"If there's any bill for damages, just name it," he spoke.

"I'll tell you that mighty soon," answered the man.

He dashed into the cellar and Andy heard him utter a glad shout. He came
out carrying two old satchels. Throwing them on the ground he
opened them.

They were filled with coins and curios. The man ran these over eagerly.
He looked up with a face supremely satisfied.

"Not a cent," he cried heartily. "No, no--no damages. Glad to have
served you."

"All right. Come on, Wildwood," said the trainer, starting for the
wagon.

"One minute," interrupted the owner of the place, beckoning to Andy.

He drew out his wallet, fingered over some bank bills, selected one, and
grasped Andy's hand warmly.

"You have done me a vast service," he declared. "But for you--"

"And the bear," suggested Andy, with a smile.

"All right," nodded the man, "only, the bear can't spend money. You can.
I misjudged you. Let me make it right. Take that."

He released his grasp of Andy's hand momentarily, to slap into his palm
a banknote.

"Now, look here--" began Andy, modestly.

"No, you look there!" cried the man, pushing Andy towards the wagon.
"Good bye and good luck."

Andy ran and jumped to the top of the wagon, which had just started up.

Settling himself comfortably, he took a look at the banknote. His eyes
started, and a flush of surprise crossed his face.

It was a fifty dollar bill.

CHAPTER XXVIII

"HEY, RUBE!"

"From bad to worse," said the Man With the Iron Jaw.

"Correct, Marco," assented Billy Blow dejectedly.

It was three weeks after the start of the southern tour of the circus.

Marco, the clown, Midget, Miss Stella Starr, Andy and about a dozen
others were seated or strolling around the performers' tent about the
middle of the afternoon.

Every face in the crowd looked anxious--some disheartened and desperate.

Bad luck attended the southern trip of the show. They had reached
Montgomery in the midst of a terrific rain storm. Two animal cars had
been derailed and wrecked on the route.

Three days later a wind storm nearly tore the main top to tatters. Some
of the performers fell sick, due to the change of climate. Others
foresaw trouble, and joined other shows in the north.

The season started out badly and kept it up. The attendance as they left
the big cities was disastrously light.

They had to cut out one or two towns here and there, on account of bad
roads and accidents. Now t