"Fortunate for the audience, I should say.Nothing could have held the tent with those ropes gone.It showed that the cordage had been cut by someone very familiar with the canvas.Almost a breath of wind would have caused the whole big top to collapse, and then a lot of people might have been killed.Well, the season is almost at an end now.If we are lucky we shall soon be out of it.""All the more reason for getting the fellow at once," nodded Phil."Why?""After a few days we shall be closing, and then we shall not get an opportunity.""That's good logic.I agree with you.I shall be delighted to place these hands of mine right on that fiend's throat.But first, will you tell me how I am going to do it? Haven't we been trying to catch him ever since those two men were discharged? Both of them are in this thing.""I think you will find that there is only one now.I believe Larry is working alone.I haven't any particular reason for thinking this; it just sort of seems to me to be so.""Any suggestions, Phil?I'll confess that I am at my wits' end." "Yes, I have been thinking of a plan lately.""What is it?"
"Have the trains searched." "What?"
"You will remember my saying, sometime ago, that I believed the fellow was still traveling with us and--""But how--where could he ride that he would not be sure of discovery?" protested Mr.Sparling.
"He has friends with the show, that's how," answered Phil convincingly.
"You amaze me."
"All the same, I believe you will find that to be the case." "And you would suggest searching the trains?""Yes."
"When?"
"Now.No; I don't mean at this very minute.I should suggest that tomorrow morning, say at daybreak, you send men over this entire train.Don't let them miss a single corner where a man might hide.""Yes; but this isn't the only train in the show.""I know.At the first stop, or you might do it here before we start, wire ahead to your other train managers to do the same thing.Tell them who it is you suspect.You'll be able to catch the squadron before they get in, though I do not believe our man will be found anywhere on that train.""Why not?"