Braddock blinked his eyes. As he replaced the articles in their places, he said admiringly: "Well, you do beat the devil!"
When he turned, the pickpocket was nowhere to be seen. It was as if the earth had swallowed him.
Five minutes later Dick appeared quite mysteriously in the dressing-tent, coming from the skies, it seemed to David, who found him filling a space that had been absolutely empty when he stooped over an instant before to adjust his shoe-lacing.
"Hello, kid," said Dick easily. "Say, do you know there's a warrant for your arrest right now in the hands of the town marshal of this burg?"
David's heart almost stopped beating.
"How do you know?" he demanded.
"I just piped him and a Pinkerton guy I know by sight hunting up Braddock. Not three minutes ago. They were talking it over between 'em out there by the road. The detective's got a picture of you, he says. Somehow they've dropped on to it that the new clown is you. Evening, Mrs. Braddock."
The proprietor's wife came up, followed closely by Christine and Ruby, dressed for the street. In an instant David repeated the startling news.
"What is to be done?" cried Mrs. Braddock, aghast.
"They sha'n't take you, David," cried Christine.