“Where? What?” demanded the other, squirming out of the way of Fudge’s energetic elbow. “What is it?”
“The man at the piano! Look at him!”
Perry looked and gasped and looked again. Surely that back and those shoulders and that head belonged to——
At that instant the piano player turned to speak to the violinist and the boys gazed, astounded, on the false mustache and smiling countenance of Mr. Addicks, the train-robber!
CHAPTER XX
MR. ADDICKS EXPLAINS
Fudge and Perry gazed spellbound.
There was no chance of mistake, even at that distance. Before them, smiling, unconcerned, sat Mr. Myron Addicks, one hand resting negligently on his hip, the other on the keyboard of the piano. No one would ever have suspected him of being a fugitive from justice! Presently, quite as though he had nothing to fear nor an enemy in the world, he turned and looked calmly over the audience. Fudge’s gasp was painful in its intensity, and Mrs. Hull’s thoughts sped to peppermint tea. Then the lights went down, the orchestra broke into tuneful melody and the entertainment began.
But all through the performance the two boys shivered whenever a footstep came creaking along the aisle or there was a sudden stir behind them. They had visions of the entire Clearfield Police Force, led by the stout and intrepid Chief, filing down the passage-way and clapping the hand of the Law on the shoulder of the cowboy-pianist. That the performance came finally to an end without anything of the sort happening was almost unbelievable. The boys accompanied the Doctor and Mrs. Hull home, talking in excited whispers all the way but reaching no satisfactory conclusions regarding Mr. Addicks’ strange actions. The Doctor, who had been innocently surprised and delighted with his first experience of moving pictures, frequently interrupted their conversation with questions and reminiscences and they reached the gate before they realized it. Perry’s request to be allowed to walk half-way home with Fudge was firmly denied and the latter took his departure with a last whispered: “I’ll be around at seven, Perry. Be ready!”
What was to happen at seven in the morning, what he was to be ready for, Perry didn’t know, but the mysterious command added further interest to an already absorbing state of affairs and Perry presently went to bed to participate in the wildest and weirdest adventures that ever befell a sleeping youth!