The Secret of the Crooked Cat - Arden William - Страница 4

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“Back slowly towards the booth,” Andy instructed softly. “Rajah isn’t a dangerous lion, he’s too well-trained, but he might become frightened and panic. In the booth we’ll be safe and there’s a telephone. I can call for help.”

No one else had yet seen the escaped lion where it crouched behind the next booth. Its yellow eyes glinted as it watched the boys, and its mouth opened wide to show enormous yellow teeth. Its black-tufted tail twitched.

“But if we go to the booth,” Pete said, his voice shaky, “the lion could get out into the main alley with the crowd, Andy.”

“I know, and the lights and people could scare him,” Andy agreed, “but we have to call Ivan for help!”

Pete didn’t take his eyes off the menacing lion.

“You… you and Bob go to the booth and call Ivan,” he said. “I… I’ve worked with my Dad with animals he used in his movies. It could be a lot more dangerous if we all try to leave.”

“Pete!” Bob cried, scared.

The lion growled softly at the sound of Bob’s voice.

“Go on, hurry, fellows,” Pete insisted in a whisper.

The tall boy hadn’t moved. He stood and stared straight at the crouched lion. Bob and Andy backed towards the booth. The lion moved a long step, its eyes watching Bob and Andy. It was obviously nervous and confused by being out of its cage, Pete spoke quietly but firmly, and the lion looked at him.

“Stop, Rajah,” Pete said. “Lie down, Rajah.”

His voice was soft but strong, confident. The lion stopped. It looked at Pete with wary yellow eyes. “Quiet, Rajah,” Pete said. “Good, Rajah.” With its tail flicking slowly, the lion watched Pete as if it knew its name and was puzzled by hearing it from a strange boy. Pete didn’t look behind him towards Andy’s booth. He watched only the big lion. “Lie down, Rajah.

Down, Rajah!” Pete’s voice rose firmly on the last command. “Down, Rajah!” The lion whipped its tail, looked round, and lay down heavily on the grass. With its head up, it watched Pete like a big cat about to purr.

“Good, Rajah,” Pete said.

Suddenly Pete heard people behind him, and The Great Ivan strode past him towards Rajah. The lion trainer carried only a stick and a long chain. He went straight up to the lion and began to talk softly but firmly, just as Pete had. Moments later he had the chain attached to a collar hidden in Rajah’s great mane and was leading the obedient lion back behind the booths towards his cage.

Pete gulped and went white. “Gosh!” he said.

Bob, Jupiter, and Andy ran up to him.

“Pete, that was great!” Andy cried.

“You were magnificent, Second!” Jupiter declared.

“No one even knew Rajah was loose. You certainly prevented a panic!”

“I was too scared even to breathe!” Bob added.

Pete blushed under their praises. Before he could answer, they all saw The Great Ivan striding back towards them. The trainer’s face was pale, and he grasped Pete’s shoulder in an iron grip of approval.

“That was very brave, young man. You showed both courage and skill,” The Great Ivan said. “Rajah is trained, and really tame. He wouldn’t harm anyone. But if the crowd had seen him loose, they could have panicked, and that would have scared Rajah. Someone could have been hurt.”

Pete grinned with embarrassment “I knew he was trained, sir, and Andy said he wasn’t dangerous. My Dad taught me a lot about handling trained wild animals.”

The Great Ivan nodded. “Your Dad taught you well. Rajah needed to hear a firm, commanding voice. I owe you a great debt. I don’t know how he got out! The cage was open.” Then the lion trainer grinned. “Now, what do you boys say to watching Rajah and me from right beside my show cage, eh?”

“Can we, sir?” Pete exclaimed.

“You certainly can. Come to the tent in a few minutes. I have to be sure Rajah is ready for his show.”

The Great Ivan returned to his tent. The boys stayed with Andy Carson for a few moments as the carnival boy went back to work. People crowded round the shooting gallery now, and Andy became very busy.

The boys started for the lion tent, stopping on the way to watch the antics of the two clowns who were out among the crowd. The small, fat clown whom they had watched earlier had been joined by his tall, sad-faced companion. The tall clown had a white-painted, dirty face with a thin red nose. He was dressed as a tramp, with enormous baggy trousers tied at the bottom. The fat little clown’s nose lighted up like neon at appropriate moments.

The little clown did a series of acrobatic tricks, strutting like a bantam peacock after each one. The tall clown watched mournfully and tried to do the same tricks, but failed every time. His face grew sadder and sadder, and the crowd roared with laughter at him. Finally, the fat little clown missed a handstand and sprawled flat. The sad clown smiled at last. The boys applauded the clowns.

“A very good act,” Jupiter declared. “Did you see how it all built up to the sad clown finally smiling? People enjoy that, the sad one having a moment of victory. When I was in the movies I worked with clowns. These are very good.”

People were sometimes surprised by Jupiter’s knowledge of the movies and TV. They forgot that the First Investigator had once been a child performer under the name of Baby Fatso. It was a name Jupiter didn’t like to be reminded of now, but he liked to display his knowledge of show business.

When the clown act was over, the boys hurried on to the lion tent. The show cage was in the outer half of the tent in front of a canvas partition. A barred ramp came down into the show cage from behind the partition. The two striped tubs Pete and Jupiter had painted stood inside the show cage and a trapeze swung from the top.

Just as the boys entered the tent, The Great Ivan stepped out from behind the canvas divider. He bowed to them and entered the show cage. He gave a signal, and Rajah came down the barred ramp into the cage roaring like the wildest beast on earth. He ran round the cage snarling, and clawed towards The Great Ivan. The boys smiled. They were aware that Rajah’s ferocious manner was an act the same as that of any trained performer. Their eyes widened with admiration as The Great Ivan began to put Rajah through jumps, rolls, leaps, dance steps, somersaults, and finally, a great leap to the swinging trapeze!

The audience applauded lustily.

“Wow!” Pete said. “All I did was make him lie down!”

“Isn’t it great, Jupe!” Bob cried. “Jupe?”

The First Investigator was no longer with them. They finally spotted him behind the cage where The Great Ivan was performing an encore with Rajah. Jupiter was motioning for them to come over.

“What’s up, First?” Bob wanted to know. Jupiter didn’t answer, but motioned them both through the canvas partition into the rear half of the tent. A barred trailer stood in the empty rear section. It was, clearly, where Rajah lived when he wasn’t in the show cage. The barred ramp led from it through the partition into the show cage. Jupiter pointed to a large padlock on the door of the trailer cage.

“The lock’s been tampered with, fellows,” the First Investigator said grimly. “Someone let Rajah loose!”

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