not even dreamed ; and he was certain, too, 
 that the most blissful existence in this 
 world was that of a circus-performer, who 
 could breathe and live upon such applause 
 all his life. 
 
 It is at such critical periods in boyhood, 
 that he who steps in and paints truth as it 
 is, against the wild fancies that the imma 
 ture imagination conjures up, becomes the 
 real guardian angel of youth. It should be 
 in the form of father or mother, or both, and 
 happy is he to whom heaven has given such 
 parents those who can comprehend the 
 temptations to which boys and girls are ex 
 posed, and who can enter into their sympa 
 thies, and gird them around, as it were,
 
 "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE." 145 
 
 with an impenetrable armor of self-restraint 
 and a firm adherence to the straight and 
 narrow path. 
 
 Alas ! that Lew Fenwick had none to draw 
 him aside from the fascinating avenue that 
 was opening before him. 
 
 There still remained one performance to 
 complete the evening s entertainment. This 
 was an exhibition of tight-rope walking, 
 and of exploits upon the trapeze. Senorita 
 Adualina always established herself as a 
 favorite upon sight, and when she twice 
 walked back and forth upon a narrow rope 
 or wire, stretched far above the heads of all, 
 it seemed as if the larger part of the audi 
 ence could not be restrained from rushing 
 forward and overwhelming her with con 
 gratulations. 
 
 The young man who did the trapeze busi 
 ness, in a very creditable manner, was liber 
 ally applauded ; and the performance, when 
 it closed, was a satisfactory one in every 
 respect. The immense crowd slowly filed 
 out, and the spectators scattered to their 
 homes.
 
 146 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Lew was alone, and without pausing to 
 exchange words with his friend George 
 Girton, he started up the road, walking so 
 rapidly that he speedily left behind the large 
 number whose destination led them some 
 distance in the same direction. 
 
 "They have made me an offer," he mut 
 tered to himself, as he recalled the words that 
 had been said to him, " and all I ve got to do 
 is to join them. I can do a good many of their 
 tricks now, and with a little training, I would 
 be as good as the best, excepting, maybe, that 
 little beauty they call Senorita Adualina. I 
 would get good wages, wouldn t have any 
 more hard lessons to learn, no danger of being 
 whipped by Old Gibbs, and then catching it 
 worse when I went home. I could then take 
 care of myself, and would soon be a man like 
 the rest of them. I ve heard them say that 
 circus fellows lead a pretty rough life, but 
 then those that can do as well as I, don t 
 suffer. It s the poor fellows, like Billy 
 Huggins, that can never learn to turn a 
 somersault without landing on his head. 
 I m sure it would be different with me."
 
 "TO BE, OB NOT TO BE," 147 
 
 He walked a short distance further in 
 silence, but his mind was busy, and he 
 could think of little or nothing excepting 
 what he had seen, and the great step in his 
 life that he was debating whether he should 
 take. 
 
 "I hate the notion of running away from 
 father/ he continued, as he listened for a 
 moment to the whisperings of conscience. 
 "He uses me pretty rough, but I never can 
 dislike him, no matter what he should do. 
 Mother I neither dislike nor love ; she seems 
 to me like the wood-box in the kitchen. 
 I never would know she is about if I didn t 
 run against her now and then. If my own 
 mother hadn t died, I never would have 
 crawled out of the window and run off to 
 the circus. She would have made father 
 let me go, or if he wasn t willing, or she 
 didn t think it best, I would have rather 
 stayed with her, and had her read to me, or 
 tell me some nice story, than have gone to 
 all the circuses in the world ; but she is gone 
 yes, gone" 
 
 The poor fellow broke down at this point,
 
 148 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 and looking about in the gloom to make 
 sure no one heard him, he sobbed harder 
 than all the whippings of the teacher could 
 compel him to do. She who had been a 
 mother to him in every sense of the word was 
 gone, and never, never could she be replaced. 
 
 By-and-by, he mastered his grief, and 
 drifted back to the question whether or not 
 he should run away from home and join the 
 circus. He could conjure up no reason why 
 he should not leave, and yet it was hard to 
 make up his mind. 
 
 "I ll have to wait till after I say my 
 prayers, and I ve had time to dream over 
 it," he added, as he drew near his home. 
 "I think I ll go, but I ll see how things 
 shape to-rnorrow, I won t start before to 
 morrow night, any way." 
 
 As he moved on, the great question was 
 whether his absence had been discovered. 
 Instead of approaching through the gate in 
 the usual way, he cautiously passed beyond 
 it, determined not to be detected through 
 any negligence of his own. He could see 
 nothing of any light.
 
 "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE." 149 
 
 "It must be near eleven o clock," he 
 mused, as he paused under the shadow of 
 one of the trees, "and I suppose all have 
 gone to bed. Mother is dreaming about 
 her new silk dress, and father is thinking 
 over court matters, or else is sorry because 
 he didn t whip me a little harder " 
 
 Bow-wow! There was a sudden rush, 
 and the bull-dog came down upon him with 
 a rush. 
 
 Lew had hardly time to make himself 
 known, and to escape being rended by the 
 savage animal,. The instant he spoke, 
 however, he was recognized, and the feroc 
 ity of the dog was turned to demonstrative 
 affection. It was all he could do to keep the 
 canine from knocking him over in his extra 
 vagant joy at meeting him. 
 
 "Behave yourself, Samson!" he said in a 
 suppressed voice. "Keep still, or I ll give 
 you a kick. 
 
 The dog was finally persuaded to abate his 
 demonstrations, when the lad continued his 
 reconnoissance, gradually nearing the house, 
 round which he walked two or three times.
 
 150 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 All was still as the tomb, and he had not 
 caught a single ray of light, so there was 
 little doubt but those within were sunk in 
 heavy slumber. 
 
 At first he feared that there might 
 be some assumption in this, with in 
 tent to entrap him; but reflection satis 
 fied him that it was not likely the judge 
 would descend to any such device when he 
 must have felt certain he could reach him 
 whenever he chose. 
 
 Pausing by the edge of the building, the 
 lad could see that his window was still open, 
 just as he had left it. All was dark within, 
 and as all was enveloped in shadow, he saw 
 everything dimly. 
 
 "It would be funny if he was waiting up 
 there to grab me, as I went in, " he muttered 
 as he tried to pierce the gloom; "but then I 
 don t know as there would be anything so 
 funny about it, either." 
 
 As there seemed nothing to gain by 
 waiting, he began climbig the spout. This 
 would have been very difficult to ordinary 
 persons, but he ascended it without trouble,
 
 "TO BE, OR NOT TO BE." 151 
 
 his only anxiety lest the slight noise and 
 scratching he made should attract the 
 attention of those within. If anything 
 gave way, he had no fear of being hurt by 
 the fall, only the fracture of the pipe would 
 be pretty certain to result in his detection. 
 
 Finally, the window was reached, and he 
 crept into his own room. 
 
 He had scarcely done so, when there was 
 a sharp rap on the outside, and his heart 
 rose in his mouth. All was lost, he believed. 
 
 " Lewis, do you hear me?" 
 
 It was his father s voice, and permitting 
 him to call him several times, the lad finally 
 answered, with a yawn, as if he were just 
 awaking from sleep. 
 
 "Heigho! what s the matter?" 
 
 "I thought I heard a suspicious noise, 
 Have you noticed anything of it?" 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 And his parent went away again.
 
 152 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 
 
 JUDGE Fenwick was driving leisurely 
 along on the morrow, after the incidents 
 we have given, his destination being a 
 neighboring town, where he had some legal 
 matters to look after. The day was quite 
 warm, and his horse jogged forward at such 
 a moderate pace that it was near noon 
 when he reached the conference, and he re 
 mained to dinner. 
 
 When the business which had brought 
 the men together was completed, the 
 gentlemen naturally fell to conversing about 
 other matters matters which bordered 
 very much upon gossip, and would so be 
 termed if discussed by the other sex. 
 
 "I can tell you, judge, that s a pretty 
 smart boy you ve got," remarked one of 
 these men, as they sauntered out upon the 
 cool piazza.
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 153 
 
 "Well, yes; I think he can hold his own, " 
 replied the judge, who took the compliment 
 much as he would if applied to his horse. 
 
 "I don t think that performance of his 
 last night could be improved upon. " 
 
 "What was that?" asked the parent, con 
 siderably mystified at the words. 
 
 "Why, didn t he tell you anything about 
 his riding the mules?" 
 
 Not a word." 
 
 "That makes me like him better than 
 ever. There would have been some excuse 
 for his boasting over such an achievement, 
 but he hasn t said a word about it to any 
 body. It was a little the cutest thing I 
 ever saw." 
 
 "You haven t explained it," reminded 
 his listener. 
 
 Thereupon the gentleman proceeded to 
 relate the particulars of the exploit of 
 Lew Fenwick, in mastering the trained 
 mule, which no one else among the specta 
 tors was able to ride. He became very 
 eloquent, and as the judge listened with 
 an immobile countenance, he concluded
 
 154 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 that he was highly delighted with the 
 narration. 
 
 "You saw all this yourself?" asked his 
 hearer, looking him in the face. 
 
 "Certainly, I did." 
 
 "I understand you to say you were there, 
 and were near my son, so there could be no 
 mistake about his identity?" 
 
 "Of course of course! You see," 
 added his friend, with a hollow, apologetic 
 smile, such as nine parents out of ten give, 
 when questioned in the same way, "I prom 
 ised the children, some time ago, that if 
 they made good progress in their studies, I 
 would take them to see the first menagerie 
 that came along. I didn t say anything 
 about a circus, and in fact was not aware 
 that it had any of the characteristics of a 
 circus, until I was actually within the place, 
 and it was too late to withdraw. I could 
 not resist the entreaties of the children, 
 although " 
 
 "Never mind about the entreaties of the 
 children," interrupted his listener, im 
 patiently. "You say you saw my son
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 155 
 
 Lewis ride one of those mules at the circus 
 last night?" 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " That s all I want to know," said the 
 judge as he walked out of the gate, en 
 tered his carriage and drove away. 
 
 "I ll be hanged if I understand how the 
 Judge takes it!" remarked the man with 
 whom he had held the conversation, speak 
 ing to one of those left behind. "It looks 
 to me as if I had stirred up a hornet s nest, 
 for I guess the old fellow didn t know any 
 thing about his boy being at the circus. 
 Strange, how queer some folks are. Now, 
 I wouldn t begrudge a good many dollars if 
 one of my boys could do so smart a thing 
 as that, and here the Judge looks as mad 
 as boiled thunder and lightening. Well, he 
 always was rather high-toned, and I suppose 
 there is where the shoe pinches." 
 
 In the meantime, Judge Fenwick was 
 driving homeward, at a somewhat faster 
 gait than usual, for he was angry. Nothing 
 that had occurred for years so disturbed 
 his feelings as that which he had learned
 
 156 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 within the last hour. The thought that 
 his son, whom he supposed to be soundly 
 sleeping in bed the whole evening, was in a 
 circus ring, winning the laughter and ap 
 plause of the gaping multitude by his 
 rivalry with the clown this reflection was 
 galling and the anger of the old gentleman 
 can well be understood. 
 
 "I am afraid that boy will never amount 
 to anything," he muttered, compressing 
 his lips. "I ve whipped him again and 
 again, and where is the good it has done?" 
 
 While he was at it, it would have been 
 well had he paused to ask how things 
 would have resulted had he used the rod 
 less and love more; but his train of thought 
 was different. 
 
 "I m to be blamed, because I have not 
 been severe enough with him. Some 
 times two or three days have passed with 
 out his being punished more than once, and 
 I ve used the same raw-hide until it has 
 become frayed and is not half effective. " 
 
 At the principal store in Birmingham he 
 tied his horse, and bought the largest raw-
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 157 
 
 hide in the place. Its length and propor 
 tions were such that the merchant sup 
 posed it was for his horse. 
 
 All treated the distinguished legal gentle 
 man with respect, for he was looked upon 
 with awe by his neighbors. 
 
 Those who were idling about the store 
 saluted him in military fashion as he came 
 in; and the merchant himself, presuming 
 somewhat on more intimate relations, be 
 cause he sold him groceries, walked out 
 to his carriage with him. 
 
 He was desirous of saying something to 
 please his distinguished visitor, and he was 
 sure he did it when he remarked : 
 
 " Every body in town to-day is talking 
 about your boy Lew, and the way he got 
 the best of that mule at the circus, last 
 night. You must let him come again to 
 night, Judge, for a great many are going there 
 on purpose to see him perform. I would 
 like to see you there yourself, for I think 
 you would feel proud of him." 
 
 Judge Fenwick made no reply, but never 
 came so near indulging in profanity in his life.
 
 158 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "What clowns these people are!" he 
 muttered. "They rush out to tell me of 
 the disgraceful act of my child, and think 
 it is something I should feel proud over. 
 The next thing I should do is to put him in 
 the employ of these men. That would be 
 more honorable in their eyes, than to pre 
 pare him to follow in my footstps. Oh, the 
 rascal!" he added, gnashing his teeth. "I 
 know what that noise was I heard last 
 night. It was he climbing in the window. 
 What a wretch he is getting to be ! I shall 
 give him a punishment such as he will 
 remember all his life, and then, if that fails 
 to make a change, he shall be turned out of 
 the house. I shall not permit him to dis 
 grace the name of Fenwick." 
 
 These were no idle threats. He meant 
 them, and it would have required only 
 another feather to make him carry them 
 out. 
 
 Strange that his mother seems to 
 have so little influence over him!" he 
 muttered, as he mentally contrasted his 
 second with his first wife. "When Inez
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 159 
 
 was alive, I was never called in to in 
 terfere in the way of discipline. Now it 
 is left entirely to me, and I will answer 
 the demand!" he exclaimed, giving the 
 reins a spiteful jerk, that sent the horse 
 jogging forward at a more rapid rate than 
 usual. 
 
 When he reached home, the afternoon 
 was about half gone, and it was too soon 
 for the return of his son. So, after giving 
 his horse to the servant, he passed to 
 the rear of the house, to examine the 
 traces left by Lew in climbing up to the 
 window. They were plainly seen, so not 
 another particle of proof was needed. 
 
 As several hours yet remained at his 
 disposal, he went into his library, paying 
 no attention to the affectionate greeting 
 of his wife. He was moody and ill-tem 
 pered, and after a draught of brandy, 
 he took a law book, and endeavored to 
 interest himself; but the liquor he had 
 swallowed befogged his brain, and he 
 dropped asleep, never waking until the 
 tea-bell sounded at half-past six. Then
 
 160 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 he roused up and joined his wife at the 
 table. 
 
 "Where is that boy?" he demanded, 
 looking around him. 
 
 "I have seen nothing of him since 
 dinner," replied Mrs. Fenwick. 
 
 "What! hasn t he come home yet?" 
 I am afraid not, dear." 
 
 "Why don t you teach him to do 
 better?" angrily demanded the husband. 
 "He s the worst boy in the neighborhood, 
 and his mother is a good deal to blame 
 for it." 
 
 It was a cruel remark, when all the 
 circumstances are considered, and the con 
 sequences might have been anticipated. 
 Mrs. Fenwick burst into sobs, and as 
 the Judge made no attempt to soothe 
 her, she left the table to finish her cry 
 in her room, and to meditate about going 
 home to her mother, who would not treat 
 her like a brute. 
 
 When Judge Fenwick passed into his 
 library again, it was so dark that he lit 
 his lamp and sat down, crosser than ever.
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 161 
 
 That scamp has run away to the circus 
 again," he muttered, "but he will not 
 fool me this time. I will sit up all night 
 and watch for him, and will teach him 
 such a lesson that he will never dare cross 
 my will again. 
 
 Just then there was a sharp rap on 
 the library door, and supposing it to 
 be his wife, he refused to answer until 
 the summons was repeated. Then he called 
 out, rather testily : 
 
 "Why don t you come in?" 
 
 The door was shoved open, and Captain 
 Rudolph Reynolds bade him good evening, 
 and entered. 
 
 "Ah, captain! I didn t know it was 
 you. I beg pardon. Pray be seated!" 
 
 His visitor, who was a courteous gen 
 tleman a man of culture and refinement 
 did not notice the apology, but shook 
 hands with his host and helped himself 
 to a seat. 
 
 The judge rather liked him; for, be 
 sides, having traveled extensively, he had 
 observed and read much, and when he
 
 162 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 chose was most entertaining company; 
 but neither was in the mood to enjoy 
 pointless conversation this evening. 
 
 After some unimportant remarks, and 
 mutual inquiries about each other s fami 
 lies, the captain said : 
 
 "Mrs. Reynolds called upon Mrs. Fen- 
 wick to-day to thank her for the inesti 
 mable service your boy did us yesterday, 
 and I have felt that it was no more than 
 my duty to do the same with you. A 
 lad who has saved the life of our darling 
 child the only one that is now left to 
 us does a deed for which it is idle to 
 hope to find words to express our feelings. " 
 
 "I haven t heard the particulars," said 
 the judge, rather coldly. 
 
 "Is it possible! I supposed he would 
 have told you about it himself. " 
 
 "He began some monkey yarn last 
 evening, but I checked him because it 
 was plain he was only doing it to divert 
 me from my duty of punishing him. " 
 
 "Excuse me, but may I inquire for 
 what he was whipped?"
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 163 
 
 "It is an invariable rule with me to 
 duplicate the punishment he receives at 
 school." 
 
 Captain Reynolds was a man of strong 
 temper. It was hard for him to forget 
 the courtesy due from one gentleman to 
 another; and he concealed his anger, which 
 was none the less genuine. 
 
 "Do you consider it good law to punish 
 a criminal twice for the same offense, 
 especially when he hasn t committed any 
 offense at all ? 
 
 "I do not understand you, sir." 
 
 "In the first place, Abijah Gibbs, the 
 teacher, is a brute, who is no more fit 
 to teach children than he is to preside 
 in the court-room. He loves to torture 
 them, and he whipped your boy yesterday 
 out of pure devilishness. The lad acci 
 dentally fell into the water, and the teacher 
 knew the little fellow was as undeserving 
 of punishment as you or I. If that lamp 
 on the table should explode and kill me, 
 there would be just as much justice in 
 hanging you for murder."
 
 164 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "How is it you know so much of the 
 particulars of this case, captain?" 
 
 "I learned them from unquestionable 
 authority." 
 
 The captain did not say that his author 
 ity was Lew Fenwick himself, but so it 
 was, and it was none the less unquestion 
 able for that. 
 
 "Yes I speak what I know," he con 
 tinued, "and on the top of that, he re 
 ceives the same punishment at your 
 hands when he comes home. There s a 
 double dose of the cruelest kind of in 
 justice. Let me tell you what your boy did 
 yesterday." 
 
 And thereupon the caller related in 
 his own graphic language the scene of 
 the rescue of his child at the risk of the 
 rescuer s life. 
 
 "That s what I call the truest kind 
 of bravery," he continued; "the more 
 wonderful because it is discouraged both 
 at school and at home. " 
 
 Judge Fenwick flushed. He was not 
 accustomed to such language from any
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 165 
 
 one, nor had he ever heard it except 
 from his first wife. 
 
 "Are you aware, sir, that you are using 
 very strange words to me?" 
 
 "I am aware that I am speaking the 
 truth an article so scarce in these days 
 that we need it now and then. To con 
 tinue; your boy called at our house this noon 
 to learn whether our baby was suffering 
 any from her fall. You know how much 
 we think of Lew, and we made him sit 
 down, while my wife filled him with delica 
 cies, and let him fondle the baby, and 
 I gave him a tune or two on my violin, 
 and I told him an adventure of mine in 
 Africa, and when he came to go, behold it 
 was school time. I wrote him a note 
 to hand to his teacher, explaining the 
 cause of his tardiness; and although he 
 delivered it, I made inquiries afterward, 
 and found that the old scamp punished 
 him for being late, saying that he knew 
 he coaxed me to write the excuse. I 
 went down to Gibbs house, and told him 
 that if he wasn t an old man, I would
 
 166 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 owhide him myself. It was one of the 
 most infernal outrages ever committed, 
 and we are all a set of fools to permit such 
 a tyrant to hold sway." 
 
 "It seems to me you took a great deal 
 of liberty to interfere in the case of my 
 son. It strikes me that I was the proper 
 individual to do that." 
 
 "And so it strikes me; but it strikes 
 me, also, that you re just the individual 
 who is the least likely in the world to do it. " 
 
 Judge Fenwick looked aghast at his visi 
 tor. Could it be he had his senses? 
 
 This is unpardonable language to use to 
 me in my own house. Am I not com 
 petent to manage my own child?" 
 
 Captain Reynolds knew it was a very 
 bold proceeding, indeed; but his sympa 
 thies were fully enlisted, and he shrank 
 aot from the task. 
 
 " You are competent, judge, but you 
 don t do it. The practice of whipping 
 your boy, simply because the teacher 
 has done it, without inquiring into the 
 occasion, is an absurdity and barbarism
 
 THE GATHERING STORM. 167 
 
 of which you ought to be ashamed. I 
 have shown you what an outrageous pro 
 ceeding it was for Gibbs to punish him 
 to-day. In spite of that, in accordance 
 with your rule, he will receive another 
 equally severe whipping when he returns 
 home." 
 
 "Most certainly he will. Do you see 
 that new raw-hide lying there on the table? 
 I purchased that to-day expressly for 
 his benefit, and you may depend that it 
 will be used. And allow me to say, cap 
 tain, you have committed an unwarrant 
 able discourtesy in coming to me this 
 evening, and lecturing me as you have 
 done." 
 
 "And allow me to say, judge, you re 
 the infernalist fool that has the reputation 
 of knowing anything. The people look 
 upon you as possessing some brains, and 
 I once suspected it myself; but the veriest 
 clod-hopper in the country has more sense 
 than you. You deserve to have your 
 son curse you, and I rather hope he will. " 
 
 The captain s face was aflame with
 
 168 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 anger, and he slammed the library door shut 
 and strode out the house, mad enough 
 to take his gun and go out and shoot 
 somebody. As it was, he relieved his mind 
 at intervals by some rather violent ex 
 pletives. 
 
 Judge Fenwick s state was fully as 
 bad. He was so furious that he was 
 threatened with acute apoplexy. When 
 his wife asked to come in, he refused her, 
 and sat for several hours moody and 
 savage. 
 
 At about eleven o clock, he went up 
 into Lew s room, raw-hide in hand, to 
 await his coming. He was already so 
 angry that he could not become any more 
 so. 
 
 But the hours dragged by and he came 
 not.
 
 AN IMPORTANT STEP. 169 
 
 w 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 AN IMPORTANT STEP. 
 
 HEN Lew Fenwick went to school on 
 the morning succeeding his circus 
 experience, he was still uncertain 
 as to whether he should run away or not. 
 Had the day s experience been pleasant, it 
 is probable he would have remained at 
 home; and with the departure of the 
 gaudy show, would have gone that fasci 
 nating charm which held his mind captive. 
 
 But the fates seemed to conspire against 
 him. Captain Reynolds has already told 
 how it was that the lad had received 
 another whipping that same afternoon, 
 without the least cause, and there was 
 a spiteful venom in the blows of Gibbs, 
 which made them sting, and prevented 
 their being forgotten for a long time. 
 
 "That means another trouncing when 
 I get home," growled the victim, as he
 
 170 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 walked through the woods, "and I ll be 
 hanged if I stand it! I ll go and join 
 the circus. " 
 
 Instead of following a direct path home 
 ward, he deviated enough to take in the 
 handsome residence of Captain Reynolds. 
 He knew he was always welcome there, 
 and it was the only place in the world 
 where he gained a practical idea of happi 
 ness. 
 
 The captain was a capital player on 
 the violin, he had scores of curiosities 
 that he had gathered in different parts 
 of the world, and was an unsurpased 
 story-teller. 
 
 What a treat it was, when the winter 
 wind howled outside, or the sleet beat 
 against the windows, to hear him tell of 
 his shipwreck on the African coast; his 
 year of vagabond life among the natives; 
 his hunts after the lion, elephant, hippo 
 potamus, and other royal game; his ex 
 perience in the awful Sepoy munity in 
 India, when he so narrowly escaped the 
 fury of Nana Sahib; his life in California
 
 AN IMPORTANT STEP. 171 
 
 in 1849, for he was one of the "Argo 
 nauts;" his wanderings in other portions 
 of the globe all this and much more,, 
 we say, was treated by the captain iu 
 such an entertaining way, that since his 
 mother s death, Lew could find no place 
 in the world that possessed the charm 
 that this household did. 
 
 Mrs. Reynolds was a lovely woman 5 
 who had been a bosom friend of Lew s 
 mother before and after marriage, and 
 she had always liked the boy. Since 
 the death alluded to, her affection for 
 him was almost as great as if he were 
 her own child. 
 
 In the early years of their married life, 
 Captain Reynolds and his wife had re 
 ceived one of the cruelest blows that mind 
 can conceive. Its effects always lingered, 
 though the passing years perhaps softened 
 its rigor. By agreement, neither ever re 
 ferred to it, but its memory remained 
 until God in his own good time lifted the 
 shadow and let in the radiant sunshine of a 
 happiness that was like that of heaven itself.
 
 172 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Returning from this brief digression, 
 it will be remembered that Lew Fenwick 
 made his way to the home of Captain 
 Reynolds instead of going directly home 
 ward. As he reached the piazza, he saw 
 the captain tipped back in his chair, 
 calmly, smoking his cigar. 
 
 He laid down his paper as the lad came 
 up, and greeted him with his usual kindness, 
 inquiring whether his teacher showed any 
 reluctance to excuse him for his tardiness. 
 
 When Lew told him he had received 
 a whipping therefor, the man leaped up, 
 put on his hat and coat, and declared 
 he would cowhide the scoundrel, strode 
 off toward the teacher s house. 
 
 Before he reached it, he cooled down 
 enough to conclude that, instead of doing 
 him violence, he would give him a piece 
 of his mind; and it is hardly necessary 
 to say that was done with characteristic 
 emphasis and vigor. 
 
 For the first time in his life, Lew dreaded 
 to go home. He had felt a distaste on 
 previous occasions, but never such a draw-
 
 AN IMPORTANT STEP. 173 
 
 ing back as now. Besides the punishment 
 that was impending on account of the 
 "discipline" in school, the conviction was 
 strong upon him that his father must 
 have learned of his running away to the 
 circus, in which case a more terrible 
 chastisement than he had ever known 
 would fall to his lot. 
 
 When Captain Reynolds returned, the 
 lad told him of the hard custom of his 
 parent, and said he had already been 
 treated so badly that he was loth to go 
 home. 
 
 The captain told him to stay where 
 he was until nightfall, when he would 
 try to smooth matters for him. 
 
 This was attempted, and the result 
 has already been made known. 
 
 The captain left on his charitable errand, 
 immediately after tea, the lad partaking 
 with them, and remaining awhile to play 
 with the baby, and to talk with Mrs. 
 Reynolds; but he was uneasy and restless, 
 and he finally followed. 
 
 His activitv carried him home almost
 
 174 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 as soon as his friend, and in his eagerness 
 to hear the result of the interview, he 
 crept up close to the window, and not 
 a word that passed between the two 
 escaped him. 
 
 It is safe to say that had Captain Rey 
 nolds known the youngster was within 
 earshot, he would have been more guarded 
 in his words, despite the great provocation 
 he received from Judge Fenwick. 
 
 The conversation heard by the young 
 eavesdropper settled the matter. All hesi 
 tation was gone, and stealthily leaving 
 the spot, he as stealthily entered the 
 house, his intimate knowledge of the rooms 
 enabling him to reach his own apartment 
 unobserved. There he hastily donned his 
 best suit of clothes, and awaiting his 
 chance slipped out of the house, and 
 was gone. 
 
 He carried nothing but the garments 
 he wore, and had not even a penny in 
 his pockets. He had eaten a good meal 
 at Captain Reynolds , and of course he 
 was sure of obtaining all he wanted as
 
 AN IMPORTANT STEP. 175 
 
 soon as he attached himself to the 
 circus. 
 
 As before, he took the road leading 
 to Birmingham, but had gone a few steps 
 only, when he was startled by hearing 
 a soft pattering behind him. 
 
 Turning his head, he saw in the gloom 
 that he was followed by the watch-dog, 
 Samson. 
 
 "Go back/ said Lew, in a low, earnest 
 voice "go right back with you !" 
 
 The dog paused in the road, but did 
 not turn about, and the lad moved on. 
 
 He had gone but a short distance, when 
 he found Samson at his heels again. 
 
 Lew now spoke angrily, and raised his 
 hand as if to strike him. As before, the 
 brute stood still, and seemed to look up 
 reproachfully; and hoping that he would 
 not be disobeyed, our hero once more 
 resumed his journey, only to find that 
 his friend was following him at a somewhat 
 greater distance. 
 
 "Strange why he acts that way!" mut 
 tered the lad, "I never knew him to
 
 176 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 do so before. He seems to know I am 
 not coming back, and wants to go with me. " 
 
 He would have been glad of his company, 
 only he did not like the thought of taking 
 him away from home, where he was so 
 valuable a sentinel at night; but he had 
 done all he could to prevent it, and as 
 the dog would not heed him, he strove 
 no more, but walked rapidly forward. 
 
 When he had gone a little way, he 
 thought he would make an effort to outwit 
 his faithful friend. He suddenly ran very 
 fast for a hundred yards or more, and 
 then dodged under the shelter of a tree. 
 Here he waited several minutes, and seeing 
 nothing of him, stole onward again. 
 
 "Fve beaten him for once," he con 
 cluded, laughing to think how cleverly 
 he had done it. " He ll have to turn 
 about at last, and go home Hello !" 
 
 There Samson was, trotting, demurely 
 at his heels; and was not outwitted, after all. 
 
 "All right," said the boy; "you have 
 beaten me and I will give up. " 
 
 As he neared the town, he found he
 
 AN IMPORTANT STEP. 177 
 
 was late, the spectators, as .numerous 
 as on the night previous, being already 
 beneath the canvas, and the performances 
 fully under way; but he went without 
 hesitation, to the door, where he paused 
 with dismay, recollecting that he had 
 no ticket, and no means with which to 
 purchase any.. 
 
 "What shall I do?" he asked himself, 
 halting at the entrance. "I ll have to 
 wait till the performance is over. Well, 
 I can do that." 
 
 "Hello, sonny! what is the matter?" 
 called out the doorkeeper, noticing his 
 manner. "What s up with you?" 
 
 "I haven t got a ticket to go into the 
 show." 
 
 "Well, all you have to do is to buy 
 one. Only cost you twenty-five cents." 
 
 "But I haven t got the twenty-five cents." 
 
 "Then you d better go home and get 
 it," said the man, who was too used to 
 the appeals of poverty-stricken urchins 
 to "come down" on account of so weak 
 a plea as that.
 
 178 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "No; I ll wait where I am till the circus 
 is over. That ll do just as well. " 
 
 "Well, that s a nice way to enjoy life, 
 I declare," replied the doorkeeper, shuffling 
 his tickets in his hand, and laughing to 
 hear the conclusion of the boy. "What 
 are you going to wait for? " 
 
 "I want to see one of your men Mr. 
 Girton who is expecting me. " 
 
 "Are you the boy that got thro wed 
 by the mules last night?" 
 
 "No, sir; I m the boy that didn t get 
 thro wed, " was the rather proud answer. 
 
 "All right. George left word to pass 
 you in, if you came along. Go ahead, 
 Johnny." 
 
 Thanking him for his courtesy, Lew 
 nimbly accepted the invitation, and moving 
 through the narrow entrance, speedily found 
 himself amid the vast assemblage. 
 
 He saw nothing of his friend Girton, 
 so he secured the best position possible, 
 and his attention became absorbed with 
 the performances going on before him. 
 
 They were very similar to what he had
 
 AN IMPORTANT STEP. 179 
 
 already seen, but they were none the less 
 entertaining on that account, and he speed 
 ily forgot everything but the grand feast 
 before him. 
 
 The exhibitions need not be described 
 at length, as we have already dwelt upon 
 them in another place. That which in 
 terested him more than anything else 
 was the equestrian performance of the 
 young Senorita Adualina, which, it seemed 
 to him, was more daring and marvelous 
 than on the former occasion. When the 
 trained mules were trotted out, and the 
 usual laughable scene took place, there 
 were loud calls for Lew, "the boy who 
 couldn t be fooled." The clown himself, 
 desirous of gratifying the people, asked 
 him to come forward, if present; but the 
 lad had determined to remain in the 
 background for that evening. 
 
 He was wedged in among a lot of men, 
 who, looking forward, did not notice who 
 was so near them even though most of 
 them joined in the calls for Lew to present 
 himself.
 
 180 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Finally, the mules, after a further display 
 of their tricks, were withdrawn, and the 
 performances came to a close. 
 
 Lew lingered around until most of the 
 audience were gone, when he came across 
 his friend Girton, who greeted him warmly 
 and expressed his regret that he had not 
 seen him before. 
 
 "I only wish you were going with us. " 
 
 "I am," replied the boy. "I ve come 
 to join 3^our circus."
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 181 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 
 
 Girton caught the hand of Lew Fenwick 
 and warmly shook it. 
 
 "Good enough; your fortune is secured, 
 my boy. Did you get the governor s con 
 sent?" 
 
 "No, he knows nothing about it; and I 
 suppose, if he finds I am here, he ll try to 
 fetch me back." 
 
