Part 20 (1/2)
”How about him having hurled Teddy to the deck of the 'Fat Marie'?”
”That is different.”
”Did it arouse any suspicions in your mind, my boy?”
Phil reflected for a moment, toying absently with his fork.
”Candidly, it did, Mr. Sparling. It struck me as peculiar at the time, and, as I thought it over, I became more and more convinced that there was some reason for Jupiter's action beyond what we saw.”
The showman nodded, as if Phil's suggestion agreed with his own ideas.
”What do you think happened?” he asked.
”What do you think?”
”I will confess that I don't know, Phil. You had some reason for driving everyone away from the bulls there on the dock, did you not?”
”Yes, I did not want anyone to bother them while we were trying to get them on board.”
”I understand,” said Mr. Sparling, with a nod.
”Did you notice who was there on the dock at the time, Mr. Sparling?”
”No, not particularly.”
”Was it some of the show people?”
”I am unable to say. I saw you drive two men off in particular, but I did not look at them closely. Did you know them?”
”Perhaps. They got away rather too quickly for me to make sure.”
”Who do you think they were?”
Phil did not answer at once.
”Come, who were they, Phil?”
”I don't know, Mr. Sparling.”
”I did not mean it exactly that way. You think you recognized them, and as I said before, I want to know who you think the men were?”
”I would rather not say, Mr. Sparling,” answered the Circus Boy, looking his employer squarely in the eye.
”It is your duty to tell me.”
”Not unless I am sure. It would be unjust to do so, and I know you would not wish to force me to be unjust.”
”You are a queer boy, Phil Forrest,” said the showman, gazing at the lad intently.
”I wish I knew who I thought they were, if they had anything to do with my aerial flight last night,” growled Teddy. ”They would have reason to think a Kansas cyclone had struck them.”