“Stop, I tell you!” shouted the man, Murdock.

Andy made a bee-line for the clown’s tent.  As he neared it he glanced back over his shoulder.

Tapp was still putting after him.  His companion had stooped to pick up an iron tent stake from the ground.

This he let drive with full force.  It took Andy squarely between the shoulders, and he dropped like a shot.

CHAPTER XV

ANDY JOINS THE SHOW

The breath seemed clear knocked out of Andy’s body.  The shock of the blow from the stake deprived him of consciousness.

Andy opened his eyes in about two minutes.  He found himself lying on the ground, half-a-dozen circus employees gathered around him.

“Help me up,” said Andy in a confused way.  “I mustn’t miss giving Midge his medicine.”

“Eh—­the clown’s boy?” spoke one of the men sharply.

“Oh,” said Andy, regaining his senses more completely, “have I been here long?”

“About two minutes.”

“Then Midge is all right—­oh, dear!”

Andy, trying to arise, gasped and tottered weakly.  The man who had addressed him seemed to be a sort of boss of the others.  He held Andy firmly as he said: 

“Belong with Billy Blow?  All right, we’ll take you to his tent.  But, say—­what did those fellows knock you out for?”

“Did you see the fellows?” inquired Andy.

“I was way over near the big bunk top.  I heard some one holler, saw you running.  Two fellows were after you.  One let drive that stake.  It took you between the shoulders like a cannon ball.  An ugly throw, and a wicked one.  Wonder it didn’t fetch you for good.”

“One of the fellows was a boy named Jim Tapp,” said Andy.

“That rascal, eh?” spoke the man.  “Thought he’d quit us.  Was going to.  Borrowed all he could, and salary tied up on an attachment.”

“The other was a man named Murdock.  He’s the fellow who cut the trapeze on Benares Brothers last night.”

“What!” cried the man, with a jump.  “Hey, men—­you hear that?  Go for both!  Get them!  They’re wanted for these crooked jobs.”

Those addressed started on a chase, pursuant to directions of their leader who had seen Murdock and Tapp run away as he came up to the prostrate Andy.

The man himself helped Andy to the clown’s tent.  Their entrance aroused Billy Blow, who sprang up quickly as he noticed that Andy walked in a pained, disabled fashion.  He was quite another man for his long, refreshing sleep.

“Why, what’s the matter?” he asked.

Andy’s companion explained.  The clown expressed his sympathy and indignation in the same breath.  He urged that the show detectives be aroused at once.

“I heard Harding say last night he’d spend a thousand dollars, but he’d get Daley and Murdock behind the bars for attempted murder,” declared the clown.