 "And perhaps prosecute us for abduc 
 tion," said the showman, with a serious 
 countenance. "There, you see, is going to 
 be the rub, and we must protect ourselves. " 
 
 By this time all the assemblage had left, 
 and the employees of the circus, springing 
 up as if by magic, began taking down the 
 canvas, tents, poles, and innumerable ap 
 purtenances. The keepers had closed the 
 menagerie wagons, and were fastening their 
 horses to them. Everywhere were bustle
 
 182 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 and confusion, for the circus was billed to 
 appear on the morrow at a place a dozen 
 miles away, and there was no time for idle 
 ness and play. A vast deal of work was to 
 be done, and the teams must be on the 
 road shortly after midnight, for the parade 
 was to take place at Byington at ten o clock, 
 and an afternoon performance was to be 
 given at two; but there was system amid 
 all this apparent confusion. Each man 
 had his particular work to do, and he went 
 at it without asking questions, or needing 
 directions. It was a gigantic machine, 
 with its fly-wheel or regulator, and the 
 wheels, levers, rods and gearing working 
 perfectly. 
 
 Amid the general wreck of matter, there 
 was little chance for free conversation, and 
 Girton and Lew Fenwick walked outside 
 and away, until they were far enough off to 
 be secure against disturbance. 
 
 "You don t know how glad I am that 
 you ve come to join us," said Girton. 
 You ll be one of our best cards, and we ll 
 make things hum. While Mr. Simpson is
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 183 
 
 the principal owner of the establishment, 
 yet there are three others that have an in 
 terest, and I m one of em. Simpson is 
 traveling in Europe, and we don t see him 
 only at the opening and closing of the sea 
 son ; but the other three of us sail in and do 
 the work right straight along. One of 
 these gentlemen is the advance agent, and 
 he s always ahead making arrangements for 
 our coming; and his shrewdness saves us 
 thousands of dollars in the way of expenses. 
 The other is the financier or treasurer of the 
 concern, and has the handling of the spondu 
 licks ; while my business is to look after the 
 performers, and see that they all do their 
 duty. We ve got a lot of em, and they 
 need watching, I can tell you. Some of the 
 men will get drunk every chance they have ; 
 other of the actors will pretend they are 
 indisposed, 7 when nothing is the matter; 
 and when they travel by rail, as they often 
 do, they ll contrive to get left by the train, 
 and to go on a jamboree before they can be 
 picked up again. You see, I traveled with 
 a circus three years in England and Aus-
 
 184 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 tralia, and I know the ropes. As I was 
 about to say, or rather as I did say, I m 
 mighty glad you ve cast in your lot with us, 
 and to make a big success for you, we 
 mustn t let ourselves be tripped up at the 
 beginning. Your governor being a judge, 
 also knows more about law than we do, and 
 if he finds you with us, he may kick up a 
 rumpus and make all sorts of trouble." 
 
 "He s just the one to do it, " said Lew. 
 
 "Well, we must take measures to avoid 
 it. You see we are to show to-morrow in 
 Byington, and on the next day at Laporte, 
 which is quite a city. If the governor 
 interferes it will be at Byington, so you had 
 better not join us until we reach Laporte, 
 which is five miles further on, although I 
 believe you can take a more direct course, 
 which makes the distance of both places 
 about the same from here." 
 
 "Yes, I know the road across the country. 
 It isn t more than ten miles direct to La 
 porte. So you want me to join you there, 
 day after to-morrow?" 
 
 "That s the idea. In the meantime, it
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 185 
 
 might be a good notion to show yourself 
 among your friends, and let them know 
 you have dissolved partnership with the 
 old gentleman,, and intend to go West, 
 but not with any circus company. That 
 will help to throw them off the track. " 
 
 "But it would be lying, and therefore 
 I can t do it. I ll meet you at Laporte, 
 and then I s pose we ll be getting further 
 and further away from home every day 
 after?" 
 
 "Yes; we re working toward the west, 
 and may possibly go to Mexico, if the 
 business warrants. The season lasts longer, 
 of course, the further we go south. " 
 
 "I hope you will," said Lew, whose 
 heart bounded at the thought of the mag 
 nificent scenery and travel that opened 
 before him. 
 
 "At any rate, each day, as I said, will 
 carry you further from home, and the 
 danger from your governor s interference 
 will become less and less, until it reaches 
 the vanishing point. If he don t disturb 
 us at Byington, I shall believe he doesn t
 
 186 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 intend to make any trouble, and we shall 
 put you in training at Laporte. " 
 
 "Will I travel under my own name? " 
 " Certainly not; it is rarely done. We ll 
 get you up some big sounding title. You 
 know that these boys that are performing 
 in different circuses begin early and go 
 through a good deal of training. It would 
 have been better if we had had you in 
 hand during the winter months; but you 
 are naturally the most supple and active 
 lad I ever met, so that by hard work you 
 will speedily rank among the best youthful 
 gymnasts in the country, and we shall 
 post you somewhat as we do Senorita 
 Adualina, the child-wonder." 
 
 The arrangement being made that Lew 
 was to keep in the background until 
 the second day, when he was to be taken 
 quietly aboard at Laporte, the lad bade 
 his friend good-night, and started in the 
 direction of his own home, with the dog 
 Samson trotting at his heels. 
 
 "This don t exactly suit me," he said 
 to himself, as he walked along in the
 
 THE FEIEND IN NEED. 187 
 
 darkness. "I ve got to spend to-night 
 and to-morrow night somewhere, and I 
 haven t a cent of money. I suppose Mr. 
 Girton would have given me what I wanted 
 if I had asked him, but I felt ashamed to 
 tell him I hadn t any. I know what I ll 
 do, I ll go to Captain Reynolds, and stay 
 there till Thursday. He ll take care of 
 me, and won t let father know anything 
 about it." 
 
 Had it been broad daylight with the 
 sun shining, Lew would have kept on; 
 but there is something in the silence and 
 gloom of the night which does a great 
 deal toward drawing a boy s courage out 
 at his finger s ends. He would have got 
 along very well had he money, but he 
 was too proud to sleep in barns and beg 
 for food, after the manner of leisure pro 
 fessional tramps. 
 
 The direct route to Laporte necessitated 
 a sharp turn, after going a little way beyond 
 Birmingham; but he had too much on 
 his hands to head in that direction, and 
 walked rapidly forward, until not far
 
 188 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 from midnight he found himself upon 
 the handsome and familiar grounds of 
 Captain Reynolds. 
 
 He felt some hesitation about a call 
 at this time of night, and was very re 
 luctant to arouse his friend; but as he 
 stepped lightly upon the piazza, he caught 
 sight of the glowing end of a cigar, and 
 saw that, despite the lateness of the hour, 
 the captain was leaning back in his easy- 
 chair, his slippered feet upon the railing, 
 leisurely enjoying his Partaga. 
 
 " Hello, Lew, is that you?" he called 
 out, suspecting the identity of his visitor. 
 
 "Yes, sir." replied the lad, coming 
 forward and shaking the proffered hand, 
 while Samson stretched himself upon the 
 porch, apparently aware that his journey 
 ing was over for the present. 
 
 "Take the rocking-chair here beside 
 me. Mrs. Reynolds occupied it until about 
 half an hour ago, when she thought she 
 heard the baby sneeze, and came near 
 breaking her neck to reach it. The night 
 is so pleasant that I can t bear to go to
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 189 
 
 bed for an hour yet. We used to have 
 just such nights as this in the South 
 Pacific, when I ve walked the deck for 
 hours and drank it in; but tell me, my 
 good fellow, how comes it that you have 
 deferred your visit until so late in the 
 evening?" 
 
 "I ve got back from the circus." 
 "Ah! So the judge let you go down 
 there?" 
 
 "No; he didn t know anything about it." 
 "What I suspected. Then of course 
 there ll be the deuce to pay when you 
 go home." 
 
 "I didn t intend to go home again." 
 Captain Reynolds let his feet drop from 
 the railing, and straightened up with 
 amazement. 
 "How is that?" 
 
 Thereupon Lew told him what he had 
 done, saying that he had fully resolved 
 never to step beneath his father s roof 
 again. He knew he could make a first- 
 class circus performer, and he didn t wish 
 his friend to dissuade him. He had come to
 
 190 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 ask permission to stay with him until 
 Thursday, when he would take his farewell 
 of this part of the country. 
 
 The captain s feet were upon the railing 
 again, and he pulled so hard at the cigar 
 that the glow illuminated his whiskered 
 face. Once Lew thought he muttered 
 something which sounded very much like 
 profanity. Finally he spoke. 
 
 "I don t mean to discourage you at 
 all. I sympathize too much with you, 
 and I ll never assist your father or any 
 who may choose to hunt you; but I want 
 to say something as solemnly as it can 
 be said, and you must never forget it. 
 Go with the circus if you wish, but never 
 cherish the ambition of becoming a pro 
 fessional actor and of devoting your life 
 to the business. There may be good 
 and worthy people in it, but it is one of 
 the last professions a boy should take 
 up and follow. Everything has a, rosy 
 color to your eyes, but it has its hardships, 
 trials, temptations and miseries, as you 
 will learn in due time. Enter it with
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 191 
 
 the never-forgotten resolution that, at no 
 distant day, you are to give it up forever, 
 and to adopt some more suitable calling. 
 A year or two will wonderfully clarify 
 your perceptions, and you will see that 
 you cannot afford to throw away your 
 life in that fashion. I want you to write 
 to me every week or two, and tell me 
 what happens how you are getting along, 
 and your feelings as to your own future. Of 
 course you will be interested to know 
 about your home, and I will keep you 
 informed. Whenever the time comes when 
 you wish to change your profession, be sure 
 to tell me, and all the money you may 
 need shall be at your command. This 
 will be as great a favor to me as to yourself. 
 Do you promise?" 
 
 Poor Lew was fairly overcome, and 
 for a time could hardly find words to 
 express his gratitude. He pledged himself 
 to do all that was asked; and as the hour 
 was late, Captain Reynolds conducted 
 him to his room and bade him good-night. 
 
 Samson, finding his master well taken
 
 192 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 care of, concluded to go to his own 
 home. 
 
 The captain returned to his chair on the 
 piazza, where he sat a while longer, with his 
 cigar, meditating over what had hap 
 pened. 
 
 "I have strange feelings to-night," he 
 murmured, as he finally rose to retire. 
 " Somehow or other the conviction is 
 strong upon me that this young boy s 
 future is linked with my own. I am no 
 believer in presentiments, but the emotion 
 is none the less strong, for all that. At 
 any rate, I consider it my duty to look 
 after his welfare, and nothing shall dissuade 
 me from doing so. " 
 
 His wife was awakened by his footsteps, 
 and they commented on how lovely their 
 babe looked in its innocent slumber; but 
 the husband made no reference to the 
 presence of Lew Fenwick in the house, 
 wishing to avoid exciting her, and pre 
 ferring to wait until the morrow, when 
 he would tell her all. 
 
 Lew slept soundly, until morning, when
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 193 
 
 he arose, at a somewhat later hour than 
 usual, and came down stairs. 
 
 Mrs. Reynolds, by this time, was ac 
 quainted with all her husband knew, and 
 she greeted him with an affectionate kind 
 ness that caused him for the moment 
 to wish he might remain there forever. 
 
 "You will have to keep rather shady 
 to-day," remarked the captain, as they 
 sat at breakfast. " There is no need of 
 any one about the place, excepting Bridget, 
 seeing you, and I have told her that she 
 must know nothing about it, if any in 
 quiries are made of her. Some of the 
 school children occasionally come over 
 here at noon, and it will hardly be prudent 
 for them to see you. After to-day, I care 
 not who knows it; but I suppose the judge 
 will demand your return, the very hour 
 he learns you are here, and it will not 
 do to say nay to him, although of course 
 I should manage to let you give us the slip. 
 However, the best plan will be to avoid 
 all that, when it can be done so easily." 
 
 Lew promised compliance, and after
 
 194 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 breakfast he went up into one of the 
 upper apartments, which the captain used, 
 now and then, as a gymnasium and smok 
 ing-room. 
 
 Here were a number of rare and valuable 
 books, in which he deeply interested him 
 self for an hour or two, when he was 
 alarmed by the appearance of the captain. 
 
 He supposed he had brought some start 
 ling tidings, but the caller told him very 
 quietly there was nothing new, and sug 
 gested that, as he expected to enter on 
 his professional career so soon, he should 
 test himself with the appliances about him. 
 
 The lad eagerly did so, stripping to 
 the waist, and going through the per 
 formances under the direction of the cap 
 tain, who was an old hand at the business. 
 
 Great as he knew his skill to be, the 
 gentleman could not conceal his expressions 
 of admiration over the boy s grace and 
 agility. Many of the feats had never 
 been attempted or even seen by the lad, 
 who nevertheless executed them with the 
 brilliancy of a professional, the instant
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 195 
 
 he was able to comprehend what they 
 were. 
 
 "I don t see what necessity there is 
 for you to undergo any training," said 
 the captain, when the thing had continued 
 for an hour or so. " There is nothing 
 that I ever saw done in Australia (I have 
 never visited such an exhibition in this 
 country) that you cannot do; but you 
 may fail, when you find yourself under 
 the glare of the gaslight, and with thousands 
 of eyes fixed upon you. Those are the 
 times that try the nerves of a novice, 
 although, after awhile, they become as 
 food and drink to the professional." 
 
 "I wonder whether they will want me 
 to walk a rope." 
 
 "If they do, refuse them, under all 
 circumstances. That is not in your line, 
 and a broken leg or neck will be the in 
 evitable result. I guess you have had 
 enough for to-day, and now perhaps a 
 little ramble in the woods will do you 
 good, taking care to keep away from the 
 neighborhood of the school-house.
 
 196 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Lew acted upon the advice, following 
 a direction that he thought, was free from 
 all likelihood of meeting any one; but 
 he had not gone far, when he met Billy 
 Huggins. 
 
 Both were surprised, and our hero, 
 in answer to the question as to what he 
 was doing there, told the truth he was 
 taking a walk. 
 
 "And Old Gibbs sent me out to look 
 for you, cause some one told him you 
 was playing hookey, and he has got a 
 new gad on his desk that s about half 
 a mile long. He s got it on purpose for 
 you." 
 
 "You go back, Billy, and tell him you 
 met me, and I said if he wanted me, all 
 he had to do was to come after me. I d 
 like to catch him here," muttered Lew, 
 his hot temper rising. "I d stone and 
 chase him back." 
 
 After further words, during which our 
 young friend evaded any direct answers, 
 Billy returned to school, and not only 
 delivered the message with which he was
 
 THE FRIEND IN NEED. 197 
 
 intrusted, but he embroidered it tre 
 mendously. He said Lew considered him 
 a mean old fool, and was about to add 
 more when the teacher cut him short with 
 a flirt of his gigantic stick. 
 
 Mr. Gibbs nursed his wrath against 
 the return of his pet victim, Lew Fenwick; 
 but he waited in vain. He had whipped 
 that boy for the last time.
 
 198 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 
 
 IF Judge Fenwick suspected that his son 
 was being harbored by Captain Rey 
 nolds, he did not send for him, nor did 
 he despatch any officer to Simpson s Circus 
 and Menagerie, with a demand for his 
 return. No; his son had made his bed, 
 and he must lie in it. 
 
 Since the interview we have mentioned, 
 all visitation between the two families 
 ceased. The captain, who thoroughly un 
 derstood the weakness of Mrs. Fenwick, 
 felt as if he would like to stiffen her per 
 ceptions a little by showing her what a 
 puppet she was; but such a course was 
 hardly justifiable; and he did nothing. 
 
 It was just a week after the departure 
 of Lew Fenwick, when Captain Reynolds 
 while pushing the baby in her carriage 
 through a shady path in the woods, sud-
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 199 
 
 denly encountered the judge for the first 
 tune since their late coldness. 
 
 The old fellow was walking slowly along, 
 cane in hand, his face red, either from 
 the heat, or his own temper, or something 
 else. 
 
 The two men looked at each other de 
 fiantly in the eye, and neither spoke, nor 
 turned from the path, until they were 
 near, when both halted. 
 
 "I don t turn out for low-lived scoun 
 drels!" said the judge, raising his cane 
 threateningly. 
 
 "I do," replied the captain, quietly 
 turning aside, and shoving the carriage 
 before him. 
 
 He noticed that the judge was pretty 
 full of wine, and he was a much older 
 man than himself. He could never be 
 tempted to offer him violence. 
 
 "See here," said the judge, glaring 
 after him, his voice husky and his face 
 purple, "when you get through harboring 
 that scapegrace of mine, send me the bill 
 for his board, will you?"
 
 200 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "I never send a bill, where I know 
 the debtor is too mean to pay it. " 
 
 The old gentleman seemed so near chok 
 ing with passion that the captain relented; 
 besides, his neighbor was plainly laboring 
 under a misapprehension. 
 
 " Judge, " said he, stepping near to 
 him and speaking in a calm voice, "I 
 never seek a quarrel with any man, nor 
 can I consent to wrangle with one so 
 much older than I, who is fast going to 
 wreck and ruin from alcohol. Your son 
 Lewis stayed with me two nights and a 
 day, and I wish I could have kept him 
 all his life. I would have done what 
 his father never did appreciated and 
 treated him justly. He then left me, 
 and I have not seen him since, nor do 
 I expect to see him for years. Nor need 
 you expect that anything can induce him 
 to come back. Finding nothing but cruelty 
 and injustice at home, he has gone out 
 in the wide world, certain that, if he can 
 get no better, he can get no worse. I 
 wish you good-day, judge."
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 201 
 
 And he passed on without waiting for 
 a reply, and Judge Fenwick walked silently 
 homeward, his thoughts possibly running 
 in a different channel. 
 
 "I wonder whether I haven t made a 
 mistake?" he muttered, his brow con 
 tracting as if with painful thought. "Have 
 I not seen things darkly? But no I 
 cannot admit that!" 
 
 In the meantime, Lew Fenwick, or 
 Limber Lew, as he was speedily christened, 
 was becoming rapidly initiated into the 
 mysteries of his calling. Liberally supplied 
 with money by Captain Reynolds, he 
 came down upon the circus at Laporte 
 in style, and was regularly engaged by 
 George Girton as one of the performers, 
 his engagement to date from the next 
 day, when, on the evening of which, he 
 was to give his first performance, under 
 the name of "Alfonso, the renowned Italian 
 gymnast, who had been performing for 
 the last three years in Australia, and 
 previously in the principal cities of 
 the United Kingdom, where he had
 
 202 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 received the marked approbation of 
 royalty. " 
 
 On the night of the performance at 
 Laporte, Lew was in the tent among the 
 performers, watching and learning all he 
 could. There were three boys connected 
 with the establishment, who, at intervals 
 performed gymnastic feats, such as throw 
 ing a dozen backward and forward somer 
 saults in rapid succession, walking around 
 on their hands, or indulging in feats with 
 the bars and trapeze. 
 
 One of these was older than Lew, another 
 somewhat younger, while the third (little 
 Tom) was no more than five years of 
 age. He was a wonder in his way, and 
 it was the wish of Girton to find some young 
 athlete who could utilize his ability. 
 
 The three boys, although advertised 
 as brothers, were not related to one another. 
 The two older were good gymnasts, and 
 the verbal understanding was that Lew 
 was to rank as one of them; but Girton 
 told him he had hopes of his success 
 where the others had failed that is, in
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 203 
 
 making an exhibition of exceptional ex 
 cellence by uniting his skill with that 
 of Little Tom, so as to show off both to 
 the best advantage possible. 
 
 When the regular performance was con 
 cluded, Lew donned his gaudy suit, and 
 made some experiments with the three 
 youthful actors, who were directed to 
 lend their assistance. The result of a 
 half-hour was the demonstration that he 
 not only equaled but actually surpassed 
 the elder two. Little Tommy, however, 
 seemed at times as if to have scarcely 
 any bones in his body. 
 
 Encouraged by his success, a sort of 
 pillow was prepared on the blanket, and 
 Lew lay down, with his legs elevated, and 
 did what he could in tossing the phenome 
 non upward and catching him upon his 
 feet. A little practice enabled him to do 
 it so well that Tommy turned a neat somer 
 sault in the air, and was caught, as he 
 came down, ready to repeat the feat. 
 Then Lew seized the little fellow by the 
 arms and flung him upward, so that he
 
 204 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 turned over and dropped squarely upon 
 his feet, and threw his kiss to the imaginary 
 audience. This was really harder upon 
 the larger than upon the smaller boy, 
 and the former was soon so exhausted 
 that he was compelled to stop. 
 
 "All right," said the delighted Girton, 
 as he patted his shoulder, and the other 
 actors who were looking on, heartily ap 
 plauded. "Practice that a little to-morrow 
 and you ll do it well at night. I m only 
 sorry that we hadn t you sooner, so that 
 we might have billed you ahead. I will 
 telegraph to Struthers in the morning 
 to get some extra posters, and on Friday 
 night that s to-morrow you ll give your 
 first performance in Simpson s Circus. I 
 hope it will not be your last by a long shot. " 
 
 Lew was highly pleased and was in 
 buoyant spirits when he accompanied Gir 
 ton to the hotel and shared his room with 
 him. The veteran was somewhat sur 
 prised to see his young friend kneel down 
 at the bedside, and spend several minutes 
 in silent prayer; but he respected the
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 205 
 
 moral courage of the lad, and as he recalled 
 the years that had passed since he had 
 done the same thing, at his mother s 
 knee in far-away England, the tears stole 
 into his eyes, and in his heart he envied him. 
 
 The young performer was so wearied 
 that he slept soundly until called to break 
 fast. The circus and menagerie, with the 
 workmen attached to it, had already been 
 gone a considerable time, and in the course 
 of an hour the performers themselves 
 took passage in the cars, and reached 
 the scene of their next entertainment 
 before noon. 
 
 Lew still felt some uneasiness about a 
 visit from his father, but each hour lessened 
 it, as they continued drawing steadily 
 away from the neighborhood of his home. 
 
 It would naturally be supposed that 
 he would find his associates in the two 
 boys, who were near his own age, and 
 with whom he gave joint exhibitions. They 
 were friendly at first, but it soon became 
 evident there could be no cordial relations 
 between them.
 
 206 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 The acrobats had been picked out of 
 the slums of New York City when the 
 merest urchins, and neither of the larger 
 two was able to write his name. They 
 were coarse and profane, mutually envious, 
 until the coming of Lew, when both turned 
 their jealousy against him. 
 
 There were other boys employed in 
 different capacities, but there was nothing 
 attractive about any of them, and Lew 
 associated mainly with Girton, who had 
 shown such a friendly interest in him 
 from the beginning. 
 
 Attached to the circus and menagerie 
 were probably seventy or eighty persons. 
 Among the possessions were an elephant, 
 two lions, a tiger, grizzly bear, and a 
 number of less important animals. 
 
 These were provided with keepers, while 
 every wagon of course had its driver, 
 and there was the band, and others em 
 ployed in menial positions. 
 
 The caravan generally managed to reach 
 the town in which their performance was 
 to be given some time during the forenoon,
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 207 
 
 when the parade took place. The posters 
 announced that it would "be over a mile 
 in length," when in reality it could scarcely 
 be strung out a quarter of a Roman mile 
 the shortest of modern measurements of 
 that name. 
 
 The weather still remained fair, but 
 the afternoon exhibition was only moder 
 ately attended, and Lew deferred his 
 appearance until night. He practiced 
 with the Rollo Brothers, as they were 
 termed, until he had the programme clearly 
 fixed in his mind, and was confident he 
 could go through his part without a break. 
 
 Then he and little Tom arranged the 
 show they were to give, and went back 
 to the hotel, while the elder impatiently 
 awaited the coming of evening, when 
 he should make his never-to-be-forgotteu 
 first appearance. 
 
 "I think Tom and I are going to get 
 along first-rate," he said to Girton. "He 
 is a clever, good-natured boy, and tries 
 hard, and it won t take us long to learn 
 each other s ways.
 
 208 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "I have no doubt you will do well, 
 but I feel a little cross this afternoon." 
 
 "What s the matter?" asked Lew, in 
 surprise. 
 
 "You know Perkins, the bare-back- rider 
 he goes under the name of Wandilini 
 one of the best horsemen we ever had. 
 Did you notice anything queer about 
 him this afternoon?" 
 
 "I don t recollect, except that he slipped 
 off his horse once. " 
 
 "He never would have done that if 
 he had been sober. He was half tipsy 
 through the performance, and though I 
 tried to keep him under my eye, yet he 
 has managed to get whisky somewhere, 
 and is upstairs in bed, as drunk as a fool. " 
 
 "Won t he be able to perform to-night?" 
 
 "I wouldn t have him go into the ring 
 for five hundred dollars. He would act 
 in such a ridiculous style that the audience 
 would drive him out. I ought to discharge 
 him, and I ve threatened to do so times 
 without number; and yet I hate to do 
 it, because he supports a sick mother,
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 209 
 
 and is educating his two children, his 
 wife being dead and I don t know what 
 would become of him if we should turn 
 him off. There isn t a better equestrain 
 in the country, and he could make double 
 his salary if it wasn t for this habit. The 
 worst of it is, too, that when he gets on 
 one of his sprees it lasts a week. However, 
 there s always some trouble of this kind, 
 and we shall have to do our best without 
 him." 
 
 Lew was in a sort of flutter all the after 
 noon, sometimes fearing that he would 
 make an utter failure and then again 
 counting upon the greatest sort of a success. 
 
 He walked about the town toward even 
 ing, and watched the countrymen as they 
 came into the* place. Some of them rode 
 for miles in rickety wagons, husband, 
 wife and children, all stowed away, and 
 bringing their dinner with them. Most 
 of these had arrived early in the morning, 
 and halting on some corner, had waited 
 patiently, hour after hour, until the ap 
 pearance of the gorgeous procession. Then
 
 210 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 they were among the first to pass beneath 
 the canvas, where, with open mouth and 
 staring eyes, they strolled about, viewing 
 the menagerie, awaiting the performance, 
 and enjoying a feast which lasted them 
 all a good year at least. 
 
 There were others who had walked 
 miles, and sitting down upon the porch 
 of some store, munched their bread and 
 butter, like so many oxen chewing their cuds. 
 
 It was growing dark when Lew started 
 out, but he had gone only a short distance 
 when, somehow or other, he was recognized 
 as an attache of the circus, and instantly 
 a swarm of boys began following ad 
 miringly after him, every one striving to 
 scrape acquaintance, with the ulterior pur 
 pose of "getthY into the show for nothin ." 
 
 To escape their embarrassing attentions, 
 he returned to the hotel, where the entire 
 company partook very sparingly of a 
 lunch, and then, some twenty minutes 
 before it was time for the performance to 
 begin, they sauntered off to the tent, 
 where the band was already playing.
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 211 
 
 Lew wondered how it was they could 
 walk so deliberately and talk about every 
 thing else except the business before him. 
 It was all he could think of, and he started 
 more than once with a feverish thrill as 
 he reflected that, in a very few minutes, 
 thousands of eyes would be fixed upon 
 him and scanning every movement. 
 
 When the performers tent was reached, 
 the actors took a sly peep through the 
 canvass, and saw they had one of the 
 most immense assemblages of the season. 
 It was greater than at Birmingham, and 
 Girton was in high feather over the success 
 that had marked their tour thus far. 
 
 Although it still lacked some minutes 
 of the time for opening, yet the multitude 
 were whistling, cat-calling and shouting 
 for the players to come out the few 
 who had managed to crawl under the 
 tent making more noise than ten times 
 their number. 
 
 Promptly at eight o clock the mottled 
 steeds trotted into the ring, under the 
 direction of the riders, and the performances
 
 212 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 opened with a fine exhibition of horse 
 manship. 
 
 When this was completed, the ring 
 master and the clown came upon the 
 scene, and everybody was pleased, for 
 there is nothing that so suits a promiscuous 
 audience as something bordering upon fun. 
 
 The clown was in good form, and 
 the laughter started at once. At every 
 crack of the ring-master s whip, he threw 
 somersaults, and now and then managed 
 to kick his director by a back flirt of his 
 foot, and despite the constant flashing 
 of the whip-lash, he managed constantly 
 to get the better of him. Some jokes 
 and conundrums followed, and then the 
 two withdrew temporarily from view. 
 
 Lew s turn had come. 
 
 The three larger boys ran out together, 
 and the instant they entered the ring, 
 began their gymnastics. At the very first 
 effort, Lew came in collision with the elder 
 boy, and fell awkwardly to the ground. 
 A derisive shout greeted the failure, and 
 he was filled with chagrin and anger,
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 213 
 
 for he knew his companion had done it 
 purposely; but this was no occasion for 
 resenting it, and he repeated the attempt, 
 succeeding so well that the slip was quickly 
 forgotten. 
 
 After going through this part of the 
 programme the lads were liberally ap 
 plauded, and retired to give way to Senorita 
 Adualina, whose performance, as usual, 
 was of the most brilliant nature, and caused 
 the spectators speedily to forget all that 
 had gone before. She was encored by 
 the merciless multitude, who, as usual, 
 thought of nothing except their own en 
 tertainment. When she kissed her hand 
 and retired, it was from exhaustion. 
 
 The next act was that of the trick mules, 
 characterized, as a matter of course, by 
 the most boisterous merriment. When this 
 was over, the great event of the evening 
 that is to Lew himself was due. 
 
 The elastic blanket was spread out, 
 one end doubled and folded over a raised 
 pillow, and he and Little Tom ran for 
 ward and made their bow. Then turning
 
 214 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 he caught the little fellow by the hands, 
 drew him through his legs and flung him 
 aloft. He came down as nimbly as a 
 cat upon his feet, and there was a general 
 clapping of hands. 
 
 The act was repeated, and then Lew lay 
 down, with his head resting upon the 
 pillow and his feet elevated. Tom ran 
 forward, and placing his hands upon those 
 of the prostrate boy, turned a somersault 
 and landed upright with his feet upon 
 those of Lew. This pleased the audience, 
 and he was then tossed aloft. He made 
 the somersault again, but as he descended 
 he missed his footing by a hairsbreadth, 
 and fell awkwardly upon the chest of 
 Lew. 
 
 But the people were lenient toward 
 the little fellow, as they supposed the 
 fault was his, and as he instantly clam 
 bered up again, and not only repeated 
 the attempt but succeeded, they repaid 
 him by the most deafening applause. 
 
 Lew, however, was suffering from the 
 blow in the chest, and was forced to end
 
 THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. 215 
 
 the display sooner than he meant, "re 
 tiring in such good order" that not a 
 single spectator suspected the true 
 cause.
 
 216 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 A 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 ON THE ROAD. 
 
 S Lew Fenwick and little Tom ran back 
 to the tent, the applause was con 
 tinued, almost ceasing, then breaking 
 out again, and rising and falling like the 
 waves of the sea. 
 
 "You ll have to go back," said one 
 of the group of performers who were 
 awaiting their turn to take part. 
 
 Little Tom was more than ready, but 
 Lew, white and faint, leaned against the 
 pole and shook his head, speaking feebly : 
 
 "I must wait awhile." 
 
 Those who were looking at him sup 
 posed his weakness resulted from fright 
 attending his first essay. Girton was not 
 present, and none of those who were 
 showed much sympathy. 
 
 "That cheer he got when he tumbled 
 over was more than he could stand,"
 
 ON THE ROAD. 217 
 
 remarked the clown, as he started out of 
 the tent, seeing that it would not do to 
 keep the people waiting longer. 
 
 "A regular calf," observed the eldest 
 of the Hollo Brothers, with an effort to 
 excite a laugh among the others. I s pose 
 he s thinking about his mommy, and 
 wants to go home. 
 
 Lew made no reply to these unkind 
 remarks, because he felt too ill to do 
 so. Had he been better, he probably 
 would have resented them. So he found a 
 seat into which he sank, until he could 
 rally from the shock. 
 
 The taunts we have mentioned, and 
 others, seemed to arouse the manhood 
 in the youngster, and he rapidly regained 
 his self-mastery. Short, however, as was 
 the time, it was too late for him to re 
 spond to the calls of the spectators, as 
 another part of the programme was in 
 full blast. 
 
 "Do you know what was the matter 
 with me?" he asked of Howson, one of 
 the trapeze performers, who was standing
 
 218 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 idly by, with folded arms, awaiting his 
 turn. 
 
 "I s pose you give up," was the in 
 different reply, the man not even deigning 
 to look down at him as he spoke. 
 
 "Little Tom made a slip and fell on 
 my stomach, and it made me so sick 
 for a few minutes that I thought I should 
 keel over before I could get back here. " 
 
 "You ought to know enough not to 
 let him fall." 
 
 These words were uttered in the same 
 indifferent manner as the others, and 
 they made the boy aware of one thing 
 among all these performers, men, women 
 and boys, there was not a single person 
 who cared the value of a penny for him. 
 Each one was toiling for his or her living, 
 and though there were affiliations to a 
 greater or less degree among the majority, 
 yet there was none who would reciprocate 
 any advance from him. Although most 
 of them applauded his first experience, 
 and showed some curiosity in the first 
 lad who had outwitted the trick mules,
 
 ON THE ROAD. 219 
 
 yet as soon as he became one of them, they 
 seemed to lose all interest in him. 
 
 This was a chilling disappointment, as 
 from the first he supposed there would 
 be a perfect fraternity among them, and 
 the society of those who had been per 
 formers for years, he supposed, would 
 be very much like the days he used to 
 spend at Captain Reynolds , listening to 
 his narratives of adventure. 
 
