"He's been following this show right along, and
before he gets through he'll put us out of business if we don't
look sharp."
Considerable damage already had been done. Horses and other
animals fell ill, in some instances with every evidence of
poisoning; guy ropes were cut, and the cars had been tampered
with in the railroad yards.
All this was beginning to get on the nerves of the owner of
the show, as well as on those of some of his people who knew
about it. Things had come to a point where it was necessary
to place more men on guard about the lot to protect the
show's property.
At each stand of late efforts had been made to get the police to
keep an eye open for one Red Larry, but police officials do not,
as a rule, give very serious heed to the complaints of a circus,
especially unless the entire department has been pretty well
supplied with tickets. Mr. Sparling was a showman who did not
give away many tickets unless there were some very good reason
for so doing.
Phil, in the meantime, had been at work in an effort to
satisfy his own belief that Larry was responsible for their
numerous troubles. Yet up to this moment the lad had not caught
sight of Red; and now he had lost the scoundrel through the
laxity of a policeman.
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