"You rascal!" exclaimed the vexed manager, flushing as he realized he had been fooled. "You are responsible for all this! The dog and cat----"
"Wanted to show you what I can do. Those are little things. I assure you that I believe I can entertain an audience for an hour and thirty minutes and send every person away satisfied. I have studied magic, and, with Zolverein's apparatus, I can do many things of interest. Give me a chance to try it."
"But the apparatus--you have no right to touch it."
"It was given me by Zolverein before he died. That was why he sent for me. He gave it to me because he was grateful for what I did for him in keeping him from falling beneath the wheels of the train."
"I have two witnesses that he gave me all his apparatus," said Merry. "They are Drs. Harte and Gray. Both heard him give the stuff to me. Let me look it over, give me twenty minutes' time, and, with the aid of his assistant, who is waiting on the stage, I will give a performance that will please and satisfy the audience."
"It is barely possible," he admitted; "but I do not dare try it."
"The audience would not accept you in the place of a famous magician like Zolverein."
"I'll tell you what I'll do," said Frank, who was eager for the chance to try his hand at magic; "I will make a speech to the audience. I will tell them of Zolverein's sudden death. Then I will offer to entertain them for thirty minutes without charge. At the end of thirty minutes everyone who wishes will be given an opportunity to leave the theater and collect their money at the box office. Those who wish to remain will see the rest of the entertainment for whatever price they have paid. Isn't that all right."
"It sounds all right; but I don't wish to make a farce of this affair. I am afraid to try it, young man."
"If twenty persons leave the theater at the end of thirty minutes," Merry proposed, "I will forfeit fifty per cent. of my share of the gate receipts. If forty persons leave, I will forfeit the entire gate receipts. What do you say to that?"
There was a shrill whistle through the speaking tube that connected with the stage. Burnham stepped to the tube.
Then he listened. Pretty quick he turned to Frank, saying:
"The audience is growing impatient. I must dismiss them, or----"