 However, he was too proud to seek 
 companionship where it was manifestly 
 unwelcome, and he drew within himself 
 as much as did they. There remained 
 Girt on, who was always ready to talk 
 with him, and to take him under his 
 especial protection; and such a friend 
 at court was worth all the good-will of 
 the others. 
 
 Lew was disappointed in another re 
 spect. He supposed he would become 
 acquainted with Senorita Adualina, and 
 learn her history; but as yet he had not 
 exchanged a word with her, and hardly 
 a glimpse, except when she was per.
 
 220 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 forming in the ring. The female actors 
 were under the charge of an elderly, 
 matronly lady, who kept them to them 
 selves. It seemed that she was the wife 
 of the advance agent, and was as inter 
 ested as he in the success of the enterprise. 
 She intended, so far as in her lay, to 
 prevent all flirting and match-making 
 among the performers. 
 
 When traveling by rail, the feminine 
 branch generally took a different car from 
 the masculine, so that in some respects 
 there was as much exclusiveness and caste 
 among the attaches of the circus and 
 menagerie as are in society itself. 
 
 The state of affairs as we have intimated, 
 was a grievous disappointment to Limber 
 Lew. Had it not been for the unmistakable 
 liking shown by Girton, his position would 
 have speedily become unbearable. 
 
 Besides this there was another cause 
 for chagrin, of which nothing in the world 
 could have induced him to speak. He 
 had fancied that in some way or other 
 there would be a reciprocation of the
 
 ON THE ROAD. 221 
 
 intertest shown in the beauteous Adualina. 
 She would see him and meet his ap 
 proach half-way; she would tell him all 
 about herself, or show an interest in his 
 affairs; they would have many social 
 talks together; and, in short, she would 
 prefer him above any other of the entire 
 company. 
 
 Such was the picture fancy painted; 
 but, as we have shown, the reality was 
 the opposite. Although he had made many 
 attempts to catch her eye, he was not aware 
 even that she had so much as glanced at him. 
 
 The fear, however, that her gaze was 
 fixed upon him when he committed the 
 blunders at his opening performance, caused 
 him ten times more chagrin than the 
 hooting of the spectators. 
 
 However, these were matters which he 
 kept to himself. His cheek would have 
 crimsoned with shame had he learned 
 that any one suspected his secret. 
 
 Boys of all ages are inclined to build 
 castles in the air, the remembrance of 
 which in after life causes them to smile.
 
 222 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 He had no purpose of turning back, 
 but he could not avoid recalling the words 
 of Captain Reynolds, when he warned 
 him of the difference between being in 
 front and behind the scenes. 
 
 " However, if the others can stand it, 
 I can, " he muttered, bracing up his courage. 
 
 He was not satisfied by any means 
 with his first performance, and the fact 
 that not a single compliment greeted 
 his return to the tent was equivalent 
 to a general condemnation. One good 
 result, however, was to stir his ambition, 
 and to apprise him that, although he 
 was remarkably gifted with activity, 
 strength and agility, yet he needed training 
 and practice before he could reach a de 
 gree of proficiency satisfactory even to 
 himself. 
 
 "We haven t got the thing perfect yet," 
 he remarked to Tommy, as the exhibition 
 drew to a close. "We must practice to 
 gether to-morrow forenoon, until there 
 is no danger of another slip. " 
 
 "It was your fault," said the little
 
 ON THE ROAD. 223 
 
 fellow. "When I came down, you let 
 your foot turn so I couldn t help falling." 
 
 "I suppose it was," replied Lew; "but 
 you see it takes practice. I don t believe 
 you did a great deal better the first time 
 you tried. Hello, they re all through!" 
 
 The spectators were filing out, and, as 
 before, immediate work was begun in 
 taking down the canvas, and getting every 
 thing ready for removal to the next point 
 of exhibition. 
 
 The performers donned their "citizen s 
 suit," and returned to their quarters at 
 the hotel, while those who were to appear 
 in the parade, gathered their luggage 
 together as hastily as possible, for some of 
 them were to take the road with the wagons 
 and ride the greater part of the night. 
 
 "That must be rough," remarked Lew, 
 as he sat in the room, talking with Girton, 
 while they were preparing to retire. "I 
 should think it would wear them out. " 
 
 "Why so? Men can be accustomed 
 to anything. They don t mind their work 
 any more than you do yours. "
 
 224 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 " But when do they get time to sleep? " 
 
 " Those that are not drivers stow them 
 selves away in some of the wagons, and 
 sleep as soundly, while they rattle and 
 jolt over the stones, as if they were in 
 a bed like this." 
 
 "But how about the drivers?" 
 
 "They sleep half the tune when the 
 reins are in their hands, and you know 
 after the parade is over, and everything 
 ready for you folks, they can find plenty 
 of chances to get two or three hours 
 sleep." 
 
 "I ve always noticed that the drivers 
 of circus-wagons look bright and wide 
 awake when they re coming into a place, 
 but they seem half-asleep, and as if 
 they had just crawled out of a hay-mow, 
 when they start out." 
 
 "That s about their condition. When 
 I began with the show business, I ve 
 driven a wagon five miles, in the middle 
 of the night, as sound asleep as I ever 
 was in all my life, and that on a strange 
 road."
 
 ON THE ROAD. 225 
 
 "How did your horses get along?" 
 
 "They followed those ahead. The leader 
 had to keep his wits about him; for if 
 he went astray, so did the all rest of us. 
 You did very well to-night, for your first 
 performance," said Girton, abruptly chang 
 ing the subject. 
 
 "Do you think so?" asked Lew, blushing 
 at the remembrance of his failure. "I 
 was very much disappointed." 
 
 "I watched you from the opposite side 
 of the house, and was well pleased, al 
 though, of course, I expected you to do 
 much better." 
 
 "The first time I tried it I struck against 
 Sam, and I believe he did it on purpose 
 to bother me." 
 
 "So it looked to me, and I gave him 
 warning that if I saw anything more 
 like it I would cart-whip him. You need nt 
 have any fear of his doing it again. But 
 come; the hour is late. Let us sleep. " 
 
 Girton proved he was accustomed to this 
 rough kind of life by falling immediately 
 into slumber, while Lew lay awake a long
 
 226 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 time, thinking over the past, the present 
 and the future. At intervals he sighed, 
 and something like a homesick feeling 
 came over him, the result of the disap 
 pointment of the evening. Boy-like, he 
 had hoped he would acquit himself in 
 a manner that would compel the praise 
 of all the performers. Accustomed as he 
 was to his own immeasurable superiority 
 over his playmates at school, and to hear 
 himself complimented by all his friends 
 who saw his exploits, it was a strange 
 and new experience to find himself among 
 those who easily excelled him in these 
 respects. 
 
 Then their unsocial disposition, their 
 indifference, their petty jealousy, the fact 
 that he had "cut loose from his moorings," 
 and was many long miles from home 
 all these united to make him sad and 
 gloomy. 
 
 More than once he half resolved to 
 steal softly out of bed, don his clothes, 
 go on tiptoe down stairs, and start for 
 home again. Could he have been assured
 
 ON THE ROAD. 227 
 
 of his father s forgiveness, he would not 
 have hesitated. But he knew the iron 
 heart of his parent too well to hope he 
 would relent. It would be whipping at 
 his hands, whipping from Old Gibbs, and 
 back to the old school and the treadmill 
 of torture against which his soul revolted. 
 
 "Oh, if my own dear mother was alive!" 
 he thought, with another sigh. "But then, 
 if she was alive, I never would have been 
 here." 
 
 With his mind weighed down by these 
 mournful reveries, he dropped off into 
 sleep, which lasted until morning. 
 
 When he arose, there was quite a revul 
 sion of his feelings. Something of his 
 old ambition stirred his heart again; and 
 a remark of Girton s to the effect that 
 he hoped their buisness would continue 
 as good, as they progressed toward the 
 Southwest, fired him with the anticipation 
 of new scenes he would see in those coun 
 tries, of which he had heard and read a 
 great deal. 
 
 "And maybe we shall reach Mexico,"
 
 228 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 he added to himself. "I don t see how 
 I could have wanted to go back home. 
 I can learn to be the best performer in 
 this company, and I will!" 
 
 When they took the cars for then- next 
 destination, Girton gazed at the sky. 
 
 "I don t like the looks of the weather," 
 he said. "It. is threatening; and I see 
 Old Probabilities says rain may be ex 
 pected." 
 
 "You can t look for fair weather all 
 the time." was not the very striking 
 observation of Lew, who shared the seat 
 with him in the car. 
 
 "No; but we like to have all we can 
 get. It rained two days last week, and 
 to-night is Saturday night, when we count 
 upon big receipts." 
 
 It wasn t ten minutes later, when the 
 lad observed a sprinkle of rain against 
 the glass, and looking out, saw there was 
 no sunlight, and the drops were falling 
 here and there. 
 
 Girton observed it and looked grum. 
 
 Lew was near the front of the car, and
 
 ON THE ROAD. 229 
 
 as he looked back, he saw that several 
 of the lady performers were at the op 
 posite portion. Among them was Seno- 
 rita Adualina, in whom he felt such a 
 particular interest; but she, like the others, 
 was under the charge of the matron, and 
 between him and them were the Hollo 
 Brothers and several more actors, who 
 would be sure to jibe him if he gave them 
 the least cause to suspect he felt any 
 regard for her. 
 
 The clown, ring-master and several of 
 their cronies were in the smoking-car, 
 singing, joking, smoking, skylarking, and 
 having a "circus" of their own. 
 
 It would have been unsafe for Lew 
 or any one else to venture there, since 
 they had affiliated with several similar 
 characters among the passengers, and were 
 bound to have all the fun possible. They 
 shied two or three cushions at the conductor, 
 who kept his temper, collected their tickets, 
 and then left them alone. 
 
 "Am dis de ladies car?" inquired 
 a colored woman at one of the stations.
 
 230 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 She weighed over two hundred pounds, 
 and as she forced herself through the 
 door, shoving an enormous bundle, that 
 scraped both sides of the entrance, she 
 puffed from exhaustion. 
 
 "This is appropriated to colored ladies 
 with bundles," the clown blandly replied, 
 as he arose and offered her a seat beside him. 
 
 "Dat s me!" she added, as she dropped 
 ponderously into the seat, while there 
 was a smile all around at the prospect 
 of some sport. 
 
 The professional jester, kept his place, 
 and pretended to play the gallant. 
 
 " I hope smoke is not disagreeable to 
 you?" he observed, with great suavity, 
 as he sent an enormous volume of the 
 blue vapor around her sable countenance, 
 while the apartment was so thick that 
 the wonder was how any one could breathe 
 in it. 
 
 "Bress your soul, no! Jes hold my 
 bundle while I light my pipe. I tink 
 it am so much sweeter dan dem cabbage- 
 leaf cigars. "
 
 ON THE ROAD. 231 
 
 "Certainly anything to oblige you," 
 replied the clown, taking the bundle in 
 his lap, its proportions being such that 
 the rest of the passengers could see only 
 his head above it. 
 
 The colored lady produced a clay pipe, 
 as black as coal, then crumpled up some 
 plug tobacco in the palm of one hand, 
 by rubbing it with her stubby fingers. 
 When the bowl was carefully filled and 
 pressed down, she said : 
 
 "Now, if you ll leave me de loan o]b 
 dat cigar, I ll be fixed all hunky," 
 
 He handed it to her, with the politeness 
 of Beau Brummel himself. 
 
 She pressed the live part down upon, 
 the tobacco, moving it around as if she 
 meant to screw it into the bowl, while she 
 sucked at the stem with such a vigor 
 that her eyes seemed to protrude, and 
 the smacking of her bulbous lips could be 
 heard through the car. 
 
 When at last she had succeeded, she 
 flung the half-smoked cigar on the floor, 
 with the remark :
 
 232 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "I don s s pose you don t want dat 
 
 no more. 
 
 At this the whole car roared, and the 
 clown was forced to join them. He had 
 been fairly beaten so far, but a man of 
 his resources was confident of speedily 
 turning the tables. 
 
 He produced another cigar, and lighted 
 It from the match-safe which he carried 
 with him. 
 
 His rough life enabled him to stand 
 almost anything, but when the rank per 
 fume of the plug tobacco from the strong 
 clay pipe crept into his face and nostrils, 
 he began to fear he had met more than 
 his match; but he was determined to 
 brave it out. 
 
 "I s pose you hain t no objection to 
 holding dat bundle fur awhile?" she asked, 
 as she settled down into a comfortable 
 position, leaning her head rather affec 
 tionately toward him. 
 
 "Oh, no! I assure you it s a positive 
 pleasure. May I inquire what you have 
 here?"
 
 ON THE ROAD. 233 
 
 "Dem s bout all my worldly obsessions. 
 I m going down to Baldwinstown to tend 
 de sarcus." 
 
 "Ah, indeed! I m glad to hear it, I m 
 one of the performers." 
 
 "Git out!" she exclaimed, raising her 
 head, and looking incredulously at him. 
 "Dey wouldn t hab any such looking 
 fool as you dar!" 
 
 The laugh was again against the jester,, 
 who took a ticket from his pocket. 
 
 "Allow me," he said, courteously, ex 
 tending it to her. 
 
 She tried to spell it out, but as she held 
 it upside down, she was unable to under 
 stand for a time what it was. 
 
 Finally she understood, and shoved it 
 into her pocket, with a gleeful look. 
 
 "Much bleeged! I spose you stole dat; 
 but dat don t make no difference I ll 
 be dar to-night, fur all it am rainin : 
 and I ll watch fur you. Ef you hab been 
 tryin to deceive me, de next time I meets 
 you, I ll pound yer!" 
 
 "Do you see those folks so ill-mannered
 
 234 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 as to laugh at us?" the clown asked. 
 Well, I m going to teach them better. 
 See how I shall serve them!" 
 
 With this, he rose to his feet, and hurled 
 the huge bundle, with such directness 
 and force that it crushed the hat of the 
 ring-master over his eyes. 
 
 The victim instantly caught it up, and 
 flung it at a friend across the aisle; and 
 it then went the rounds, flying hither and 
 thither, like a foot-ball, until every head 
 in the car, excepting that of the owner, 
 had been banged with it. 
 
 All this time the lady sat composedly 
 smoking her pipe, until they were nearly 
 exhausted, when she remarked : 
 
 "Try and be keerful, gemmen, not to 
 bust dat open." 
 
 "Why not?" asked the clown, pausing 
 with it poised over his head, ready to 
 throw it in one direction, while he diverted 
 suspicion by looking in another. 
 
 " Cause dem clothes war gub me by 
 de last small-pox patient dat I tended, 
 and I wouldn t like em to get loose. "
 
 ON THE ROAD. 235 
 
 With a howl of terror, the poor fellow 
 dropped the package, as if it were a lighted 
 bombshell, and every man rushed headlong 
 out of the car. 
 
 The colored lady waited till they were 
 all gone, when she composedly picked 
 up her property, and deposited it upon 
 the seat in front of her, remarking to 
 herself, with a chuckle: 
 
 "De gemmen didn t wait till I could 
 tell em dat we arterwards found out it 
 wasn t de small-pox, but de fever an 
 agur what was de matter. "
 
 236 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 A ROW IN PROSPECT. 
 
 WHEN the circus performers reached 
 their station, the rain was falling 
 steadily, and the prospect was dis 
 mal indeed. It was quite a distance to the 
 hotel, and despite the number of horses 
 belonging to the company, none but the 
 ladies were provided with a carriage, all 
 the others walking through the mud and 
 storm. 
 
 The drizzling rain had begun about 
 ten o clock, and the parade through the 
 town was made in the midst of it; so, 
 with scarcely an exception, the participants 
 were wet and ill-natured. It was drizzling 
 still more steadily when the canvass went 
 up, the men all the time working in that 
 dispirited manner which showed that they 
 considered it labor thrown away; for, 
 in the first place, after it was firmly fixed,
 
 A ROW IN PROSPECT. 237 
 
 ** 
 
 it could stand but a short time, when it 
 must be taken down and removed. This 
 was the rule, however; but the absurdity 
 of the thing lay in the fact that everybody 
 knew the attendance would not pay ex 
 penses, and so where was the sense of 
 giving the entertainment at all? 
 
 But there was no choice in the matter. 
 The announcements were made weeks ahead 
 and had it been certain that the spectators 
 would not number twenty persons, the 
 exhibition would have been given all the 
 same. So the menagerie wagons were 
 drawn up in position, the immense canvas 
 went aloft, and the arrangements were 
 completed for the afternoon performance. 
 
 While this was going on, Lew Fenwick 
 and Little Tommy were in a private 
 room, "reading up" their part, under the 
 eye of Girton, who, standing near by, 
 closely watched the movements of each, 
 criticised every error, and gave suggestions 
 that were of great use to both. The 
 shock received the night before from the 
 fall of the little fellow upon Lew s breast
 
 238 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 was only temporary, he feeling not the 
 slightest trace of it to-day. There was 
 a slight ache in some of his joints, the 
 result of the unusual exercise of the last 
 day or two; but it was not enough to 
 interfere with his freedom of movement, 
 and the hour s exercise gave both the 
 lads a skill and self-confidence that were 
 sure not to be disappointed. 
 
 At two o clock, the hour for beginning 
 the afternoon performance, the rain was 
 falling in that easy, don t-be-in-a-hurry 
 fashion, which proved that it had set 
 in for the day. Through the cheerless 
 wet, the actors made their way to the 
 canvas, where they hastily prepared to 
 do their part. 
 
 When the show began, the attendance 
 numbered a little over two hundred, and 
 scattered here and there upon the immense 
 array of pine benches, the number seemed 
 scarcely half as many. They were all 
 men, not a lady being among them, and 
 the majority had their trowsers tucked 
 hi the tops of their boots, were splashed
 
 A BOW IX PROSPECT. 239 
 
 with mud and water, and were crunching 
 peanuts. They sat stolidly looking at 
 the actors, as if they had no earthly 
 interest in them, and considered them 
 selves martyrs, who had come from a 
 sense of duty, and if their strength would 
 permit, they hoped to sit it out to the end. 
 
 Girton would allow no cutting of the 
 acts. Everything was given as con 
 scientiously as if an audience of five thou 
 sand were present, and it lasted precisely 
 two hours and a half, as it always did. 
 Girton was one of those men who looked 
 to the future, and knew the value of 
 reputation. The two hundred spectators 
 would not fail to refer to the excellent 
 character of the exhibition, and should 
 Simpson s Circus and Menagerie visit this 
 city the succeeding year, and the weather 
 proved fair, they would reap the benefit 
 of their honesty. 
 
 Just as the clown had secured an awk 
 ward country boy from the audience to 
 ride the mules, his quick eye caught 
 sight of a familiar figure. It was that
 
 240 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 of the colored woman, with her enormous 
 bundle before her. She waddled through 
 the entrance, and as she emerged into 
 the capacious interior, paused for a moment 
 and looked about her with an inquiring 
 air. She was searching for a seat, however, 
 and being struck with the appearance of 
 the unoccupied reserved ones, she stowed 
 herself among them, placing her bundle 
 beside her, as when riding in the car. 
 
 Every attache of the company knew 
 the story of that bundle and the smoking- 
 car. When the men tumbled headlong 
 into the next carriage, they were as affright 
 ed as if their own elephant had gone 
 mad and broken loose among them. They 
 told the conductor, and he, like a martyr, 
 went forward and made his investigations 
 in the interest of humanity. 
 
 The result was the discovery of the 
 truth, and prolonged merriment followed 
 when they learned how cleverly they 
 had been outdone. 
 
 There was no little amusement among 
 the performers when they recognized her,
 
 A ROW IN PROSPECT. 241 
 
 perched upon the choicest reserved seat, 
 smoking the same pipe that had well 
 nigh strangled those in her immediate 
 vicinity during the early part of the day. 
 
 Girton, who happened to be standing 
 near, did his best to interest her, and told 
 her that the man who was making them 
 all laugh was the one that had played 
 the gallant to her on the train. 
 
 She looked keenly at him, but could 
 not make certain of his identity through 
 his paint and odd dress. 
 
 "Dat looks a little like him," said she, 
 doubtingly; "but all you white folks am 
 sich orful liars dat dar is no tellin when 
 to b lebe yer." 
 
 Her curiosity was aroused, and when 
 the clown glanced toward her again, he 
 saw her reach out and crook her stubby 
 finger for him to approach. 
 
 He completed the particular duty upon 
 which he was engaged, and then, leaving 
 the ring, advanced respectfully toward 
 her, smiling and bowing, as if in the august 
 presence of the Queen of Ethiopia.
 
 242 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Not until he was within arm s length 
 did she recognize him, and then a smile 
 lit up her sable countenance. 
 
 "Yas, dat am de same poor ole chap dat 
 got so skeered when I made a mistake and 
 called it small-pox, stead ob fever an agur." 
 
 This was about the only pleasantry 
 that relieved the dullness of the afternoon 
 performance, and the actors were glad 
 enough to get back to their quarters, and 
 obtain a little rest before the work of the 
 evening began. 
 
 The city in which they were to give the 
 Saturday night s exhibition was the largest 
 they had visited since Lew joined the 
 circus. It seemed to him, as he made 
 his way through the streets, that it con 
 tained a rougher element than any he 
 had yet seen. 
 
 There were more men intoxicated, and 
 he heard profanity in every direction. 
 The bar-rooms appeared to be crowded, 
 and more than once a fear came over him 
 of trouble with some of these men later 
 in the evening.
 
 A ROW IN PROSPECT. 243 
 
 Reaching his own hotel, the crowd was 
 found to be still greater. Believing he 
 would not be recognized, Lew took a 
 seat in one corner of the bar-room, as 
 far removed from them as was possible. 
 There was the usual loud, coarse talking 
 and drinking going on, some of the men 
 showing a bellicose disposition; but no 
 one offered to disturb him, and he re 
 mained unnoticed during the half-hour 
 spent in looking and listening. 
 
 Fully a dozen times, however, he heard 
 different persons make threats of " going 
 through the show." There seemed to be 
 no grounds for enmity against the estab 
 lishment; but the truth was, this was 
 Saturday night, and most of the men 
 had received their weekly wages, and 
 were spoiling for a row. 
 
 The lad was not a little frightened at what 
 he had heard, and when convinced that there 
 was nothing more to learn, he hunted out 
 Girton, and told him all he knew. 
 
 The latter heard him through, and 
 quietly laughed.
 
 244 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Wait till we get down toward Texas 
 and Mexico, if you want to see fun in the 
 shape of bowie knives and revolvers. We 
 always expect to lose two or three of our 
 men there. I don t suppose there s a 
 place where we perform that the people 
 don t talk and threaten in that style. 
 We re used to it, and our men are ready 
 They ve cleaned out more than one mob, 
 and like the fun." 
 
 The assurance of his friend relieved the 
 fears of Lew, but it cannot be said the 
 remarks added much to his pleasant an 
 ticipations of a visit to the extreme South 
 west. 
 
 He had not suspected, up to this time, 
 that revolvers and bowie-knives formed 
 a part of the staple amusements in that 
 section, although there was something 
 in the knowledge that the men were pre 
 pared for such emergencies. 
 
 When night came, the thin, drizzling 
 rain was still coming down, and the dark 
 ness was like that of Egypt. Although 
 it was not expected that anything like
 
 A EOW IN PROSPECT. 245 
 
 a paying crowd would appear, yet it was 
 certain to be larger than during the after 
 noon. 
 
 If Girton treated the fears of Lew 
 with levity, he was wise enough to look 
 into the matter. The result was the 
 conviction that there would probably be 
 a disturbance nothing however, more than 
 he could suppress himself, without calling 
 in the help of the police so he quietly 
 warned his men to be prepared, cautioning 
 them against firing their pistols, unless 
 compelled so to do to save their lives. 
 They were instructed simply to guard 
 against any rush, and to quiet matters 
 in the " usual way." 
 
 It was a favorite custom with Girton 
 to station himself somewhere among the 
 spectators, and move hither and thither, 
 watching actors and people, 
 
 He was always in the dress of a citizen, 
 generally affecting a plain garb, that his 
 identity should remain unsuspected by 
 those whom he wished to keep under 
 his eye.
 
 246 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 He sauntered hither and thither to 
 night, on the alert for any hostile signs 
 among the roughs, but he was not seriously 
 alarmed, for he had seen a great deal of 
 this thing in his experience. 
 
 About the time of opening, there came 
 a slight lull in the fall of rain; and as the 
 visitors began straggling in, a little delay 
 was permitted; but no American audience 
 will wait willingly a second beyond the 
 appointed time, and the people set up 
 such a shouting, whistling, and cat-calling, 
 that Girton saw it was hardly safe to 
 disappoint them, so he gave the signal 
 for the performance to begin. 
 
 Not until the riders were in the ring, 
 and circling about at full speed, was there 
 anything like order, and then a portion 
 of the multitude were more disposed to 
 deride than applaud. 
 
 Girton noted that those malcontents, 
 who were all men and large boys, were 
 grouped on the seats near to the per 
 former s tents, where they had probably 
 gathered to obtain the best view of the
 
 A ROW IN PROSPECT. 247 
 
 ladies as they came and went. Accord 
 ingly he sauntered over in that direction, 
 and gave the sign to his men, scattered 
 here and there, to be ready to " repel 
 boarders." 
 
 Matters moved without any particular 
 friction, and there might have been no 
 disturbance, but for a mishap, against 
 which Girton unfortunately had forgotten 
 to guard. Perkins, the noted bare-back 
 rider, was still intoxicated, and as the 
 shortest way to get over the trouble, 
 his employer concluded to leave him alone 
 until his debauch was finished. 
 
 When the time arrived for his appear 
 ance, as per programme, the ring-master 
 stepped forward to beg the indulgence 
 of the large and appreciative audience, 
 as, owing to a severe indisposition, the 
 renowned Wandilini was unable to appear. 
 In his place they would substitute the 
 famous young acrobat, Senor Alfonso, and 
 Master Tom, who 
 
 He had reached this point, when the 
 renowned Wandilini galloped from the
 
 248 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 tent upon his horse, and came into the 
 ring with the purpose of going through 
 the performance himself, as it had been 
 advertised he would do. 
 
 Girton saw all this, and his heart sank. 
 He knew what the fellow was when in 
 toxicated, but he was too far away, and 
 it was too late to stop him. 
 
 The people recognized and greeted him 
 with hurrahs, and the alarmed director 
 desperately hoped he would get through 
 his part in some manner without making 
 any serious difficulty. 
 
 The ring-master stepped out of the 
 way, and Perkins was left to do as he 
 chose, the people not suspecting, as yet, 
 his condition, and looking for great things 
 from him. 
 
 After going about the ring a short time, 
 in the usual fashion, his steed being without 
 a saddle, the rider rose to his feet, as he 
 had done hundreds of times. He had 
 scarcely done so, when he slipped off as 
 awkwardly as the veriest tyro. The party 
 of roughs hooted, and Perkins, apparently
 
 A ROW IN PROSPECT. 249 
 
 not hearing them, clambered upon his 
 astonished horse again. 
 
 The next minute over he went, in a 
 style so exasperating to Girton that he 
 strode toward the ring, with the purpose 
 of compelling the man to leave it. The 
 roughs were howling and hooting so fur 
 iously that, stupefied as he was, he com 
 prehended the situation, and started for 
 the tent. 
 
 But the cries angered him, and he shook 
 his fist at the noisy group, and called out : 
 
 "I can whip the whole lot of you, and 
 I dare you to give me a chance. " 
 
 The words were yet in his mouth, when 
 fully twenty of the party made a rush 
 for him, encouraged by the sight of his 
 running away. Instead of stopping on 
 the outside, the roughs made a dash di 
 rectly into the tents of the male and 
 female performers the two being sepa 
 rated only by a partition. 
 
 The ladies, with screams of terror, ran 
 out into the rain and darkness, and the 
 wildest scene followed.
 
 250 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 
 
 SIMPSON S Circus and Menagerie, dur 
 ing its performance, was located on the 
 outskirts of the city, on a sort of com 
 mons that had been appropriated to such 
 purposes for years. When, therefore, the 
 disturbance broke out, the three policemen 
 on duty were altogether too weak to quell 
 it, and before assistance could be summoned 
 from the authorities, the mob would ex 
 haust itself. 
 
 But, as we have intimated, Girton had 
 prepared his own men against such an 
 emergency, though it came in altogether 
 a different form from what was expected. 
 
 The usual programme was for some one 
 to attempt to crawl under the canvas; 
 the man on duty, as a matter of course, 
 would " baste" him with a coil of rope
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 251 
 
 or cart-whip, when his friends would take 
 it up, and the fight was on. 
 
 The circus force, however, was a mobile 
 one, and by the time the twenty assailants 
 were in the tent, about the same number 
 of sturdy employees, summoned by the 
 war-cry "Hey, Rube!" were at their backs, 
 eager for the fray. 
 
 Although all the ladies, children and 
 most of the male performers fled, yet 
 a half-dozen stood their ground and 
 joined their friends in the rear. They 
 included the clown, ring-master and 
 several of the acrobats, whose dexterity 
 and skill were turned to the best ac 
 count. As the disorganized mob came 
 tumbling in, they were assailed right 
 and left. By the time the foremost, who 
 had been knocked down, had scrambled 
 to their feet, Girton and his men took 
 them on the flank and rear, and in less 
 than five minutes the party was dis 
 astrously routed. They were kicked 
 cuffed, pounded and tumbled headlong 
 out of the tents, so utterly discomfited
 
 252 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 that not one of them had the heart to 
 propose a renewal of the attack. 
 
 The great danger was that many others 
 might join them in the attack, and the 
 fight become general: but as the roughs 
 formed a party by themselves, the spec 
 tators rejoiced at their prompt and utter 
 overthrow. 
 
 The performance, for the evening, how 
 ever, was broken up. Two- thirds of the 
 actors were gone, and it was not expected 
 that they could be gathered together 
 again before the morrow. So, after some 
 feats in horsemanship by those that re 
 mained, the exhibition was closed and 
 the people began leaving the place. 
 
 To say that Girton was angered would 
 not express his feelings. The whole trouble 
 had come from the drunkenness of Perkins, 
 and the director s resentment was aimed 
 mainly against himself, because he had 
 not kicked him out long ago. 
 
 When the performers started homeward, 
 they kept well together, the better to 
 repel any attack from the roughs. The
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 253 
 
 rain still fell, and the night was impene 
 trably dark. 
 
 Off to the left, the star-like twinkle 
 of the lights of the town guided them, 
 while their own numerous lamps were 
 kept burning the night through, for the 
 benefit of the men who were left to protect 
 the property. Thus, despite the gloom, 
 all were enabled to make their way without 
 trouble. 
 
 Upon reaching the hotel, most of thoue 
 who had fled were found there; but th 
 matron, as she was called, Senorita Adua- 
 lina, all three of the Rollo boys and Lew 
 Fenwick were missing. 
 
 in the course of half an hour, the Rollos 
 put hi an appearance, reporting that they 
 had seen and knew nothing of the others 
 since the breaking out of the "row. " 
 
 "You see the matron is with her, and 
 they are all safe. Finding herself quite 
 a distance from the hotel and the night 
 dark and threatening, she will seek lodgings 
 elsewhere, and join us in the morning. " 
 
 These words were uttered by the director
 
 254 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 to Johnson, one of the teamsters, whose 
 consideration was based on the fact that 
 he was the proprietor of Adualina, and 
 had hired her out, several years before, 
 to the company, as his daughter, whom 
 he had trained for this special business. 
 
 Johnson himself was of no account, 
 but his relation to the beautiful and ac 
 complished child caused his engagement 
 in the capacity named, he insisting that 
 he must always be near, to guard the 
 interests of his beloved child. 
 
 He was a surly, ill-natured fellow, so 
 absolutely the antipodes of the spiritual- 
 looking girl, that many doubted their 
 relationship; but it was not the province 
 of circus proprietors and agents to ask 
 questions that might result to their own 
 disadvantage. 
 
 Johnson saw how well the matron looked 
 after the girl, so he generally permitted 
 her to remain in her charge, he contenting 
 himself with loafing and lounging, when 
 not busy with his duties. 
 
 He had come down with Girton and
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 255 
 
 the rest, to assure himself of the safety 
 of his daughter, and was unwilling 
 to go back until some tidings were 
 gained. 
 
 The cheery words of the director, how 
 ever, reassured him, and he slouched off 
 in the darkness, while Girton lit a cigar, 
 and seated himself in his room, to await 
 the return of his friends. 
 
 "It strikes me," he said to himself, 
 as he tried to recall the confused picture 
 that met his gaze, when he rushed into 
 the tent to the assistance of the performers, 
 "that the matron struck off in one direction 
 and Adualina in another, followed closely 
 by Limber Lew. That s the impression 
 I have, though I may be wrong. I 
 know he feels a great interest in her, 
 which he does not suspect I have noticed, 
 and the chances are he has followed her, 
 and they are off somewhere, with the 
 distracted matron hunting for her, and 
 not helping her at all. However, it is 
 not likely that any trouble can befall 
 them in a city like this, where they can
 
 256 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 easily secure protection Hello! there they 
 come!" 
 
 He hastened down stairs to see who 
 it was that had arrived. 
 
 There was the splashed, wet, panting, 
 white-faced matron, who could only gasp, 
 as she saw the director. 
 
 " Where s Adualina?" 
 
