bringing him back to the circus, from which erstwhile the animal strayed."

Poor Tom saw it was all up with him. These wretches must have known about
the reward from the moment he received it. They had planned the robbery,
and he had walked straight into the trap set for him.

"Yes, I have a hundred dollars given to me for helping to catch the tiger;
I was taking it home to my mother."

"That's a good boy," commented the count; "always think of your mother,
for the market isn't overstocked with first-class mothers. But bear in
mind, sonny, that we're only borering this for sixty days, and we'll give
you ten per cent interest--that's our style of doing bus'ness, eh, Duke?"

"Well, if I must, I must," said Tom hopelessly, making a move of his hand
as if to draw the money from his trousers pocket.

"That's right, allers take things philosophically, and be ready to extend
a helping hand to them as"--

The count had got thus far in his observations, when the boy darted to one
side, and made a desperate attempt to pass them and reach the fence on his
right.

He came very nigh succeeding too. In fact, he did get to the fence, and
was in the act of clambering over, when he was seized in the iron grip of
Count De Buffer, who was angered at the narrow escape of the youth making
off with the funds.

"If you try anything like that agin, I'll kill you!" he said, choking and
shaking the boy; "we mean bus'ness, young man, and don't you forget it!"

Tom still struggled furiously, and pulled so hard that all three moved
several paces along the highway. Nor did he cease his resistance until he
had been struck several cruel blows.

"Now fork over them funds!" commanded the count, when the panting lad was
exhausted.

"I sha'n't do it!" was the sturdy reply.

"Very well; then we'll do it for you."

The lad made no resistance, and the tramps searched him thoroughly from
head to foot. Not a penny was found on him.

"We ought to break your head for that trick," said the duke, "and if it
had done you any good we'd do so; but we understand it. You flung the
money away when you made a rush for the fence."

"If I did," was the defiant response of the boy, "all you've got to do is
to find it again."

"We'll soon do that; hold him fast till I get it, and then we'll settle
with him."

The tousled scamp shuffled off to the side of the highway to search for
the package, which he was convinced had been thrown there at the time
thei