"Where's the boy gone to?" puffed out a labored voice.

"Gracious!" exclaimed Andy, under cover, but with a gasp of sheer
dismay. "I understand now."

Andy recognized the tones of this last speaker. They belonged to Wagner,
the village constable of Fairview.

"He's in that little tent," spoke another voice.

"Surround it," ordered Wagner. "Here, you stand aside. The boy I've been
looking for all day is in that tent. I want him."

"Hold on," retorted Marco. "This is private circus property."

"Yes, and I'm a public officer, I'd have you know!" said Wagner. "No
use. Don't interfere with the course of justice, or you'll get
into trouble."

There was no light in the tent. The many flaring gasoline torches
outside, however, cast a radiance that enabled Andy to pretty accurately
make out the situation.

He traced two shadowy figures making a circuit of the tent. He could see
Marco push back Wagner.

The latter was unsteady of gait and voice. Andy theorized that he had
been commissioned by his aunt to pursue him.

Wagner had come down to Centreville with two assistants. Their expenses
were probably paid in advance, and they had made a kind of individual
celebration of the trip.

"I've been looking for that boy all day," now spoke Wagner.

"I know you have," answered Marco, standing like a statue at the door of
the tent.

"He's a fugitive from justice. I'm bound to have him. I'm an arm of the
law."

"What's he done?" inquired Marco.

"He's nearly broken his poor old aunt's heart."

"I didn't ask about his aunt's heart. What's he done?"

"Oh, why--hum, that's so. Well, he's been expelled from school because
of his crazy circus capers."

"Indeed. I'm a circus man. Do you observe anything particularly crazy
about me?" demanded Marco. "Say, my friend, you get out of this. I'm
Marco, the Man with the Iron Jaw. It won't be healthy for me to tackle
you, and I will if you make yourself obstreperous. You won't get that
boy until you show me convincingly that you have a legal right to
do so."

"Legal right? Why!" cried Wagner, drawing out a paper, "there's my
warrant."

"Let me look at it, please. Oh," said Marco, examining the document.
"Issued in another county. We're pretty good lawyers, us show folks, and
I can tell you that you will have to get a search warrant issued in this
county before you dare set a foot in that tent."

The Fairview constable was nonplussed. Marco was right, and Wagner knew
it.