 "Hasn t come back yet." 
 
 She clasped her hands, threw her head 
 back, and seemed on the point of fainting; 
 but Girton knew she would not, and 
 composedly waited until she recovered 
 her self-possession. 
 
 "When did you see her last? " he asked. 
 
 "Not since we all ran out of the tent. 
 I have been searching for hours through 
 the streets, but cannot gain the least 
 trace of her. Is there anybody else miss 
 ing?" 
 
 "Limber Lew." 
 
 "The new boy?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "I don t like that," she said, with 
 a troubled air, "When these youngsters
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 257 
 
 get a chance to talk together, there s no 
 telling what plans they may get up. " 
 
 "You needn t be afraid to trust him," 
 observed Girton. "He is a manly fellow, 
 and she is lucky in having him to look 
 after her. " 
 
 In the meantime, Lew Fenwick was 
 doing his best toward "looking after " 
 Adualina. 
 
 When the mob rushed into the tent, 
 he was directly in front of them, and 
 hearing her scream, he darted forward, 
 in the hope of being of some use in the 
 frightful peril. 
 
 She was hardly less nimble of movement 
 than he, and would have escaped him, 
 altogether had he not taken the same 
 course, and called out, in a hushed voice 
 
 "Wait a minute I am your friend!" 
 
 A second or two later, came the cautious 
 question : 
 
 "Where are you?" 
 
 The voice was at one side, the girl 
 having paused, and she was afraid that 
 he would pass her in the gloom.
 
 260 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 lamp, or the frontier of the city, as it 
 may be said, was reached, and they began 
 to see where they were going. 
 
 The attention of Lew was so strained 
 in guarding against accident, that while 
 on their way to this point he exchanged 
 hardly a dozen words with his friend; 
 but now, when this mental pressure was 
 lifted, he began to think more about 
 her. 
 
 As they approached the glare of the 
 street lamp, he was reminded of two exceed 
 ingly disagreeable truths. One was that 
 it was still raining, and the other was 
 that both he and Adualina were in their 
 circus suits. He had on his tights and 
 spangled waistcoat, while she wore her 
 fleecy, gauzy dress, her tights and tiny 
 slippers. The ground over which they 
 had just come was wet and muddy, so 
 that their unpleasant condition can be 
 understood. 
 
 To walk the streets, all the way to the 
 hotel, thus attired, would attract the 
 attention of hundreds, and was a gauntlet
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 261 
 
 from which both shrank with terror. They 
 could not run it. 
 
 What was to be done? 
 
 Having doffed his citizen s garb, Lew 
 was without a penny, and it was not to 
 be supposed that Adualina was any better 
 off, consequently there was no means of 
 providing themselves with a conveyance. 
 
 " We ll see whether we can t get lodging 
 until morning," said Lew. "Some of the 
 folks here will accommodate us, I think, 
 if I agree to pay them for it. " 
 
 "I hope they will, for it will kill me 
 to walk through the streets in this dress," 
 replied the modest girl. 
 
 They went a little further, until they 
 came opposite a cottage standing some 
 distance from the street, and from whose 
 windows lights were shining. 
 
 "We ll try it here," said he, as he groped 
 about until he found the latch and entered, 
 she following timidly, and both hi dread 
 of dogs. 
 
 The heavy knocker was sounded several 
 times before an answer came. Then a
 
 262 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 venerable lady, in cap and spectacles 
 opened the door. Lew took this as an 
 encouraging sign, and hurriedly and suc 
 cinctly made known his situation, and 
 asked that they might be allowed to stay, 
 promising to pay her therefor in the 
 morning. 
 
 When he had finished, the old lady 
 leaned over and said, "What?" and Lew 
 had to go over it again, all in a louder 
 voice than before. The instant she un 
 derstood their situation, she urged them 
 to enter in so cordial a manner that they 
 did not think of declining. 
 
 She led the way into a cosy sitting- 
 room, where sat another woman, evi 
 dently the twin-sister of the old lady. 
 They were attired precisely alike, 
 both wore spectacles, arid for the life of 
 him, Lew could not distinguish them apart. 
 
 Sister Tabitha, however, had the ad 
 vantage over sister Ruth, in that her 
 sense of hearing was unimpaired, so that 
 conversation was easy. Had Lew Fenwick 
 .searched the city over, he could not have
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 263 
 
 stumbled upon a couple of truer Samaritans. 
 As soon as they recovered from their 
 first shock of amazement, there was not 
 too much for them to do. They seemed 
 somewhat awed at first at the sight of 
 two real live circus performers; but it 
 did not prevent their charity from as 
 suming an active and sensible shape. 
 
 Adualina was taken to an adjoining 
 room, her wet garments, slippers and 
 stockings removed, and she was encased 
 in a suit, which, if it was plain and coarse, 
 and rather ill-fitting, was nevertheless the 
 ideal of comfort and ease. The shoes 
 were "dumpers," but, united with the 
 woolen stockings, they helped to make 
 her situation as pleasant as can be imagined. 
 
 There was more difficulty in getting 
 Lew into a suitable rig. Considerable 
 hunting was necessary, but it was ac 
 complished at last; and when he came 
 smilingly back into the sitting-room, it 
 was in a coarse, awkward suit, but which 
 like the girl s was scrupulously clean and 
 dry.
 
 264 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 There was a general laugh, but the 
 gratitude of the two visitors was deep, 
 and they appreciated the Providence that 
 had led them to this place, where they 
 were received without questioning, as if 
 they were a couple of lost children come 
 home again. 
 
 Ruth and Tabitha, as we have in 
 timated, were sisters. Both were widows, 
 in good circumstances, and each had several 
 children grown up and married; but they 
 preferred living by themselves, in this 
 manner, as they were surrounded by friends, 
 hard by their favorite church, and with 
 no earthly fear of disturbance from any 
 one. 
 
 It was rare that some of the children 
 or grand-children were not present with 
 them, although it so happened that the 
 couple were alone that night. 
 
 The suits donned by their visitors had 
 been shed in installments, years before, 
 by those who now had Children of their 
 own big enough to wear them. 
 
 By the time Adualina and Lew were
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 265 
 
 seated again, a supper was prepared for 
 them, and they were invited, or rather 
 commanded, to sit by and eat. This 
 was done, and as the evening progressed, 
 the four found themselves once more in 
 the cosy, tidy dining-room. 
 
 Lew was debating whether he ought 
 not to make his way to the hotel, and let 
 Girton know how matters had gone; but 
 he dissuaded himself from the duty by 
 reflecting that it was Saturday night, 
 and nothing would be done toward leaving 
 the place until the following midnight, 
 so no real inconvenience could result from 
 their absence until morning, and this 
 delightful home wooed him to its embrace. 
 
 Furthermore, the friends of Adualina 
 had no cause for worriment. She and 
 Lew being absent at the same time would 
 show that they were in each other s com 
 pany, and they were not in a barbarous 
 country, where they were likely to be 
 massacred if found away from their own 
 door-steps. Girton, Johnson and the ma 
 tron could sleep soundly, well knowing
 
 264 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 There was a general laugh, but the 
 gratitude of the two visitors was deep, 
 and they appreciated the Providence that 
 had led them to this place, where they 
 were received without questioning, as if 
 they were a couple of lost children come 
 home again. 
 
 Ruth and Tabitha, as we have in 
 timated, were sisters. Both were widows, 
 in good circumstances, and each had several 
 children grown up and married; but they 
 preferred living by themselves, in this 
 manner, as they were surrounded by friends, 
 hard by their favorite church, and with 
 no earthly fear of disturbance from any 
 one. 
 
 It was rare that some of the children 
 or grand-children were not present with 
 them, although it so happened that the 
 couple were alone that night. 
 
 The suits donned by their visitors had 
 been shed in installments, years before, 
 by those who now had (Children of their 
 own big enough to wear them. 
 
 By the time Adualina and Lew were
 
 LOST COMPANIONS. 265 
 
 seated again, a supper was prepared for 
 them, and they were invited, or rather 
 commanded, to sit by and eat. This 
 was done, and as the evening progressed, 
 the four found themselves once more in 
 the cosy, tidy dining-room. 
 
 Lew was debating whether he ought 
 not to make his way to the hotel, and let 
 Girton know how matters had gone; but 
 he dissuaded himself from the duty by 
 reflecting that it was Saturday night, 
 and nothing would be done toward leaving 
 the place until the following midnight, 
 so no real inconvenience could result from 
 their absence until morning, and this 
 delightful home wooed him to its embrace. 
 
 Furthermore, the friends of Adualina 
 had no cause for worriment. She and 
 Lew being absent at the same time would 
 show that they were in each other s com 
 pany, and they were not in a barbarous 
 country, where they were likely to be 
 massacred if found away from their own 
 door-steps. Girton, Johnson and the ma 
 tron could sleep soundly, well knowing
 
 266 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 that the "child wonder" would come 
 safely back to them on the morrow. 
 
 "I suppose I ought to go to the hotel, 
 and let them know how things are," 
 said Lew, introducing the subject of his 
 own accord; "but it is so pleasant here 
 that I hate to leave." 
 
 "Had you any idea of going out in 
 the storm to-night?" asked grandmother 
 Tabitha, with an expression of surprise. 
 "It would be awful! I wouldn t allow 
 it I will not permit it! There, now 
 that is settled!" 
 
 "Amen!" responded Lew, in his heart.
 
 L 
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 267 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 
 
 EW Fenwick saw very plainly that the 
 old ladies were greatly interested in his 
 companion, Adualina. They showed 
 a tender and affectionate regard, and 
 seemed to be constantly striving to do 
 something for her comfort. 
 
 What they knew of circuses and mena 
 geries was probably through hearsay, and 
 they looked upon their two visitors, es 
 pecially the girl, as a couple of wanderers 
 from wonder-land. 
 
 Ladies of their age count themselves 
 privileged in the way of asking questions, 
 particularly where juveniles are concerned 
 a privilege that, as a rule, is conceded 
 by those with whom they come in contact. 
 
 "What is your name?" asked grand 
 mother Tabitha, as she knitted briskly, 
 and peered over the top of her spectacles 
 at her visitors.
 
 268 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Ruth Johnson although I am not 
 called that on the bills. " 
 
 "How long have you been a circus 
 actor?" 
 
 "I don t know, but almost ever since 
 I can remember. My father trained me 
 when I was a very small girl." 
 
 "What is it you do ? 
 
 The girl explained the part of the 
 programme she was expected to fill, speak 
 ing loudly enough for both ladies to hear, 
 for each showed a profound curiosity, 
 and ceased knitting to listen. 
 
 But, as can well be understood, their 
 interest in no respect could compare with 
 that of Limber Lew s. He was eager 
 to learn something of her history, and 
 with a gratification that cannot be de 
 scribed, he noted that they were taking 
 the very tack he wished them to take. 
 He listened quietly to every word uttered. 
 
 Adualina to him looked more winsome 
 in her plain, Quaker-like garb, than in 
 her gaudy attire. There was a flush on 
 her cheek and a sparkle in her eye that
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 269 
 
 made her very pretty, aside from the 
 sweetness of her voice, the beauty of 
 her pearl-like teeth, her classical regularity 
 of features, and the unsurpassed grace of 
 her carriage, shown in her movement and 
 manner, and none the less marked in her 
 present dress. She seemed ready and will 
 ing to answer all questions which the 
 good old ladies chose to ask her. 
 
 Although the questioners, as was evident, 
 looked with extreme disfavor upon her 
 profession, yet they showed true Christian 
 charity by trying to prevent her suspecting 
 it, so long at least as her own sentiments 
 were unknown. 
 
 "Do you like your business?" asked 
 grandmother Tabitha, in the same soft 
 voice. 
 
 "No!" was the reply of the little one, 
 uttered in so positive a manner that the 
 listening lad was astonished, for he had 
 never suspected she was dissatisfied with 
 her life "no! I do not know anything 
 in the world which I hate so much as I 
 do that of riding the horses, and walking
 
 270 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 the rope, with thousands of people cheering 
 
 me." 
 
 " What makes you do it then? " 
 
 Adualina looked at the speaker, as if 
 in doubt whether she heard aright. 
 
 "Why do I do it? Do you suppose 
 it is my choice? Do you think, if I had 
 my own way, T would ever go back? 
 But I cannot help it. If my father thought 
 I was loitering here, he would beat me 
 dreadfully to-morrow. I cannot count the 
 times he has whipped me, when I did 
 not perform to suit him, or when he 
 thought I wasn t trying to learn as I 
 ought to." 
 
 " Have you no mother? " 
 
 "None," she replied, with a sad shake 
 of the head. 
 
 The tears filled the eyes of both the 
 old ladies, and laying down her knitting, 
 Tabitha said, with the yearning affection 
 of one who knows by experience the yearn 
 ing of a mother s love : 
 
 "Come, let me fold you to my heart 
 
 Adualina impulsively sprang forward
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 271 
 
 threw her arms about the neck ^of the 
 good old lady, who drew her head to her 
 bosom, brushing back the luxuriant hair 
 from the forehead, which was kissed with 
 all the unutterable fondness that had 
 been hers when she held the head of her 
 dying child in her arms. 
 
 Her sister placed her handkerchief to 
 her eyes, and there was weeping all round, 
 the heart of Lew welling up and overflowing. 
 
 "How like my own life!" he said to 
 himself. "Only one real parent living, 
 and he not caring for me. Well, there s 
 one consolation about it it can t last 
 forever. I ve got rid of mine, and one 
 day hers will go. I wish I could help her 
 out of her trouble. If she would only 
 run away with me, I would take her 
 back to Captain Reynolds, who would 
 treat her as his own child!" 
 
 All was silent in the room for a few 
 minutes, except the sound of weeping. 
 Lew did his best to master his emotions, 
 but he broke down at last, and the scene 
 was pathetic indeed.
 
 272 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Tabitha, the first to give way, was the 
 first to recover herself. 
 
 " Stay with me. You shall be my daugh 
 ter, and I will try to bring you up in the 
 way you should go. God gave sister 
 Ruth and me good and kind children, 
 but those that He has not taken to himself 
 have grown up and have darlings of their 
 own. Live with us, and we shall be 
 happier than you." 
 
 "I would never leave you," said the 
 weeping girl, "if I could be sure father 
 would not find me out; but he would 
 have all the police in the city hunting 
 for me. It would be searched high and 
 low, for you know my wages are four 
 times as much as his, and he gets it all, 
 and then he would beat me oh, so terribly !" 
 
 "I will tell you how we ll fix it," broke 
 in Lew. "We will go back and keep 
 on till we re a good many miles from 
 here, and then slip away, and I ll bring 
 you here, and they won t know where 
 to look for you." 
 
 Tabitha gazed at the boy in admiring
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 273 
 
 astonishment. Surely she had never seen 
 so much wisdom on such young shoulders. 
 
 " Truly you are the smartest boy I ever 
 saw." 
 
 Lew blushed at the unexpected com 
 pliment, which he tried to parry. 
 
 "I don t see anything very smart about 
 that." 
 
 " I wouldn t have thought of it in a 
 month. That s the very thing. Only I 
 wish it could be done without her going 
 back at all; but then that can t be very 
 well," added the good lady, with an air 
 of perplexity. 
 
 "No, " replied Adualina, raising her head, 
 and speaking with resignation and hope. 
 "I am happy over what you have opened 
 before me, and I shudder for fear I shall 
 never see it." 
 
 " God is just, and He doeth all things 
 well, was the reverent exclamation of 
 grandmother Ruth. "Do you not believe 
 there is a Providence in everything? Do 
 you think it was chance that guided 
 your footsteps through the darkness to
 
 274 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 this door? No; the hand of our Heavenly 
 Father was in all, as you shall see by- 
 and~by." 
 
 "Is Johnson, the teamster, really your 
 father?" 
 
 The words came from Lew Fenwick, 
 and he knew not then, nor has he ever 
 been able to explain what it was that 
 prompted him to ask the startling question. 
 It was in a voice loud enough to be un 
 derstood by Ruth, and she and her sister 
 stared at him as if they had just heard 
 the utterance of an oracle. There was 
 something in the crisp abruptness that 
 almost carried away their breath, and 
 held them speechless for some seconds. 
 
 Poor Adualina started, and faintly in 
 quired : 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 
 "I ll be hanged if I know," was the 
 confused reply. * I didn t ask the question ; 
 it asked itself; but now that it has been 
 asked, I must say I have thought of it 
 a good many times since I first laid eyes 
 on you both. You don t look a bit alike,
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 275 
 
 and I don t think you two are any more 
 than an angel and a dev I mean anything 
 else." 
 
 The girl rested on her hand and looked 
 down at the carpet. Her reverie seemed 
 to be of things far away. Her mind was 
 wandering back over the " shadowy past" 
 so shadowy indeed that she saw nothing 
 tangible, and knew not whether they 
 were the phantoms of dream-land or reality 
 that flitted before her, and which she 
 vainly strove to grasp. 
 
 " Sometimes, " said she, in a low voice, 
 speaking not to any one, but thinking 
 aloud, " there are pictures which come 
 to me that I cannot understand. I see 
 another home a father holding me on 
 his knee, a mother pressing me to her 
 heart, and then and then it is gone. 
 It is all darkness I see nothing day 
 follows night." 
 
 "Come, let your brown hair, just lighted with gold, 
 Fall on your shoulders again, as of old ; 
 Let it fall on my forehead to-night, 
 Shielding my eyes from the flickering light.
 
 276 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 For, oh ! with its sunny-edged shadows once more 
 Haply will throng the sweet visions of yore: 
 Lovingly, softly, its bright billows sweep- 
 Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep!" 
 
 Nothing but the ticking of the little 
 ormolu clock on the mantel succeeded, 
 for several minutes, this strange scene. 
 No one dared to speak, for fear of breaking 
 the spell. Adualina sat motionless, with 
 her eyes fixed on the floor. Suddenly 
 she raised her head, and looked into the 
 faces of her friends. 
 
 "I know what I thought," she said, 
 in a low voice, with a wan smile; "every 
 now and then it comes back to me, but 
 when I try to hold fast to it, it slips away, 
 and is gone." 
 
 "You appeared to be thinking about 
 another father and mother," added Lew, 
 in the hope of recalling the scene; "but 
 before you could get the hang of it, it 
 seemed to give you the slip. " 
 
 "I don t know what it is that makes 
 me think of such things," said she, with 
 something of her old perplexity.
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 277 
 
 " Did you ever ask Johnson about them? " 
 
 " Only once." 
 
 " What did he say?" 
 
 "He beat me and I have never repeated 
 the question." 
 
 "No: I don t think I would in that 
 quarter," said Lew; adding afterward, 
 as if to himself: "What an old brute 
 he is!" 
 
 "I have no doubt," said grandmother 
 Tabitha, in a frightened whisper," that 
 that dreadful monster stole you when 
 you were a very young child. Those 
 folks that you see in your thoughts are 
 your real father and mother." 
 
 This was said with an impressive solemn 
 ity that cannot be described. It looked 
 as if the old lady had entered into a contest 
 of mental acumen with the boy Lew, 
 and believed she had triumphed over him. 
 
 "Yes," she added, "those folks that 
 you see are your real father and mother; 
 that I am certain of. He stole you yes, 
 he stole you in your infancy. I try to 
 live a consistent Christian life, but I do
 
 278 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 believe I would rejoice at a chance to pour 
 a kettle of b iling water over such an 
 unconscionable wretch. You see that it 
 was all so long ago that you can t re 
 member it very well. I wonder now, if 
 you should keep thinking whether you 
 couldn t recall the city where all this took 
 place, and your folks name, and the 
 business your father was engaged in, and 
 the street and number of the house, and 
 how many sisters and brothers you had, and 
 whether you can best reach the place by 
 rail or boat, and what your mother s name 
 was before she was married? If you 
 could remember a few trifling things like 
 that, it might be of some assistance in 
 tracing out your parents, don t you think 
 S0j Lewis?" 
 
 Lewis was inclined to think it would. 
 
 "I couldn t think of all that," said 
 Adualina, with her natural laugh, "but 
 I will try more than ever, and it may 
 be I can call back something that will 
 be of help." 
 
 They talked for a long time, the girl
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 279 
 
 giving several thrilling reminiscences of 
 her career, which interested all her listeners, 
 while the links of friendship, forged on 
 that evening in that room, were welded 
 into a strong, enduring chain. It was 
 close upon midnight when all retired to 
 their respective apartments. 
 
 The morning dawned clear and beau 
 tiful, and as soon as they could do so 
 without rudeness, Lew and Adualina bade 
 their friends good-by, and made their 
 way to the hotel, where, as may be sup 
 posed, their arrival caused no little excite 
 ment and rejoicing. 
 
 Johnson, the teamster, was there, and 
 when he found his daughter had been 
 in charge of this handsome, manly fellow, 
 he scowled and sulked. 
 
 " Why didn t you come home, yourself?" 
 he snarled, catching her arm and snatching 
 her toward him. 
 
 "I didn t know the way." 
 " Hadn t you a tongue to ask?" 
 "Yes; but I was not in the clothes to 
 walk the streets. "
 
 280 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "You re getting very proud, " he growled, 
 still holding her wrist, and almost jerking 
 her off her feet. 
 
 "Easy, Johnson easy, there!" inter 
 posed Girt on. The girl acted sensibly, 
 and has saved herself from a spell of sick 
 ness, by seeking shelter as soon as she 
 could." 
 
 Girton was the only man of whom the 
 sullen teamster had any fear, and he 
 ceased his persecutions of the girl, mut 
 tering something unintelligible to the others 
 as he went out of the room. 
 
 Matters were speedily adjusted. Adu- 
 alina was turned over to the care of the 
 matron, and the others settled themselves 
 for the day. 
 
 The Sabbath was clear and beautiful, 
 the air cooled by the rain of the night, 
 and the sky with scarcely a cloud. 
 
 There was a diversity in which the 
 day was spent by the men attached to 
 the circus. Those in charge of the animals 
 first looked after them, and then stowed 
 themselves into places where they would
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 281 
 
 be permitted to put in a number of hours 
 of "square" sleep; others, who were not 
 in need of rest strolled off down town, 
 finding their way by back entrances into 
 drinking saloons, where they engaged in 
 billiard or card-playing; others, again, hired 
 trotting-carriages, and drove out in the 
 country, while most of the remainder 
 stayed in their rooms, mending their clothes 
 and toggery, and getting things in shape 
 for the six days of labor before them. 
 
 Perkins, the bare-back rider, who had 
 caused all the rumpus of the night before, 
 was still in bed; but he was sober, with 
 a stinging headache, and he was gnawed 
 at by self-reproach and remorse. 
 
 Calling Lew Fenwick into his room, 
 he got him to draw up a pledge of total 
 abstinence for a year to come, signed 
 it with a bold and remarkably even hand 
 for one in his condition, and sent it into 
 Girton s room. 
 
 The recipient strode back and forth 
 in his apartment, and raved. He wouldn t 
 consider it. Perkins was discharged forth-
 
 282 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 with. Girton had been a fool to trust 
 him so long. He had been thousands of 
 dollars injury to the establishment, and 
 his employer would not have him again 
 on any terms. 
 
 At the end of half an hour, he concluded 
 to give the man one more chance to re 
 deem himself. 
 
 Girton proposed to Lew that he spend 
 the Sunday in practicing with the Hollo 
 boys, and the latter took it as a matter 
 course; but there was something so re 
 pugnant to employing his time in this 
 manner that he asked his friend not to 
 insist upon it, promising to make up by 
 extra attention and work during the 
 coming week. 
 
 Girton was generous enough to accede 
 to his wish. 
 
 When the church-bells sounded out on 
 the clear summer air, they recalled so 
 vividly the boy s own home, and the divine 
 services which he regularly attended, that 
 he determined to keep up the practice, 
 whenever and wherever possible.
 
 THE GOOD SAMARITANS. 283 
 
 The eldest Hollo brother heard him tell 
 where he was going, and laughed. 
 
 " Turned pious, haiv yer? Haiv you 
 indulged in your evening devotions this 
 morning? for if you haivn t then you 
 haiv better haiv haid. Why don t you 
 start a prayer meeting in the tent, after 
 performance is over?" 
 
 Lew s face flushed, and he was tempted 
 to make an angry reply; but he recalled 
 that it would be wrong to return railing 
 for railing, and it was his duty to consider 
 it an honor to be reviled for the sake of 
 Him who died for us all.
 
 284 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING. 
 
 THE next place at which Simpson s Circus 
 and Menagerie was billed to perform 
 and exhibit was at Hartville, an inland 
 town, with which there was no railroad con 
 nection. Consequently, the horses were 
 utilized, and conveyances were provided 
 for all. The ladies and principal per 
 formers rode in carriages, while the others 
 were distributed among the teamsters. 
 
 Girton offered to give Lew Fenwick 
 accommodations in his own vehicle, but 
 he concluded to do as did the Rollo boys 
 take a ride beside a driver. The disagree 
 able feature about this was that most of 
 it was necessarily done in the night time. 
 
 It was barely past "low twelve" when 
 the long procession of wagons began rum 
 bling and rattling through the town, taking 
 a northwest direction toward their desti 
 nation.
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING. 285 
 
 Lew was perched on the top of the high 
 box-like wagon, gaudily painted, on the 
 outside, with a picture of a man holding 
 open the enormous jaws of two lions a 
 specimen on either side of him by grasp 
 ing one to a hand. The relative pro 
 portions of the parties were such that 
 the wild beasts were the size of overgrown 
 elephants. 
 
 Naturally, there was a wild expression 
 on the face of the hercules, and he ap 
 peared to be scowling at both at the same 
 time, and yet, somehow or other, he did 
 not seem to be cross-eyed. 
 
 The carriage itself contained a puny 
 cougar, which, if encountered along the 
 road, would have been taken for a big 
 Maltese cat in poor condition. 
 
 The driver was named Davis, jovial and 
 communicative, and one of the very few 
 connected with the establishment who 
 seemed really to enjoy his position, and 
 to prefer it above everything else in the 
 world. 
 
 The wagon directly ahead was laden
 
 286 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 with tent-poles, which, projecting far be 
 yond the rear of the vehicle, see-sawed up 
 and down at the slightest unevenness in 
 the road. 
 
 Sam, the oldest Rollo boy, shared the 
 seat of this wagon with Johnson, the 
 father or guardian of Adualina, and on 
 beyond them were a dozen similar vehicles, 
 and still more in the rear; so that, when 
 the procession was fairly under way, it 
 was not insignificant by any means. 
 
 The night was clear and starlight, and 
 the heavy rain had so effectually laid 
 the dust that riding could not have been 
 more pleasant, except for the unseemly 
 hour at which it was begun. 
 
 The lad was glad of the opportunity 
 for such conveyance; and as they rattled 
 out the city and bowled along at a stirring 
 pace through the country, he remarked 
 to his friend that he considered it more 
 pleasant to travel in this style than by 
 railroad. 
 
 " Don t know but what it is in such 
 weather as this," replied Davis, as he
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING. 287 
 
 cracked his whip; "but how about it when 
 it was like Saturday? Rain coming down 
 steadily, and managing to creep in some 
 where, if you have on a half-dozen tar 
 paulin suits; or one of those sultry nights, 
 when the air is thick with dust. Lucky 
 then is the chap who has the lead, and 
 unlucky is he who is anywhere else. All 
 such times as them, I rather think you 
 wouldn t burst yourself with enjoyment 
 that is, it ain t apt to strike in. " 
 
 "Do you sleep any, while on the road?" 
 "You bet! That s just the place to 
 get a good square nap that does you good. 
 Do you know, I sometimes believe our 
 horses do the same thing?" 
 
 "When they re trotting or walking?" 
 "Of course! You don t s pose we d stop 
 and let them lean up against the fence 
 to snore, do you? There s no telling 
 my boy, what man or beast can do till 
 he tries." 
 
 This was rather too extravagant an 
 assertion for Lew to credit, although he 
 did not deem it best to say so.
 
 288 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 " What s the use of starting so early, 
 and getting to a place so long before it 
 is time to parade?" 
 
 "We don t always do it, but it s an idea 
 of Girton s, so as to allow for accidents. 
 Sometimes we don t leave a town till after 
 daybreak, although some of the teams go 
 ahead, so as to have all the time they need 
 in getting things in shape. We ve got a 
 long stretch of country before us, and we 
 won t reach the next town till eight or nine 
 o clock in the morning, and we must keep 
 up a spanking gait at that. 
 
 "Do you like your business, Billy?" 
 
 "Like it? I dote on it! I revel in it! 
 I was laid out and built for the show busi 
 ness. I m in my sphere. 
 
 "How long have you been at it?" 
 
 "Three years, four months and seventeen 
 days, at twenty minutes past twelve to 
 morrow. How long have you dipped in 
 it?" 
 
 The lad gave the time as exactly as he 
 could 
 
 "I didix t know you was a newcomer,
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING. 289 
 
 though I remember having seen your face 
 before; but ain t it perfectly gorgeous 
 absolutely glorious?" 
 
 " There are a good many pleasant things 
 about it, and then there are some that are 
 the other way. I thought, when I first saw 
 Adualina, that she must live in a sort of 
 paradise. 
 
 "Well, don t she?" 
 
 "I ve been told that her father is very 
 cross with her. 
 
 "Who is her father?" 
 
 Billy Davis was one of those delightful 
 geniuses who absolutely knew nothing, 
 outside of his immediate profession. 
 
 "Don t you know him? He is Johnson, 
 the driver of one of the teams." 
 
 "I know Johnson very well, and it seems 
 to me I have heard him say something 
 about his daughter; but I wasn t sure whom 
 he meant. Let me see, Adualina is the 
 little gal that walks the wire, ain t she? 
 
 "I suppose everybody who ever heard of 
 the circus knew that." 
 
 "I must try to pay more attention to
 
 290 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 such things," said Billy, self-reproachfully. 
 "I made up my mind, when I started out 
 to read the papers regular-like, to keep post 
 ed, but a fellow will neglect his duty, you 
 know. And so her father don t use the gal 
 well, eh? He ought to be ashamed of 
 himself, and the first chance I get I ll let 
 him know what you said to me, and advise 
 him to reform." 
 
 " Don t do that ! exclaimed the dismayed 
 youngster. "I wouldn t have you mention 
 my name for the world!" 
 
 "Why not? Don t you see, if he finds 
 you are telling all the drivers about it, he 
 will think others notice it, and it ll set 
 him to thinking? I tell you, my boy, my 
 mother used to say I had a sharp head on 
 me, and I prove it every day." 
 
 Lew urged him so hard, however, not to 
 follow such a course that he finally promised 
 he would refrain. 
 
 By this time the lad saw he had selected 
 the least profitable man in the world to 
 "pump." He had hoped to glean more 
 information about the girl who had occu-
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING. 291 
 
 pied so much of his thoughts for the last few 
 days, and especially since the Saturday 
 night adventure; but he saw that for the 
 present it was hopeless. 
 
 Billy was wide awake, and so long as he 
 kept on his own pet subject, the stream 
 of talk ran unremittingly. 
 
 As hours wore on, signs of approaching 
 day were seen. At some of the farm-houses 
 lights twinkled in the windows, proving that 
 the industrious husbandmen not only made 
 hay while the sun shone, but before it had 
 a chance to shine. The cavalcade was 
 nearly always saluted with the barking of 
 dogs, while the crowing of cocks was 
 scarcely ever hushed. 
 
 By-and-by, shadowy figures could be 
 detected stalking here and there about the 
 houses, and at last, Bill pointed with the tip 
 of his whip toward the East. 
 
 "Do you notice that it s getting light 
 yonder? Day isn t far off." 
 
 " And how much further have we to go? 
 
 "It must be more than six miles. We re 
 going to reach there sooner than I expected;
 
 292 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 but we haven t any time to fool, for all 
 we ve kept up a good speed." 
 
 He leaned forward, and peered back at 
 the road over which they had just passed. 
 There was enough light to reveal the two 
 following wagons, and he knew the others 
 were at the proper distance behind them. 
 The whole procession had settled down to 
 the same gait, and it moved over the face of 
 the country like so many parts of a great 
 machine. 
 
 Johnson s wagon maintained its position, 
 and when it turned some corner, several 
 additional vehicles could be descried 
 speeding along the same as the others. 
 
 The light in the East rapidly increased, 
 until the landscape emerged to view from 
 the gloom, and the rising of the sun was 
 close at hand. 
 
 "You know we always inquire pretty 
 particular about the country we re going 
 through/ observed Billy; "and although 
 there ain t any railroad running through 
 Hartville, yet we was told we d have to 
 cross one before we reached it. I m think-
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING. 293 
 
 ing it is about time the same was vis 
 ible." 
 
 As he spoke, he raised himself to the 
 standing position, and peered forward over 
 his horses heads. 
 
 "I always like to be careful in crossing 
 the railroad tracks, since the time I fell 
 asleep and a locomotive ripped off one of 
 my hind wheels. That was cutting it so 
 close that I was scared. Yes, yonder is the 
 railroad. 
 
 " And a train is coming. Don t you hear 
 the whistle? 
 
 "That s nothing; our horses are used to 
 it, and don t seem to mind it at all. 
 
 There are not many persons who can 
 composedly draw near a railroad crossing, 
 expecting to reach it at the same time with 
 an express train. 
 
 Lew fidgeted in his seat, and as the team 
 trotted steadily forward, to the sound of 
 a tune hummed by the driver, he asked 
 him to rein up until the train had passed. 
 
