Andy the Acrobat Read online

  CHAPTER VII

  A WARM RECEPTION

  Andy Wildwood was knocked senseless. When he came back to consciousnesshe found himself lying on a mattress in a little space surrounded bycanvas. It was one of the circus dressing rooms.

  He sniffed camphor, and one side of his head felt stiff and sore.Putting up his hand Andy discovered strips of sticking plaster there.

  "Was I hurt?" he asked, sitting up.

  "Circus doctor says not badly," promptly answered Marco, who stood bythe mattress. "How is it, kid? No bones broken?"

  "Oh, no," answered Andy readily, getting to his feet. "Say, whathappened? The wind storm--"

  "Gone over. It's sunshine outside now. A few hanks of thread will fixthe rips. The show went on all right after the squall. But say, you're adaisy. That timber--oh, here she is to talk for herself."

  Miss Stella Starr put in an appearance just here. She was neatly dressedin street costume. Her eyes were very bright, and there was a gratefulsmile on her womanly face as she grasped both of Andy's hands.

  "You are a good boy," she said with enthusiasm. "Bring me a stool,Marco, I want to talk with him."

  Andy flushed with embarrassment, as the little lady went on to insistthat but for his quick foresight and energy she might have missed hersalary, lying in a hospital for many a long day. She was very anxious asto Andy's injuries, and looked greatly relieved to find them trifling.

  "Just a lump under the ear and a cut on one cheek," reported Andyindifferently. "They're worth having to see you ride, Miss."

  "There, Marco!" cried the equestrienne brightly, "that is the handsomestcompliment I ever received."

  "The kid's a mascot," pronounced Marco in his heavy, earnest way. "Hefound my lost traps, and he maybe saved your life. What can we do foryou, now?"

  Andy shook his head vaguely. His bright face clouded. The human sympathyof his new friends had warmed his heart. It chilled, as he thought ofFairview and what awaited him there, especially Aunt Lavinia.

  The quick witted equestrienne read his face like a book.

  "See here, boy," she said, laying her gloved hand winningly on Andy'ssleeve, "what is your name?" and as Andy told her she added; "And whatis your trouble?"

  "Do I look as if I had trouble?" inquired Andy with a forced smile.

  "Don't try to fool Mrs. Jones, Wildwood," advised Marco. "She's ourkeenest. Has a boy at school nearly as old as you, haven't you, Mary?"

  "Jones? Mary?" spoke Andy in some wonder. "I thought the lady's name wasStella Starr."

  "On the posters and in the ring, yes," laughed the equestrienne. "Come,Andy, make a clean breast of it. Have you gone circus-crazy, and runaway from home?"

  "No ma'am, but I'd like to."

  "Oh, dear! I guess you boys are all alike," commented the equestrienne."Why do you wish to leave home?"

  "It's a long story," said Andy, with a sigh.

  "Tell it, Wildwood," spoke Marco. "We will be glad to listen."

  "Yes, indeed," assented Stella Starr. "I am interested in you, Andy. Youhave been of great service to us. Let us help you, if we can."

  Andy told his story. Stella Starr laughed merrily at his mild escapades.Marco's big eyes opened widely as Andy made plain the fact that he was avery fair amateur acrobat.

  "Why, the kid is up to the trained average, if he can do all thosethings," he declared.

  Stella Starr studied Andy silently for a few minutes. Then she said:

  "Andy, I believe you are a good, truthful boy. I am sorry for you. Youdeserve a better home. I don't believe you will ever have it withyour aunt."

  "Half-aunt," muttered Marco.

  "I do not consider you owe her any particular duty. You are not happywith her?"

  "No, ma'am, never," said Andy.

  "And I believe you would be happy with us."

  "Yes, I would," said Andy, with emotion. "I love the life here."

  "Very well, go back to Fairview just as you have planned. Arrange youraffairs just as a clear conscience dictates to you. If fate leads youback here, come to me directly. I will speak to the manager and ask himto take you on with the show."

  Tears of longing and gratefulness came to Andy's eyes. He could not stopthem.

  "You are good, kind people," he said in a muffled tone. "If I never seeyou again I shall never forget you."

  Stella Starr kissed Andy on the cheek in a motherly way. Marco followedthe boy outside. He thumped him on the back with the farewell words,uttered with emphasis:

  "Cut for it, kid. Take my advice--it's good. You've got the making of afirst-class ringer in you. Don't waste your ability in that humdrum townof yours."

