“Twenty cents a day is pretty economical living,” he reflected, as he studied the stars visible through a chink in the roof.  “I wonder what the circus people pay a beginner?”

Wondering about this, and a variety of similar themes, Andy dozed, but was suddenly awakened by the sharp snap of a match and a brief flare.

He got up and peered over the edge of the bales of hay that enclosed his resting place.

The moon was shining brightly.  Outlined at the open doorway of the barn was a man.  He leaned against a post, had just lit a cigar, and was looking intently down the road in the direction of Centreville.

Some wagons rattled by and the man drew inside the barn out of view.  Andy made out that he was well-dressed and very active and nervous in his manner.

“That man is waiting for some one,” decided Andy, getting interested—­“yes, and he belongs to the show, I’ll bet.”

Andy reasoned this out from the facility with which the man hummed out a tune he had heard the circus orchestra play.

The man paced restively to and fro.  He went out into the road and looked far down it.  He returned to the barn and resumed his impatient pacing to and fro.

Nearly an hour went by in this fashion.  Andy began to consider that he had become curious without much reason.  He was about to drop back again to his cozy bed when he heard the man utter an exclamation of satisfaction.

He rubbed his hands and braced up, and as a new figure turned from the road spoke in a cautious but distinct tone.

“That you, Murdock?”

“It’s me, sure enough, Daley,” came the reply.

“S—­sh—­don’t use my name here.  You know—­”

“All right.  No one likely to hear us in this lonely spot, though,” spoke the newcomer addressed as Murdock.

“Well, what have you to report?” questioned Daley eagerly.

“It’s all right.”

“You’ve fixed it?”

“Snug and sure.  The show will have a big sensation to-night not down on the bills.”

The listening Andy heard the man called Daley utter a gratified chuckle.

“Good,” he said.

“And there’ll be a vacancy on the Benares Brothers’ team to-morrow,” added Daley, “so give me the twenty dollars.”

CHAPTER X

A FIRST APPEARANCE

Andy pricked up his ears with a good deal of animation.  The jubilant statement of the fellow called Murdock did not sound honest.

“I’m taking your word for it,” spoke Daley.

He had drawn something from his pocket, evidently a roll of bills, for as he extended it Murdock said eagerly.

“Twenty dollars?”

“Yes.  Tell me how you fixed it.”

“Why,” answered Murdock with a cruel laugh, “you was laid off as one of the Benares Brothers up at the show on account of drinking, wasn’t you?”