 "What s the use?" was the serene ques 
 tion of the teamster. "The cars will beat
 
 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 us, and if I hold up, it will upset the whole 
 procession, and we shan t be able to ride 
 into town in style/ 
 
 "How about Johnson, there, ahead of 
 us?" 
 
 "He is the one that must watch out. 
 The way things look, the two 11 hit the spot 
 at about the same time." 
 
 The direction from which the express was 
 coming prevented its being seen distinctly, 
 since the road ran through a cut over a 
 dozen feet deep; but, despite the rattling 
 of the wagons, the loud roar and rumble of 
 the cars was heard, growing stronger each 
 second. 
 
 Suddenly white puffs of steam appeared 
 above the cut, several hundred feet away, 
 darting along the ground in the direction of 
 the highway with the speed of a fiery 
 serpent. 
 
 At this time the team of Johnson was 
 trotting so close to the railroad that even 
 Billy raised his head and wondered what it 
 all meant. 
 
 "If I was where he is, I d begin to rein
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING. 295 
 
 in about this time. It must be they re 
 both asleep. Hello!" 
 
 He shouted at the top of his voice, whip 
 ping up his own horses, so as to bring him 
 as near as possible to the endangered party. 
 
 Rising to his feet, Billy continued shout 
 ing and whipping, desperate and excited, 
 now that he realized the frightful peril in 
 which they were placed. 
 
 Only a second or two had passed since 
 awakening to the danger, during which the 
 team continued steadily forward at the 
 same pace it had kept up for the last few 
 hours. 
 
 The white puffs of vapor kept creeping up 
 over the tops of the embankment, nearer 
 and nearer. 
 
 All at once a column of snowy mist shot 
 straight up, far above the rest. The en 
 gineer had discovered the danger, and the 
 whistle rang out with a loud screech, that 
 was ear-splitting in its fierceness. 
 
 At the same instant, the string to the bell 
 was jerked, while the ponderous driving- 
 wheels began spinning backward with a
 
 296 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 lightning-like velocity, the fire flying from 
 their grinding peripheries. 
 
 But the catastrophe was inevitable. The 
 driver and Lew saw the wagon immediately 
 in their front struck fairly and fully by the 
 pilot of the engine, whose speed was hardly 
 abated a jot or tittle. 
 
 The momentum was terrific, and the 
 effect appalling. The strong wagon was 
 shattered to atoms, as if it were a house of 
 card-boards smitten by a cannon-ball. 
 Fragments flew twenty feet in the air, and 
 the whole team, with its contents, was 
 utterly wrecked. 
 
 The train having wrought its work of 
 death, sped on with gradually-slackening 
 speed, until it came to a halt, several 
 hundred feet away, and began slowly back 
 ing to the scene of the accident. 
 
 In the meantime, the procession stopped 
 on both sides of the crossing, and the em 
 ployees ran to learn the extent of the 
 calamity. 
 
 As is frequently the case, the result was 
 different from that which would have been
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING. 297 
 
 reasoned out upon the basis of probabilities. 
 The hindmost of the four horses had just 
 stepped off the track, when the crash came, 
 with such suddenness that the steeds were 
 set free, and not one of them received a 
 scratch. 
 
 Johnson, the driver, and Sam, the eldest 
 of the Rollo boys, seemed to have caught 
 the full momentum of the immense engine, 
 which struck the wagon with inconceivable 
 force. 
 
 They were found lying beside the track, 
 a few yards away, apparently dead. 
 
 While several of the drivers, who wished 
 to avoid looking upon the dreadful sight, 
 busied themselves in securing the freed 
 horses, others picked up the man and boy, 
 in the hope that they were not beyond all 
 assistance. 
 
 By this tune the train had backed to the 
 spot, and a score of men, eager to render 
 what help they could, ran forward to where 
 the two forms were being tenderly carried 
 to a farm-house near at hand. 
 
 Among these passengers was a surgeon,
 
 298 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 who, hoping he might do something, brought 
 his valise and instruments, and volunteered 
 lo remain so long as his services were of any 
 use, the conductor promising to telegraph 
 to the next train, which was two hours 
 in the rear, to stop and pick him up. 
 
 This arrangement which was undoubt 
 edly the best possible being completed, 
 the train moved on again, and a large 
 crowd of performers followed the two forms 
 into the house of the scared farmer, to 
 learn the whole truth. 
 
 No one, not even the surgeon, could un 
 derstand how it came about, but it was a 
 fact that Johnson, the driver, was scarcely 
 hurt at all. 
 
 He was sound asleep at the time he was 
 struck, and was only stunned. Although 
 on the side of the wagon which received 
 the charge, no serious bruise could be 
 discovered upon his person. While the 
 doctor was punching and pinching him, 
 he raised himself to a sitting position and 
 wanted to know what all the fuss was about. 
 The next minute he got up and walked
 
 IN THE EARLY MORNING, 299 
 
 around the room, stamping his feet and 
 complaining of feeling a little stiff. 
 
 But the professional man shook his headj 
 when he turned to the white-faced and 
 apparently sleeping lad. Since there was 
 no blood visible on him, those who were 
 silently looking on, hoped that the same 
 remarkable escape had come to him. 
 
 However, he did not open his eyes, 
 as the surgeon loosened his clothes, and 
 went over every portion of his person, 
 all the time scrutinizing his countenance 
 and frequently testing his pulse. 
 
 "He must be badly hurt," said Lew 
 Fenwick, in an undertone, as he stood 
 close by. The surgeon turned to see who 
 it was that spoke, and said: 
 
 "Yes; he s never going to get over it." 
 
 "What! will he die?" asked several, 
 with the same breath. 
 
 " No ; because he is already dead, " replied 
 the doctor, ceasing his manipulations and ris 
 ing to his feet. "His injuries are enough to 
 kill three men. He has been dead several 
 minutes." Such was the fact.
 
 300 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 A SLIP. 
 
 THE shock of the boy s death was dread 
 ful to Lew Fenwick, and he began to 
 realize more forcibly than before how 
 unsubstantial are those air-castles which 
 all boys are inclined to build and connect 
 with their own future. 
 
 In no single respect did his circus life 
 bear any resemblance to what he had 
 supposed, and many a time and oft, he 
 recalled the parting words of Captain Rey 
 nolds, and appreciated their truth far more 
 than at the time of their utterance. 
 
 The dead body, after the inquest, was 
 carried to the next town, where it was 
 placed in the hands of an undertaker, 
 and the arrangements made for its burial. 
 Girton assumed all expenses, and did 
 everything properly. The dead lad was 
 without a living relative, so far as any one
 
 A SLIP. 301 
 
 knew, so that after his interment all duty 
 concerning him, it may be said, ended. 
 
 The parade of the circus and the per 
 formance in the afternoon and evening, 
 took place despite the tragedy, precisely 
 as announced, and not one among the 
 audience, had he not known what had 
 happened, would have suspected that the 
 slightest thing was amiss. 
 
 Perkins, although somewhat shaken 
 from his debauch, managed to pull him 
 self together and Girton consented that 
 he should appear at the evening perfor 
 mance. He did so well that the kind- 
 hearted director patted him on the shoulder, 
 and told him, if he kept it up he would 
 forgive him his disgrace. 
 
 The route having been laid out, and 
 knowing weeks beforehand the precise 
 date at which he would be at certain points, 
 it will be understood that it was the easiest 
 thing in the world for Lew Fenwick to 
 keep up his correspondence with Captain 
 Reynolds. He was too grateful to him 
 for his friendship, to forget this duty, and
 
 302 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 he wrote as fully and freely as if he were 
 an older brother. The captain was equally 
 prompt on his part, and his extensive 
 knowledge of the world and its ways, 
 enabled him to give practical advice, whose 
 benefit the lad felt every day. 
 
 The first thing he did upon reaching 
 a town was to go to the post office, where, 
 as he expected, he generally found a long 
 letter awaiting him from his friend. 
 
 He reported nothing specially new con 
 cerning home affairs. His father and 
 mother were well, and Mr. Gibbs was still 
 teaching, or rather tyrannizing, in the old 
 school building. Some of the boys oc 
 casionally inquired about Lew, and the 
 general belief was that he was somewhere 
 with the circus and menagerie; but, of 
 course, the captain could give them little 
 satisfaction. He then added his usual 
 sound advice, in which he took occasion 
 to remind his young friend that his ap 
 prenticeship in the show business was not 
 to last forever. 
 
 The evening performance was largely
 
 A SLIP. 303 
 
 attended, and was not marked by any 
 special incident. Lew could not shake 
 off an impressive sadness when he entered 
 the ring and saw nothing of his former 
 acquaintance, the eldest Rollo boy. 
 
 "He was rough and rude to me some 
 times," he reflected; " but I cannot blame 
 him, for he had a bad bringing up, and I 
 am glad I never quarreled with him." 
 
 No doubt there were others among the 
 adult performers, who felt saddened by 
 the accident; but, if such was the case, 
 they avoided all manifestation of it. 
 
 As before, the establishment was on the 
 move at an early hour, and when daylight 
 dawned, scarcely a vestige was visible 
 of the grand pageant of the day and night 
 previous. 
 
 The show steadily progressed toward 
 the southwest, most of the performers 
 going by rail the principal part of the time, 
 for the success of the enterprise, as a rule, 
 was exceptional. 
 
 The employees were paid regularly; and 
 since Lew had comparatively very few
 
 304 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 personal expenses, and Captain Reynolds 
 persisted in enclosing him a ten or twenty 
 dollar bill nearly every time he wrote, he 
 found himself accumulating a handsome 
 bit of money. 
 
 Perkins, the bare-back rider, made so 
 honest and determined an effort to reform, 
 that he rapidly regained the confidence 
 of his employer, and despite his unfor 
 tunate failing, was such a favorite with 
 all, that they rejoiced over the prospect 
 of his becoming his own master again. 
 
 Lew carefully preserved his earnings 
 so as to be prepared for the important step 
 he was set upon taking, when the proper 
 time should come. 
 
 He knew it was best to wait till they were 
 several hundred miles from Baldwinstown, 
 the home of the good old ladies, so that 
 when they should make their way thither, 
 neither Johnson nor any of the officials 
 would know where to look for them. 
 
 But it was hard to communicate with 
 Adualina. Her father and the matron 
 kept a close guardianship over her, and
 
 A SLIP. 305 
 
 days frequently passed without the lad 
 securing more than a nod, as they were 
 going to or coming from the performance. 
 Lew himself had such a terror of being sus 
 pected of the design in his mind, that he 
 was over-cautious. 
 
 Girton s extended experience made him 
 a good reader of human nature, and he 
 concluded that our young hero had 
 a boyish fancy for the beautiful girl 
 fancy that would gradually dissolve, until 
 he would come to look upon her with the 
 same indifference as did the others of the 
 company. No one suspected the purpose 
 which was hardly ever absent from the 
 waking thoughts of the two. 
 
 More than once he meditated writing 
 to her, in the hope of establishing a better 
 understanding as to the precise plan by 
 which their flight was to be made; but 
 he shrank from the risk. 
 
 If a letter should miscarry, or should 
 fall under the eye of the matron, or John 
 son, or Girton himself, the result, no doubt, 
 would be the expulsion of Lew, and the
 
 306 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 utter quenching of the hope he entertained. 
 So he refrained, and waited and watched 
 for the chance of exchanging a few words 
 with her. 
 
 He had made up his mind that the 
 venture, if possible, should be undertaken, 
 at a town known as Haymarket, which, 
 as near as he could determine, was about 
 four hundred miles southwest from Bald- 
 winstown, where dwelt the two old ladies: 
 but when they were within a few hours ride, 
 Adualina was still ignorant of his intention. 
 Conscious of the necessity of her knowing 
 it, he determined to risk the chance of 
 committing the scheme to paper, but in 
 such a way that no one but the girl herself 
 could read his purpose. 
 
 Precisely how this should be done, was 
 the problem. At the hotel, in Haymar 
 ket, all the performers were seated at a 
 long table, Girton at the head, Lew at the 
 right and the ladies at the extreme end. 
 As the lad did not believe any better 
 chance was likely to present itself, he 
 managed, when the meal was about fin-
 
 A SLIP. 307 
 
 ished, to let a painted wooden ball, which 
 he was in the habit of juggling, drop on 
 the floor, giving it such a direction that it 
 rolled against the chair of Adualina. As 
 she stooped to pick it up he was there, 
 and their hands reached for it at the same 
 instant. Very dexterously, and without 
 any one suspecting his purpose, he man 
 aged to shove a tiny slip of paper in her 
 hand, and the quick-witted girl transferred 
 it to the pocket of her dress in the same 
 skillful manner. 
 
 When Lew walked back to his place 
 at the table, Girton loked so sharply and 
 quizzically at him that his face turned 
 scarlet. He was almost sure he had de 
 tected the little trick, although his friend 
 said nothing. 
 
 "It s all up, if he saw it," the boy re 
 flected, feeling as if he would give words 
 to recall the awkwardly-managed per 
 formance; "but I will put a bold face on 
 it, if caught." 
 
 Adualina was hardly less frightened. 
 From the way the matron glanced at her,
 
 308 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 she was sure she suspected some mischief 
 was afoot, although the little one did her 
 utmost to throw the elder off the scent. 
 It was some time before the girl gained 
 a chance to look at the slip unobserved. 
 When she did so, she saw written on it in 
 pencil the words: 
 
 At Haymarket after the performance all is ready!" 
 
 She could not mistake the meaning of 
 this; and after assuring herself that nothing 
 more was written upon it, she carefully 
 chewed the slip to a pulp, and spat it 
 where not even the eye of suspicion could 
 note it. 
 
 She understood that Lew had determined 
 to make the attempt to flee at this place, 
 and he wished her to be ready to go with 
 him directly after the close of the perfor 
 mance. 
 
 "I will do it!" she said, firmly, to her 
 self. "No better time nor place could be 
 had, and I cannot see why we shouldn t 
 escape as easily as we could find our way 
 back to the hotel." 
 
 Apparently there was no reason why
 
 A SLIP. 309 
 
 they should not succeed in getting a good 
 start, the great difficulty being in main 
 taining their flight, after fairly under 
 way. 
 
 Adualina s part of the performance would 
 be completed some twenty minutes before 
 the close and Lew s still earlier, so that 
 abundant time was likely to be given for 
 all the preparation they needed. It was 
 their custom after finishing their parts 
 to don their street suits, so that they 
 could go anywhere without attracting un 
 due attention. The lad would have his 
 money with him, and that was all that 
 was necessary. 
 
 As they went to the tent their glances 
 met, and she gave him a look and nod, 
 which said, as plainly as could words, 
 " I shall be ready!" 
 
 The assemblage was one of the largest 
 with which the show had been favored 
 since the opening of the season, and they 
 were so demonstrative and clamorous that 
 many of the acts were repeated, and the 
 performance itself dragged for fully three-
 
 310 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 quarters of an hour beyond the usual 
 time. 
 
 Lew Fenwick surpassed himself. Per 
 haps it was because he believed it was 
 his last appearance in public, and because 
 he played with a cool indifference. He 
 felt "in his bones" that he couldn t fail 
 to-night, and when he sent Little Tom 
 bounding and rolling over in the air like 
 a rubber ball, and caught him as dexter 
 ously upon his feet as he would have 
 received a bundle of clothes, and the two 
 united and mingled in their somersaults, 
 in a way that was bewildering, the vast 
 multitude cheered again and again, until 
 they saw that both boys were too ex 
 hausted to do anything more than bow 
 their acknowledgments and retire. 
 
 The same tumultuous greeting awaited 
 Adualina, whose beauty and modesty in 
 variably won upon the spectators when 
 she made her essay in the ring. 
 
 She rode the running horses with grace 
 and skill, bounding over the obstructions 
 that constantly presented themselves, and
 
 A SLIP. 311 
 
 after the usual display of her horsemanship, 
 she vanished, to reappear, in course of 
 half an hour, and perform her final exploit 
 of walking on the wire. 
 
 As she came forth, she was received 
 with the same extravagant welcome as 
 before, she being compelled to acknow 
 ledge it over and over again. 
 
 The wire which she generally walked 
 was something over fifty feet in length, and 
 was stretched between two poles, at an 
 elevation of about twenty feet. 
 
 Adualina much preferred this to the 
 ordinary rope, for although it was so 
 small as to cut rather sharply into the 
 soles of her moccasins, yet the tenacity 
 of the iron made it much the stronger, 
 and then she liked it better because it 
 remained so nearly horizontal. 
 
 She ascended at one end by means of a 
 ladder, took her balancing-pole, which 
 was always awaiting her there, and stepped 
 upon the wire. 
 
 Again the applause broke forth and she 
 bowed several times
 
 312 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 It is the custom with most rope-walkers 
 to assume a timidity and uncertainty of 
 step, which they really do not feel. Adua- 
 lina disdained to do this, and she walked 
 evenly and surely, until she reached a 
 point midway between the two supports. 
 Here she paused, as was her custom, and 
 gave some graceful posturing and waltz- 
 like movements, which delighted the spec 
 tators. 
 
 Had she been an amateur, her head 
 might have been turned; but she had 
 become accustomed to all this long since, 
 and her pulse remained as even as when 
 asleep upon her couch. 
 
 But she was still indulging in her airy 
 waltz-like motions, when, from some cause 
 or other, one of the fastenings gave way, 
 and she fell violently to the earth. The 
 accident was so unexpected that she had 
 no time to prepare in the slightest degree 
 for it. 
 
 When she began her wire-walking, a 
 net was always spread beneath, to be 
 ready in case of any slip; but when, after
 
 A SLIP. 313 
 
 a time, her certainty of step was under 
 stood, this was dispensed with as wholly 
 unnecessary. 
 
 Adualina never had a fall, nor is it 
 probable she ever would, had not somebody 
 neglected his duty in putting up the wire. 
 
 As the spectators saw the breakage, 
 a horrified cry went up from many, and 
 all rose to their feet, expecting to see 
 her killed, or badly hurt. 
 
 The distance was not great, and had 
 she suspected what was coming, her dex 
 terity no doubt would have saved her 
 from injury; but as it was, she struck 
 upon her side with great violence. 
 
 The ring-master and Perkins were both 
 standing in the ring, looking up at her, 
 when the mishap occurred, and within a 
 second after she struck the ground, they 
 were bending over her. 
 
 Perkins knew she was hurt, as the 
 balancing-pole caught beneath her hi such 
 an ugly way as to give her a violent wrench. 
 
 She attempted to reply to their in 
 quiries, but before she could do so, she
 
 314 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 swooned and raising her in their arms, 
 they bore her back into the dressing- 
 tent, amid wild excitement, many of the 
 crowd attempting to follow, to learn the 
 result of her injuries. 
 
 They were kept back, however, and 
 a few minutes later, the ring-master made 
 his appearance, and stepping upon a chair, 
 called out in a loud voice, saying that 
 he was happy to state that Senorita Adua- 
 lina was not seriously hurt. She was 
 considerably shaken up, but no bones 
 were broken, and if she were permitted to 
 rest in quiet, she would probably be herself 
 again in the course of an hour. 
 
 The announcement was received with 
 cheers; but the speaker did not tell all 
 the truth. Adualina, besides being badly 
 bruised about her body, had her left arm 
 broken between the shoulder and elbow. 
 No more, during the present season, was 
 she to appear before the admiring thous 
 ands.
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 315 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 
 
 CAPTAIN Reynolds felt lonely after the 
 departure of Lew Fenwick, and he 
 missed him more than he would have 
 been willing to confess, even to the lad him 
 self. He spent most of his time at home, 
 playing with his baby, of which he was ex 
 tremely fond, talking or reading to his wife, 
 and occasionally taking long tramps in the 
 wood. 
 
 He grew angry sometimes when he re 
 flected upon the sorrowful lot of Lew. 
 It was strange that the lad s own father, 
 and his instructor, without either seeming 
 to be aware of it, had entered into a part 
 nership to make his life wretched. 
 
 "These two are parts of an infernal 
 machine," he remarked one summer even 
 ing to his wife, as he sat on his porch en 
 joying his cigar. " Don t you see that if
 
 316 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 one failed to play the fool and tyrant, the 
 other would follow suit? For instance, if 
 Gibbs was a sensible human being instead 
 of a torment to children, Lew would have 
 loved to go to school, for he is fond of study ; 
 he never would have been punished there; 
 and as his father based all his lambastings 
 upon those he received at school, why, at 
 home, all would have been grace, mercy and 
 peace. Just think what a premium was 
 offered to that boy to lie, and he never did 
 it to save himself from the most cruel beat 
 ings. Do you know, wife/ he asked, in an 
 appalled undertone, "that I sometimes 
 suspect that I would be tempted to pre 
 varicate under such circumstances?" 
 
 "I m sure you would/ she replied, with 
 mock solemnity. 
 
 He pinched her pretty cheek, and whis 
 pered : 
 
 "Hark! didn t the baby sneeze?" 
 
 "Mercy!" she exclaimed, starting up r 
 "what has happened?" 
 
 "Nothing at all," he laughed, as he 
 caught her dress and drew her down in his
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 317 
 
 lap. "The baby didn t sneeze. I only 
 asked the question to pay you for speaking 
 so slightingly of my veracity. 
 
 He kept the conversation going about 
 Lew, from whom he had received a letter 
 that day. Several weeks had passed since 
 his departure, and the accounts he received 
 of his doings were interesting to both him 
 and his wife. 
 
 "It don t seem exactly the thing to help 
 a boy in running away from his home, but 
 this case is different from all others I ever 
 heard of, and different, I hope, from any 
 that I shall ever meet again. I think a 
 year s knocking about with the circus will 
 do Lew good. It might ruin some boys, 
 but his principles are too well grounded for 
 that, and he will grow a great deal toward 
 manhood in that time." 
 
 "But how about the judge?" 
 
 "I have hope that it will do him still 
 more good. I have been very angry with 
 him every time we met, but I was sorry ten 
 minutes after. He s growing old and fail 
 ing; he is becoming too fond of his wine
 
 318 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 in short, he is going to the bad, because 
 the wife he once had, who was most 
 like you, is succeeded by one who is the 
 opposite. He is a man of fine mind, but 
 they are the very ones who need a wife with 
 good practical common sense to lead them 
 about by the nose." 
 
 "How, then, will the absence of his son 
 do him good? 
 
 "It will set him to thinking; that s the 
 best medicine for a man who has the brains 
 to think with. Of course he has an affec 
 tion for his boy, although I have sometimes 
 doubted it. If he runs down in health, he 
 will be compelled to stay much at home, 
 and I believe he will begin to consider the 
 past, and I have some hope he will take 
 a step toward righting it. The trouble 
 with these old fellows is that they are so 
 infernally proud they would rather die than 
 come down; but sickness, sorrow, and 
 approaching death, are pretty sure 
 to bring a man round right sooner or 
 later. 
 
 "Mercy!" exclaimed the frightened wife.
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 319 
 
 "Do you think it is as bad as that? Is the 
 judge going to die? 
 
 "Can t say," replied the captain, ser 
 iously. "He s a high liver, and it looks to 
 me as if he had started down hill, and he s 
 just the kind to go it with a rush." 
 
 "He is to be pitied," said Mrs. Reynolds, 
 whose heart was always so ready to go out 
 in sympathy to others. 
 
 (< When he lost his wife Inez, it was an 
 affliction 
 
 "As great as if I should lose you!" 
 interrupted the captain, drawing her face 
 over and kissing her. "I would go to him 
 this minute if I were sure he would not 
 repel me." 
 
 "Why not run the risk? was the woman 
 like query. "It couldn t do any 
 harm. 
 
 "Yes, it would. I know the judge s 
 nature better than you. If I should walk 
 over there to-night and offer him my hand, 
 the chances are a hundred to one that he 
 would repel me with scorn and the evil 
 of it is, it would last ! Now, if I stay away
 
 320 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 while this thawing process is going on, there 
 will be no such risk." 
 
 The wife was inclined to suspect her 
 husband of framing an ingenious theory to 
 excuse his own pride; but she believed it 
 better to leave him to himself, satisfied 
 that he, too, would "thaw all in good time. 
 
 This course was carried out in both cases. 
 Judge Fenwick and his wife were unmolested, 
 so far as Captain Reynolds and his wife 
 were concerned. 
 
 The summer merged into fall, the fall 
 into winter, and spring came, but not once 
 had either family crossed the threshold of 
 the other. 
 
 The captain, however, kept a furtive 
 watch over his friend, and more than once 
 remarked that he was gradually thawing. 
 He was thinner in face and form, he wore a 
 troubled look, and in fact had the appear 
 ance of a man who carried a secret sorrow. 
 
 " Remorse I m satisfied it s remorse!" 
 whispered the captain to his wife. "I m 
 sure he can t hold out a great while longer. 
 He must soon tumble."
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 321 
 
 The spring, however, merged into summer 
 and still there was no sign; but about this 
 time, Judge Fenwick grew so pale and 
 weak that the captain was alarmed. He 
 met him accidentally on their walks, and 
 could not conceal his surprise. 
 
 It was then the captain took the first step 
 toward reconciliation. 
 
 "Good-afternoon, judge!" he called out, 
 in his pleasantest voice, the old gentleman 
 too much amazed to return the salute. 
 
 "I don t know whether it was wise in me 
 or not," the captain said, at the tea-table, 
 when he related the circumstance. "I am 
 afraid it will repel him. He is such a stern 
 and proud old fellow that it will make him 
 freeze up tighter than ever." 
 
 "I m sure it won t. 
 
 "Now, wife, I understand human nature 
 better than you. You admit that." 
 
 "I don t see why I must," she said, with 
 a smile. "It has never been proven to me 
 as yet." 
 
 " Because you shut your eyes to the truth. 
 I am satisfied that, if I hadn t noticed the
 
 322 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 judge, he would have thawed out inside of 
 a month. As it is, I must wait three 
 months at least." 
 
 "And I m satisfied you are mistaken. 
 You have unconsciously hastened the day 
 of reconciliation between you." 
 
 "Well, time will prove the truth and 
 wisdom of what I say!" said the captain, 
 loftily. "You wait and see Hello! there 
 goes the bell!" 
 
 A few moments later, Bridget came to the 
 dining-room and said : 
 
 "It s Tom, from the Joodge s, and he 
 says the Joodge told him to ask if ye 
 would come over and spend the evening with 
 him, if ye could find the same convani- 
 ent." 
 
 "Tell Tom to say to the judge that I will 
 go with pleasure within a half-hour." 
 
 As soon as Bridget was out of the room, 
 the captain rose and reached his hand 
 across the table to his laughing wife. 
 
 "Let us shake hands across the chasm. 
 I ll be hanged if you don t know more in 
 five minutes than I do in a month; only I ll
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 323 
 
 be obliged to you if you don t smile quite 
 so loud over it." 
 
 "I won t," she said; "for I am anxious 
 and disturbed. I believe the judge s life is 
 in danger, and he knows it." 
 
 "I am so glad he has sent for me!" said 
 the captain. "I wish I had spoken to him 
 a month ago. It has taken away all my 
 appetite. 
 
 "I wouldn t wait. Go at once." 
 
 "So I will so I will. Suppose you go 
 along and talk with his wife?" 
 
 "That would be overdoing it. If she 
 inquires about me, invite her to come over 
 and spend the evening; otherwise wait till 
 you are ready to leave before you do so. 
 Don t forget the judge s health, and tax it 
 too much, in your excitement." 
 
 Captain Reynolds lost no time in making 
 his way to the home of Judge Fenwick, 
 speculating on the way as to the turn the 
 interview was likely to take. He was glad 
 for so long as the coldness continued be 
 tween them, he felt there was no hope for 
 Lew. Now he saw the glimmering of light.
 
 324 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Mrs. Fen wick met the captain at the door, 
 in a sweetly subdued manner, and softly 
 inquired as to the health of his wife, and 
 then conducted him to the door of the 
 library, where she left him. 
 
 "You needn t knock, captain; he is ex 
 pecting you." 
 
 Nevertheless, the captain tapped the 
 door gently, to announce his coming, and 
 then opened and entered. 
 
 The night was quite warm, but there was 
 a fire in the grate, and the judge was sitting 
 before it, in his easy chair, his heavy wrapper 
 on, and such a white, feeble, worn-out look 
 in his face that it was hard for his visitor 
 to conceal his emotion. 
 
 Stepping briskly across the room, he 
 extended his hand, which was clasped by 
 the cold, raven-like fingers of the invalid. 
 
 "Judge, I hope you feel better than you 
 look," exclaimed the caller, in his cheery 
 tone, feeling that it would be idle to at 
 tempt any hypocrisy over his appearance. 
 
 "I seem to be weak and debilitated, 
 captain, thank you, but I suffer no pain
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 325 
 
 that is, no bodily pain. How fortunate 
 you are in possessing such a physique! 7 
 he added, as his eyes ran admiringly up and 
 down the lithe, willowy frame that towered 
 so magnificently above him. "Do you 
 know what sickness is?" 
 
 "I rather guess so," replied the captain, 
 glad of the social turn the interview took 
 at the beginning. "I think I have suffered 
 more in a day than you have in your life 
 time. Two of us went raving crazy in 
 Australia, some years ago, because we could 
 get no water. We strayed away from the 
 rest of the party, and in our delirium, we 
 pounded, and hammered, and clawed each 
 other, like a couple of wild cats. When the 
 rest of the boys found us, we were lying 
 in the brush, bleeding and exhausted, with 
 our clothes torn to shreds. It took us a 
 week to get over that, during which we 
 suffered that is, somewhat. Then again, 
 when I got bitten by a cobra di capello, in 
 India" 
 
 "I thought their bite was always fatal." 
 "It generally is; but there are a few
 
 326 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 native physicians who can cure it. I was 
 in the bamboo hut of one of them at the 
 time, and he took me in hand at once. In 
 order to eliminate the poison from my 
 system, I think he boiled, afterward roasted 
 and then smothered me. During all this 
 time I was drinking a composition that I 
 suspected was concentrated sulphuric acid, 
 quinine and the essence of castor oil, which 
 last to me is the most nauseous dose under 
 the whole heavens. However, let that go. 
 What seems to be the trouble, judge? 
 
 " Doctor Leavitt says it is nothing but 
 weakness, and he professes to think I will 
 rally, by and by, while all the time I feel 
 that I am steadily losing ground, and I 
 don t believe that I am going to last much 
 longer. 
 
 "I hope you will see many good long 
 years," replied the captain, in his own 
 bracing voice, which carried a peculiar tonic 
 with it. "What an absurd fashion the 
 American profession has of dying off just 
 as its members reach the prime of their 
 powers.
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 327 
 
 "You know, captain, I was compelled to 
 give up my duties six weeks ago, and to 
 night I am weaker than I ever have been. 
 You and I are not children, and so do not let 
 us talk like children. I am going that s 
 as plain to you as it is to me. That subject 
 being settled, let us proceed to the next. 
 Captain, I sent for you to apologize for the 
 rudeness I have shown " 
 
 "There, there, there!" protested Rey 
 nolds, trying to hide the tremor in his voice. 
 "I pray you don t mention it! I am a 
 younger man than you, and I was the first 
 to lose my temper. It was my duty to 
 make the apology months ago." 
 
 "Well," said the judge, with a deep sigh, 
 "we are friends again. The past is past, 
 captain. I haven t come to the real point 
 yet; I have a favor to ask of you." 
 
 "Let there be no hesitation in asking it." 
 
 "/ want my boy to come back to me before 
 I dier 
 
 The judge would have added more, but 
 he broke down. There were no tears in his 
 eyes, but leaning his elbow upon the arm of
 
 328 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 the chair, he rested his white cheek against 
 his still whiter hand, and looked down in the 
 grate, like a carved image of grief. Then, 
 without moving his gaze, he said, as if think 
 ing aloud: 
 
 " God s hand has been laid upon me, and 
 during the past few weeks the scales have 
 fallen from my eyes. When my boy left 
 my home, I was too proud to show any 
 sorrow, or to attempt to bring him back, 
 feeling that he alone was to blame. I 
 saw then through a glass darkly; but my 
 vision is cleared. It was I who drove him 
 forth. I did everything to make a liar and 
 bad boy of him, but failed, . In conjunction 
 with the tyrant Gibbs, I caused his home to 
 become so unbearable that I thrust him out 
 into the world. Where is he now, I know 
 not. Do you, cap?" he asked, the in 
 valid turning sharply toward his visitor. 
 
 It was no use. The latter was swallow 
 ing and clearing his throat, and blowing his 
 nose ; but now the handkerchief went to his 
 eyes, and it was several minutes before he 
 could regain his self-possession.
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 329 
 
 A year ago, Judge Fenwick was haughty, 
 aristocratic, self-willed, and imperious, now 
 he was wan, feeble, sorrow-stricken, and 
 utterly wretched. 
 
 "The fountains of the deep are broken 
 up," he added, in the hope of helping his 
 friend to speak; " there is no other to whom 
 I would talk thus. I was the enemy of my 
 son; you have been his friend. My only 
 wish now is to feel his arms about my neck 
 before I die." 
 
 "You shall you shall!" exclaimed the 
 captain, springing up and pacing the room. 
 "Lew and I have kept up a correspondence 
 ever since he went away. He is somewhere 
 in the South or West. I will telegraph 
 him to-morrow to come at once. He will 
 be here in a few days I will guarantee that. 
 Rest easy, judge; your prayers shall be 
 granted. 
 
 "He went away with that circus, didn t 
 he?" 
 
