"That"s an inspiration as how _is_ an inspiration," said Tom; "it"s funny how really first-cla.s.s ideas originate in unbalanced minds at times. d.i.c.k comes out real strong once in a while."
"Thanks for your valued approval," said d.i.c.k sarcastically; "how do the rest of you fellows feel about it? Want to go?"
There was a general chorus of a.s.sent, and d.i.c.k gravely declared the proposition carried by a unanimous vote. "I think it starts around half past two," he said, "and I guess we can all be there by that time, can"t we?"
It appeared that everybody could, and after discussing incidents of circuses they had seen in the past the group dispersed to their respective rooms.
The next day was clear and bright, and at the appointed time the merry group met on the campus and took their way in high spirits toward the center of the town, where the circus had pitched its tents. Many others were going the same way, and numerous were the jokes and furious the repartee exchanged between the different groups. In a short time they reached the "big top," and after inspecting the grounds and gazing in mock wonder at the portraits of bearded ladies and wondrously thin "living skeletons," made for the gorgeously decorated ticket wagons and secured their tickets.
"It"s more fun, of course," said Tom, "to crawl in under the canvas, but I"m afraid that wouldn"t be quite dignified enough for me. The rest of you can go in that way if you like, however. Don"t let me interfere with your pleasure."
"If you get off much more of that stuff we"ll show the crowd a "Christian martyr" stunt by feeding you to the lions," threatened Bert.
"Maybe the animals could appreciate you better than we can."
"Yes, I"ve heard that in many respects animals are wiser than men,"
retorted Tom, "and I wouldn"t be surprised at that. I don"t see how they could have much less sense than some people I know."
"I wonder if he means us?" inquired Bert seriously. "It hardly seems possible, does it?"
"Oh, no, I wasn"t thinking of you at all," said Tom. "I was thinking of the faculty when I said that."
"Well," said Bert amid a general laugh, "in that case we"ll forgive all your past offenses and start you off with a clean slate. Your sentiments regarding the faculty do you credit."
By this time the group found themselves opposite the beginning of the row of cages containing the menagerie, and started out on a tour of inspection. There was a big crowd and progress could only be made at a snail"s pace. By the time they had reached the elephants it was close on to the time set for the show to begin, and after feeding the big brutes a few peanuts they hurried into the main tent. They secured seats near the top of the high tier of loose planks placed on trestles, and settled themselves to enjoy the performance. Before ascending to their places they had amply provided themselves with popcorn and peanuts, without which, as one of the fellows remarked, a "circus wasn"t a circus."
The circus was one of the smaller variety, but had a reputation of giving a first-cla.s.s exhibition, and in the opinion of some of the spectators was more satisfactory to watch than one of the big shows, where the very multiplicity of attractions made it difficult for the spectator to really enjoy anything. The onlooker"s attention is drawn by a burst of applause in some distant line of seats, and while he is trying to make out what is going on there he misses, most likely, the act that is being performed near him.
This circus had only two rings, but the acts presented were of a high character and our friends enjoyed everything from the opening parade to the final act, in which a man "looped the loop" on a bicycle. At the conclusion of this feat, d.i.c.k leaned over toward Bert. "Why don"t you try that stunt on a bicycle some time, Bert?" he inquired, "it ought to be a cinch for you."
"Too easy, too easy," laughed Bert, "give me something hard while you"re about it. Just the same," he added more seriously, "it is a mighty hard stunt, and requires nerve and skill of the highest sort. Personally, I"d rather make a living some other way."
By this time they were able to make their way through the throng to the main entrance, and were just pa.s.sing through into the outer tent when they were startled by hearing shouts and screams from the direction of the animal cages. There was a wild flurry and commotion in the crowd in front of them, and suddenly they saw a great tawny form flying through the air. The people in the path of the beast scattered wildly to left and right, and the brute landed on the sawdust floor without doing any damage. He stood there a moment glaring about him, swishing his tail angrily back and forth. Meanwhile there was a mad scramble for the exits, and many persons were thrown down and trampled in the crush.
The group of collegians had stood stupefied for a few minutes watching the escaped lion, for such the animal proved to be. The big brute seemed bewildered by the crowds and the shouting, and knew not what use to make of his new-found freedom. But suddenly he emitted a deep roar, and bounded toward the main exit, in which a struggling, shouting crowd was now solidly packed. Suddenly Bert sprang into action. "Head him off!
head him off!" he shouted and, suiting the action to the word, started diagonally toward the entrance. Tom and d.i.c.k were close after him, followed by the more courageous of their companions. By this time several of the animal keepers and trainers had also struggled through the press, and were hot in pursuit of the fleeing lion. But they were too far behind to be of any good, and the lion would surely have dashed headlong into the packed ma.s.s of humanity had not Bert and the others with him intervened. They waved their hats and shouted, and the lion, somewhat taken aback, halted for a second. Then he gathered himself together and, with a mighty bound, leaped clear over their heads. With another spring he cleared the crowd at the entrance, and was free. He hesitated a moment, looking this way and that, and then, just as one of the keepers, a rifle in his hand, reached the tent entrance, bounded swiftly forward and disappeared around a corner.
The trainers started out in hot pursuit, accompanied by Bert and his friends. "I don"t want to shoot him," panted the man with the rifle as he ran, "he"s worth five thousand dollars. He"s one of the finest lions in captivity, and his loss would mean a bad blow to the outfit. But if I get a crack at him I"ll shoot, just the same. We can"t run the risk of trying to capture him alive."
It was not difficult to trace the lion"s path, although not once did they actually catch sight of him. Distant shouts and cries told of the beast"s progress, and their path was lined by closely shut doors and pale faces peering from upper windows. Soon they reached the outskirts of the town and then, in the more open country, were able to catch a glimpse of their quarry. He was about half a mile distant, and evidently making directly for a dense piece of woodland just ahead of him. Soon he disappeared among the trees, and the man carrying the rifle, who was evidently the head trainer, called a halt.
"How far do those woods extend?" he asked Bert.
"Not very far," replied Bert. "I should say there"s not more than a square mile of woodland, at most."
"Well, then," said the other, "the chances are ten to one that Leo will stick to the trees, and not come out unless he has to. In that case, all we have to do is surround the place to see that he doesn"t get away.
Then I don"t think we"ll have much trouble recapturing him."
As this seemed to be the opinion of his a.s.sistants, too, their leader sent one of them back to the circus to make a report and bring out reinforcements, and then made plans to surround the strip of woods. By this time quite a crowd had collected, and the animal trainer selected volunteers to set up a guard about the trees and give warning if the lion attempted to break cover.
"All you have to do," he explained, "is to climb a tree near where I post you, and if you see anything of the lion, sing out. He can"t climb a tree, of course, so you"ll be perfectly safe."
There was no lack of volunteers, and our three comrades were among the first to proffer their services. "This is a little more than we had counted on," laughed Tom; "we expected _some_ excitement for our money, of course, but nothing like this."
"Well, we won"t kick now that it is handed to us," remarked Bert; "it begins to seem like old times again. Only that time we were up against a tiger instead of a lion."
"Yes, that"s so," agreed d.i.c.k, "but I hope we don"t have as close a shave this time as we had then. That was getting a little too close to the undertaker to suit me."
"No, we won"t go looking for trouble the way we did that time," said Bert. "If that lion wants us, he"ll have to climb a tree to get us. I"m not anxious for a fracas with a big healthy lion. I"ll leave that pleasure to some one else."
By this time twilight had begun to set in, and it was with the greatest caution that the volunteers and circus men began to skirt the edge of the patch of trees. The head trainer went with them, and at intervals stationed one of the band in a convenient tree. "Just keep your eyes peeled until it"s too dark to see," he instructed them, "and by that time we"ll have torches from the circus. Then we"ll form a ring of fire around the woods, and keep the brute inside it until daybreak. Then we"ll get him, dead or alive."
In this way he made the circuit of the woods, until his last helper had been stationed to his satisfaction. Tom, Bert and d.i.c.k were stationed in succession at a distance from each other of two or three hundred yards, and accommodated themselves as best they could among the branches. They kept a sharp lookout below them, but all remained quiet and undisturbed, and it seemed hard to believe that there was lurking death in the midst of the quiet woodland. No sound reached their ears save an occasional distant shout, probably of command or direction from the head trainer.
Time wore on slowly, after the first excitement had pa.s.sed, and the watchers began to get thoroughly chilled in the crisp autumn air before they saw a host of twinkling lights approaching from the direction of the town. The lights grew rapidly nearer, and the watchers knew that this was the squad of men of which the trainer had spoken. Soon they reached the fire where the head trainer had made his headquarters, and after a brief halt started to surround the woods. Each man of the party held a flaring, smoking gasoline torch, and their combined strength gave a brilliant illumination. In their progress they stopped at the trees where the watchers were stationed, and one after the other relieved them. Bert, d.i.c.k and Tom were soon on the ground once more, and were glad to get an opportunity to stretch their cramped muscles.
"Well, what"s the plan now?" Bert asked one of the men.
"Oh, there"s nothing we can do till daylight," he answered, "we"ll just hang around and make sure that the lion doesn"t get out of these woods.
Then we"ll capture him some way, and hustle to catch up with the rest of the outfit."
"Why, have they gone on without you fellows?" asked Tom in surprise.
"Sure," replied the other; "we"re due in the next town to-morrow, and a little thing like a lion getting away can"t stop us. Nothing much less than an earthquake could, anyway."
And indeed, it was very much as the fellow said. A circus simply must meet its engagements on time, or else go out of business. Its agents go on days in advance of it, advertising and pasting bill posters over the surrounding landscape, and if the show isn"t on time all the cost of this is wasted, besides the loss of prestige to the circus, not to say anything of the loss of the day"s gate receipts.
Therefore, the circus from which the lion had escaped struck its tents and traveled on exactly as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. To be sure, it was hindered by the fact that so many of its men had to be a.s.signed to capturing the lion, but in spite of this it was hardly an hour late in starting.
After the volunteer watchers had been relieved, Burton, the trainer in charge of the proceedings, thanked them for their services, but told them that there was nothing more they could do, so that they could feel at liberty to go home if they were so inclined. A few did, but the majority elected to stay and "see the show through," as Tom expressed it. "It isn"t often you get a chance to see a lion hunt in a quiet college town," he said, "and I, for one, am not going to miss it merely to get a little sleep. I can sleep "most any old time."
"Yes, but there probably won"t be anything doing until morning, anyway,"
said Burton with a smile; "you could get your sleep, and come back again."
But the three comrades were of one mind, and resolved to spend the night around the camp fire, so as to miss nothing of the novel experience.
Fortunately, the next day was Sat.u.r.day, and, as it happened, none of them had any recitations on for that day. This left them free to do about as they liked, and it did not take them long to make up their minds.
They settled themselves around the fire, and soon had good reason to feel glad that they had decided to stay. The last arrivals had brought food and coffee in plenty, and this was soon pa.s.sed around, everybody making a hearty meal. Then pipes were lit, and those of the circus men who were not on duty began swapping tales of adventures and experiences while following the "game," that were teeming with interest to the boys.
Many of the men were fairly well educated, and told what they had to tell in a very interesting way. Every once in a while those about the fire would leave to replace some of their companions who had been watching some time, and the men thus relieved would have a new batch of stories to relate. Around the crackling, roaring fire it was very warm and comfortable, and time flew by faster than the boys realized. They had never felt more wide awake in their lives, and they were much surprised when the first faint streaks of dawn in the eastern sky told of approaching day.
As soon as it became light enough to see, two carpenters started constructing a wooden cage out of lumber they had brought with them, and had soon built a cage large enough and strong enough, it seemed to the boys, to hold an elephant. When the work was completed, several men lifted the cage and carried it to the very edge of the woods. Then, having located the place where the lion had entered, they placed the cage directly across the trail. It had been provided with a door that slid up and down, and this was fastened open with a stout cord.
By the time these preparations were finished Mr. Burton hurried up, and carefully inspected the work. He had just returned from a trip around the trees, and reported everything quiet so far. "Now, boys," he said, "get a move on, and we"ll carry this trap a little farther in. Old Leo might not want to come out this far for his breakfast, even though he"s probably pretty hungry by this time. Lively"s the word, now!"
The cage was lifted by willing arms, and carried well into the shadow of the trees. "All right, here"s the place," said Mr. Burton, when he judged they had penetrated far enough, "set it down here. Have you got the meat with you, Bill?" The man addressed produced a large bundle, which on being unwrapped proved to be a large piece of juicy raw meat.
"That will do fine," said Burton, approvingly and, taking the meat from the other, placed it well inside the cage. "All right," he said, when everything was arranged to his entire satisfaction. "All hands get into the trees now, and we"ll wait for Leo to come for his breakfast. I"ll take the rope into my tree, and spring the trap. Hustle. The brute"s apt to come around most any time now."
Even as he spoke a loud roar echoed through the woods, so close at hand that for a moment every heart stood still. Then there was a wild dash for the nearest trees. d.i.c.k and Bert and Tom made for a large oak near at hand, and went up it faster than they would have imagined possible.
They had barely reached a place of safety in the lower branches, than with another roar the lion leaped into the clearing. For a few minutes he stood motionless, with the exception of his tail, which swished angrily back and forth. Soon he located the boys in their tree, and made an angry dash toward it. By this time, however, they were high up in the branches, and the lion seemed to realize that they were beyond his reach, and after giving vent to another roar, walked away. Then he saw others in the surrounding trees, and made a circuit of inspection, gazing eagerly upward at the tempting human beings so close to him and yet hopelessly beyond his reach. Finally, he seemed to dismiss them from his mind and, going over to the cage, sniffed eagerly at the meat inside it. He had had nothing to eat since the preceding noonday, and was ravenously hungry. But he seemed to suspect some trap to curtail his new-found liberty and, hungry as he was, for more than half an hour he refused to enter the cage. He made numerous attempts to hook the meat with his claws, but found it always a little beyond his reach. At last, with an angry growl, he made up his mind and stepped inside the cage.