  Andy started for Fairview in a daze. So much had happened since morningthat he could recall it all only in a series of long mental pictures.The kindness and suggestions of his new-found friends kept himthinking deeply.

  It was nearly dusk when Andy entered Fairview. He steered clear of oldcomrades and familiar haunts. When he reached home it was by way of therear fence.

  A light shone in the little kitchen. His aunt was bustling about in abrisk, jumpy way that told Andy she was full of excitement andbottled-up wrath.

  "Here goes, anyway," he said finally, vaulting the fence and reachingthe woodshed.

  Andy took up a good armful of wood, marched right up to the back stepsand through the open doorway. He placed his load behind thekitchen stove.

  "You graceless wretch!" were Miss Lavinia's first words.

  She had a cooking fork in her hand and with it she jabbed the airviciously.

  "Go up stairs instantly," she commanded next.

  "I'm not sleepy, and I'm hungry," said Andy respectfully enough, butfirmly.

  He walked over to the set table and picked up two biscuits from a plate.

  "Put those down, you put those down!" screamed Miss Lavinia. "Will youmind me?"

  Andy pocketed the biscuits. He was taking wise precautions in view ofpast experiences with his termagant relative.

  The boy stood his ground, and his aunt stamped her foot. Then shereached behind the stove and took up a stick used as a carpet beater.Armed with this she advanced threateningly upon Andy.

  "Don't strike me, Aunt Lavinia," said Andy quickly. "I am getting toobig for that. I won't stand it!"

  "You scamp! you disgrace!" shouted his irate relative, still advancingupon him.

  She beat at Andy, who snatched the stick from her hand, broke it in twoand threw it out through the open doorway.

  "I will go to my room if you insist upon it," said Andy now. "I don'tsee the need of treating me like a dog, though."

  "Don't you?" screamed Miss Lavinia. "Oh, you precious rascal! Here I'veworked my fingers off to keep you respectable, and you go and disgraceme shamefully. Go to your room, Andy Wildwood. We'll attend to thismatter of yours in the morning."

  "What matter?" demanded Andy.

  "Never mind, now. Do as I say. There's a rod in pickle for you, youngman, that may bring you to your senses this time."

  Andy preferred loneliness up stairs to nagging down stairs. He left thekitchen and reached his own room. He lit a candle and sat down onthe bed.

  There was a sharp click at the door almost immediately. His aunt hadstolen silently up the stairs and had bolted him in.

  "As if that would keep me if I wanted to get out very bad!" thoughtAndy, with a glance at the frail door. "Oh, but I'm tired of all this!I've made up my mind. I shall leave Fairview."

  Andy went to a shelf, felt in an old vase, and took out a key.

  He fitted it to the lower drawer of the bureau in the room. It was fullof old clothes and papers that had belonged to his father.

  Finally Andy unearthed a little wooden box, and lifted it to the light.It held a lot of trinkets, and from among them Andy selected a largesilver watch and chain. He also took out a small box. It was made ofsome very dark smooth wood, and its corners and center were decoratedwith carved pieces of gold and mother of pearl.

  "The watch and chain are sol
id silver," murmured Andy. "The box wasgiven to father by his father. It is made of some rare wood that growsin the South Sea islands. The gold on it is quite thick. I am sure thebare metal on those things is worth more than thirty dollars."

  Andy carefully stowed the watch and little box in an inner pocket. Thenhe lay down on the bed to think, but without removing any ofhis clothing.

  He silently munched the biscuits. His face cleared as reflection led todetermination. Andy planned to leave the house as soon as it was closedup for the night and Aunt Lavinia was asleep.

  "I can't stand it," he decided. "She says I'm a burden to her. I've gota show to enjoy myself and maybe make some money. Yes, it's Centrevilleand the circus by morning."

  Andy was more tired out than he had fancied. He fell asleep. As he wokeup, he discovered that heavy footsteps tramping up the stairs hadaroused him.

  He had caught the echo of lighter feet. There was rustling in the narrowentry outside.

  Andy sprang up and listened intently.

  "Aunt Lavinia and some one with her," he reflected. "I wonder who it canbe?"

  Just then a gruff voice spoke out:

  "Is the boy in that room, Miss Lavinia?"

  "Yes," said Andy's aunt.

  "Then have him out, and let's have this unpleasant duty over and donewith."