 "Yes. You know he was very active 
 and supple, and they urged him to do so, 
 otherwise he would not have thought of it.
 
 330 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "How long since you heard from him?" 
 
 "About a fortnight, I think." 
 
 "Where was he then?" 
 
 "He was on his way to Texas, I believe. 
 I have a list of their appointments ahead, 
 so I know just where to reach him with a 
 telegram. 
 
 "And did he write regularly to you?" 
 
 "He has never failed to do so." 
 
 " I don t suppose he ever asked about me? 
 
 The timid, doubting, yearning tone with 
 which this was asked cannot be described, 
 nor the eager, happy promptness with which 
 the captain answered: 
 
 "He has never written me a letter with 
 out inquiring particularly about you. No 
 son can love a parent more than he loves 
 you, and none can be.- happier than he will 
 be when he learns of our interview to-night." 
 
 "The loss of Lew s mother was irrepar 
 able," mused the greatly relieved judge. 
 "She understood the boy s nature perfectly, 
 and to her under heaven, is due the stab 
 ility he has shown in his good principles. 
 The present Mrs. Fen wick has done the best
 
 THE CLASP OF THE HAND. 331 
 
 she could, but she has no children of her 
 
 own. 
 
 "And some, like the first Mrs. Fen wick 
 and Mrs. Reynolds, are peculiarly gifted in 
 the management of children, while the 
 majority of mankind know no more about 
 home discipline than you and I. Don t 
 you think, judge, when we get Lew back 
 home again, you will pick up?" 
 
 "I don t know I don t know," replied 
 the elder, feebly, but with a tinge of cheer 
 fulness and hope, which his visitor was 
 quick to perceive. "It will do a great deal 
 toward my peace of mind. Then, I want 
 the boy here when I am called away, for you 
 are to be his guardian " 
 
 "Tut ! tut ! interrupted the captain, with 
 his infectious laugh; "the time hasn t come 
 to talk about that. You aren t going to 
 peg out just yet, and I feel that you are to 
 see the day when you shall dandle your 
 grandchildren on your knee. What do you 
 say to that?" 
 
 "Ah, cap, you would make a stone image 
 laugh!" smiled the invalid.
 
 332 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE TELEGRAPH. 
 
 4 4 T^HE whirligig of time brings all things 
 1 right/ muttered Captain Reynolds, 
 as he walked homeward, in high 
 feather. " I don t think the judge is going to 
 die very soon, though he does look bad. His 
 case is one of the kind which will be wonder 
 fully helped by the sight of his boy, who will 
 be here in a few days. I ll go down to Birm 
 ingham in the morning, and send a telegram 
 for him. He ll be glad to come; I know he 
 will." 
 
 It was yet quite early for such a night- 
 bird as the captain, who sauntered along the 
 path leading to his own home, smoking his 
 inevitable cigar. 
 
 " How tickled Pet will be ! he mumured, 
 calling his wife by the name which was his 
 favorite. "She s just the smartest, pret 
 tiest, sweetest creature that ever wore call-
 
 THE TELEGBPH. 333 
 
 co, and I m the biggest fool alongside of her 
 let me see, I think I ve got that schedule 
 with me." 
 
 He hurriedly searched his coat-pockets, 
 and finally drew out a memorandum book. 
 Then he cleared the ashes from the tip of his 
 cigar, and " pulled" so vigorously at it that 
 he secured all the light he needed. 
 
 " To-day is the 23d," he muttered, as 
 well as he could with the weed between his 
 lips, and while he held the penciled page 
 directly before the glowing end, "and to 
 morrow of course will be the 24th. Let s 
 see where the shebang is advertised to be on 
 that day. Ah, here we are! 22d, 23d, 
 24th. Why, I was a little off the track; they 
 have already been in Texas, and are working 
 northward again. On the 24th they will 
 be at Little Rock, Arkansas. As a matter 
 of course I can get a dispatch through to 
 that place without trouble. Then, if Lew 
 starts at once, he ought to be here by the 
 end of the week." 
 
 He replaced his book, and sauntered over 
 the dark path, puffing more leisurely at his
 
 334 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 cigar, and speculating pleasantly about the 
 future. 
 
 As he anticipated, his wife was awaiting 
 him, and the baby being asleep, she joined 
 him on the piazza, where he gave the par 
 ticulars of the interview with the judge, 
 ending, or rather beginning with their 
 complete reconciliation. The couple talked 
 long together, and kept it up, after they 
 retired, for nearly another hour. 
 
 Mounted on his coal-black steed, Captain 
 Reynolds galloped to town at an early hour 
 the succeeding morning, and entering the 
 Western Union Office, inquired whether 
 they could send a message through to Little 
 Rock, Arkansas. 
 
 "Yes, sir," replied the beardless youth; 
 "but if it is long, it will cost considerable." 
 
 "Who the deuce asked you about the 
 cost? Can you send it at once?" 
 
 The youth turned to another, who was 
 sitting at the clicking instrument, and re 
 peated the question. He nodded in the 
 affirmative, without speaking or stopping 
 work.
 
 THE TELEGRAPH. 335 
 
 "Yes, sir; we can attend to it for you." 
 A young beginner always speaks of what 
 "we" can do, if he consider himself one of 
 the proprietors. 
 
 The captain turned to the desk, and 
 without pausing to read over the directions 
 about night and day messages, and the 
 suggestion to "repeat" his dispatch, in 
 order to make sure of its accuracy (as if it 
 is not the business of operators to be cor 
 rect), he dashed off the following: 
 
 "To George Girton, with Simpson s Circus and Menag 
 erie, Little Rock, Arkansas: Is Lewis Fenwick with you? 
 Answer at once. I have important news for him. 
 
 R. REYNOLDS." 
 
 Since it would take some tune to deliver 
 the message, the sender paid the charges, 
 remounted his steed, and took a gallop 
 through the country. He came back in 
 the course of an hour, only to be told that 
 no answer had been returned. 
 
 "But we re expecting it every minute," 
 was the information of the youth. 
 
 "Suppose you call the office," suggested 
 the captain.
 
 336 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Just as the telegraphist was about to 
 do so, he added : 
 
 "Here she comes!" 
 
 And then he began writing upon a blank 
 beside him, while the impatient captain 
 thought there was more deliberation about 
 the business than there was any necessity 
 for. 
 
 Finally the message was handed him 
 through the slide, with the announcement 
 of the cost, and he read, with no little con 
 sternation, the following: 
 
 "To R. Reynolds : Lewis Fenwick has not been with us 
 for a week past. GIRTON." 
 
 Almost instantly flashed back the ques 
 tions : 
 
 "Where is he? Why did he leave? Send full par 
 ticulars. " 
 
 The captain was not kept waiting so 
 long for a reply, for the man, hundreds 
 of miles away, at the other end of the line, 
 was evidently expecting something more. 
 He ended the lightning correspondence 
 with the following dispatch:
 
 THE TELEGRAPH. 337 
 
 "He gave us the slip, leaving in the night. Suppose 
 he is on his way home. Have no idea where he is just 
 now. Served us a shabby trick, and put himself in a 
 bad box. GIRTON." 
 
 Captain Reynolds paid the charges, and 
 rode home at a slower gait than before, 
 reading over the telegram a half-dozen 
 times on the way, and now and then looking 
 on the other side of the paper, to see 
 whether there was anything that had 
 escaped his eye. 
 
 "Well, if that don t get me!" he mut 
 tered. "It s too bad! Just as I want 
 to communicate with him, I m bluffed off. 
 It can t be that Girton has deceived me. 
 No; Lew has given him too good a name 
 for that. It must be the youngster has 
 taken French leave; but I can t under 
 stand why, for his very last letter told me 
 that he was well-treated, and had his 
 wages raised. What does that man mean 
 by saying the boy has put himself in a bad 
 box? He needn t take the trouble to hint 
 to me anything of that kind, for I know 
 better. It s more likely that he has put 
 the show in a bad box, by depriving it
 
 338 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 of his services. Girton s mad, and I am 
 glad that is, if I only knew how to reach 
 Lew. Somehow or other I can t believe 
 he is on his way home. If he was, he 
 ought to be here by this time. But what 
 started him in this direction so suddenly? 
 There must have been some extraordinary 
 cause, and it s more than I can fathom. 
 I wonder whether Pet can help me?" 
 
 In due time the problem was laid be 
 fore her, and her assistance asked. 
 
 "There s only one thing I feel sure about, 
 she remarked, after the matter had been 
 freelv discussed, "and that is, he hasn t 
 
 / 
 
 started homeward." 
 
 "Why are you so sure of that?" 
 "Because there can be no reasonable 
 cause for his doing so. He has had no 
 assurance from you that he would be wel 
 come. I think," continued the sharp- 
 witted wife, "that he is carrying out some 
 scheme which he planned long ago. Have 
 you noticed nothing in his letters which 
 made you suspicious?" 
 
 "Not a sentence. If it is as you sup-
 
 THE TELEGRAPH. 339 
 
 pose, he has kept one secret, at least, from 
 me. He has never hinted anything of the 
 kind." 
 
 "He is carrying out some plan of his own. 
 Very probably he has a companion in it 
 some boy of his own age and they have 
 gone off to try their fortunes together." 
 
 "You are pretty good at figuring out 
 things, Pet, but I can hardly believe Lew 
 would deliberately enter upon a scheme 
 of that kind without apprising me be 
 forehand." 
 
 "There is the difficulty you speak of; 
 but it is the only solution I can give at 
 present. It may be he has been drawn 
 into some quarrel, and has been frightened 
 into running away; but I can hardly be 
 lieve it." 
 
 Having bumped against the wall in this 
 direction, they were compelled to turn and 
 grope toward some other point. 
 
 The captain had counted so confidently 
 upon bearing to Judge Fenwick the answer 
 of his son that he grieved to think of the 
 disappointment.
 
 340 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "I guess I will go over and tell him," 
 he said, after the couple had discussed 
 the matter for some time longer. "He 
 will expect it, and will fret if he don t 
 hear from me." 
 
 Reaching the residence of the judge, 
 the captain found him sitting, as usual, in 
 the library, reading the morning paper, 
 and looking, in the glare of the sunlight, 
 more wan and pale than the evening before. 
 
 The caller explained the situation as 
 briefly and clearly as he could, the old 
 man listening with rapt and painful at 
 tention. 
 
 "I understand it all, I think," he said, 
 as he let his paper fall in his lap. "He 
 has feared some summons of this kind, 
 and has purposely put himself out of the 
 way, so we could not reach him." 
 
 Captain Reynolds was surprised and 
 saddened by this remark. There was a 
 peevishness in it, which he never expected 
 to hear from the lips of such a man. He 
 thought it betrayed mental as well as 
 physical decline.
 
 THE TELEGRAPH. 341 
 
 "You ought not to speak that way," 
 said the captain in a tone of gentle reproof. 
 " Nothing in the world could induce Lew 
 to act such a part. There is some cause 
 which none of us can understand, but 
 which will be explained in due time." 
 
 "After I am dead and gone," sighed the 
 judge. "Well, cap, you will make it 
 all right with him if we don t meet in this 
 world, will you?" 
 
 Captain Reynolds took another tack. 
 He laughed and then immediately apol 
 ogized. 
 
 "I really couldn t help it, judge. Let 
 me see you are sixty years of age, ain t 
 you?" 
 
 "Not quite only fifty-four. But what 
 has that to do with my breaking down?" 
 he asked petulantly. 
 
 "Considerable. Twenty-five or thirty 
 years from now I ll forgive you for talking 
 in this dolorous style; but none of it at 
 present, if you please. The fact is and 
 you will allow me to speak plainly you 
 have been worked pretty hard; you haven t
 
 342 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 had any exercise, and you have grown 
 into the habit of taking too much wine." 
 
 The judge turned suddenly toward him, 
 with an angry expression, but checked 
 himself and said nothing. He knew the 
 words were true, and he was startled when 
 his friend showed that he had noticed the 
 fact. 
 
 " These two causes," continued the cap 
 tain, "have affected you, but the main 
 trouble just now is about Lew. You are 
 becoming morbid and misanthropic. You 
 must throw off this oppression. Get out 
 of doors in the sunlight; take long walks 
 in the woods, where you can sniff the pine 
 and the cedar, and when you want to loaf, 
 why use my porch. You can tell me some 
 of your law reminiscences, and I ll give 
 you that joke about the time I turned 
 cannibal, and helped to eat a genuine 
 Malay. And I say, judge," the irre 
 pressible captain added, leaning over and 
 speaking in a confidential whisper, "I ve 
 got a new brand of cigars they re prime 
 and we ll cock our heels upon the railing
 
 THE TELEGRAPH. 343 
 
 and smoke, and we ll both wear the belt 
 by turns, as being the champion laziest 
 men in the country. What do you say, 
 my boy?" 
 
 And the audacious captain actually 
 slapped the invalid s shoulder, then slapped 
 his own knee, threw back his head, and 
 laughed till he made everything ring again. 
 
 There is no resisting the contagion of 
 overflowing health and good humor, and 
 Judge Fenwick began smiling very hard, 
 and felt very good. 
 
 "Come, that ain t half enough; I don t 
 want a grin; I want an old-fashioned 
 laugh!" exclaimed the captain, whacking 
 his shoulder again. "Out with it, for it s 
 got to come." 
 
 "Oh! you ll kill me, cap!" protested 
 the judge, who came near falling from the 
 chair, because of the laughter that shook him. 
 
 "Now you feel a thousand per cent, 
 better. I know you do; it s worth more 
 than a gallon of physic. Put on your 
 hat, take a cane, and walk over to our 
 house. Come, you ve got to do it."
 
 344 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Well, there s no helping it," meekly 
 replied the judge, as he proceeded to obey, 
 conscious at the same time that the laugh 
 had done him an immense deal of good. 
 
 There s no medicine in the world like a 
 good, ringing, rollicking, earthquake sort 
 of laugh. " There s millions in it." 
 
 At the home of the captain, Mrs. Rey 
 nolds joined the council of war, and they 
 compared theories as to the best manner 
 of reaching Lew. The judge himself finally 
 struck the method which was adopted. 
 
 It was agreed to insert advertisements 
 in a dozen of the principal leading papers 
 in the West, calling upon Lewis Fenwick 
 to communicate at once with Captain 
 Reynolds, by telegraph. 
 
 This was done without a day s unneces 
 sary delay, and the captain expected 
 speedy results. 
 
 But the days wore by, and not a word 
 was heard from the lad. The captain 
 began to feel anxious and troubled, and the 
 judge became despondent once more. 
 
 "I shall never see him again; I drove
 
 THE TELEGRAPH. 345 
 
 him from home; he is gone he is gone! 
 we are never to meet in this world. I 
 know it; I feel it!" 
 
 These words were said with a deep 
 conviction of their truth, and in a voice of 
 desponding sadness.
 
 346 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. 
 
 IT now becomes necessary to take the 
 back trail for a short time, but it shall 
 be done on the jump, and we shall 
 return with as little delay as possible. 
 
 When we last referred to Lew Fenwick 
 and Adualina, it will be remembered that 
 it was to record the fall of the latter from 
 a wire, by which she broke her arm, and 
 brought to naught, for the time, their 
 scheme of flight. 
 
 The fracture proved worse than was sus 
 pected, and the surgeon who took her in 
 charge declared there was no possibility of 
 her appearing again this year. At this time 
 the summer was over, and the ordinary 
 show season closed with the setting in of 
 cold weather; but Girton, who was really 
 the acting head of the concern, had about 
 made up his mind, to keep it on the road,
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. 347 
 
 by going still farther south, and probably 
 into Central and South America. 
 
 The accident to Adualina, united with 
 the loss of the eldest Rollo boy, and the 
 death of the best trained horse in his 
 possession, caused him to change his mind. 
 He decided to disband in the month of 
 October, making a contract with all of his 
 performers to assemble in St. Louis on the 
 first of the succeeding April, when they 
 would take the road again . This was done 
 all the cumbrous material of the show being 
 carefully stowed away, the horses and ani 
 mals put into winter quarters and the gor 
 geous pageantry vanished from view for the 
 time, the actors separating to their homes in 
 widely different parts of the country. 
 
 Girton invited Lew to spend the winter 
 with him in Western Pennsylvania, but 
 he declined, for the reason that it seemed 
 wrong to accept the hospitality of his friend 
 when he had laid his plans and formed 
 his resolution to do a thing which the 
 man would doubtless accept in the light 
 of a personal injury.
 
 348 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 So the boy declined, as we have said, 
 and did the most sensible thing in the world. 
 Acting upon the advice of Captain Rey 
 nolds, he went to St. Louis, and entered 
 one of the best schools of the city, studying 
 with might and main, and doing the ut 
 most to improve as much mentally as 
 he had done physically. 
 
 Another powerful cause operated to 
 lead him to locate in the Mound City. 
 It was there the "matron/* as she was 
 called, lived, and she took Adualina home 
 with her, to nurse her through the winter. 
 
 "It won t take her till spring to get 
 well/ thought Lew, "and about Christmas 
 I think we can manage things so as to have 
 a little excursion to Baldwinstown. " 
 
 Through fear of his motives being sus 
 pected he only called at the door, at long 
 intervals, to inquire concerning her. The 
 reply was always the same she was doing 
 well; but never was he invited within. 
 Once, when he asked to see her a few min 
 utes, he was met with the rebuff that it 
 was not considered best. The fact was,
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. o49 
 
 the matron had regarded him with suspicion 
 ever since that time the two walked away 
 for the night, and she quietly blocked up 
 the way to any repetition of what she 
 regarded as an escapade. 
 
 After receiving this reply, Lew feared 
 he had shown too great an interest, and 
 he remained away for nearly a month, 
 contenting himself with walking by the 
 house several times a day, and fancying 
 he saw her at the window. 
 
 As the winter progressed, and he recalled 
 that it was several weeks since he had 
 appeared at the door, it struck him that 
 Adualina had reason to believe he had lost 
 all regard for her. So he hastened to re 
 pair the error. 
 
 As usual, he was confronted by the 
 portly matron herself. 
 
 "Well, you re here again, I see," she 
 said. 
 
 "Yes; you must excuse me for staying 
 away so long, but I have been very busy 
 with my studies. How is Adualina to- 
 day?"
 
 350 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "I have no doubt she is well, but I 
 haven t seen her for ten days past." 
 
 "How is that?" asked the mystified lad. 
 
 "Her father came here nearly two weeks 
 ago and took her home." 
 
 Lew was dumfounded. 
 
 "They are going to join us here next 
 spring, I suppose?" 
 
 "Such is their intention." 
 
 "Where does Johnson live?" 
 
 "I have really forgotten the name of 
 the place," replied the matron, as she bade 
 him good-day and closed the door. 
 
 This was astounding information to Lew 
 who had no thought of such a trick, and 
 he reproved himself because he had not 
 kept a close watch on the house, so as to 
 detect any such scheme. 
 
 "Adualina must have concluded that I 
 didn t care about her," he murmured, as 
 he walked away. "It may be she hasn t 
 gone at all, and the matron is only trying 
 to mislead me." 
 
 Actuated by this suspicion, Lew took 
 several days to assure himself of the truth.
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. 351 
 
 He found out at last, from a servant 
 whom he could trust, that the senorita was 
 really gone, although he had no more idea 
 of the direction taken than the man in the 
 moon. 
 
 It thus became a serious question with 
 the lad, whether he should continue the 
 search for her, or whether he should wait 
 until the following spring and summer, 
 when he could count with certainty upon 
 meeting her in the circus. After consider 
 able deliberation over the matter he de 
 cided to wait. Captain Reynolds com 
 mended his course so warmly in improving 
 his time by attending school, during the 
 winter months, that he was afraid of dis 
 pleasing him by thus flying off in a tangent. 
 
 It will be understood how it was that Lew 
 never hinted a word about Adualina, or 
 the project he had in mind regarding her. 
 It was one of those things which he shrank 
 from telling any one. Any boy of his 
 age would have taken the same course. 
 
 The winter was fully improved by our 
 hero. Besides his studies, he acted upon
 
 352 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 the advice of Girton to practice a goodly 
 portion of each day in the gymnasium; 
 and as the spring approached, he devoted 
 more time to the exercises. 
 
 His improvement was remarkable. He 
 was growing fast, did not use tobacco in 
 any form, and never touched spirituous 
 liquors. His natural gifts, as we showed 
 long ago, were exceptional, and as he used 
 them to the utmost, it was impossible that 
 he should not improve. His skill was 
 such that there was scarcely a day, when 
 he entered the gymnasium, that numbers 
 of spectators did not gather to admire 
 his performance. During all this time, 
 he never let any one know he was attached 
 to a circus. 
 
 To no one does time pass so rapidly as 
 to him who keeps himself employed, and 
 the " gentle spring-time" was not long 
 in coming to Lew Fen wick. A couple of 
 weeks before the date fixed for the general 
 rendezvous in St. Louis, Girton, the di 
 rector appeared on the ground, and one day 
 walked into the gymnasium where Lew
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. 353 
 
 was practicing, without the latter sus 
 pecting his presence. 
 
 His friend met him at the close of the 
 " performance," and expressed his de 
 light over the advancement he had made, 
 and intimated that if business continued 
 good he might look for quite an increase 
 in pay. 
 
 Without dwelling upon this portion of 
 our narrative, we may say that the ren 
 dezvous as agreed upon took place, and 
 most of all the old faces reappeared there 
 being a few changes, since some had made 
 other engagements, two were dead, and it 
 was necessary to fill their places. Among 
 them was the second Rollo boy, who had 
 been carried away by small-pox, in New 
 York, so that Lew found that he and 
 Little Tom were left to manage their 
 part of the programme for themselves. 
 
 There was great curiosity on the part 
 of all to see Senorita Adualina, who was 
 immensely popular with them. She looked 
 rosier than ever, having entirely recovered 
 from her injury, and, as Lew found out,
 
 354 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 had been located for most of the season 
 at a village only a few miles away. 
 
 The circus and menagerie performed 
 and exhibited in the Mound City for a 
 couple of weeks, and then, as it was still 
 early in the season, they started on a tour 
 further south, the purpose being to pen 
 etrate well through Texas toward Mexico, 
 and then return, Girton having given up 
 for the present his plan of a Mexican and 
 South American tour. The field over which 
 he would wish to travel was much disturbed 
 and the accounts he read of a circus com 
 pany being cleaned out by a band of rev 
 olutionists in Mexico, convinced him that 
 that climate was not as healthful as he 
 desired. He knew, too, that he was likely 
 to encounter all the lawless characters 
 he could wish to meet, without going out 
 side of the limits of our glorious Union. 
 
 The first thought of Lew Fenwick, upon 
 rejoining the establishment, was to open 
 communication with Adualina, and to ar 
 range their flight. 
 
 There was no cause for delay, except
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. 355 
 
 so far as they were forced by circumstances. 
 They were nearly a year older than when 
 they first met, both were in the best pos 
 sible health, and Lew had abundant means 
 with which to pay all expenses they were 
 likely to encounter. Besides this, he 
 carried a Smith & Wesson s for any sud 
 den "emergency" that might overtake, 
 them. 
 
 The lad was well aware that after taking 
 their departure in the manner contem 
 plated, it would never do to get in the way 
 of the circus again. Henceforth it would be 
 advisable to give it a wide berth. 
 
 His plan was to take Adualina to the 
 old ladies in Baldwinstown, and then to go 
 to Birmingham and make a secret visit 
 to Captain Reynolds, who would decide 
 his future career. 
 
 The close surveillance over the girl 
 prevented all communication for a long 
 time, except in the way of salutation as 
 they encountered in the presence of others; 
 but one day, when in Western Missouri, 
 the lad managed to meet her, at the after-
 
 356 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 noon performance, so as to warrant the 
 risk of a few words. 
 
 "Are you ready?" he asked, in a hurried 
 undertone, looking in an opposite di 
 rection while he spoke, so as to divert 
 the suspicions of any one who might ob 
 serve them. 
 
 "I am ready any time," she answered. 
 
 "Do you think any of them suspect?" 
 
 "I am sure they don t." 
 
 "Nothing has been said?" 
 
 "Not a word." 
 
 "How soon after an evening s perfor 
 mance can you start?" 
 
 "Five seconds." 
 
 "That s the kind of talk!" 
 
 "Can t we start to-night?" 
 
 "I don t like this place; there are too 
 many railroads. Wait a few days, till 
 we get into a wilder country." 
 
 "Very well." 
 
 And they sauntered in opposite di 
 rections, without any one else suspecting 
 there had been anything in their brief 
 interview.
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. 357 
 
 And yet, despite the understanding that 
 existed, fate seemed to interpose so that 
 the opportunity for which they sighed 
 never came to them for weeks and weeks. 
 The circus went through Arkansas, Louis 
 iana and Texas, and back again over nearly 
 the same route, without the attempt at 
 flight being made. 
 
 While in Texas, the company became 
 involved in a fight with a band of des 
 peradoes, who came down with the avowed 
 purpose of cleaning out the whole estab 
 lishment. Meeting with resistance, they 
 went at it with pistols and bowie-knives, 
 and the scene for a time was frightful; 
 but Girton had his men drilled for such 
 business, and they rallied as before to the 
 war cry of "Hey, Rube!" and repulsed 
 their assailants with severe hurts on both 
 sides. 
 
 Limber Lew attempted to take advan 
 tage of this confusion, and to get away with 
 Adualina; but he lost sight of her in the 
 excitement, and did not see her until the 
 next morning.
 
 358 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 After they had re-entered Arkansas, he 
 gained an opportunity for a few stealthy 
 words. 
 
 "It won t do to wait any longer," he 
 said. 
 
 "Then why do you wait?" 
 
 "I have a fear that Johnson suspects 
 what we mean to do." 
 
 "I am sure he doesn t." 
 "To-morrow night we perform in Tecum- 
 seh. You remember it? It s a place 
 with only two or three thousand inhab 
 itants. 
 
 "I know all about it." 
 
 "Well, we ll make a start to-morrow 
 night, after we are through. We have 
 quite a distance to walk over the commons 
 to reach the town a good deal as it was 
 at Baldwinstown. I will follow your party, 
 and when I m ready, will whistle. You 
 must then slip away from the matron, 
 and follow the whistle. It won t do to 
 speak or call, for others will hear us. I 
 will signal only by whistling, and if neces 
 sary, you can answer in the same way."
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. 359 
 
 "But I don t know how to whistle. 
 I ll practice between now and then, and 
 maybe can learn to do it." 
 
 "Sh! Go on; we re watched!" 
 
 The two sauntered past each other in 
 the same careless manner; but Lew was 
 much disturbed by the sight of Johnson, 
 the driver, who stood some distance away 
 among the audience, with his arms folded 
 his hat drawn over his eyes, but evidently 
 watching him. He did not stir from his 
 position even after the two young 
 friends passed beyond hearing of each 
 other. 
 
 He s the one I m afraid of more than all 
 the rest together. I think if Girton should 
 catch me, I could explain the whole thing, 
 so as to satisfy him; but I don t want to run 
 against that fellow. I wonder whether 
 he suspects the truth? I guess not; 
 but is only afraid I am getting a little too 
 attentive to his daughter, and thinks it 
 isn t disagreeable to her." 
 
 Although somewhat ill at ease, Lew 
 was none the less determined that the
 
 360 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 attempt at flight should be postponed no 
 later than the tune fixed upon. 
 
 He carefully avoided meeting the girl 
 again that evening, and kept out of her 
 way at the afternoon performance in 
 Tecumseh next day. During the leisure 
 time he could gain, he made himself ac 
 quainted, so far as possible, with the town 
 and the surrounding country. 
 
 A railway ran through the place, the 
 travel, however, being so light that there 
 was only one rickety train each way 
 a day. 
 
 He concluded it would never do to 
 use the railway until he could reach 
 some distant point, and until he had 
 thrown Johnson and all others off the 
 scent. 
 
 As a matter of course, there were sev 
 eral highways leading to and from the 
 town, and he fixed upon the one that 
 seemed the most feasible. It led nearly 
 due north, into a rather wild and broken 
 country, and necessitated a long journey 
 by foot before reaching a point where
 
 THE HOUR AT HAND. 361 
 
 the railway could be taken advan 
 tage of. 
 
 The preliminaries were all arranged, 
 and the hour was at hand.
 
 362 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 
 
 FOR once, everything seemed favorable. 
 Lew Fenwick finished his part of 
 the performance, after being com 
 pelled to answer an encore. He then 
 leisurely donned his citizen s suit and 
 awaited the close of the entertainment. 
 
 Adualina was called out three times, 
 although on the last occasion she only 
 bowed her acknowledgments. Their eyes 
 never once encountered during the evening, 
 each taking pains to avoid it, through fear 
 of giving the least ground for suspicion. 
 
 The lad kept a sharp watch for Johnson, 
 but he was not seen after the opening, 
 and he concluded that he was kept out 
 side by some of his duties; and since his 
 hardest work began immediately after the 
 close, it seemed there was little to be feared 
 from him. 
 
 A few minutes after, the people began
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 363 
 
 moving out from beneath the canvas, 
 and the actors did the same from the tent 
 appropriated to them. Everything went 
 on in a manner precisely as it had scores 
 of times before. 
 
 Lew saw Adualina and the other ladies 
 start off " under the wing," as it may be 
 said, of the matron; and as soon as he was 
 sure of being in the dark, he changed his 
 course, so as to take himself as close as 
 was prudent to the females, although for 
 that matter, both parties, aiming for the 
 same point, were quite near together. 
 
 The " commons, " or vacant lot on which 
 the circus tents were erected, covered an 
 area of several acres, and it was necessary 
 to walk a hundred yards or so, before 
 entering the town itself. 
 
 This space was now covered with the 
 straggling multitude, on their way home 
 ward, so that the danger of the boy and 
 girl becoming lost from each other was 
 far greater than if there was no one besides 
 themselves. 
 
 They had gone scarcely a hundred feet,
 
 364 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 when Lew gave the signal agreed upon 
 a low, tremulous whistle repeating it 
 several times. There was no moon, but 
 it was a bright, starlight evening, and he 
 saw figures moving all about him, while 
 he stood still and peered as well as he 
 could into the gloom. 
 
 Suddenly some one touched his arm, 
 and he turned his head. 
 
 "It is I," whispered a familiar voice, 
 and he recognized the form, dark as it 
 was. "Don t wait a minute." 
 
 "Take my arm and hang fast to me." 
 
 "You may be sure I will," she said, as 
 she nervously obeyed. 
 
 "Suppose he does overtake us?" asked 
 Adualina, with a shudder, "and he catches 
 me again oh, I do believe he will kill 
 me!" 
 
 "He isn t going to catch you," was the 
 determined reply of the lad. "If he lays 
 hands on you, I ll warn him; and if he 
 doesn t let go, I ll give him every barrel 
 of my revolver, and then I guess he ll 
 mind."
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 365 
 
 Yes ; but I hope it will never come to 
 that." 
 
 Now that they were together, the moving 
 multitude about them was of great benefit. 
 They became part and parcel of it, losing 
 their identity at once, so that a person in 
 striving to single out the two, would have 
 been forced to hold the light up to the face of 
 every couple resembling them in appearance. 
 
 The lad had fixed the bearings so well 
 in his mind that he made no mistake, 
 but worked his way steadily through the 
 outskirts of the town, until he struck the 
 right road. 
 
 "Are you sure you re right?" asked 
 Adualina as soon as she dared talk. 
 
 "No doubt of it," he answered. "I 
 managed to visit here, just as it was getting 
 dark, and hid a small valise." 
 
 As he spoke, he left her side for a moment, 
 and ran to the fence. 
 
 Yes, here it is!" he called out, as he 
 hurried back. "Did you get any chance 
 to bring anything with you besides that 
 which you have on?"
 
 366 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Yes, I brought a bundle which the 
 matron supposed was my other suit, so 
 I m quite well provided for. Have you 
 any idea where we are going over this 
 road?" 
 
 "I made what inquiries I could in town 
 to-day, and found we had to travel about 
 ten miles before we could reach a small 
 village. We can make that in two or 
 three hours, and not half try." 
 
 "Do you mean to walk all night?" 
 
 " Don t you think it best? It will be 
 safer to put twenty or thirtj" miles be 
 tween us and Tecumseh, and then, find 
 some place where we can wait until the 
 excitement is over, and they have con 
 cluded we are hundreds of miles away, 
 instead of being in the neighborhood. 
 Have you thought of any other plan?" 
 
 "I haven t thought of any plan at all. 
 My whole anxiety was to get away, and 
 to reach grandmother Ruth and Tabitha s 
 Just how we are to do that never once 
 entered my mind." 
 
 "You are not too tired, are you?"
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 367 
 
 "I am too used to being on my feet," 
 she answered, with a laugh. "Go on; 
 you will grow weary as soon as I." 
 
 She had dropped his arm, so that both 
 might have more freedom of movement; 
 and they walked, side by side, over an 
 ordinary country road, with fences, broken 
 woodland and forest, occasionally un 
 dulating, but never very difficult of travel. 
 
 Shortly after entering on the highway, 
 they passed several stragglers. These were 
 avant couriers of quite a number of others 
 who were coming in the rear, all of them 
 having walked many miles to see the 
 circus, and they were now on their re 
 turn. 
 
 The activity and superior gait of the 
 young couple placed them far in advance 
 of all these, so that they had the highway 
 as much to themselves as if they were 
 twenty miles "from anywhere." 
 
