He ran out of range of the watchman, who brandished his stick at the lad
threateningly. At a safe distance Andy inspected his find.

"Only a handkerchief," he said, "and a rather mussy one at that. But
there's something knotted in it. I wonder what it is?"

It was a large dark-colored silk handkerchief. It had an odor of resin,
and two of its corners were knotted.

Untying one knot, Andy disclosed a mysterious device resembling two hard
rubber shoe horns, joined in the centre by a concave piece of metal.

He could not possibly imagine its use or value. Then Andy laughed
outright. The other knot undone revealed a small rabbit's foot.

"Not much of a find," he ruminated. "Queer kind of plunder, though.
Wonder who owns it, and what that fandangle thing is?"

Andy pocketed the find and was about to move away from the spot, when
the flap of the performers' tent moved apart.

A man came out, all arrayed in tights and spangles for the circus ring.
He wore a loose robe over his show costume and big slippers on his feet.
His hair was nicely combed and his face powdered up for the performance.

He looked very anxious and excited. Andy at once saw that he was looking
for something in great haste and suspense.

The man walked all around outside of the performers' tent, eagerly