“Oh, yes,” said one of them. “I know about that scout. It was like this here. He got in with a queer lot o’ folk what come from the town, not the kind o’ people as we likes to encourage in our circus. They was so rowdy and disreputable we had to give ’em a warning, and threaten to call in our friend the policeman here. That made ’em wild, and they started smashing up our Hoop-la with the balls off the cocoanut shie. Our lad, in charge of the Hoop-la, had a scuffle with the Scout, who was the ringleader of all the mischief, and he must have got his hat then. We threatened to report the Scout’s behaviour up at the Hall. He took fright at that, and so did they all. They started off for the town, and he begged them to take him too; he was afeared to go in so late, and in the state he was in. So they all went off together.”
Mr. Beak and the policeman looked very serious.
“I heard about that lot,” said the policeman, “but I didn’t know as how the Scout had got mixed up with them. Not the kind of companions as Mr. Ogden would like for him.”
“Well,” said Mr. Beak, “we’d better go and report this information to Mr. Ogden, and see what further steps can be taken.”
Then the Cubs stepped forward, with blazing eyes.
“But d’you mean you believe these beastly lies about Danny?” cried Bill.
Mr. Beak shrugged his shoulders. “Well,” he said, “what else can I do? Of course it’s very sad, but then Danny should keep out of the way of bad company.”
Mr. Beak was one of those weak-minded people who always believe everything they are told, and accept the first solution to any problem that comes along, because it is less trouble than finding out the true one.
“But it’s all a lie, a lie, a LIE!” shouted Bill. Jack was at his elbow. “Shut up, you bandarlog,” he whispered, “look at Black Bill.”
Bill glanced up and met the eyes of the circus manager fixed upon him in an awful and piercing scowl. He nearly jumped out of his skin, and for a moment stood still like a rabbit mesmerized by a snake, beneath the gaze of those terrible black eyes. In that moment he felt more sure than ever that Black Bill knew where Danny was.