 Had they been less eager to get for 
 ward, they might have felt more timid 
 about venturing over a strange road, in 
 a wild country, at midnight. As it was,
 
 368 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Adualina shuddered more than once when 
 she looked up and saw the great world 
 of darkness by which they were enveloped, 
 and the ever-expanding gloom into which 
 they were forcing their way. 
 
 With a view of infusing courage into her 
 heart, Lew reminded her that he carried 
 a Smith & Wesson, fully charged. There 
 upon she became alarmed, lest it should 
 go off in his pocket and kill him. 
 
 He then offered to hold it "outside" 
 in his hand; but she could not consent 
 to that, for it would surely go off every 
 chamber and perforate them both. So 
 they concluded to do nothing about it. 
 
 A half-mile beyond Tecumseh, they saw 
 the starlike twinkle of a light from some 
 window a considerable distance from the 
 road, and as they came opposite, a dog 
 bayed at them. Judging from his voice, he 
 must have been the size of a hippopotamus. 
 
 The canine kept up his baying until 
 they were beyond sight of the twinkling 
 light, and they ceased to think or talk 
 about him.
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 369 
 
 A mile or so further, they went past 
 another house, where no light was visible; 
 consequently, they did not see it until 
 they were so close that they were startled, 
 and hurried by, speaking only in whispers. 
 Not the slightest sound or movement, 
 however, gave evidence of any animal 
 life in or about it. 
 
 A short way beyond, they entered a long 
 stretch of woods, where Lew himself felt 
 a little "shaky;" but he took good care not 
 to let his companion know it. 
 
 He got her to tell him about the long 
 time she was kept in the house in St. Louis, 
 under the charge of the matron and dis 
 abled by her broken arm; while he, in 
 return, related how often he had called 
 and striven to see her how he was always 
 rebuffed, and how astonished he was when 
 told she had been removed to her home, 
 and he had no means of learning where it 
 was. 
 
 To those who were accustomed to the 
 most active kind of exercise, the simple 
 act of walking produced no sensible fatigue.
 
 370 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Their eagerness to get beyond the reach of 
 Johnson, and to attain a haven of safety 
 for the girl, caused them to keep up a 
 rapid pace for a long time. 
 
 When they were some six or eight miles 
 beyond Tecumseh, and were relieved from 
 any fear of pursuit, they slackened their 
 gait, and had any one encountered them 
 at this time, he probably would have 
 taken them for a couple of young friends 
 on a walk in the stargleam. 
 
 "What is your plan for getting away?" 
 asked Adualina, as they emerged from the 
 long stretch of woods into the open country 
 again. 
 
 "Well, you know I ve had plenty of 
 time to think over this business, and you 
 may be sure I ve done plenty of it. It 
 looks to me as if our greatest danger will 
 be within the next three or four days, 
 and the first thing we must do, therefore, 
 is to find a hiding-place for that time." 
 
 "How do you expect to do that?" 
 
 "We are on the main road now, and so 
 long as we keep to it, we must manage
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 371 
 
 not to let anybody notice us. As soon as 
 morning comes we will turn off into some 
 by-road, and follow that till we strike a 
 house or cabin, where we will apply for 
 hospitality, and stay several days until it 
 looks safe to venture out." 
 
 "To where?" 
 
 "The railroad station; and then we ll 
 make direct to Baldwinstown as fast as 
 steam can carry us. When that place 
 is reached I shall leave you and go home. " 
 
 "And never come near me again?" she 
 asked, in low tones. 
 
 "After leaving you there," said Lew, 
 in a voice of deep emotion, "I shall write 
 to you every day, provided you answer 
 my letters, and I shall come and see you 
 just as often as I can that is, if you 
 want me to do so." 
 
 "If I want you!" she repeated, re 
 provingly. "I would die if you should 
 ever forget me." 
 
 "If you don t die before that time, you ll 
 live to be the oldest woman ever born. 
 No, Adualina, I would have done all and
 
 372 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 risked all to get you away from Johnson 
 for your own sake ; but I shouldn t have had 
 half the heart to do it if I hadn t felt cer 
 tain that you thought more of me than any 
 one else." 
 
 " So I do ; I think more of you than I ever 
 can of any one else." 
 
 "And that s the way I feel toward you." 
 
 There was no weak sentimentality here. 
 They were too young and sensible they 
 were too much in earnest in the great work 
 they had undertaken to become insipid. 
 Lew, as he looked forward to his own 
 future, saw it intermingled with that of 
 the beautiful, unfortunate girl beside him, 
 and for that future he was content to 
 wait. The present was now with him, 
 and it brought its battle, which must be 
 fought to the end. 
 
 "I wonder how soon they will find we 
 are gone?" said Adualina, as they con 
 tinued speculating over the all-important 
 step they had taken. 
 
 "They must have found it out long ago, " 
 replied Lew, with a laugh; "and hasn t it
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 373 
 
 kicked up a rumpus? I suppose the town 
 is turned upside down just now. You see 
 they have all gone tramping homeward, 
 and haven t noticed anything amiss until 
 they reached the hotel. Then the matron 
 has begun to inquire for you, and then 
 all the females have inquired, and then 
 they have begun to ask others and to look 
 around. Then she has gone to Girton, 
 and he hasn t thought much of it. And 
 that is the only thing that troubles me. 
 He has been such a good friend to me all 
 along that I hate to do anything that looks 
 mean; but I ll explain it all to him some 
 day, and he will say I did right." 
 
 "The matron will be scared, of course, 
 she always is; but Girton won t think 
 anything until he finds I am missing. Then 
 he ll be suspicious, and he ll take a hand in 
 the business, and he ll begin to ask questions 
 and to look around. He has about fairly 
 gotten into it by this time. He will think 
 there is a chance of our coming in before 
 morning, but for all that he will keep at 
 work. It will take an hour or two before
 
 374 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Johnson hears of it, and it may be he won t 
 get the news till morning; but when he does 
 learn that you and I have gone off together 
 well, there! won t there be the biggest 
 kind of a circus?" 
 
 "Heigho! here we are!" 
 
 This exclamation was caused by the dis 
 covery that they had reached the village 
 of which Lew had made mention. It 
 could not be far from morning, and the 
 two were anxious to get through it and 
 beyond, without attracting the notice of 
 any one. 
 
 Doubtless, there would be inquiry made 
 at this place before the close of the dawn 
 ing day, and if the testimony should be 
 unanimous that no parties answering their 
 description had been seen by any one, it 
 would do much toward persuading their 
 pursuers that they were on the wrong 
 track. 
 
 There was but the single street and a 
 row of some twenty-odd houses on each 
 side. Near the centre stood the tavern, 
 with the old tumble-down porch in front,
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 375 
 
 and the creaking sign, with the phthisicky 
 pump and twisted water-trough near. 
 Everything was as silent as the tomb, 
 but they saw the figure of a man stretched 
 out on the porch, snoring terrifically. 
 He was doubtless some bar-room lounger, 
 that had been left there by the landlord, 
 and who, owing to the mildness of the 
 night, experienced no discomfort because 
 of the free ventilation of his bed-chamber. 
 
 Lew and Adualina walked by, as it may 
 be said, on tiptoe, not even whispering to 
 each other. In three different houses they 
 saw lights burning; but in every case they 
 were in the upper stories, so that the two 
 were hopeful of getting through unobserved. 
 
 And they did. They went so silently 
 and phantom-like that not even the bark 
 of a dog proclaimed their passage. 
 
 " That s a big point gained!" exclaimed 
 the lad. when they were safely beyond 
 the last house. "It will do a good deal 
 toward stopping anybody coming beyond 
 the village after us. If any one had noticed 
 us and should tell the folks about it, it
 
 376 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 would bring them close to our heels a 
 good deal closer than I want them to come. " 
 "You feel sure they will follow us?" 
 " There can t be any doubt of it. I 
 don t think I left any trace that will guide 
 them in the way we have gone. When 
 ever I made inquiries about this place, 
 I did it so that neither Johnson nor Girton 
 will hear of it, while I took pains to ask 
 about one or two roads leading in other 
 directions, in such a way that my inquiries 
 will be sure to reach their ears. 
 
 "Maybe they will think you did it on 
 purpose to mislead them?" said his com 
 panion. 
 
 "I don t believe they consider me smart 
 enough for that; but even if they do, it 
 isn t going to help them to find out the real 
 route we have taken." 
 
 "Who do you believe will hunt for us?" 
 "If I were alone, there would be no hunt 
 at all, because I can go of course where I 
 choose; but, you know, you re a big card 
 with the show, and are advertised weeks 
 ahead, so that Girton won t let you go, if
 
 CROSSING THE RUBICON. 377 
 
 there s any way to hinder it. He can t 
 afford to leave the circus, or to let it wait, 
 for you know, the programme is made 
 out ahead; but he will give Johnson two 
 or three of his best men, furnish them with 
 money, and tell them to keep at it till they 
 bring you back. Johnson don t need any 
 such orders. He has made his living for 
 years out of you, and he don t mean to let 
 you go. The trouble is that, under heaven, 
 we must depend entirely on our own ex 
 ertions. The law is on his side and against 
 us. If he nabs us on a train of cars, in the 
 street, or at a hotel, where he can call the 
 police, it will be all up with us. What 
 makes you keep looking behind, Adualina? " 
 
 " Do you know, " she whispered, shrinking 
 close to him, "somebody is following us?" 
 
 Lew turned his head, and sure enough he 
 saw the figure of a man in the middle of the 
 road, less than a hundred feet in the rear. 
 
 "He has been following us ever since we 
 left the village," added the girl. 
 
 "Well, then, let us wait and see what he 
 wants."
 
 378 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. 
 
 TO tell the truth, Limber Lew was glad 
 to see the stranger approaching them 
 over the lonely road on this dark 
 night; for with the loaded revolver in his 
 possession, he felt secure against any harm, 
 and he thought it would be a good occa 
 sion to show Adualina how he would act 
 in the presence of danger. 
 
 As the man walked slowly toward them, 
 he looked as if he was a tramp a member 
 of that vast army of nuisances that are 
 constantly plodding over our country from 
 one end to the other, as if the Union were 
 a tread-mill which was never to be allowed 
 to rest. He was one of those lusty, strap 
 ping fellows, that are seen crawling out of 
 hay-mows in the early morning, filthy 
 and ragged; who camp in the woods and 
 live upon farmers corn and chickens; 
 who prefer to be kicked, abused and
 
 THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. 379 
 
 starved, rather than work; who beg and 
 steal by turns, and who, when the chances 
 seem favorable, are ready to proceed to 
 greater violence who swarm into the 
 cities during the winter season, and seem 
 to fraternize like Free Masons, and who 
 appear and reappear as regularly as the 
 months come and go, plodding and tramp 
 ing on their eternal beat. 
 
 Lew drew a little to one side of the road, 
 his companion standing somewhat in the 
 rear, so as to give the fellow all the room 
 he could possibly ask. He continued at 
 the same deliberate pace, both his hands 
 thrust in his trowsers pockets, and no doubt, 
 as he surveyed the stature of the two, con 
 cluded that he had one of the " softest 
 snaps" imaginable on hand. 
 
 He did not speak until he came directly 
 opposite, when he paused, wheeled about, 
 and in a husky voice exclaimed: 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "Well, what is it?" asked the lad in 
 turn, holding his revolver at his side ready 
 for business.
 
 380 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Have you ever seen me before?" 
 
 "Don t think I have." 
 
 "Well, take a good look." 
 
 "I ve seen all I want, and you had 
 better move on." 
 
 "Oho! young man, you needn t put on 
 airs with me. I ve been a-watching you 
 two: I ve been follerin you " 
 
 "And you have caught up, and what 
 are you a-going to do about it?" 
 
 "I know you are a couple of thieves, 
 that s just broke out of jail, and I m the 
 chief of perlice that s been sent to take 
 you back." 
 
 "You re a fine looking chief of police," 
 said Limber Lew. "You must get a large 
 salary to support such a gorgeous uniform. 
 What is that we have stolen and that you 
 want to take back?" 
 
 "I m going to search you and find out. 
 I can then tell better." 
 
 "Why don t you stop talking and do 
 something?" 
 
 Goaded thus, the tramp muttered some 
 thing and withdrawing his hands from
 
 THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. 381 
 
 his pockets, strode toward the defiant 
 lad. Adualina gave a faint scream and 
 shrank back, but Lew never stirred. Be 
 fore his assailant could approach nigh 
 enough to strike, he raised his arm to the 
 horizontal position, and pointed his re 
 volver straight at his ugly face. 
 
 "If you come any nigher, old chap, you 
 will run against that." 
 
 There was enough light to see the gleam 
 of the pistol, and the vagrant took in the 
 situation at a glance. He halted abruptly, 
 and commanded : 
 
 "Put down that bull-dog." 
 
 "I will, after it bites." 
 
 With a malediction, the villain turned 
 and tramped on up the road in the direction 
 they were pursuing. They stood still with 
 out speaking, and waited until he was a 
 goodly distance away, when the boy re 
 placed the weapon in his pocket, and 
 the two walked on slowly after him. 
 
 "It was rather handy to have that little 
 bull-dog, as he calls it, wasn t it?" asked 
 Lew, with an assumption of carelessness.
 
 382 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Oh, dear! I was so frightened/ gasped 
 the girl. "My heart beats like every 
 thing. What did the man mean?" 
 
 "He meant to rob us, that was all." 
 
 "I should think that was enough. He 
 talked as if he wanted to hurt you." 
 
 "That was because I was saucy to him. 
 If I had submitted without a word, I don t 
 know that he would have done more than 
 take everything he might want. Wouldn t 
 we have been in a pretty situation without 
 a cent of money, to travel hundreds of 
 miles?" 
 
 " What do you suppose he means to do?" 
 
 "Nothing; he won t disturb us any more. 
 He is a tramp, and will keep on going ahead ; 
 so he isn t likely to tell Johnson any news. " 
 
 Day was dawning, and it was growing 
 light so rapidly that the two began to 
 think it was time they found some resting- 
 place. As they had both done their reg 
 ular work in the earlier part of the night, 
 and had been on their feet ever since, 
 they began to feel the inevitable conse 
 quences. They were faint and tired, and
 
 THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. 383 
 
 Lew found himself looking in advance with 
 the hope of seeing some suitable stopping- 
 house. 
 
 They were journeying through a sort of 
 undergrowth. A large tract of woods had 
 been cut off years before, and was now 
 grown up thickly on both sides of the road, 
 which wound in and out so that their view, 
 front and rear, was never extensive. 
 
 As yet they had met not a single wagon, 
 and with the exception of the tramp, had 
 seen no person after passing the village. 
 Short as was the distance traveled, they 
 were evidently in a poverty-stricken part 
 of the country. 
 
 "Hello ! here is a by-road, that must lead 
 to somewhere," exclaimed the lad, when 
 they came up to a wagon-path that turned 
 to the left, and being without a fence on 
 either side, was apparently little used. 
 
 "Do you think it best to take it?" asked 
 Adualina, with some misgiving. 
 
 "Just the thing! Be careful not to walk 
 in the middle of the road, so as to show 
 which way we have gone. Nobody will
 
 384 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 think of following us here, and I guess we 
 won t have to go far before we strike some 
 thing." 
 
 "Well, you re the director of this mena 
 gerie, replied the girl, with an attempt at 
 pleasantry. "Go on, and I will follow you. 
 The turn was made, and it was necessary 
 to proceed only a short distance when the 
 sinuous character of the route shut them 
 entirely from all view of the main road 
 just left. The indications were that they 
 were following a path over which no wagon 
 had passed for some time, but which had 
 been tramped by human feet at no remote 
 date. 
 
 They were not disappointed in their 
 wishes. At the distance of about a furlong, 
 they came upon a small clearing, in the 
 middle of which stood a log cabin, but with 
 no signs of life about it- 
 It was small and dilapidated, made of 
 rough slabs, with a stone chimmey, from 
 which issued a thin, bluish column of smoke, 
 proving that it was not without an occu 
 pant. The clearing of an acre or more was
 
 THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. 385 
 
 bare of vegetation. Nor was there barn 
 or shed to show that the proprietor was the 
 owner of a horse, cow, pig, or any domestic 
 creature. 
 
 A more forlorn and desolate place it is 
 scarcely possible to imagine, and had not 
 Limber Lew been armed, he would have 
 hurried past with as much trepidation as if 
 certain it contained Johnson himself; but 
 he knew that Adualina was very much 
 fatigued, and so, without any perceptible 
 hesitation, he walked to the door and gave 
 a smart rap. 
 
 "Don t you see the latch-string is out?" 
 shouted some one within. 
 
 And looking up at the door, the lad no 
 ticed a small piece of a leather thong dangling 
 from a slight orifice. Giving this a gentle 
 jerk, the door swung inward of its own ac 
 cord, and he entered, followed by his com 
 panion. 
 
 A short, stumpy man, with immense 
 bushy whiskers, sat near the small stove, 
 sewing a button on a vest, while a tall, 
 masculine woman was occupied in frying
 
 386 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 some kind of meat. They both turned their 
 heads as the couple entered, and were mani 
 festly astonished at sight of their visitors. 
 
 " Good-morning I" said the boy. "We 
 have walked a long distance, and are tired 
 arid hungry. Will you let us stay with you 
 awhile? 
 
 "It s poor hospitality you will get here/ 
 replied the woman; "but, such as it is, you 
 are welcome to." 
 
 "Yes, you are welcome/ assented the 
 man. 
 
 "I am glad to hear you say so; but I will 
 pay you for all you do for us." 
 
 "Heavens on arth!" exclaimed the hor 
 rified host; "don t talk of pay. We don t 
 keep tavern, and if you go on in that style, 
 you wont be welcome." 
 
 The two took their seats on a rough-look 
 ing bench at the side of the room, sleepy and 
 tired, but not enough so to deprive them of 
 enjoying the smell of the cooking food. 
 
 Lew Fenwick was busy in thought, and 
 was sure they were fortunate in coming 
 upon this household. The man and wife
 
 THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. 387 
 
 (for there were no children visible) were 
 undoubtedly as poor as they could be. 
 The husband seemed one of those shiftless 
 fellows, who manage to eke out a living by 
 hunting game and bees, fishing, and oc 
 casionally doing odd chores for some of his 
 neighbors; but there appeared nothing 
 wrong about him, and the boy decided to 
 trust him. 
 
 "We belonged to the circus that showed 
 at Tecumseh last night, and they treated 
 this girl here so bad that we ran away, after 
 the performance ; and we want to stay sev 
 eral days with you, and I ll make it all 
 right with you when I go away." 
 
 "Was both of you actors?" asked the 
 man, ceasing his sewing, and gaping in 
 open-mouthed wonder, while his wife turned 
 around from the stove, and looked as if 
 callers were as great curiosities as a couple 
 of jungle tigers. 
 
 "Yes; we were both actors." 
 
 "Wai, by gracious!" fairly gasped the 
 native, "I never! Why, you can stay 
 here a year, ten years, a hundred years, if
 
 388 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 you want to! Peggy, hurry up with the 
 breakfast, and give em the best you ve 
 got, he added, as he laid aside his garment, 
 and stared admiringly at his visitors. 
 "And so you belonged to the circus, did 
 you? The last circus I seed was in Little 
 Rock, a right smart while ago, airlier in the 
 season. I happened to be up there for 
 Squire Hazel, and I went in. It was 
 glorious ! I seen the most beauteousf ul gal 
 I ever set my eyes on meaning no dis 
 respect to you, miss walk a wire about as 
 thick as a needle; and she rid them horses 
 just as if she was growed fast to em ! 
 She was the sweetest, purtiest " 
 
 "Don t go too hard, ; interrupted Lew, 
 with a laugh, "for this girl here is the one 
 you saw at that time." 
 
 Heavens on arth ! 
 
 The poor fellow turned pale, and looked 
 as if about to faint. His wife stood, 
 transfixed and speechless. 
 
 "Do you remember that boy who tossed 
 a little fellow upon his feet and 
 
 "Remember him? I should think I did!
 
 THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. 389 
 
 I ve dreamed about him over forty times 
 since. Didn t I hurry home and try to 
 perform with Peggy in the same style? and 
 didn t I come near breaking her neck? and 
 didn t she pay me by cracking my head with 
 the rolling-pin? I s pose, if you belonged 
 to the circus, you must have known that 
 chap?" 
 
 "I couldn t help knowing him, for I am 
 the boy." 
 
 " Heavens on arth ! the next thing will be 
 the blowing of Gabr el s horn!" 
 
 After breakfast, if you will allow each of 
 us to sleep awhile, I ll tell you all you want 
 to know about the circus." 
 
 This gentle hint recalled the host and 
 hostess to their duty, and shortly after, the 
 four gathered around the pine table, which 
 was innocent of cloth, but which contained 
 a substantial meal of pone, venison and 
 steaming coffee, with its complement of 
 milk and sugar the wonder of Lew being 
 where, in such a poverty-stricken place as 
 this, all these luxuries were obtained. 
 
 The wife of Jim Boker (as the man s
 
 390 LIMBER LEW, 
 
 name proved to be) had a natural talent in 
 the way of cooking, and the meal was more 
 enjoyed by our young friends than any they 
 had ever eaten. 
 
 Through the seeming rudeness and lack of 
 culture of the man and wife ran a vein of 
 sympathy that made their visitors thankful 
 again and again that their footsteps had 
 been turned thither. 
 
 The meal finished, a conversation follow 
 ed, when Adualina was conducted to the 
 upper chamber by Mrs. Boker, who told her 
 she might sleep a week, if she chose that 
 she was to reappear when she "got good 
 and ready, and not afore." 
 
 There was but the single room aloft, with 
 several coarse blankets, but eider down 
 itself could not have been more grateful and 
 delicious to the wearied Adualina, as she 
 threw herself upon them and almost im 
 mediately sank into a refreshing slumber. 
 
 The lower portion of the cabin was parti 
 tioned in a characteristic fashion. Across 
 one corner was drawn a curtain, and be 
 hind this was arranged the couch of Mr.
 
 THE ARKANSAS TRAVELERS. 391 
 
 BoKer s own ingenuity, and as the 
 weather was mild, the bedding was 
 scarce. 
 
 Before lying down, Lew explained the 
 situation to Jim, and impressed him with 
 the necessity of letting no one know that 
 he had any visitors with him. He had 
 some fear of pursuit, and hi case parties 
 came to the door, making inquiries, Jim 
 would know they were enemies, and 
 would not allow them to enter until 
 the guests were given a chance to take 
 to the woods. 
 
 "I d like to see yer take to the woods 
 when yer under my care!" was the reply of 
 their host. "Do you s pose anybody dare 
 come in yer, when the latch-string is pulled 
 in, or I tell em to stay out? Let em try, 
 if they wan o to find out. You see that ar 
 rifle standing thar in the corner?" he asked, 
 pointing at a long, formidable weapon. 
 " Wai, I reckon Jim Boker hain t hunted the 
 woods for twenty-five years without know 
 ing how to handle it. All I ve got to say 
 is go to sleep, dream sweetly, don t wake
 
 392 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 up till next week, and I ll be the angel 
 guarding your bed. Do yer see?" 
 
 Glad enough was the lad to accept this 
 invitation, which was as grateful to him as 
 to his fair companion in the spare room over 
 head. For over twelve hours they had been 
 on their feet, and there would have been 
 perfect contentment could they have felt 
 secure against disturbance from those who 
 there was no doubt were searching for them 
 that very minute. 
 
 "But Boker is not a coward," Lew re 
 flected, as sleep became stealing over him, 
 "and he will keep them out. If he wants 
 help, all he has to do is to wake me, and 
 I ll use the revolver on them." 
 
 The next minute he was unconscious.
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 393 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 WHEN Limber Lew awoke, he was be 
 wildered, and it was several min 
 utes before he comprehended where 
 he was. He found himself in a perspira 
 tion from the warmth of the room. 
 
 "It wasn t as dark as this when I lay 
 down," thought he, when he recalled the 
 situation. "It can t be that I ve slept all 
 day, and it s night again." 
 
 He softly drew the curtain aside and 
 peered out. He was convinced the next 
 minute of the truth of his suspicion. 
 
 The day, or at least the greater portion 
 of it had passed, while he lay unconscious 
 on his couch. He had indulged in a spell of 
 slumber such as he had never attempted 
 before during the day-time. 
 
 "I think I can go a week without any 
 more sleep," he concluded. "I wonder 
 where all the folks are?"
 
 394 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 The room was dark, excepting so far as it 
 was lit up by a sputtering tallow candle, 
 thrust into a bottle, standing on a shelf. 
 There was a "thief in the wick, and the 
 tallow had run down in gutters, and cooled 
 all over the bottle in fantastic shapes. 
 
 He was about to extend his explorations, 
 when he was checked by the sound of 
 voices, and looking keenly into the partly- 
 illuminated gloom, he saw that which had 
 escaped his eyes heretofore. 
 
 Jim Boker and his wife were sitting on the 
 bench, talking. 
 
 The lad was on the point of getting up and 
 insisting that they should take their rightful 
 couch, from which he supposed he was 
 keeping them, when he was startled by the 
 words of Jim, which in the confined space 
 he could not miss hearing. 
 
 "He s a regular high-toned chap, ain t 
 he? Seems to have plenty of money from 
 the way he talks. I guess, Peggy, I d 
 better wait." 
 
 "No; I want you to do it now. It wont 
 take but a minute, and it s all over."
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 395 
 
 "You re always wanting me to do things 
 I don t want to," he said, petulantly. 
 "Why don t you do it yourself?" 
 
 "It ain t my place that s why. I m a 
 woman. I tell you Jim, you ve got to do 
 it!" 
 
 " S pose he wakes up and says something?" 
 
 "But he won t." 
 
 "I should like to know how you know so 
 blamed much." 
 
 "Anybody with common sense would 
 understand that.. But, then, what s the 
 use of talking, when you never didn t have 
 no sense? 
 
 "Wai, I s posel must." 
 
 As he said this he rose to his feet, with the 
 air and manner of a man who had made up 
 his mind to do a desperate deed. At the 
 same moment, by the yellow, flickering 
 light of the candle, a huge knife was seen to 
 gleam in his right hand! 
 
 Who can imagine the feelings of Lew 
 Fenwick during these awful moments? 
 Before a dozen words had passed between 
 the modern Macbeth and his lady, he un-
 
 396 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 derstood his dreadful peril. They were 
 plotting to murder him for the small 
 amount of money he had ; they had doubt 
 less already made away with Adualina, or, 
 if not they could do so at their convenience. 
 He had awakened at the moment the foul 
 plot was coming to a head, but was it soon 
 enough to save himself? 
 
 He had merely lain down on the bed, 
 without removing any of his clothes, and he 
 now reached his hand to the rear pocket of 
 his trowsers, where he carried his revolver. 
 It was gone! 
 
 "They have disarmed me while I was 
 asleep, and now mean to murder me F was 
 the paralyzing thought that seethed through 
 his brain. 
 
 As the man rose, with the terrible knife 
 in his hand, the lad was literally unable to 
 stir or speak. He was held powerless, as 
 if crushed under the weight of some freezing 
 nightmare. 
 
 Boker advanced; he placed his foot upon 
 the couch, and Lew could only stare in mute 
 helpless terror, with the beads of cold
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 397 
 
 perspiration standing out all over his 
 body. 
 
 Suddenly that powerful right arm was 
 raised, with the glistening blade in it, and 
 reaching upward, he 
 
 Cut off a piece of vension that was sus 
 pended on a peg overhead, and then moved 
 lightly back to where his wife was awaiting 
 him. 
 
 "There!" she exclaimed, triumphantly; 
 "didn t I tell you he wouldn t wake? 
 You always was a shiftless, good-for-noth 
 ing ne er-do-well, that will never own up 
 that I know more than you do!" 
 
 "I wanted it for supper as bad as you; 
 but then we could wait awhile, and not run 
 the risk of waking the younker." 
 
 " Massy sakes alive! he s been snoring 
 all day, and I should think it was time he 
 woke to get his supper. The gal has been 
 up for hours, singin round the house like a 
 nightingale, and askin when he was goin to 
 wake. Ain t she a little beauty? When 
 you was off in the woods, hunting for bee 
 trees, and she was sartin sure nobody could
 
 398 LIMBEE LEW, 
 
 see her but me, she went through some of 
 her circus tricks, and I tell you they was 
 mirackulus. They beat anything I ever 
 heard tell on." 
 
 "Wai, I ll make things even by getting 
 the younker to perform for me. Mebbe he 
 can toss you up on his feet without breakin 
 your neck very bad Hello ! here he comes 
 now ! 
 
 So he did making his appearance with 
 a laugh and apology for sleeping so long. 
 He told them nothing about the awful spell 
 of terror that had held him enchained for a 
 few minutes. He felt ashamed to think of 
 it, and in getting out of bed he found his re 
 volver where it had worked out of his pocket. 
 
 He had learned too, that Peggy was the 
 "man" of the household, and that she was 
 by no means averse to receiving a moderate 
 recompense for her entertainment, and he 
 was sure not to forget when the time came 
 to leave. It was her wish to prepare supper 
 so as to have it ready against his waking, 
 and she now set about it, leaving him to talk 
 with her husband.
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 399 
 
 Adualina came in, shortly after, from a 
 ramble in the woods, and the group was as 
 happy a one as could possibly be. 
 
 Jim Boker had extended his hunt, during 
 the day, to the village, where, without 
 exciting suspicion, he managed to learn 
 that there had been a couple of men on 
 horseback, inquiring for a boy and girl 
 that had run away from the circus. They 
 gained no information, but continued on 
 the main road, and he believed would 
 return to Tecumseh before night. 
 
 The fugitives felt a natural fear of a visit 
 from them, but their Rip Van Winkle host 
 assured them there was no danger. No one 
 suspected their presence here, or had 
 noticed their coming in this direction, un 
 less it might be the tramp, who was beyond 
 reach of the pursuer. 
 
 The supper was thankfully eaten, and 
 then, as the hour was early, and no one was 
 in a sleepy mood, Lew and Adualina by 
 turns entertained their friends with a his 
 tory of their experience in show life. 
 
 Man and wife sat, with open mouth and
 
 400 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 staring eyes, taking it all in, with the ab 
 sorbing enjoyment of a couple of children 
 listening to some wonderful fairy or ghost 
 tale. Now and then they broke in with 
 a gasping exclamation, that encouraged the 
 lad occasionally to exaggerate a little more 
 than strict truth warranted. 
 
 It was not far from midnight when the 
 happy party separated until morning. Peg 
 gy shared the couch in the upper room with 
 Adualina, while Jim went into partnership 
 with Lew, and their slumber was undis 
 turbed by the visit of any one. 
 
 On the morrow, their host made another 
 trip to the village, and came back with the 
 gratifying information that the two horse 
 men had passed through again on their way 
 to Tecumseh, satisfied that the parties for 
 whom they were looking must have taken 
 another direction. 
 
 The companions remained in the cabin 
 several more days and nights, making 
 altogether the major part of a fortnight, 
 during which they managed to escape 
 observation. Very few people came that
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 401 
 
 way, and those that did were detected in 
 time for the guests to keep out of sight. 
 The lad often delighted Jim and Peggy with 
 exhibitions of his agility, which so "en 
 thused" the old fellow that he nearly dis 
 located his neck in his attempts to perform 
 some of the exploits. 
 
 Hours were spent in conjuring up the best 
 method of getting out of the neighborhood, 
 and at last the plan was matured. Lew 
 furnished the money with which Jim hired 
 a horse and carriage in the village for a 
 couple of days. Peggy and Adualina en 
 tered this, the latter with her face hidden by 
 a green veil, and her dress toned down 
 considerable, and they drove off in a north 
 ern direction, making for a railway station 
 twenty miles distant. 
 
 At this place, in accordance with a 
 prearranged plan, the girl bought a ticket 
 for St. Louis, and went forward in the train 
 alone, first bidding her friend an affection 
 ate good bye, and compelling her to accept 
 twice the remuneration she expected. The 
 start from the cabin was made in the night
 
 402 LIMBER LEW, 
 
 so that the station was reached early in the 
 day. 
 
 Peggy at once returned; the horse was 
 given rest and food; and at the same hour 
 of the succeeding night, Jim took the reins 
 in hand, and, accompanied by Limber Lew, 
 he went over precisely the same route, drop 
 ping him at the station in time to take the 
 cars just twenty-four hours behind his 
 companion, it being evident that by 
 traveling singly they were less liable 
 to molestation than if they went to 
 gether. 
 
 Lew shook hands over and over again 
 with Jim, and assured him he could never 
 forget his kindness, and forcing a handsome 
 amount of money into his hand, he waved 
 him good-by from the platform of the car. 
 As the train rounded a curve, the man 
 turned his face away, and the boy never 
 saw him again. 
 
 The agreement was that Lew and Adua- 
 lina should meet in St. Louis, and leave 
 there, in the night train, for Baldwinstown, 
 both satisfied that if that city could be
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 403 
 
 safely reached, there was very little to fear 
 beyond it. 
 
 She would know, by the time of her 
 own arrival in the Mound City, the exact 
 hour when he would be due there ; so that, 
 barring accidents, there was no cause for 
 delay. 
 
 The lad felt somewhat uneasy when he 
 found himself in the train, surrounded by 
 strangers.. Holding the situation he had 
 for the past six months, he was fearful of 
 being recognized, in which case he believed 
 there would be great danger, because not 
 very far from Tecumseh, and quite close to 
 the route of the circus, although in a few 
 hours he expected to diverge to the east 
 ward, when every minute would take them 
 further apart. 
 
