Carolyn Keene - The Ringmasters Secret

"Well, you've done that," Nancy said, smiling.

At this moment she saw Dan Webster making his way toward her, a worried look on his face. He reported to Nancy that the circus grounds had been thoroughly searched but no one had found any sign of Hitch.

"I have a feeling he's hiding around here and is going to play another of his diabolic tricks," the horse trainer said.

Lolita grabbed Nancy's hand. "What's all this about?" she demanded. After hearing the story, the aerialist leaned toward Dan Webster and said, "Oh, nothing must happen to Nancy! I'd never forgive myself!"

"I agree with you a hundred percent, Lolita," Dan replied. "This whole thing has me very much upset."

As he finished speaking, a gong sounded in the cafeteria tent. Dan said that it was a signal for all the performers to leave and return to their quarters to get ready for the evening performance.

Nancy's heart began to thump wildly. Up to this moment she had not fully realized that she was actually part of the circus. Soon she would be under the floodlights performing for hundreds of people!

"I must hurry and try on my costume," Nancy told herself.

She walked toward the trailer where earlier she had made a date with Mrs. Kelly, the wardrobe mistress."

"I'm all ready for you," the woman said pleasantly. "This is poor Rosa's costume. Suppose you try on the dress and we'll see how it fits."

Nancy removed her riding habit and stepped into the white satin, ballerina-skirted costume. It fit perfectly!

A few minutes later Nancy was completely outfitted. Carrying the costume and accessories over her arm, she set off for Erika's tent, where the two girls would dress and then go to the make-up artist.

The young bareback rider was just turning a corner past the supply tent when she remembered that she had no cream to remove her make-up. She went inside to purchase a jar. Laying the costume on a chair near the open doorway, Nancy looked around for someone to wait on her. No one was there.

She waited several minutes. Interested in the various items, Nancy walked about, getting farther and farther from the door. When still no one came, she decided to leave.

As the young detective turned around, she found herself looking straight at the missing stableman! Hitch had her costume in his hands and was about to run off with it.

"Stop!" Nancy cried, dashing across the supply tent.

But by the time she reached the doorway Hitch was out of sight.

CHAPTER XII A Dangerous Performance

Nancy had to get back her costume! It was the only one of its kind in the circus and she needed the fancy riding habit for the evening performance!

"Oh, where did Hitch go?" she fumed, looking in every direction.

None of the circus people were in sight at the moment. With nothing but a hunch to follow, Nancy chose a direction which led to the nearest exit from the circus grounds. But she reached it without discovering her quarry.

Retracing her steps, Nancy started for another exit. As she ran, the young bareback rider began to wonder what she would do if the costume were not found.

"If I have to wear another one, Kroon will be sure to single me out," Nancy thought, worried. "That will end my riding with the Vascon troupe."

Seeing a workman taking down one of the small tents, Nancy hastened over to him and asked if he had seen a man running from the supply tent.

"No, miss," he replied. "You looking for someone?"

Quickly Nancy told him that she was looking for a man named Hitch.

"Oh, I know him. He used to be connected with the circus."

"He took my costume and I need it," Nancy explained quickly. "Please help me find Hitch and hold him for the police."

"I'll do my best, miss," the workman promised, hurrying away to help in the search.

Nancy decided to appeal to Dan Webster and went to his office. The horse trainer was thunderstruck when she told him of the groom's latest bit of deviltry, and blamed himself.

"I thought we searched every part of these grounds for Hitch," he said, "and all guards at the entrances were warned not to let him in or out."

"I know you did your best," Nancy said. "Right now, I must get my costume back. If Hitch has left the circus grounds and taken it with him, I don't know what I'll do."

Dan Webster picked up his telephone. He called the ticket office and every other person stationed on the outside of the grounds. The last guard to whom he phoned said:

"Hey, wait a minute! I see something."

A moment later the man reported that he had the missing costume.

"It was in a box under one of the booths. I noticed a man put a package down there, but didn't know he was Hitch."

At the time the guard had not given the incident a second thought, and did not know where Hitch had gone.

"I'm sure he didn't leave the grounds, though," the guard reported.

"Then he must be in hiding here!" Nancy thought fearfully.

Dan asked the guard to bring the costume at once to his office. While they were waiting for it, he warned Nancy to be wary every minute until the groom was caught.

"Don't be alone for even a minute," he advised her.

When the costume arrived, Nancy found to her relief that it was intact.

Hitch had evidently grabbed up a large box from the supply tent and put the costume and accessories into it so that he would not be spotted with them.

"Oh, thanks so much," Nancy said to Dan, and hurried off to join Erika to dress for the performance.

"My goodness, where have you been?" her roommate asked. "It's only fifteen minutes to parade time!"

Nancy told her roommate what had happened. Erika was aghast. "I hope that awful man left the circus grounds," she said as she helped Nancy into her costume. Then the two girls raced to the make-up artist's tent.

"Don't worry. I'll be ready for the riding act before the parade is over," Nancy assured Erika.

"But you have to be in the parade. Didn't you know that?" her roommate exclaimed.

"Why, no." Nancy was worried. "Will I have to pass Kroon's inspection?"

Nancy experienced a great sense of relief when Erika said that the ringmaster never bothered to view the parades. The girls had just received their last fluffs of face powder when the warning gong sounded. They hurried off and swung onto the backs of their mounts. The band struck up, and a moment later the parade started.

Nancy had never been more excited and nervous in her life. Not only was it thrilling to be riding with the circus people, but a fear lurked in her mind that Hitch, still at large, might be hiding close by, ready to harm her or one of the other riders.

As Nancy came opposite the box where her father and Aunt Eloise were seated, she noticed to her delight that Hannah, Bess, George, and Ned were there also. They waved to her, but Nancy did not dare acknowledge the greeting. Kroon or one of his spies might be watching.

Finally the parade was over and the clown act began. As soon as they had finished their performance, Ringmaster Kroon entered the ring to announce the equestrian act.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "you are about to witness some of the world's finest bareback riders. The Vascon family will perform the most daring stunts you have ever witnessed."

Nancy, overhearing the announcement in the wings, smiled. Not only was she not a Vascon or related to any of the others, but not one of them was related to another! She wondered if the audience would think of them all as brothers and sisters.

The group of horses trotted in and took their places in the ring. The performance started, the mares cantering about rhythmically to the music. Singly, and together, the riders did their stunts.

In Box AA Mr. Drew and his friends gripped the arms of their chairs, their eyes riveted on Nancy. They could scarcely believe that she was actually a bareback rider in Sims' Circus!