e town was full of the good-for-nothings."

"You had better lock up good after we are gone," said Giant.

"No fear but what I'll do that," answered Mrs. Carson.

"We'll try not to wake you up when we come in, aunty."

"I'll hear you, never fear. And, Shep, if you are hungry when you
get back, you'll find a jar of cookies in the pantry, and a pitcher
of milk in the icebox."

"Good for you!" cried the doctor's son, and he ran around the table
and gave his aunt a hug and a kiss. "You know what boys like, don't
you?"

The four chums were soon on their way to the circus grounds, located
on the outskirts of Railings. Here they found erected a large main
tent and several smaller ones, all lit up by numerous gasolene
torches. At one side of the main tent was a side show, with numerous
pictures hung between high poles. Near the entrance to the big
show was a ticket wagon, and here a long line of people were awaiting
their turns to get the bits of pasteboard which would admit them to
the wonders under the canvases.

"Going to have a big crowd and no mistake," observed Snap as he looked
at the folks flocking to the circus grounds.

"I heard they had a big crowd this afternoon, too," said Giant.

"They had a big crowd and a big fight," said a man standing near.

"A fight?" queried Whopper.

"Yes. It's a wonder somebody wasn't killed."

"What was the fight about?" questioned the doctor's son.

"Why, it seems the head boss of the show discharged four of the wagon
drivers for drunkenness. The fellows wanted their full month's
wages and the boss wouldn't give it to them. Then they got ugly
and commenced to tamper with some of the animals. The boss called
some of his other men, and all hands had a big fight right in the
menagerie tent. One boy who was looking on got hit with a club,
and a lady fainted, and they almost had a panic. Then the police
took a hand, and one of the fellows who was discharged was arrested.
The other three got away."

"Yes, and those other three men say they are coming back," said a
farmer who stood near and who had overheard the conversation. "I
saw them at supper time, back of Lum's hotel. They say they are
going to get square on the circus boss, even if they have to break
up the whole show to do it."

"I hope they don't come back to-night," said Snap. "I don't want
to get mixed up in any quarrel."

"Me either," answered the farmer. "I want to see the show, and
that's all."