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CHAPTER X
THE CIRCUS BOY IS RECOGNIZED
Giving the wrist of his prisoner a sharp twist； Phil snatched away the
small handful of bills that the fellow had stolen； returning them to the
woman。
By this time the thief had suddenly recovered his wits and sought to
jerk his hand away； seeing that it was merely a boy who had grabbed him。
To the surprise of the crook he found it was not an easy matter to free
himself from that grip。 After making several desperate efforts the fellow
adopted other methods。
〃Let go of me； I tell you。 I'll have you put away for this。〃
〃I'll let go of you when a policeman has hold of you； and not before；〃
retorted Phil。 〃You are a thief。 I saw you steal that woman's money。〃
The man suddenly uttered an angry exclamation and launched a blow
at Phil's head； which the lad avoided； allowing it to pass over his shoulder。
〃Hurry！ Get a policeman！ This man is a thief；〃 urged Phil； as he
closed with his antagonist。
〃Thief！ Thief；〃 cried several voices at once。 It was a cry that had
been heard before about the Sully shows。
Phil had not struck back at his enemy。 Instead the lad； by a skillful
twist； had whirled the fellow about until his back was toward the boy。
Then Phil suddenly let go his hold on the wrist； clasping the man around
the body and pinioning his arms to his sides。
〃You might as well stand still；〃 said the lad coolly。 〃You can't get
away until I permit you to； and that won't be until something that looks
like a policeman comes along。〃
In the meantime the captive was struggling and threatening。 All at
once he raised his voice in a peculiar； wailing cry。 The Circus Boy felt sure
that it was some sort of a signal； though it was new to him。 But he was
not to be cowed。
〃Police！〃 shouted Phil。
〃Police！〃 cried many voices。
Half a dozen men came rushing into the crowd； thrusting the people
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
aside as they ran； looking this way and that to learn from where the cry for
assistance had come。
Phil's captive uttered a sharp cry； and the lad realized what was going
to happen。 At first he had thought it was the police coming； but he was
undeceived the moment he caught his prisoner's appeal to them。 The men
dashed toward the two； and as they rushed in Phil whirled his man so that
the latter collided violently with the newcomers。 That checked the rush
briefly。 He knew； however； that he could not hope to stand off his
assailants for more than a few seconds。 Yet the lad calculated that in
those few seconds the police might arrive。 He did not know that they had
been well bribed neither to see nor to hear what occurred on the circus
grounds。
A moment more and the lad had been roughly jerked from his captive
and hurled violently to the ground。
Phil sprang up full of fight while the angry fellows closed in on him。
He saw that they were showmen。 A sudden idea occurred to him。
〃Hey； Rube！〃 he shouted at the top of his voice； hoping that the rest of
the show people within reach of his voice might crowd in and in the
confusion give him a chance to get away。
And they did crowd in。 They came on like a company of soldiers；
sweeping everything before them。 Phil； in that brief instant； while he
was sparring to keep his opponents off； found time to smile grimly。
The fellow he had first made captive now attacked Phil viciously； the
lad defending himself as best he could； while the people who had come to
attend the show got out of harm's way as rapidly as possible。 Phil could
hope for no assistance from that quarter。
〃I guess I have gotten myself into a worse scrape by calling the rest of
the gang；〃 he muttered； noting that he was being surrounded as some of
the first comers pointed him out to the others。
Suddenly they fell upon Phil with one accord。 He was jerked this
way and that； but succeeded pretty well in dodging the blows aimed at his
head； though his clothes were torn and he was pretty badly used。
Suddenly a voice roared out close behind him。
〃Stop it！〃
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The Circus Boys In Dixie Land （Or Winning the Plaudits of the Sunny South）
Turning his head a little Phil recognized Sully； the owner of the show。
Sully's face was redder than ever。
〃Whatwhat's all this row about？ Haven't you fellows anything
more important to do than raising a roughhouse？ Get out of here； the
whole bunch of you！ What's he done？ Turn him over to the police and
go on about your business。〃
One of the men said something in a low tone to Sully。 The showman
shot a keen； inquiring glance at the lad。
〃Who are you？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't know that it makes any difference。 I saw a fellow robbing a
woman； and it was my duty to stop him。 I did it； then a lot of his
companions； who； I suppose； belong to your show pitched into me。〃
〃So； you are trying to run the whole show； are you？〃
〃I am not。〃
〃Well； you get off this lot as fast as you can hoof it。 If I find you
butting in again it will be the worse for you。〃
〃That's the fellow who was hanging around the lot at St。 Catharines
yesterday；〃 spoke up someone。
〃Yes； I remember now； he was asking me questions；〃 said another；
whose voice Phil recognized as belonging to the foreman of the stake and
chain gang。 〃I got to thinking about it afterwards； and realized that he
was a little too inquisitive for a greenhorn。 He's been on the lot all day
again。〃
Mr。 Sully surveyed Phil with an ugly scowl。
〃What are you doing around here； young man？〃
〃For one thing； I am trying to prevent one of your followers robbing a
woman；〃 answered Phil boldly。
〃Who are you？〃
〃That is my own affair。〃
〃I know him！ I know him！ I Know！〃 shouted another。
Sully turned to him inquiringly。
〃Who is he； if you know so much？〃
〃He's a fellow what was with the Sparling outfit last