 It occurred to him that he might escape 
 observation by taking a paper, shrinking 
 down in the corner of his seat, and holding 
 it up before his face, as much or a little 
 more than was natural, while he read it over 
 and over again. 
 
 Accordingly, as soon as he gained the
 
 404 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 chance, he bought a copy of the goodly- 
 sized St. Louis Republican, and began a 
 perusal of the northwest corner, with the 
 intention of going clean through it, ad 
 vertisements and all. 
 
 With this ambition, he kept up the thing 
 for over an hour, only checking himself to 
 pass his pasteboard up to the conductor and 
 get it punched, and to change cars, as they 
 debouched upon a more important and 
 more traveled railway. 
 
 He was thus occupied, when his eye 
 was arrested, as if by a flash of light, 
 ning, by the following, in conspicuous 
 type: 
 
 "IF THIS SHOULD MEET THE EYE OF 
 LEWIS FENWICK, he is requested to communicate 
 at once, by telegraph, with R. Reynolds, whose ad 
 dress he knows, and from whom he will receive an 
 important message." 
 
 "What can that mean?" gasped the boy 
 as the letters seemed to dance and swim 
 before his eyes. "What important news 
 can he have to tell me? It must be some 
 thing about father ! he added, overwhelmed
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 405 
 
 by the thought. "I am afraid he is dead 
 and I will never see him again." 
 
 There was enough doubt, however, to 
 prevent his breaking down, and as soon as 
 he could reason with clearness, he began to 
 inquire what means were at his command 
 for telegraphing to Captain Reynolds. 
 
 He learned from the conductor that a 
 halt of several minutes would be made at a 
 certain junction a short distance ahead 
 where he would have the opportunity 
 desired. 
 
 The half-hour that intervened gave his 
 thoughts time to crystallize, and hurry 
 ing, into the office, he wrote and sent the 
 following telegram to the captain: 
 
 "Have just seen your advertisement. Telegraph 
 me at Southern Hotel, St. Louis. 
 
 LEW." 
 
 It was now late in the afternoon, and he 
 was not due in St. Louis until far in the 
 evening. This arrangement, he believed, 
 would give the captain time to have the 
 telegram taken from Birmingham to his 
 house and to send his answer. It was a
 
 406 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 long distance for the message to travel 
 there and back, but the operator was im 
 pressed with its importance, and promised 
 it should go forward without delay. 
 
 The train was running fast, but double its 
 speed would have seemed slow to the im 
 patient youngster, who worked himself 
 into a fever through his speculations as to 
 what the nature of the captain s reply 
 would be. Every now and then he raised 
 the paper and read the advertisement, 
 until the words were burned into his brain. 
 He had ceased to think of the circus, and 
 he cared not whether he met the whole com 
 pany or not. 
 
 Somehow or other, when the dark shad 
 ow seemed to fall upon the threshold in his 
 far-away home, the love for his father welled 
 up in his heart with a power which at any 
 other time would have been impossible. 
 He was able to recall more than one kind 
 ness shown him, and he was sure there were 
 many, many occasions when he had been 
 impulsive, willful and disobedient. 
 
 "And to think of my running away and
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 407 
 
 joining the circus ! he added to himself, as 
 the act seemed to grow into the dimensions 
 of a crime. "Many boys that have started 
 in that way have brought up in a State 
 Prison, and the wonder is that something 
 dreadful hasn t happened to me. I do 
 hope father isn t dead!" 
 
 And covering his face so that no one 
 would notice him, he wept wept until the 
 fountain was exhausted, and he could weep 
 no more. 
 
 All this tune the train was rushing for 
 ward, and night was closing in. In the 
 abandon of his grief, Lew forgot the lapse of 
 time, and he was the most astonished 
 passenger on the train, when, some hours 
 later, its speed began slackening, and he 
 found they were gliding into the station 
 at St. Louis. 
 
 He walked only a short distance along the 
 platform, when he encountered the familiar 
 figure of Adualina, her face still hidden by 
 her veil. He smiled and offered her his 
 hand as they met, and they walked away 
 together, talking in low tones.
 
 408 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 " Has any one followed or watched you? " 
 he asked, looking about for suspicious 
 persons. 
 
 "There was a man in the cars whom I was 
 afraid of. He got off at the station, and 
 kept behind me for a long distance; but I 
 know St. Louis pretty well, and I led him 
 into some of the by-streets, and then I 
 started off on a gait that soon put me out 
 of his sight, in spite of all he could do, and I 
 haven t seen him since." 
 
 "Are you sure he isn t at the station?" 
 inquired Lew, disturbed by the news. 
 
 "No; I ve been on the look-out for him, 
 and I m sure he isn t anywhere near." 
 
 "I don t think there is much to be afraid 
 of; but I am anxious to get out of this city 
 as soon as I can." 
 
 "Where are you going now?" 
 
 "To the Southern Hotel. I expect to 
 find a telegram there for me." 
 
 He then explained, as she took his arm 
 and they walked briskly along the street 
 about the advertisement in the paper, the 
 reply he had sent, and his anxiety.
 
 THE ADVERTISEMENT. 409 
 
 Going to the telegraph office, he reached 
 it the very minute the message came from 
 Captain Reynolds the long distance, num 
 erous connections, and the location of the 
 captain s home far from the Birmingham 
 office, compelling a delay of some hours. 
 
 The dispatch merely informed the boy 
 that his father was quite ill, and was very 
 desirous of seeing him, closing with the 
 appeal to come at once. Infinitely relieved, 
 but still anxious, Lew Fenwick determined 
 to obey.
 
 410 LIMBER LEW, 
 
 H 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 HOME AGAIN. 
 
 EALTH is worth all the money in 
 the world, and a pure conscience is 
 worth more than both. Happy is 
 the man who has so lived that, as the years 
 weigh him down, there are no reminders 
 of "wild oats" sown in his earlier days; 
 infinitely happier still is he who lived so 
 that, when he hears the 
 
 "Summons come to join 
 
 The innumerable caravan that moves 
 
 To the pale realms of shade, where each shall take 
 
 His chamber in the silent halls of Death!" 
 
 he shall go with that "unfaltering trust" 
 which robs the grave of all its terrors. 
 Judge Fenwick had been blessed with the 
 respect and confidence of his fellow-men. 
 He had received political honors and tasted 
 of the sweets of fame ; he had drank the cup 
 which is always sure to leave bitter dregs 
 in the bottom ; and on this summer evening,
 
 HOME AGAIN. 411 
 
 as he sat, wan, woak and faint, before the 
 grate in his library, he was utterly miserable 
 and wretched, realizing, in its entirety, the 
 emptiness of earthly happiness. 
 
 As his body weakened, his mind seemed 
 to clarify, and he saw wherein he had made 
 sad errors. 
 
 "Captain Reynolds has been the truest of 
 friends/ he murmured, as he folded his 
 hands, closed his eyes and laid his head 
 back, in one of his mournful reveries of the 
 past. 
 
 "When others fawned and flattered, he 
 told me the truth, and I was angered at 
 him. He saw how the habit of strong 
 drink was growing upon me, and when no 
 one else spoke, he told me, and I was an 
 gered again. He saw what a blind tyrant I 
 was to my son (God knows it was blindness !) 
 and he came to my house and protested 
 like a man. I drove him out with rudeness 
 and insults, and made a wanderer of my 
 own child and a wretched parent of my 
 self. Oh, how the old days come back to 
 me, when Lewis merry song and laughter
 
 412 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 rang through the house when Inez, his 
 mother, was here, and all was sunshine and 
 happiness! But heaven took her to itself, 
 and I cannot blame her who succeeded, for 
 she was my choice. She did the best she 
 could, according to the light within her, and 
 I failed in my duty. But the past is past, 
 and the future is dark, and cold, and cheer 
 less!" 
 
 He paused, for, just then, there was a 
 gentle knock on the door, which he had 
 learned to recognize. 
 
 As he said "Come in!" it was pushed 
 open, and the cheery face of Captain Rey 
 nolds appeared. 
 
 " You re the best medicine!" said the 
 invalid, extending his hand in response 
 to the hearty grip; "and I wish you would 
 come twice as often as you do. But I ve 
 got beyond the help of medicine of any 
 kind." 
 
 "You re getting the hypo/ the worst 
 way. You must walk in the open air more, 
 and ride on horseback, and go fishing, and 
 whistle, and come over and dance the
 
 HOME AGAIN. 413 
 
 Highland Fling, while I scrape it on my 
 fiddle. 
 
 The judge shook his head. 
 
 "I have no heart for any such things. 
 I am glad to see your face and hear you 
 talk, but, when you are gone, the weight 
 is heavier than ever." 
 
 " Cheer up, judge. I think you ll soon 
 see Lew." 
 
 "Have you heard anything from him?" 
 asked he father with a start and glance, 
 that showed how intense his interest was. 
 
 "Well, I have a sort of feeling to-day 
 that he is coming. I can t shake it off. 
 It was so strong on me that I was compelled 
 to come over and tell you." 
 
 "It is all a mistake all a mistake!" 
 said the old man, with a desponding shake 
 of his head. "The conviction has been 
 growing upon me that he is dead that I 
 am nevermore to see him, and nothing can 
 shake it off!" 
 
 "Nothing?" 
 
 "Nothing at all!" 
 
 "Not even the sight of the boy himself?"
 
 414 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Why talk in that idle fashion? Lewis 
 is gone yes, gone, gone, gone!" 
 
 "But Lewis shall come, come, come!" 
 
 Just then, the door softly opened, and, 
 as it was pushed back, it gave out a soft 
 creak, that caused the nervous old man to 
 turn his head. The same minute a dark 
 figure rushed across the floor, and threw 
 his arms about the invalid s neck. 
 
 "Father!" 
 
 "My son my son! God be thanked!" 
 
 Captain Reynolds hurriedly drew out his 
 handkerchief, which was about the size of 
 a table-cloth, and blew his nose and 
 coughed, and cleared his throat, and reared 
 his head backward, as if resolved to show 
 no unmanly weakness; but he couldn t 
 help it, and he gave in, and stopped playing 
 the hypocrite. 
 
 The poor old man was utterly overcome. 
 He had not the remotest suspicion of the 
 little deception that was played upon him. 
 
 After the reception of the telegram by 
 the lad at St. Louis, a regular correspond 
 ence was begun and maintained, the bulk
 
 HOME AGAIN. 415 
 
 of it being carried on by the lad, who, in 
 compliance with the request of the captain, 
 kept him informed of his progress home 
 ward, telegraphing at all important points 
 and apprising him that he was accompanied 
 by Adualina, who would claim his hos 
 pitality for a short time. 
 
 Captain Reynolds kept his secret from 
 all excepting his wife, and when the evening 
 train came in, he and Lew entered one 
 carriage, and were driven rapidly toward 
 the judge s home, while Adualina was 
 taken under the care of Mrs. Reynolds, 
 who lost no time in having her conveyed 
 to and made welcome in their household. 
 
 As Lew bent over his father and saw 
 the fearful changes that a year had wrought, 
 the tears streamed down his face, and he felt 
 as if his heart would break. 
 
 Father and son wept together, while the 
 stillness was broken only by the tremendous 
 efforts of Captain Reynlods at hacking and 
 clearing his throat, in his desperate efforts 
 to recover his self-composure before they 
 did.
 
 416 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 When the first emotions had somewhat 
 subsided, Lew drew his chair beside his 
 father and sat down, his hand clasping the 
 thin, raven-like fingers of his parent. 
 
 "How you have grown, my son!" ex 
 claimed the father as he looked admir 
 ingly at his boy. "You are taller and 
 handsomer and the picture of health and 
 strength." 
 
 "I wish I could say it of you," replied 
 the lad, sadly; "but I hope you will pick 
 up, and be better than ever." 
 
 "I hope so, but I am afraid not. How 
 ever, we won t think of that now. And 
 you have come to stay with me, Lew?" 
 
 "Nothing shall ever take me from your 
 side again!" 
 
 "When did you arrive?" 
 
 Thereupon the boy proceeded to explain 
 (what has already been made known to 
 our readers) how and when he reached 
 Birmingham, from which point the captain 
 had driven him rapidly homeward. 
 
 On the way thither, it was arranged 
 that his friend should precede him into the
 
 HOME AGAIN. 417 
 
 library, so as to prepare him in a certain 
 degree for the meeting. 
 
 It cannot be claimed that the captain 
 displayed any wonderful skill in the per 
 formance of this duty. 
 
 Lew ran in and saw his mother for a few 
 minutes while this was going on, and al 
 most frightened the gentle lady into a 
 swoon. After a hasty interview, he hurried 
 on tiptoe to the library-door, where he 
 waited a few seconds until everything was 
 ready. 
 
 Just after he seated himself, Samson 
 (the dog) pushed his way through the door 
 and looked in, as if to inquire whether hie 
 services were needed. 
 
 Lew called him by name, and the canine 
 made a leap, nearly knocking him and his 
 chair over, and it was hard to tell which 
 was the most delighted over the meeting. 
 
 "Well, I don t see that there is any use 
 for me here," observed the captain, with 
 mock solemnity, rising to his feet, hat in 
 hand, his manner that of a man who had 
 been ordered out of the house.
 
 418 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "Good-night, cap," said the judge, 
 reaching out his hand. You ll be over 
 eveiy day, and if I have enough strength 
 Lew and I will walk over to-morrow. God 
 is good kinder to me than I deserve 
 but how shall I find words to express my 
 gratitude to you?" 
 
 "Don t try to find them!" replied the 
 captain impetuously. "Don t take me on 
 that tack, judge; for I came near breaking 
 down awhile ago." 
 
 His eyes looked very much as if he had 
 "broken down" quite recently. 
 
 "But you know it would be churlish 
 in me " 
 
 "There! there! hangnation! I " 
 
 And out came the immense handker 
 chief, and hacking and clearing his throat 
 more vigorously than ever, the captain 
 hurried out of the room and away from 
 the house.
 
 CONCLUSION. 419 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 "Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, 
 But trust Him for His grace ; 
 
 Behind a frowning Providence, 
 He hides a smiling face." 
 
 CAPTAIN REYNOLDS had sent his 
 carriage home when he and Lew 
 Fenwick reachedthe house of Judge 
 Fenwick, and he started to walk the inter 
 vening distance. It was not far, the path 
 leading across a field or two, and through 
 a patch of woods. As may be supposed, 
 the captain was in the most cheerful frame 
 of mind imaginable. The night was mild 
 and there was a faint moon overhead. 
 
 "The whirligig of time does not bring 
 things around right, as it strikes me I ve 
 heard said. Love makes the world go 
 round, whether it is that of Damon and 
 Pythias, Abelard and Heloise, Antony 
 and Cleopatra, or Judge Fenwick and
 
 420 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Limber Lew. When he lost his boy it 
 set him to thinking; his love for his child 
 has made another man of him. He has 
 stopped drinking (and between you and me, 
 Reynolds, that s the main trouble). He 
 wasn t far from delirium tremens, and he s 
 very weak and feeble on account of his 
 system trying to rally and recover its tone. 
 The return of the youngster will bring 
 things straight. I don t know," added the 
 captain with an excusable complacency, as 
 he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, 
 and took an extra pull at his cigar, "whether 
 in looking over the past, I ve a great deal 
 to reproach myself for that is, as con 
 cerns this affair. We won t investigate 
 anything else just at present. Hello! 
 what the deuce is the matter?" 
 
 This query was caused by the sight of a 
 figure in the path, coming rapidly toward 
 him. There was enough light for him to 
 see that it was a woman, and a minute 
 later he recognized her. 
 
 "What in the name of the seven wonders 
 is the matter, Bridget?"
 
 CONCLUSION. 421 
 
 "Och, master Reynolds! hurry home 
 as quick as ye can! The mistress has 
 sint me after ye." 
 
 " What s up?" was the alarmed inquiry. 
 
 "Och, I can t tell ye! but do ye hurry 
 up and see for yerself. " 
 
 "Anything the matter with the baby?" 
 
 "Nothing at all bless its sowl!" 
 
 "The mistress? Tell me what has hap 
 pened to her," he demanded, griping her 
 arm. 
 
 "She isn t dead she isn t hurt. Och, 
 don t pinch me so harrud!" 
 
 "I ll pinch you ten times harder if you 
 don t answer me." 
 
 "It s the girl the mistress brought 
 home." 
 
 In his great excitement he had forgotten 
 Adualina. 
 
 "Well, what is the trouble with her? 
 Is she dead?" 
 
 "No; but but do yees go and see for 
 yerself. 
 
 The captain concluded it was best to 
 do as advised.
 
 422 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 He was relieved of the fear of anything 
 serious having befallen his wife and child, 
 but mystified as to what it could all mean. 
 A few minutes run brought him to his 
 own door, through which he rushed like 
 a half-crazy man. 
 
 There sat his wife, holding the head of 
 Adualina to her breast, with both arms 
 around her neck. Both had been weeping, 
 and there was every evidence of the most 
 thrilling kind of a " scene, " but they were 
 ealmer now. 
 
 "What does all this mean, Pet?" 
 
 "Rudolph, this is Inez, our long-lost 
 child!" 
 
 "My God!" 
 
 The captain turned as white as death, 
 staggered, caught a chair and dropped 
 into it, as if stricken by a rifle-shot. He 
 could not speak, but he stared like one 
 transfixed by some dreadful spell. 
 
 Adualina raised her head, walked quietly 
 to where he sat, placed an arm about his 
 neck, kissed his forehead, and in a voice 
 of the tenderest sweetness, said:
 
 CONCLUSION. 423 
 
 "Father, don t you know me?" 
 "Am I dreaming? What does all this 
 mean?" he asked, gazing intently at her 
 and then at his wife, still dazed and be 
 wildered. 
 
 "It is no dream, dearest husband," 
 replied the latter, coming over to him. 
 "Hardly had Inez taken her seat in the 
 carriage when something in the sound of 
 her voice startled me. Before we reached 
 home I recognized its resemblance to that 
 of our lost darling. I concealed my 
 thoughts as best I could, though my heart 
 was throbbing with hope, and I questioned 
 her unmercifully. When we reached here 
 I led her into the glare of light and looked 
 into her face. Then I saw it all she was 
 indeed Inez. I called her by name and she 
 recognized it, and she remembered me too. 
 I hardly know what followed, but there 
 was such screaming and crying that Bridget 
 rushed into the room, nearly frightened 
 out of her wits. I had enough sense to tell 
 her to go for you and, Rudolph, how can 
 we thank heaven for all its mercies?"
 
 424 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "We can t." 
 
 By this time the captain had regained 
 control of himself, and pressing Inez 
 as she must now be called to his heart, 
 he kissed her again and again, while tears 
 of gratitude rolled down his face. 
 
 " Pet, " said he, " ever since you have been 
 my wife, I have seen you, when I was at 
 home, go down on your knees, night and 
 morning, and I think it s about time I 
 did the same thing; and if I ever forget 
 it, remind me by breaking a broomstick 
 over my head." 
 
 And then and there, all three knelt 
 down, and the strong man poured out his 
 very soul in grateful recognition of infinite 
 mercy. 
 
 When at last he arose, he compelled 
 Bridget to bring in the sleeping baby, 
 which was placed in its mother s lap, and 
 she sat upon one knee of the captain and 
 Inez (named for Lew Fenwick s mother) 
 sat upon the other, and there was happiness 
 in that household, such as belongs to the 
 angels in heaven.
 
 CONCLUSION. 425 
 
 Rest for Adualina at last. No more 
 harsh reproofs and cruel blows; no more 
 perilous treadings upon the suspended 
 wire, amid the plaudits of the admiring 
 thousands, or spinning about the ring upon 
 the back of the galloping steed; no more 
 fleeing through woods, hiding in the 
 lonely cabin, and speeding in terror on 
 railroad trains; no more persecution, no 
 unkindness, no rebuke but love and sweet 
 rest! 
 
 " Bridget, go right over to Judge Fen- 
 wick s and tell him I want to borrow Lew 
 for awhile." 
 
 "But but, it s quoit late, yer honor." 
 
 "Who the mischief cares? Here s some 
 thing to keep the kidnappers from running 
 away with you." 
 
 He thrust a ten-dollar greenback into 
 her hand. 
 
 "Go run, fly and bring him back with 
 you! Tell the judge I want him only for 
 an hour or two. Off with you!" 
 
 "Bedad! but I ll go back and forth a 
 dozen times a night for such wages as that !"
 
 426 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 she exclaimed, as she plunged out of the 
 door, without pausing to don her bonnet. 
 
 When the amazed Lew arrived, there was 
 another joyful scene. 
 
 Captain Reynolds danced the Highland 
 Fling, pausing now and then to hug the 
 breath out of the body of wife, daughter 
 and baby. He flung up his hat, shook 
 the lad again and again by the hand, and 
 threatened to burn down his own house 
 just to relieve himself. 
 
 At last quiet reigned, and all became 
 more rational. They sat down together, 
 and the past was talked over. 
 
 Inez told everything she could remem 
 ber, and Lew gave the history of his first 
 meeting with her their plot to run away, 
 and the particulars of their flight. 
 
 It was very late when he started home 
 ward, and it appeared to him that he 
 walked a mile or two in the air as he did so. 
 
 The story that he told his father, when he 
 rejoined him, completely upset the old gen 
 tleman, for he could not but rejoice at the 
 wonderful good fortune of his royal friend.
 
 CONCLUSION. 427 
 
 Night at last drew the curtain. 
 
 The arrangement was that Lew Fenwick 
 should take up at once his studies, under 
 the direction of his father and Captain 
 Reynolds, while Inez, as a matter of coursej 
 was given every advantage that wealth 
 and love could provide. 
 
 The return of Limber Lew was unknown 
 outside for several days; but one afternoon 
 he made his way through the old familiar 
 path in the woods, and came to the spring, 
 just as the boys were tumbling and leaping 
 in their old-fashioned style. 
 
 Such shouting and hurraying when he was 
 seen! The youngsters gathered around, 
 as if he were a sugar barrel, and each was 
 eager to enjoy ahead of his companion. 
 There were Billy Huggins, Sam Jones, 
 Tom Smith, Dick Davis, Joe Redfern, 
 Jimmy Clark, Harry Slack, Lew Swem 
 and all of them looking a little bigger and 
 jollier than he had ever noted before. 
 
 Gibbs, the teacher, was compelled to rap 
 angrily upon the window sash three times 
 before the youngsters came trooping in.
 
 428 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 He restored things to an equilibrium, how 
 ever, by punishing every one. This 
 brought back his usual serenity of mind, 
 and he walked homeward feeling that he had 
 done his duty like a pedagogue of the olden 
 time. 
 
 But his act brought matters to a crisis. 
 As usual, he remained in the school build 
 ing the greater part of an hour, setting 
 copies, and when these were completed, 
 he started homeward. Suspecting nothing, 
 he noticed nothing until he was nearly 
 opposite the old still-house, when he es 
 pied several boys peeping around the 
 corner, and jerking their heads back when 
 they supposed there was danger of his 
 detecting them. 
 
 All this struck him as singular, and as 
 he drew near and saw that Billy Huggins 
 was laboring under the weight of a double- 
 barreled shot-gun, it dawned upon him 
 that he was the objective point of the ex 
 citement. The worm trodden upon had 
 turned at last. The boys had revolted, 
 and after the wholesale punishment of
 
 CONCLUSION. 429 
 
 that afternoon, they leagued together 
 and agreed in solemn conclave, no matter 
 at what cost, to end their tyranny. 
 
 The plan first agreed upon was for each 
 to load himself with stones, then meet be 
 hind the still-house, await the teacher s 
 coming, and open upon him, keeping it 
 up till their ammunition was exhausted. 
 Billy Huggins improved the plan of the 
 campaign by stealthily abstracting his 
 father s gun. Not particularly gifted with 
 intelligence, it was his deliberate purpose to 
 empty both charges into the corpus of 
 the pedagogue. 
 
 He told his companions that he would 
 merely pepper him a little, just to make 
 him yell and dance, while at the same 
 time his intention was much more serious. 
 He meant, after disposing of the tyrant, 
 to pretend that it was accidental, relying 
 upon his previous declarations to acquit 
 him of any trouble therefor a scheme 
 which, in its entirety, he felt was one of 
 the most brilliant ever conceived. 
 
 Mr. Gibbs, while yet some distance
 
 430 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 away, as we have shown, caught sight 
 more than once of the heads of the 
 youngsters, and his skill in detecting 
 mischief enabled him to read the plot 
 at once. Twenty boys were there, wait 
 ing only for him to come a little nigher, 
 in order that they might stone and 
 shoot him. 
 
 What should he do? The question was 
 a most important one, and the answer 
 could not be escaped. If he went ahead, 
 the consequences were certain the revolt 
 was too earnest for him to frown down. 
 If he had the party in the school-room, 
 it would be the height of earthly bliss 
 to pummel them into submission; but 
 they were not there. 
 
 Should he turn back? That would be 
 a fatal confession of weakness, and was 
 not likely to help matters 
 
 He looked about in the hope that some 
 one was coming with a wagon, that he 
 might enter and ride by the dangerous 
 point; for, of course, the youngsters would 
 not attack him unless he were alone; but
 
 CONCLUSION. 431 
 
 just when he so sorely needed it, not a 
 vehicle was to be seen. 
 
 All this time, he was walking slowly 
 forward, with his head bent down, as if in 
 reverie, but peering out, and anxiously 
 debating the situation. He had no doubt 
 that the gun, which he saw wobbling in 
 the hands of Billy Huggins, was loaded, 
 and meant for him. If he went forward, 
 he would probably be set upon and com 
 pelled to run, all the way home, with the 
 boys at his heels stoning and shouting at 
 him. Death itself could not be worse 
 than that. 
 
 Suddenly a thought struck him. He 
 would act as if he had forgotten something 
 at the school-house, and turn back for it. 
 The lads would expect his speedy return, 
 and wait where they were. In the mean 
 time, he would visit the homes of most of 
 the youngsters by a circuitious route, 
 and acquaint their parents with the dia 
 bolical plot, calling first at Mr. Huggins , and 
 proving to him that he was the proprietor 
 of an embryo criminal of the deepest dye.
 
 432 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 It seemed the only way of escape out of 
 the danger, and offered such an inviting 
 chance to flank the hated youngsters, 
 that he acted upon it at once, his 
 theory being that none of them was 
 aware that he had penetrated the plot, 
 and they would take his action as natural 
 in itself, and not influenced by any fear 
 of them. 
 
 He stopped suddenly, jammed his right 
 hand in his right trowsers pocket, then his 
 left into the one upon that side; then, 
 in the same hurried fashion, he went 
 through his vest and coat pockets, an ex 
 pression spreading over his face, like the 
 man who finds he is locked out at night, 
 and has lost his key. Then he wheeled 
 and started back, as if he had little spare 
 time on his hands. 
 
 But the plan did not work. The boys 
 were too eager to restrain themselves any 
 longer, and out they trooped from their 
 hiding places, taking the action of the ped 
 agogue as an evidence of fear. 
 
 " Shoot him! stone him! mash him!
 
 CONCLUSION. 433 
 
 Don t let him get away!" they shouted, 
 as they swarmed after him. 
 
 "What is the meaning of this?" de 
 manded Gibbs, wheeling about and angrily 
 facing the youngsters. "Right home with 
 you, every boy, or I ll jog your memories 
 for you to-morrow!" 
 
 Just then he saw Billy Huggins straining 
 and grunting in his efforts to get his heavy 
 double-barreled weapon at a level, so as to 
 fire! 
 
 All authority was gone, and the angered 
 lads steadily drew nearer, only for the 
 purpose of inflicting the more certain 
 injury. 
 
 The teacher turned pale, and wheeled 
 about to run for life, when a newcomer 
 appeared, darting between the parties and 
 throwing up his hands. 
 
 "Stop, boys! None of that!" 
 
 They all recognized him, and paused. 
 
 " Why , Lew, you know how he used to 
 lambaste you!" said Billy Huggins, in 
 amazement. "Just stand aside, and let 
 me pop him over!"
 
 434 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 "I thought you had more sense. He s 
 an old man, and can t last much longer. 
 Let him go." 
 
 Gibbs saw who his rescuer was, and 
 without a word scowled and walked home 
 ward, with the same solemn gait, leaving 
 Fen wick to talk it out with his young friends. 
 
 This occurrence brought school matters 
 to a crisis. Every boy concerned played 
 truant on the morrow, and a special meeting 
 of the trustees was held at the house of 
 Judge Fenwick. Mr. Gibbs was sent for, 
 and persuaded to resign. 
 
 During his long years of teaching, he 
 had saved quite a competence, and being 
 without any wife or family, was in no danger 
 of coming to want. 
 
 A younger and more enlightened in 
 structor was put in his place, and the old 
 gentleman gradually faded out and van 
 ished from the earth, as the school under 
 the new administration, went onward and 
 upward. 
 
 Thus may the race forever remain ex 
 tinct.
 
 CONCLUSION. 435 
 
 In the autumn of the year, Lew Fenwick 
 entered college, the training he had re 
 ceived at St. Louis, the previous winter, 
 being of such assistance that, under the 
 direction of his father and Captain Rey 
 nolds, he had no difficulty in preparing 
 himself. After completing his college 
 course, the understanding was that he 
 should take up the study of law in his 
 father s office. 
 
 Captain Reynolds was seated, one after 
 noon in the early autumn, on his porch, 
 smoking his cigar, talking with his wife, 
 and idly watching Inez, as she played 
 with the baby around his chair and under 
 neath his legs, his feet being elevated 
 upon the railing. 
 
 All at once, Inez uttered a scream of 
 terror, and abandoning the infant, darted 
 into the house. 
 
 The captain sprang to his feet, to learn 
 what the matter was, when he observed 
 that a coarse-featured, ugly-looking man 
 had approached, unobserved, to where 
 he was sitting.
 
 436 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 " Hello! what do you want?" demanded 
 the captain, angered that he should have 
 come up in such a cat-like manner. 
 
 "I want my gal!" was the sullen re 
 sponse; "and I m going to have her, too!" 
 
 "Well, who s hindering you? Where 
 is she?" 
 
 "She seed me coming, and just pitched 
 into the house." 
 
 A light flashed in upon the captain s 
 vision. 
 
 "Is your name Johnson?" 
 
 "Of course it is! What more do you 
 want to know?" 
 
 "You ve been traveling with Simpson s 
 Circus and Menagerie? I don t want to 
 make any mistake about it." 
 
 "Wai, you hain t, old chap! I m John 
 son I m the one that that gal ran away 
 from, and I ve tracked her all the way from 
 St. Louis, and : 
 
 "And you re the devil I want to meet." 
 
 Captain Reynolds went over the railing, 
 like a Bengal tiger, and had the wretch by 
 the throat before he was aware of what
 
 CONCLUSION. 437 
 
 was coming. These good-natured people 
 have the worst of all tempers when aroused, 
 and the wonder i how Johnson escaped 
 with his life. 
 
 Mrs. Reynolds caught up her infant, 
 and ran into the house, while the captain 
 certain that he had his hands upon the 
 abductor of his child, gave him so terrible 
 a beating that, when he finished, his victim 
 dropped like one dead. 
 
 The German hired man appearing upon 
 the ground at this juncture, carried John 
 son off to his house, where, after several 
 days nursing, he recovered enough to 
 leave the neighborhood, and was seen no 
 more. 
 
 The succeeding summer, when Lew Fen- 
 wick was home from college upon his va 
 cation, Simpson s Circus and Menagerie 
 showed in Birmingham, and he visited it. 
 
 By some means or other, Girton had 
 learned the true history of Adualina, that 
 was, and he was manly enough to con 
 gratulate his young friend upon the provi 
 dential results of that flight.
 
 438 LIMBER LEW. 
 
 Johnson, the abductor, had not been 
 seen since he started to overtake the fugi 
 tives. 
 
 Perkins, the bare-back rider, was still 
 with them, and had not drank a drop of 
 liquor for over a year, and business was 
 reported good. 
 
 On the morrow, Girton, Perkins, the 
 matron, and in fact all the old friends 
 of Inez, drove, by invitation, to her home, 
 where the captain entertained them at 
 dinner, and they remained several hours. 
 Saddened at parting company with one 
 who had always been such a favorite 
 they yet rejoiced with her in the good for 
 tune that caused this separation. 
 
 We feel there is scarcely the need for 
 writing these closing lines. That Judge 
 Fenwick regained to a large extent his 
 former health and strength; that Limber 
 Lew was graduated with distinction, 
 studied law and passed a brilliant examina 
 tion and took up the practice, under the 
 guidance and counsel of his father the 
 prestige of whose name, united with the
 
 CONCLUSION. 439 
 
 son s own talent and perseverance, brought 
 him work and competence; that Inez 
 grew into a beautiful and lovable woman; 
 that all in due time she and Lew were 
 married ; all these are such matter-of-course 
 incidents that, as we say, we hardly see 
 the call for putting them upon paper. 
 
 Captain Reynolds having once lost and 
 recovered his daughter, insisted that her 
 home should remain with them the pe 
 culiar affection which he and his wife 
 held toward Lew being such that there 
 was a certain propriety and pleasure all 
 around, when the young lawyer made 
 his home with them. 
 
 And so, as we are all a-sailing upon 
 life s ocean, we salute and bid one another 
 good speed.
 
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