CHAPTER XXII. COMING TO TERMS.
There were cries of dismay.
"Attached the box-office receipts?" said Frank, in some surprise. "Is that right?"
"Yeou bet it is!"
"For whom did he attach them?"
"Sargent and Cates."
"Cates! Then he is in it, too?"
"Cates!" gasped Havener. "Has that fellow thrown up, too? Then we are done for!"
"The jig is up!" declared more than one, and it seemed to be the general opinion.
"Where are these fellows?" asked Frank.
"Aout in front," answered Ephraim.
Frank started for the door.
"I think I'll see them, too," muttered Havener, following him.
At the front of the theater the two rebellious actors were found, together with the sheriff of the town. They had gotten out an attachment, which had been served by the officer.
Havener felt like diving into them then and there, but Frank held him in check.
"Look here," said Merry; "how do you chaps expect to hold the gate receipts?"
"I rather think we can hold them," answered Sargent, insolently. "We've got them, and we'll keep them."
"Not if the show does not go on."
"Why not?"
"Because the money will be refunded to every person who has entered the house."
"You can't refund it now; you're too late," sneered Sargent.
"That's where you make a mistake. You cannot attach this money till it becomes mine."
"Well?"
"Well, it is not mine till we have given the play, just as advertised. If you have any sense, you will know that."
"That's right," growled Havener. "You have been rather too premature."
Sargent and Cates exchanged looks. They had not thought of this, but now they knew it was true.
"Oh, well," grinned Cates, "we've got the money, so we'll go on and play our parts. Eh, Sargent?"
"Not with this attachment on the receipts," said Frank, grimly. "Do you think the rest of the company would stand for that? Not much!"
"Then we won't go on at all," declared Sargent.
"In that case, you will get nothing, for the money will be refunded to those to whom it belongs."
Sargent flushed, for he now plainly saw they had been too hasty in making the attachment. They had baffled themselves.
"Anyhow, we'll bust up the old show," he snapped.
"Much satisfaction that will give you. You will be stranded here with the rest of us. If you go on and play to-night, we shall raise enough money to get out of town. You are playing against yourselves."
Cates began to see it, and he weakened. He whispered something to Sargent, but the actor who had made all the trouble shook his head and snarled an answer.
"Don't be a fool!" said Cates.
There was some more talk, and then Sargent said:
"We'll withdraw this attachment, but you, Merriwell, must sign a written pledge to pay us our salaries in full at the end of the third act."
"I shall do nothing of the sort," said Frank, with quiet determination. "As I have to play a part, I shall make no settlement with the manager of the theater till after the show is over. I will agree then to pay you whatever I can."
"That's no go. We're not bluffed that way."
"But," put in Cates, quickly, "we'll take half what is due us, if you'll agree to that."
Sargent muttered something, but both watched Frank to see what he would say to the comedian's proposal.
"That will not be treating the others fair," said Merry. "You will be receiving more than they, and that is not a square deal."
"Well, it's the best we'll do," snapped Sargent. "If you won't agree to that, we'll break up the whole business."
"And I'll thrash both of you as soon as I can get you by yourselves," promised Havener, holding himself in check with difficulty. "I'd like to begin on the job now!"
After considerable parley, Frank found that was the best he could do with the fellows, and he said:
"I can't make such an agreement without letting the rest of the company know about it. I will tell them, and see what they say."
Then he hastened back behind the scenes, where the other members of the organization were waiting in great suspense to know how matters stood.
Frank called them together and told them just what had happened and what the rebellious actors demanded. He did not urge them to agree to anything, but left the matter for them to decide, explaining just what the result would be if they did not agree to the terms offered by Sargent and Cates.
All denounced the two fellows, but they expressed a willingness to let them have half the money due them from the box-office receipts. Then word was sent out to the rebels, while Frank went before the curtain and informed the audience that there had been an unavoidable delay, but the curtain would go up in a very short time.
Then the pianist banged away on the old piano, which was sadly out of tune, and Sargent and Cates came in behind the scenes and hurried into a dressing room to make up.