ANDY’S ESCAPE

Jim Tapp gave a great wriggle as Andy involuntarily let go his hold of the young rascal.  His ferret-like eyes twinkled and followed the glance of Andy’s own.

Tapp was too keen a fellow not to observe that Andy was startled and unnerved by the unexpected appearance of some one on the scene.

He probably caught the words spoken by Andy:  “My aunt,” and presumably identified Miss Lavinia Talcott as the cause of the boy’s disquietude.  Further, Jim Tapp knew that Andy had run away from home and had been sought for by the police.  As it turned out later in Andy Wildwood’s career, Jim Tapp knew a great deal more than all this put together.  In fact, he knew some things of which Andy never dreamed.

Andy had been completely driven off his balance at the sight of his aunt.  It was natural that she should be at Tipton.  She went there quite often.  Loneliness at home and the variety of the county fair at Tipton had probably induced her to make the present visit.

Instantly Andy thought of but one thing—­to escape recognition.  Still, the minute he let go of Tapp his presence of mind returned, and he was sorry he had lost his nerve on an impulse.  It would have been quite an easy thing to roll and force his antagonist over the sidewalk edge.  Now, however, Tapp had wriggled past his reach.

Andy made one grab for him, prostrate on the planks now, missed, rolled along, and dropped squarely over the inner edge of the walk five feet down into the vacant lot below.

“She didn’t see me,” he panted—­“I’m sure she didn’t.  Too bad, though!  I had that fellow, Tapp, tight.  Why should I lose him, even now?”

Andy ran under the sidewalk for about ten feet.  He rounded a heap of sand and glided up a slant where an alley cut in.  There he paused, hidden by a big billboard.  Peering past this barrier he could view the crowd he had just left.

“Thief—­stop thief!” fell in a frantic yell on his hearers.

To his surprise it was Jim Tapp who uttered the call.  He was flinging about in great excitement.  As a police officer ran up, Andy saw him pointing into the vacant lot.  He also evidently told some specious story to the officer.

The latter jumped into the lot, and two or three followed him.  Andy saw that he was in danger of discovery, and directed a last glance at the crowd on the sidewalk.  He saw his aunt’s bobbing bonnet retreating from the scene.  He also saw Jim Tapp, apparently following her.  He did not dare to go in the same direction.

Andy dodged down the alley and came out on the next street.  He looked vainly for the two persons in whom he was interested.  He failed to locate them, and then proceeded in the direction of the circus grounds.  He was very thoughtful, and in a measure worried and uneasy.

“Tapp is pretty smart,” soliloquized Andy.  “He’s mean, too.  If he noticed that I was flustered and afraid of Aunt Lavinia seeing me, and guesses who she is and connects my running away from home with her, he would tell her where I am just out of spite.  Wonder if she could have me arrested here, in another State?”