“Thank you, my man. I am looking for a certain person, and I heard he was with this show.”
Jack’s heart almost stopped beating. He knew that voice only too well. It was that of Professor Klopper. And a guarded look at the man who had asked the question showed the boy that he was right.
Hidden behind a tent-pole wagon, Jack peered cautiously out, and beheld the figure of his former guardian, stern and forbidding, looking about him.
“He’s after me,” thought Jack. “What shall I do? I’ll never let him arrest me. I must hide! No, I know a better plan than that,” he added to himself. “I’ll make up in my clown outfit. He’ll never know me then, even if he does see me. But I’ll take precious good care to keep out of his sight.”
CHAPTER XIX
JACK’S TRICK
Hurrying to the dressing-tent, but taking good care not to get within sight of the professor, Jack quickly donned his clown suit.
“What’s up?” asked several of the other performers, who were lounging about, or going over their trunks. “It isn’t time for the parade, is it?”
“Not exactly,” replied Jack. “I just thought I’d get ready, though,” for, though a number of the circus people knew something of his story, he did not think it wise to tell why he was going to dress up so early. “Ted Chester or the ringmaster would give me up to him as quick as a wink,” thought our hero, “and I’m not going to submit to arrest now.”
He went on with his make-up, and was daubing the red and white paint on his face when Sam Kyle came into the tent.
“Making up early, aren’t you?” asked Sam, looking at his watch.