CHAPTER XV.
THE CHARMS OF MUSIC.
For the moment after the brown bear crashed through the gla.s.s and landed in the show window of the auction store Matt was too astonished to move.
The entrance of the great beast, which had undoubtedly escaped from the circus men during the parade, was so totally unexpected that all in the place were too paralyzed with fear to move.
Screams of terror rent the air, and to these the brown bear added a growl which was both deep and angry.
Andy, who stood some distance behind Matt, was the first to do any rational talking.
"Grab the pistol, Matt!" he exclaimed. "Grab it quick!"
The weapon to which Andy referred was lying under the counter, just in front of the boy. It had been purchased by the firm and placed there in case some ugly person raised a dispute, or a sneak-thief tried to run off with any article. Andy had said that the mere sight of a pistol would often bring matters to terms when words had no effect.
Matt understood his partner"s cry, and he lost no time in acting upon it. He caught up the pistol, and at once aimed it at the bear"s head.
Whether or not the beast understood that his life was in danger would be hard to say, but no sooner had the weapon been pointed at him than he arose on his hind legs and emitted a growl that was fairly blood-curdling to the involuntary listeners.
Matt did not claim to be a crack shot, having had but slight experience in pistol practice, and, even in that moment of peril, he hesitated to shoot, fearful of missing the bear and striking some one on the sidewalk outside.
"Clear the way out there!" he cried. "Clear the way, or you may get shot!"
His words had the effect of scattering the few venturesome persons who had collected to see what the bear might do. In the meantime those in the store ran out of the open doors as quickly as they could. Andy alone remained with his partner, arming himself with the longest carving-knife the stock afforded.
Once on his hind legs the brown bear hesitated in his movements. He was separated from Matt by five feet of s.p.a.ce between the show window and the raised platform upon which the boy stood. He did not seem to wish to leap the span, nor did he appear inclined to step down to the floor and then up upon the platform.
"Why don"t you let him have it?" yelled Andy, as he saw Matt raise the pistol and then lower it again.
"I don"t believe he"s so mad after all," returned the boy. "I"m not going to shoot until I have to. Say!" he went on suddenly, "give him a tune on one of the accordions."
"What"s that?" gasped Andy in astonishment.
"Play him a tune. He may be a trained bear, and if so, the music may soothe him."
Andy at once caught Matt"s idea, and, taking up an accordion which stood close at hand, he began a lively tune of a popular sort.
At the first bars of the tune the brown bear appeared surprised. He raised himself up higher than ever on his hind legs, until his head touched the top of the show window. Then he started as if to dance, crashing over every article which was on exhibition. Finding he could not dance in the limited s.p.a.ce around him, he leaped to the pavement outside, and there, to the bystanders" amazement and relief, began to execute a clumsy jig.
"He"s dancing, sure enough!" cried Andy. "That was a good idea of yours, Matt."
"Keep it up until his keepers come," returned the boy. "Lively, now, Andy, for playing means something."
Andy continued to play, and as the brown bear began to dance more heartily than ever, the people, who a moment before had been so frightened, gathered about and began to laugh.
"That"s better than shooting him," remarked one man.
"Indeed, it is," returned another. "Keep it up, young fellow!"
And Andy did keep it up until two keepers appeared, hatless and almost out of breath, and took the bear in charge.
"Doxie would have been all right," one of them explained; "but while he was performing on the square below some mischievous boy threw some pepper in his mouth."
"Yes, and Doxie went after him," added the other. "It"s lucky for the boy that he got out of sight, for had Doxie caught him he would have chewed him up."
"I am very thankful that he did not do any further damage," said Matt.
"I thought I would have to shoot him," and he exhibited the pistol.
"It"s lucky for you that you didn"t shoot Doxie," cried the head keeper. "You would have been a couple of hundred out of pocket."
"That reminds me," put in Andy. "Who is going to pay for that smashed show window and the ruined goods?"
At this the faces of the two keepers fell. The brown bear had been in their keeping, and they knew that the proprietor of the circus would hold them responsible for any damage done.
"Well, that is not our fault," returned the head keeper blandly. "I reckon you will have to bear the loss yourselves."
"Indeed, not!" cried Matt. "The owner of this bear will pay every cent."
"Well, go on and see him, then," returned the keeper curtly, and throwing a chain over the bear"s head, he started to lead the animal away.
"Hold on," said Andy quietly but firmly. "You will not take that bear away until this matter is settled. Matt, see if you can find a policeman."
A policeman was close at hand, and he was at once summoned. A long altercation followed, in which the keepers tried to disown any responsibility in the matter.
"Whom does the bear belong to?" questioned Andy at last.
"Mr. Menville, the proprietor of the show."
"Then you leave him here until Mr. Menville comes for him," was the quick reply. "Mr. Officer, please see to it that the bear is not taken away. I think he might very easily be chained to that hitching-post by the curb."
"Sure, an" Oi dunno about this!" exclaimed the policeman, an old Irishman. "Ye had better let him take the baste away."
"No, he"ll stay here until damages are settled," said Andy. "They do not own the bear, and if they attempt to take him away arrest them both."
Andy did not know if he was acting according to law or not, and, for that matter, neither did the policeman. But the auctioneer"s firm stand had the desired effect, for the two keepers presently weakened, and asked what it would cost to replace the window and the goods spoiled.
A glazier was called in, and while he was figuring Matt and Andy went over the stock. At the end of ten minutes it was found that sixteen dollars would cover all loss. With much grumbling the circus men paid the amount, and they were then permitted to lead the brown bear away.
"Quite a bit of excitement, I must say," was Matt"s comment after it was all over. "I don"t want to go through any such scare again."
"Nor I," returned Andy. "But, see, there is quite a crowd gathered around yet. Let us make the most of the chance."
"I am too unstrung to auction off any stuff," admitted Matt. "That first scare was enough to take the heart right out of a fellow. You go ahead if you wish, and I"ll clean out the window and get things ready for that new frame and gla.s.s."
So without further delay Andy began to address the people, and soon he had the store once more filled. He kept on auctioning stuff off until one o"clock in the afternoon, when the crowd thinned out, being composed princ.i.p.ally of folks who had come into the city to visit the circus.
By that time Matt had set the carpenter and the glazier to work, and the new woodwork and the gla.s.s were in. All it needed was a couple of coats of paint, and the show window would be as good as new. The owner of the building, having heard of the affair, came around to view the situation, and expressed himself perfectly satisfied with what had been done.