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Authors: Carolyn G. Keene
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it.
“What’s more,” Ned added, “Nancy has just captured that stableman the police were looking for.”
The officer asked for details of the capture. Though Nancy begrudged the time it took to tell the story, it turned out to be time well spent. The officer excused Ned for speeding and offered to lead the way directly to the circus.
A few minutes later they reached Sims’ Circus. As Nancy hopped out of Ned’s car she arranged to meet him at the main gate later. Then she thanked the officer for his help and dashed through the entrance stile.
Erika was nervously waiting for her. She literally peeled Nancy out of her street clothes, helped her put on her riding costume, and pulled on her wig. There was no time to visit the makeup artist, so the girls quickly retouched Nancy’s makeup.
By the time they reached the starting point for the pageant, everyone had assembled. As Nancy’s group rode around for a final bow, the applause was loud and genuine. Nancy stole a quick look at her father and friends. They were clapping and waving madly.
This was the last performance in River Heights. The next day Sims’ Circus would open at a town called Danford. Nancy hoped it would have as warm a reception as it had had in River Heights.
When she and Erika reached their tent, the young detective began to put on her street clothes. Erika asked why she was doing this.
“I’m going home. I’ll see you in Danford tomorrow.”
Erika looked worried. “It’s against the rules for anyone to leave the circus overnight,” she said.
“But I’m not a regular member of the troupe,” Nancy replied. “I’m sure it won’t make any difference if I return home for the night.”
Erika advised her to speak to Dan Webster. Nancy went to his office and fortunately found him there.
He instantly agreed with Erika. “Kroon has an insidious way of checking up on folks around here,” the horse trainer told Nancy. “It would be much safer if you moved with the circus. We’re leaving tonight, you know.”
“Tonight?” Nancy said. “You mean we don’t sleep here?”
Dan Webster laughed. He said Nancy had a lot to learn about circus life. By the time she returned home, the tents would be down and the performers and workmen in buses and trucks on their way to Danford.
“But I’ll need extra clothes,” Nancy said. “How am I going to get them?”
Dan advised her to telephone her home at once and have someone bring a suitcase to her within the next fifteen minutes.
Nancy hurried from the office and went directly to the main gate, where she had asked Ned Nickerson to wait for her. He was there, watching in fascination as the big top suddenly swooped to the ground.
“I see this place is packing up,” he remarked, as Nancy joined him.
“And I am too,” Nancy said, quickly explaining what she had been told to do. “Ned, I’ll telephone my house and have Hannah pack a suitcase. She should be home by now. Will you dash over there and bring it back to me? I’ll meet you here in fifteen minutes.”
“It sounds like a big order—packing any girl’s suitcase in that short a time.” He laughed. “But I’ll be here.”
Ned kept his promise and was back with the suitcase in record time. He reluctantly said good-by to Nancy, and added that he would be very willing to drive to Danford if she needed him.
“You’re a dear,” she said, smiling. “If I need your help, I’ll let you know.”
Nancy waved good-by and hurried back to Erika. The rider was wearing a long, attractive dressing gown and slippers. She said she preferred traveling this way since she would have to sleep all night in the bus.
A few moments later a truck came by and picked up the girls’ suitcases. Then the Vascon troupe hurried to board the bus that had been assigned to them.
Nancy hardly slept during the trip. The ride was bumpy and the bus stuffy. At Kroon’s insistence the circus group stayed together. This meant that they traveled slowly. Every
“What’s more,” Ned added, “Nancy has just captured that stableman the police were looking for.”
The officer asked for details of the capture. Though Nancy begrudged the time it took to tell the story, it turned out to be time well spent. The officer excused Ned for speeding and offered to lead the way directly to the circus.
A few minutes later they reached Sims’ Circus. As Nancy hopped out of Ned’s car she arranged to meet him at the main gate later. Then she thanked the officer for his help and dashed through the entrance stile.
Erika was nervously waiting for her. She literally peeled Nancy out of her street clothes, helped her put on her riding costume, and pulled on her wig. There was no time to visit the makeup artist, so the girls quickly retouched Nancy’s makeup.
By the time they reached the starting point for the pageant, everyone had assembled. As Nancy’s group rode around for a final bow, the applause was loud and genuine. Nancy stole a quick look at her father and friends. They were clapping and waving madly.
This was the last performance in River Heights. The next day Sims’ Circus would open at a town called Danford. Nancy hoped it would have as warm a reception as it had had in River Heights.
When she and Erika reached their tent, the young detective began to put on her street clothes. Erika asked why she was doing this.
“I’m going home. I’ll see you in Danford tomorrow.”
Erika looked worried. “It’s against the rules for anyone to leave the circus overnight,” she said.
“But I’m not a regular member of the troupe,” Nancy replied. “I’m sure it won’t make any difference if I return home for the night.”
Erika advised her to speak to Dan Webster. Nancy went to his office and fortunately found him there.
He instantly agreed with Erika. “Kroon has an insidious way of checking up on folks around here,” the horse trainer told Nancy. “It would be much safer if you moved with the circus. We’re leaving tonight, you know.”
“Tonight?” Nancy said. “You mean we don’t sleep here?”
Dan Webster laughed. He said Nancy had a lot to learn about circus life. By the time she returned home, the tents would be down and the performers and workmen in buses and trucks on their way to Danford.
“But I’ll need extra clothes,” Nancy said. “How am I going to get them?”
Dan advised her to telephone her home at once and have someone bring a suitcase to her within the next fifteen minutes.
Nancy hurried from the office and went directly to the main gate, where she had asked Ned Nickerson to wait for her. He was there, watching in fascination as the big top suddenly swooped to the ground.
“I see this place is packing up,” he remarked, as Nancy joined him.
“And I am too,” Nancy said, quickly explaining what she had been told to do. “Ned, I’ll telephone my house and have Hannah pack a suitcase. She should be home by now. Will you dash over there and bring it back to me? I’ll meet you here in fifteen minutes.”
“It sounds like a big order—packing any girl’s suitcase in that short a time.” He laughed. “But I’ll be here.”
Ned kept his promise and was back with the suitcase in record time. He reluctantly said good-by to Nancy, and added that he would be very willing to drive to Danford if she needed him.
“You’re a dear,” she said, smiling. “If I need your help, I’ll let you know.”
Nancy waved good-by and hurried back to Erika. The rider was wearing a long, attractive dressing gown and slippers. She said she preferred traveling this way since she would have to sleep all night in the bus.
A few moments later a truck came by and picked up the girls’ suitcases. Then the Vascon troupe hurried to board the bus that had been assigned to them.
Nancy hardly slept during the trip. The ride was bumpy and the bus stuffy. At Kroon’s insistence the circus group stayed together. This meant that they traveled slowly. Every
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