later.”
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 it on and we’ll see how it fits.”
Nancy removed her riding habit and stepped into the white satin ballerina-skirted costume. It was perfect!
A few minutes later Nancy was completely outfitted. Carrying the costume and accessories over her arm, she walked to the supply tent to obtain special makeup.
Placing the costume on a chair near the open doorway, Nancy walked to the rear to find someone to advise her of what she needed. No one was there.
“I’ll borrow some makeup from Erika,” she decided and turned back to the entrance. As she did she saw the missing stableman! Hitch had Nancy’s costume in his hands.
“Put that down!” Nancy cried.
The stableman dashed out the door and disappeared.
CHAPTER IX
A Dangerous Performance
NANCY had to get back her costume! She needed the fancy riding habit for the evening performance!
“Oh, where did Hitch go?” she fumed, looking in every direction.
Seeing a workman taking down one of the small tents, Nancy hastened 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 trying to find a man named Hitch.
“Oh, I know him. He used to be with this circus.”
“He took my costume and I must have it,” Nancy explained. “Please help me find Hitch and hold him for the police.”
“I’ll do my best, miss,” the workman promised, hurrying away to begin his search.
Nancy decided to speak to Dan Webster and went to his office. The horse trainer was thunder-struck when she told him of the groom’s latest bit of deviltry.
“I thought we searched every part of these grounds for Hitch,” he said, “and the guards at all entrances were warned not to let him in or out.”
Dan Webster picked up his telephone. He called the ticket office and everyone stationed outside the grounds. The last guard to whom he talked 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 there, but didn’t know he was Hitch. I’m sure he hasn’t left the grounds.”
“Then he must be hiding here!” Nancy thought fearfully.
Dan asked the guard to bring the costume to his office at once. While they were waiting for it, he warned Nancy to be watchful every minute until the groom was caught.
When the costume arrived, Nancy found to her relief that it was unharmed. Hitch had evidently grabbed a large box from the supply tent and put the costume and accessories in it so he would not be seen with them.
“Thanks so much,” Nancy said to Dan, and she ran off to dress for the performance.
“My goodness, where have you been?” Erika asked when Nancy entered their tent. “It’s only fifteen minutes to parade time!”
Nancy told her roommate what had happened. Erika was aghast. “I hope that awful man has left the circus grounds,” she said, helping Nancy into her costume. Then the two girls raced to the makeup tent.
The girls had 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. It was thrilling to ride with the circus people, but a fear lurked in her mind that Hitch might be hiding nearby, 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 she did not dare acknowledge the greeting. Kroon or one of his spies might be watching.
Finally the parade was
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 it on and we’ll see how it fits.”
Nancy removed her riding habit and stepped into the white satin ballerina-skirted costume. It was perfect!
A few minutes later Nancy was completely outfitted. Carrying the costume and accessories over her arm, she walked to the supply tent to obtain special makeup.
Placing the costume on a chair near the open doorway, Nancy walked to the rear to find someone to advise her of what she needed. No one was there.
“I’ll borrow some makeup from Erika,” she decided and turned back to the entrance. As she did she saw the missing stableman! Hitch had Nancy’s costume in his hands.
“Put that down!” Nancy cried.
The stableman dashed out the door and disappeared.
CHAPTER IX
A Dangerous Performance
NANCY had to get back her costume! She needed the fancy riding habit for the evening performance!
“Oh, where did Hitch go?” she fumed, looking in every direction.
Seeing a workman taking down one of the small tents, Nancy hastened 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 trying to find a man named Hitch.
“Oh, I know him. He used to be with this circus.”
“He took my costume and I must have it,” Nancy explained. “Please help me find Hitch and hold him for the police.”
“I’ll do my best, miss,” the workman promised, hurrying away to begin his search.
Nancy decided to speak to Dan Webster and went to his office. The horse trainer was thunder-struck when she told him of the groom’s latest bit of deviltry.
“I thought we searched every part of these grounds for Hitch,” he said, “and the guards at all entrances were warned not to let him in or out.”
Dan Webster picked up his telephone. He called the ticket office and everyone stationed outside the grounds. The last guard to whom he talked 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 there, but didn’t know he was Hitch. I’m sure he hasn’t left the grounds.”
“Then he must be hiding here!” Nancy thought fearfully.
Dan asked the guard to bring the costume to his office at once. While they were waiting for it, he warned Nancy to be watchful every minute until the groom was caught.
When the costume arrived, Nancy found to her relief that it was unharmed. Hitch had evidently grabbed a large box from the supply tent and put the costume and accessories in it so he would not be seen with them.
“Thanks so much,” Nancy said to Dan, and she ran off to dress for the performance.
“My goodness, where have you been?” Erika asked when Nancy entered their tent. “It’s only fifteen minutes to parade time!”
Nancy told her roommate what had happened. Erika was aghast. “I hope that awful man has left the circus grounds,” she said, helping Nancy into her costume. Then the two girls raced to the makeup tent.
The girls had 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. It was thrilling to ride with the circus people, but a fear lurked in her mind that Hitch might be hiding nearby, 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 she did not dare acknowledge the greeting. Kroon or one of his spies might be watching.
Finally the parade was
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