Chapter XIII: The Circus, and a Monkey

The chariot race soon came to an end, and the cadets passed into the menagerie tent once more. Here there was considerable excitement. By accident the monkeys had opened the door to their big wagon cage, and fully a dozen of the little creatures were missing. One monkey had climbed into a cage containing two lions, and the kings of the forest had made a meal of the wanderer in double-quick order.

"Here's fun truly," said Pepper. "Wish I could catch one of the little beggars!"

"You'd have your hands full, if Mr. Monk was of the biting kind," returned Dale.

They watched the circus employees trying to catch two of the monkeys, and then passed outside. One of the monkeys had climbed clear to the top of the flagpole on the circus tent and a crowd of children were watching him with keen delight.

"He's the king-pin acrobat of the show!" cried Jack. "I don't believe anybody will dare go after him," and so it proved. But the monkey soon came down when shown some peanuts, and was then placed back in his cage.

"He didn't know what to do with his liberty after he got it," was Andy's comment. "It's a wonder he didn't take to the woods."

"More than likely he was born in captivity and didn't know what liberty meant," came from Joe Nelson. "I knew some folks who had a tame canary. For an experiment they took the bird to the woods and opened the cage wide. Close by the cage was a brook, and by the side of this they put the canary's bath tub full of water. Would you believe it, the canary always came back to his cage to roost, and instead of dipping himself in the brook, took his bath in his old tub!"

"Which showed what habit would do," said another pupil. "He didn't know anything different."

The boys were soon in the stage, and Pepper took his seat on the rear step, the stage itself being crowded.

"Don't fall off, Master Ditmore," said George Strong.

"No fear, you can't lose me so easily," replied the fun-loving youth, and said this so merrily that everybody had to laugh.

The stage was going along at a good gait when Pepper happened to look under the turnout and saw a sight that made him open his mouth wide in astonishment. There, on the bar running from the front to the back axle, sat a little monkey, gazing around in wonder, with his face screwed up into a curious pucker.

"Well, I declare!" murmured Pepper to himself. "Have you been hiding there ever since we left the circus grounds?"

As soon as the monkey saw that he was discovered, he gave a little squeak, and hopped a few inches away. Then he looked at Pepper in added curiosity, as much as to say: "What do you want to do with me?"

"You're a cute little chap," thought the cadet. And then of a sudden he broke into a grin. What fun might be had if he could capture that monkey!

"I'll do it," he told himself, and feeling into his pocket, he brought out a few peanuts. As soon as the monkey saw these he came closer, snatched one of the nuts, and proceeded to crack it open.

"Don't you want to come into the stage, Pep?" called out Andy. "We'll make room for you."

"Oh, I can stay here," was the answer. "It's like a private seat, you know." And then, when he got the chance, he whispered: "I've got a reason for remaining here, but keep mum!"

"What's doing?"

"I'll tell you afterwards."

On and on rattled the stage, the boys singing and tooting their horns to pass the time. The monkey did not appear to mind the noise, and evidently enjoyed the ride. Luckily a slight shower the night before had laid the dust, otherwise both Pepper and the monkey might have been smothered.

At last they came in sight of the Putnam Hall grounds, and then Pepper realized that something must be done. He held out some more peanuts, and when the monkey reached for them, he caught the animal and held him fast, pushing him inside his jacket. Then Pepper knocked off his own cap into the road.

"Hi! there goes my cap!" he called out, and leaped to the ground. "Don't wait for me," he added. "I'll walk the rest of the way."

"Pep has lost his cap!" cried several.

"Never mind, it's only a step to walk," came from some others.

"I'm going to walk in with him," said Andy, and leaped to the ground, followed by Jack. As the three were known to be chums, nothing was thought of this, and in a moment the stage disappeared around a bend.

At first Pepper had his hands full holding the monkey, and he was afraid he was going to be bitten. But as Jack and Andy came up the creature quieted down.

"Well, I declare!" ejaculated the young major. "Where did you get the monk?"

"He was on the stage," explained Pepper. "Say, help me make him a prisoner, will you?"

"Sure," came from the others, and soon the monkey had a cord tied around his waist. As this was nothing new to him, he submitted without much trouble, and when given half a dozen more peanuts and a bit of candy Andy carried, seemed quite content.

"What are you going to do with him?" questioned Jack.

"Introduce him to old Crabtree," was Pepper's answer.

"Just the thing!" ejaculated Andy. "Let's put him in Crabtree's room to-night!"

"That's what I was thinking, Andy."

"There will be some fun when the monk begins to roam around."

