"Bob, I want you to tell me exactly what questions this cub asked you yesterday?""I thought he was some curious town fellow, so I didn't pay much attention to his questions.When I saw him on the lot, again today, and heard him asking other folks, kind of careless like, I began to smell a rat.""What did he want to know, I'm asking you?"The foreman related as well as he could remember, just what conversation had taken place between himself and Phil Forrest, omitting, however, the fact that he had furnished any information.It would have ended his connection with the show right there, had he let the owner know how much he really had told.
Phil grinned appreciatively, but it was not for him to get the foreman into trouble.
"Hm-m!" mused Sully."You found out a lot, I presume?""I can truthfully say that I found out that what I had heard about the show is true.""And what's that, if I may ask?"
"Thieves.I happen to know that they travel right along with the show, and I shouldn't be surprised if you got part of their stealings, either," Phil boldly flung at the showman.
Sully's face went redder than ever, while his fingers clenched and unclenched.It was evident that the man feared to let his anger get the better of him.
"If he ever lets go at me, I'm a goner," thought Phil understanding that, besides an almost ungovernable temper, the man possessed great physical strength."I guess he won't do anything of the sort, unless I goad him to it.I believe that I have said about enough.""Watch him a minute, Bob," directed Sully, rising and stepping to the other end of the car.He returned a minute later.
"Young man," he said, "if you had been more civil you might have gotten away with your bluff--""I have not tried to bluff you," interjected Phil.
"As it is, I think I'll lock you up until morning, and, if you are ready then to make a clean breast of the whole affair, perhaps I shall let you go back with a message to your boss--a message that he won't like, I reckon." "You won't send any such message by me," retorted Phil."Carry yourown messages.Where you going to lock me up?""In a place where you will be safe.But I shouldn't advise you to get red-headed about it.There will be someone nearby to take all the howl out of you if you try it.""You had better not!"
"What do you think, Bob?Is it safe to let this fellow go?""Well, I suppose you've got to let him go sometime.He'll be getting us into trouble if you keep him.""I'll take the chance of that.We can drop him just before crossing the line back into the United States.""That's a good game."
"Then the United States authorities can't take any action on an offense committed across the border.I don't believe they would, anyway.It is all a part of the show game.I'd like to drop the spy over the Falls when we get to Niagara," added Sully.
"I might get wet if you did that," grinned Phil.
"You'll be lucky if you don't get worse, which you will unless you keep a more civil tongue in your head.Yes; I guess that will be the best plan, Bob.""You--you don't mean that you will drop him over the Falls?" gasped the foreman.
"No," laughed Sully."Not that, much as I'd like to.But it would serve him right.I'm going to lock him up; that's what I mean.""Where?"
"Here."
"But he'll get out."
"Not from where I put him."
The foreman looked about him a puzzled expression in his eyes."What do you say to the linen closet?""The linen closet?"
"Yes.I have just looked at it.There will be room enough for him, and there's no opening through which he can call to anyone on the outside.If he does make an outcry some of us will be here to look after him.""That's a good game.I hadn't thought of it before.""Come along, my fine young bareback rider.You'll wish you'd stuck to your own business before you get through with us!"Phil was led down the side passageway of the car and thrust into a narrow compartment, about three sides of which were shelves loaded down with the linen used on the car.
There was room for a chair in the compartment and he could stand upright.However, had he wished to lie down he would have been unable to do so.
"So this is the prison you have decided to lock me in, is it?" grinned the lad.
"It looks that way.I guess it will bring you to your senses.You'll talk by tomorrow morning, I'll guarantee.""I guess you will have another guess coming," warned Phil.
Without further parley Sully slammed the door and locked it, leaving Phil in absolute darkness.
"Now I am in a fix, for sure.If Sully hadn't been quite so big I should have taken a chance and pitched into him.He is strong enough to eat me alive.I could handle the fellow, Bob, all right, but not Sully.So I have got to stay here all night? Fine, fine!I hope I don't smother."The car soon settled down to quiet again.Phil knew, however, that he was not alone--that undoubtedly there was someone watching his prison.He examined the place as well as he could in the darkness, tried the door, ran his hands over the sides and up among the piles of linen.There was scant encouragement to be found, though Phil believed that if he had room to take a running start he might break the door down.
He decided to remain quiet, and after his exciting experiences he was quite willing to rest himself for a time.The lad pulled a lot of the linen down to the floor, and making a bed for himself, doubled up like a jackknife and settled himself for the night.It was not a comfortable position, but Phil Forrest was used to roughing it.In a few minutes he was sound asleep.
