the sidewalk for about ten feet. He rounded a heap of
sand and glided up a slant where an alley cut in. There he paused,
hidden by a big billboard. Peering past this barrier he could view the
crowd he had just left.

"Thief--stop thief!" fell in a frantic yell on his hearers.

To his surprise it was Jim Tapp who uttered the call. He was flinging
about in great excitement. As a police officer ran up, Andy saw him
pointing into the vacant lot. He also evidently told some specious story
to the officer.

The latter jumped into the lot, and two or three followed him. Andy saw
that he was in danger of discovery, and directed a last glance at the
crowd on the sidewalk. He saw his aunt's bobbing bonnet retreating from
the scene. He also saw Jim Tapp, apparently following her. He did not
dare to go in the same direction.

Andy dodged down the alley and came out on the next street. He looked
vainly for the two persons in whom he was interested. He failed to
locate them, and then proceeded in the direction of the circus grounds.
He was very thoughtful, and in a measure worried and uneasy.

"Tapp is pretty smart," soliloquized Andy. "He's mean, too. If he
noticed that I was flustered and afraid of Aunt Lavinia seeing me, and
guesses who she is and connects my running away from home with her, he
would tell her where I am just out of spite. Wonder if she could have me
arrested here, in another State?"

Andy was too tired to stay awake over this problem when he located the
clown's new quarters. Before he retired, however, he got word to the
circus manager that Jim Tapp was evidently following the circus, and had
been seen in Tipton that very evening.

The next morning Andy was too busy to give the matter of his aunt's near
proximity much thought. He worked with a gang hoisting the main tent
until nearly noon.

"Hi, Wildwood!" hailed a friendly voice, as Andy was leaving the cook's
tent an hour later.

The speaker was Marco. He made a few inquiries as to how Andy was
getting along. Then he said: "I saw Miss Stella Starr this morning. You
know the manager, of course?"

"Mr. Scripps--yes," nodded Andy.

"Well, about two o'clock they're going to line up the amateurs in the
performance tent. You be there."

"All right," said Andy.

"Benares and Thacher will be on hand. You'll see some fun. Afterwards
they'll put you through some stunts in dead earnest. It's your chance to
get in on the tumbling act. Would you like that?"