Leo the Circus Boy: or, Life under the great white canvas. Stratemeyer Edward

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      But Leo soon changed all this.

      “Your balloon is all right,” he said. “And by going up I reckon I saved you the amount you were to get from the fair people. You wouldn’t get a cent if somebody hadn’t gone up.”

      This was a new way of looking at it.

      “Well, we won’t get paid for a parachute jump,” said the balloon manager. “But we can claim half money, true enough.”

      The boy showed the men where the balloon was, and helped them load it on their wagon.

      The men took to Leo, and as he helped them at the hardest work, they readily answered his questions about the circus and gave him full directions by which he could take a short cut to the grounds.

      “That was a narrow escape,” murmured Leo to himself as he made his way back to the “Greatest Show on Earth.”

      Arriving there, he had another long talk with Barton Reeve, who, as before stated, had taken a sudden and strong fancy to the brave lad.

      The upshot of the matter was that Reeve bought Leo a trunk and advanced him money for several changes of clothing.

      The next day, at Lendham, the circus tents were jammed with people.

      Everything was again in order, and all the acts went off with a dash that drew round after round of applause.

      Snipper was as sour as ever, but he took good care not to interfere with Leo.

      As for the boy, he appeared perfectly at home; so much so that many said he was a born circus performer.

      As a clown he caused the people to laugh heartily, and when he threw off his trunks and performed on the bars and rings he got more than a share of the applause.

      As soon as the performance was over the circus packed up, and at half-past eleven began to move from Lendham to Middletown, seven miles distant.

      Leo spent the night at the Middletown Hotel with Barton Reeve. The boy was now a protégéof the menagerie manager.

      Before going to bed, Leo told Reeve much about his former life, and showed the manager the pictures of his folks.

      Reeve became interested.

      “I’ll tell you what I’ll do, Leo,” he said. “I’ll go to this Squire Dobb and get him to release you in a lawful way. Then you will have nothing to fear from Daniel Hawkins.”

      “But supposing Hawkins won’t let the squire release me?”

      “I don’t believe he has any claim on you that would hold good in a court of law. I’ll make the squire show his authority over you first.”

      “I wish you could get Squire Dobb to make a settlement of my parents’ estate,” went on Leo earnestly.

      “You think he is holding money from you?”

      “I know he is.”

      “Well, I’ll investigate.”

      Bright and early the next day the young lad and Barton Reeve drove over to the home of Nathan Dobb.

      They found the squire busy in his office, looking over some legal papers.

      Without preliminaries Barton Reeve introduced himself. The squire listened in silence, at the same time scowling at Leo.

      “Want to quit the farm and become a circus performer, eh?” said Dobb at last. “Can’t let you do it. You’ll have to go back to Daniel Hawkins’ farm.”

      “I never will!” returned Leo warmly. “I’ll run away entirely first.”

      “We’ll see,” sniffed Squire Dobb.

      Barton Reeve had sized up the lawyer at a glance. He saw that the man was a crafty villain, not to be trusted.

      “Squire, would you mind showing me your authority over this boy?” he remarked firmly.

      “Wh-what?” was the surprised exclamation.

      “I would like to learn your legal authority over Leo.”

      “It’s none of your business!”

      “I shall make it my business.”

      “Going to pry into matters, eh?”

      “Yes, unless you consent to release Leo. He has been misused on the Hawkins’ place.”

      The face of Nathan Dobb was a study. If there was one thing he feared it was the exposure of the past. Why he feared this will be explained later.

      “I’ll have to see Hawkins first,” he said at last.

      “When will you see him?”

      “To-day. But what is Leo to do?”

      “He is going to travel with me and perform in the circus.”

      “He can’t do anything.”

      “Never mind. I’ll teach him a thing or two,” replied Barton Reeve.

      He was afraid if he told Squire Dobb what Leo could really do that the miserly lawyer would want money for the release.

      After a little more talk Leo and Reeve left the squire’s house.

      On the next day Reeve got a short note from Dobb. It read:

      “I have given up all claim to Leo Dunbar, and so has Daniel Hawkins.”

      Leo was much pleased. Barton Reeve smiled to himself.

      “There is something in all this, Leo,” he said. “Next week, when I get time, I’ll look into your past and Squire Dobb’s doings.”

      CHAPTER IX. – THE MAD ELEPHANT

      From Middletown the circus went to Dover, and then to Grasscannon.

      At each of these places a big business was done, and at every performance Leo did better.

      The young gymnast became a great favorite with all but two people in the “Greatest Show on Earth.”

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