“It probably was Hitch,” the horse trainer said ruefully. “He’s still at large.”
Waiting until the ringmaster was busy making an announcement, Nancy made her way to Box AA. Mr. Drew and the others greeted her with open arms and whispered that she had been a sensation.
Nancy slid into an empty seat beside Ned. She whispered that she would like him to accompany her on a little sleuthing expedition.
“Of course,” Ned replied. “Where to?”
“Roberto’s stables,” she said, and told him about the missing stableman. “Hitch’s clothes are still at the place. He may be hiding there.”
Nancy whispered to her father that she and Ned would be gone for a short time and not to worry about them. She borrowed Mr. Drew’s ticket so that she might re-enter the circus grounds without any questions being asked.
She and Ned set off. He had brought his car and it took only a few minutes to reach the riding academy.
“This place is as dark as a tomb,” Ned remarked, “and just about as cheerful.”
“I’m hoping to see a ghost,” Nancy remarked.
She did not mean to be facetious, but Ned laughed softly. “The ghost,” she continued, “probably will be wearing a stableman’s uniform.”
She asked Ned to park a short distance away from the stable so that they might approach without being seen or heard. The couple were halfway to the rear entrance when Nancy suddenly grabbed her escort’s arm.
“Listen!” she said. “Did you hear a door squeak?”
“Yes, I did. Maybe it was only the wind.”
The next moment, they heard hoofbeats and frightened whinnies. Nancy became tense.
“That sounds like Belgian Star!” she said excitedly. “Ned, I’m afraid someone is trying to steal her!”
CHAPTER XIII
A Whirlwind Chase
Nancy and Ned raced across the field at the rear of the riding academy. But the mysterious rider already had a good start. In the dim light of evening they caught a brief glimpse of horse and rider disappearing down the road.
“Oh, I’m sure that was Belgian Star!” Nancy cried.
“But what makes you think she was being stolen?” Ned questioned. “Someone from here may just have been riding off on her.”
Nancy shook her head. She explained that if the horse had felt friendly to her rider she would not have whinnied.
“No, Ned,” Nancy insisted. “Belgian Star was frightened and didn’t want to leave here. She was being whipped, I’m sure.”
Ned suggested that they investigate to see if the mare was really gone. Nancy consented and led the way to the stable. The door squeaked protestingly as she opened it and turned on a light. From where they stood, the two could see that Belgian Star’s stall was empty.
“I guess you’re right,” said Ned. “What say we take off after that fellow in the car?”
“Yes, let’s do,” Nancy agreed. “Come on!”
They hurried back to the car. Before stepping in, Nancy knelt and put her ear to the ground. She could hear the rhythmic beat of a horse’s hoofs some distance down the road.
“He’s still on this road,” she said.
“Okay. Hop in and let’s go,” Ned said.
He turned the car around and started down the road. They rode nearly a mile before they began to hear the pounding hoofbeats.
The rider must have guessed that he was being pursued. Reaching an open field, he veered abruptly and raced along the edge of it.
“We’d better stop and go the rest of the way on foot,” Nancy suggested.
She put her hand on the door handle, but Ned cried, “Wait!” He made a sharp turn into the field and took off after the rider.
Apparently there was no longer any doubt in the mind of the fleeing rider that he was being trailed, for he made another sharp turn and raced directly across the field.
Ned did the same. But the ground, having been plowed recently, was soft and rutted.
“Oh, you’ll ruin your car!” Nancy exclaimed. “Let’s stop here.”
But Ned drove on doggedly until he came to a brook with a thick woods on the other side.
“Now we can’t go any farther,” Nancy said, as Ned turned off the engine. She climbed out of the car and called at the top of her voice: