"There isn"t much love lost between us," returned Harry, laughing.
"How do you like the boy?"
"He served me a good turn--for five dollars--but he would help capture me for the same money, or less."
"You seem to know him."
"He is fond of money, and would do almost anything for it."
"You thank me for saving you from capture, my lad," continued the magician. "Well, I had an object in it--a selfish object."
Harry looked puzzled.
"It struck me that I needed a boy about your size, and character, for a general a.s.sistant, to sell tickets, take money, and help me on the stage. How do you like the idea?"
"I like it," answered Harry; "but there is one objection."
"What is that?"
"I don"t come from Madagascar," responded Harry, slyly.
Professor Hemenway laughed.
"You"ve been as near there as I have," he said. "Did you really think I came from Madagascar?"
"You look more as if you came from Maine, sir."
"You"ve hit it! There"s where I did come from. I was raised twenty-five miles from Portland on a farm. But it would never do to put that on the bills. People are ready to pay more for imported than for native curiosities. However, to come to business. I had a young man traveling with me who wasn"t suited to the business. He was a dry-goods clerk when I took him, and is better adapted to that business than to mine. He left me last week, and I have been in a quandary about his successor. How much do you consider your time worth?"
"Just at present it isn"t worth much. If you will pay my traveling expenses, that will satisfy me."
"I will do better than that I will give you five dollars a week besides, if business is good."
"Thank you, sir. I think I shall enjoy traveling."
There are few boys who do not like change of scene, and the chance of seeing new places is attractive to all. Harry was decidedly of the opinion that he had a streak of luck. It would be much better in all ways than living with his late guardian, and working for partial board.
As they approached the village of Conway, Harry"s attention was drawn to a variety of posters setting forth, in mammoth letters, that the world-renowned Magician of Madagascar would give a magical _soiree_ at the Town Hall in the evening. Tickets, fifteen cents; children under twelve years, ten cents. The posters, furthermore, attracted attention by a large figure of the professor, dressed in bizarre style, performing one of his tricks.
"That draws attention," observed the professor, "particularly among the boys. I think I shall have a hall full this evening. An audience of three hundred will pay very well. My expenses are light. I do most of my traveling in this wagon, and at hotels I get the usual professional reduction."
"Did it take you long to learn the business?"
"I have been learning all along. Every now and then I add a new trick. I will teach you some."
"I might leave you and set up on my own hook when I have learned,"
suggested Harry, with a smile.
"It will be some time before you look old enough for a magician. When you are, I"ll give you my blessing and send you out."
Meanwhile they had been jogging along, and were already in the main street of Conway. The professor drew up in front of the village hotel, and a groom came forward and took his horse.
"Wait a minute my friend," said the professor. "Harry, you can help me take my implements out of the back of the wagon."
These "implements" were of a heterogeneous character, but all would come in use in the evening. A number of boys watched their transfer with mingled awe and curiosity.
"What"s them?" Harry heard one ask another, in a half-whispered tone.
"Those," said the professor, in an impressive tone, turning toward the boys. "Those are paraphernalia!"
The boys looked more awestruck than ever. All inwardly resolved to go to the Town Hall that evening, and get a nearer view of the articles which had such a grand name.
After a while Harry came downstairs from the room a.s.signed him, and stood on the piazza.
One of the boys drew near him cautiously.
"Are you the magician"s son?" he asked.
"No," answered Harry, smiling.
"Do you come from Madagascar?"
"I have not been there recently."
"Are all the people there magicians?"
"Not quite all."
This information was rather scanty, but it was whispered about among the boys, the first boy boasting that he had a talk with the young man magician. If Harry had heard himself called thus, he would have been very much amused.
Directly after supper Harry went with his employer to a.s.sist in preparing the stage for the evening performance. Though novice, he acquitted himself to the satisfaction of his employer, who congratulated himself on having secured so efficient an a.s.sistant.
Half an hour before the performance he stationed himself in the entry, provided with tickets. He sat at a small table, and received the crowd. Though new to the business, he managed to make change rapidly.
He found his position one in which he had a chance to study human nature.
During the evening Harry was called upon to a.s.sist the professor in some of his tricks. Some boys would have been embarra.s.sed upon finding themselves objects of general attention, but Harry was by temperament cool and self-possessed. He had been fond of declamation at school, and this had accustomed him, to some extent, to a public appearance.
The entertainment was in two parts, with an intermission of ten minutes.
"I wish you were a singer," said the professor, when they were standing behind the screen.
"Why?" asked Harry.
"Because the audience sometimes gets impatient during the intermission. If I could put you on for a song, it would help quiet them."
"I can sing a little," said Harry, modestly.
"What can you sing?"