Two tickets were immediately passed to him, and he and the constable entered the tent.
Opposed as he was to the circus, Tarbox could not forbear looking about him with considerable curiosity. They were not yet in the main room, but were in an outer lobby where were ranged the cages of animals. Mr. Tarbox started as an African lion, whose cage he was passing, roared, and he regarded with some apprehension the gratings of the cage.
"It's rather resky," he said. "Suppose the lions or tigers should break out."
The constable trembled at the suggestion, but still seemed interested in looking about him.
"Come, Mr. Tarbox," he said, "let's go and look at the elephants."
"Do you think I came here to see elephants?" he said, sternly. "Constable, I call upon you to do your duty."
"How can I?" asked the constable; "I don't see the giant."
One of the canvas men happened to be passing, and Mr. Tarbox, rightly concluding that he was connected with the show, asked, "Where's Enoch?"
"Enoch!" repeated the canvas man, staring; "I guess you're off. I don't know any Enoch."
"Oh!" said the attendant, smiling. "You just follow round to the left, and you'll see him. He's sittin' next to the fat lady."
"Constable," said Mr. Tarbox, grasping his companion by the arm, "we are on the scent. Come along, and we'll see what the villain has to say to the law."
The performance had not commenced—indeed, half an hour would elapse before the hour fixed—and several of the performers were to be seen among the spectators about the cages of the animals. One of these Tarbox recognized.
"Look at that boy!" he said, clutching the constable's arm.
He pointed to Robert Rudd and Charlie Davis, the two young riders, who were walking together.
"That's the young villain that was with Enoch."
Spriggins inwardly wished that the warrant was for Robert instead of the giant.
"Why didn't you arrest him instead of the giant?" he asked.
"Perhaps I will yet, for he trespassed on my grounds; but it was Enoch that shook me up and killed Bruiser. Look here, young feller," he said, addressing Robert.
Robert turned and smiled as he recognized the farmer.
"Yes, it's me," answered Tarbox sternly. "Where is Enoch?"
"That overgrown brute that was with you this afternoon."