"So it was! Perhaps this Merrick lives here."
"Let us go over and get a closer look at him," said Dick, and left his seat, followed by the others.
There was a large crowd, so they had some difficulty in making their way to where the man was located. In his haste, Dick bumped against a waiter selling lemonade and spilled the contents of two glasses on the ground.
"Hi! you've got to pay for the lemonade," roared the waiter, angrily. "You pay up, you clumsy clown!"
"See here, my man, I'll pay you, but I want you to understand you can't call me a clown," said Dick, angrily.
"Here's your money," and Dick held out ten cents. "Now, am I a clown or not?"
"Am I or not?" And the eldest Rover boy doubled up his fists. He knew he must "take the bull by the horns" with such an individual as that before him.
"Excuse me," mumbled the fellow and moved away. "I--er--suppose yer couldn't help it."
Sam and Tom had gone ahead and they were now close to the man they took to be Merrick.
"No mistake here!" declared Sam, as he got a good, square look at the fellow's face.
"He sees us!" exclaimed Tom, a second later. "He is trying to get away."
The boy was right, Merrick had seen them. He was greatly amazed, for he had not dreamed of their being in that vicinity. He left his seat in a hurry, and, elbowing his way through the crowd, started for the entrance to the big tent-like enclosure.
By this time Dick was coming up and Sam and Tom quickly acquainted him with what was going on. All three of the Rovers pushed through the big crowd after Merrick, but, before they could draw near, the rascal was outside and running between a number of carriages and wagons standing in that vicinity.
"Come on after him!" cried Tom. "We must capture him if we can!"
They set off on a smart run, but Merrick could run also, and fear now lent speed to his flying feet. On and on went the swindler, with the Rover boys less than a square behind him. Then, as they came to a number of tall buildings, Merrick darted around a corner and out of sight.
When the Rover boys reached the corner they looked in every direction for the man. Only a few people were about, the majority of the town folks being at the show.
"Wonder if he went straight on, or took to some side street?" mused Dick.