After some talk, the boys decided to enter the school by the back way. Jack went ahead to see that the coast was clear, and soon they had the animal safe in dormitory No. 4, over which the youthful major presided. Then Andy found an empty bird cage in the storeroom of the Hall, and his monkeyship was transferred to this.

The evening was a long one to the boys, but it finally came to an end, and they retired. Then, when all the lights were out, Pepper and Andy stole through the darkened hallways to the door of Josiah Crabtree's room. Listening intently, they heard the first assistant teacher snoring peacefully on his bed.

"Is the door unlocked?" questioned Andy.

"Yes."

No more was said, and Pepper hurried back for the bird cage containing the monkey, and also for an old school-book he had brought up from below.

Opening the door with caution, they took the monkey from the cage and placed him at the foot of Josiah Crabtree's bed. Then they hurried to the doorway once more, and went outside.

"Wait!" whispered Pepper, and taking aim, he sent the book flying at Josiah Crabtree. Then the chums scampered for their dormitory with might and main.

The book landed on Josiah Crabtree's somewhat bald head, and he awoke with a start and sat up.

"What in the world was that?" he muttered. "Is the ceiling falling down?"

He stared around him. The moon was coming up, and it cast considerable light into the apartment. He saw a dark object moving around.

"Hi! What's that?" he called out. "Scat!"

Thinking it might be a cat, he made a wild pass at the monkey. At once the frisky animal caught him by the finger and gave him a nip.

"Oh, oh!" roared the teacher. "He has bitten me! Take him off! Help! Robbers! Help!" And he flung the bedclothes aside and began to dance around.

At the excitement of the man the monkey also became excited, and leaped upon the top of a bookcase in a corner, which contained some volumes belonging to the teacher. Down came a bust on the bookcase with a crash. Then the monkey took up a book and flung it at the man.

"Stop! stop!" roared Josiah Crabtree. "Don't! Help! There is a wild beast in the room!" And he ran around, with the monkey following. Presently the animal leaped on his shoulder, and then Josiah Crabtree let out a yell as if a dozen wild Zulus were on his track.

The noise aroused the whole school. Doors were flung open, and teachers, hired help, and cadets came forth into the hallways.

"What's the trouble?"

"Is there a fire?"

"I heard somebody say robbers!"

"It's Mr. Crabtree!" shouted Pepper. "Somebody must be trying to rob him. Come on, let us catch the thief!" And on the instant the cadets stormed forward, towards the teacher's apartment, and George Strong and Captain Putnam followed.

"Oh, dear! Scat, I tell you! Let me alone. Don't pull my hair! Oh, will somebody take him away!" came from the room. "This is simply awful! Who put this beast here?" and so the cries ran on.

"Something is surely wrong," cried Captain Putnam. "Stand back, young gentlemen, or you may get hurt."

He flung open the doorway, and as he did so, Josiah Crabtree, robed in his nightdress, leaped out, with the monkey on his shoulder.

"Have you gone crazy?" asked Captain Putnam. And then he added: "Where did that monkey come from?"

"How should I know?" roared Josiah Crabtree. "Take him off! He'll have my hair out by the roots!"

"What a pretty monkey!" cried Pepper. "Is he your pet, Mr. Crabtree?"

"My pet? Never! Take him away!" And the teacher continued to dance around.

Several darted in to secure the monkey, but like a flash the animal leaped to a fixture suspended from the ceiling, and then swung himself to a hall window and slipped outside.

"He has gone!"

"Let us catch him!"

"Whose monkey is it?"

"He must have come over from the circus," said Jack. "They said a lot of them had gotten away."

"I'll sue the circus proprietor for this!" howled Josiah Crabtree. "It's an outrage on the public. Oh, my poor head!" And he ran back into his room, banging the door behind him.

"Has the monkey gone?" asked Captain Putnam.

"Went through the window," answered Joe Nelson.

They looked out of the window, but could see nothing of the animal. Then some went below, but the monkey had disappeared. He was captured in the morning and returned to the circus by Snuggers.

"Young gentlemen, you may retire," said Captain Putnam, and one after another the cadets did so. Safe in Dormitory No. 4, Pepper told his whole story, and the boys had a laugh that lasted for a long time.

"Old Crabtree won't get over that right away," said Andy. "What a sight he did cut, with Mr. Monk on his shoulder pulling his hair!"

"Mum's the word about this," came from Pepper. "If he found me out he'd be mad enough to chew my head off."

"Well, we are not telling on you," came from one of the others. "We are glad you fixed old Crabtree. He deserves it."