“I heard they had a big crowd this afternoon, too,” said Giant.

“They had a big crowd and a big fight,” said a man standing near.

“A fight?” queried Whopper.

“Yes.  It’s a wonder somebody wasn’t killed.”

“What was the fight about?” questioned the doctor’s son.

“Why, it seems the head boss of the show discharged four of the wagon drivers for drunkenness.  The fellows wanted their full month’s wages and the boss wouldn’t give it to them.  Then they got ugly and commenced to tamper with some of the animals.  The boss called some of his other men, and all hands had a big fight right in the menagerie tent.  One boy who was looking on got hit with a club, and a lady fainted, and they almost had a panic.  Then the police took a hand, and one of the fellows who was discharged was arrested.  The other three got away.”

“Yes, and those other three men say they are coming back,” said a farmer who stood near and who had overheard the conversation.  “I saw them at supper time, back of Lum’s hotel.  They say they are going to get square on the circus boss, even if they have to break up the whole show to do it.”

“I hope they don’t come back to-night,” said Snap.  “I don’t want to get mixed up in any quarrel.”

“Me either,” answered the farmer.  “I want to see the show, and that’s all.”

“I don’t think they’ll come back,” said the first man who had spoken.  “If they did the police would arrest them on sight.  They’ll go to the next town and lay for the circus there.”

By this time the boys had worked their way up to the ticket wagon.  Each purchased a ticket of admission, and a moment later all passed on to the inside of the main tent.

CHAPTER IV

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CIRCUS

The lads had not seen a circus for two years, consequently the show had much of the air of novelty about it for them.  They spent half an hour in the menagerie tent, inspecting the wild animals, and then took seats in the main tent, as close to the rings as they could get.  Casso’s United Railroad Shows was quite an affair, and the performance was given in two rings at a time, as well as upon a trapeze in the air between the tent poles.

First there was the usual procession of horses and riders, elephants and camels, ponies and carts and racing chariots, and then came the acts, all of more or less thrilling interest.  There were six clowns, and they kept the audience in a roar of laughter.

“Say, this is an all-right show,” remarked Giant, after witnessing some particularly thrilling bareback riding.  “I wouldn’t try to do that trick on horseback for a thousand dollars.”

“Here come the acrobats,” said Snap as four bespangled performers ran into the rings and bowed and kissed their hands.  Then the acrobats climbed up to two bars and did various “turns,” all more or less hazardous.