Kroon was not fooled by Nancy’s play acting. At the top of his lungs, he shouted:
“You get out of this circus and stay out!”
“But what will happen to the Vascons’ act?” Lolita spoke up.
Kroon said that Rosa would perform that afternoon or the whole troupe could leave the circus at once. In no case was Nancy Drew to appear. She was to pack her things immediately and go back to River Heights.
In the doorway Dan Webster could remain silent no longer. Stepping inside, he began to plead for Nancy to remain. The ringmaster would not listen.
Nancy, seeing that it was useless to argue with him, looked straight at Kroon and said, “I’ll go, but not until you give me back my bracelet!”
Kroon gave a slight start, but instantly recovered his poise.
“What are you talking about?” he bellowed.
“I’m talking about a gold bracelet with horse charms. The bracelet was stolen from my house and I have good reason to believe that you have it.”
Kroon’s eyes blazed. He said that he ought to have Nancy arrested for accusing him of being a thief. It was defamation of character. It was only because of her age that he would not prosecute.
“Now get out of here, every one of you!” he yelled, and shoved them all through the doorway.
He followed the others outside, then slammed the door and locked it.
“Lolita,” he said, “go to your quarters. And if you ever dare to communicate with Nancy Drew again, I’ll punish you in a way you’ll never forget.”
He turned toward Nancy and said sneeringly, “I suppose I ought to thank you for helping us out in the circus. But, under the circumstances, you don’t deserve anything. Good-by and good riddance!”
The ringmaster strode away. Lolita, ill from fright, hurried off to her own trailer. Nancy felt it best not to intrude.
She walked off with Dan Webster, who asked her if she were willing to take a chance on remaining with the circus. Surprised, the young sleuth remarked that this would hardly be safe.
“I would hate to see the Vascons fired,” Dan said. “But I’m afraid that’s what will happen. I dropped into the doctor’s this morning. He said Rosa would not be able to ride for at least a month.”
“Oh,” said Nancy, “you wouldn’t expect me to hide in the circus and pinch-hit for her all that time?”
Dan Webster shook his head, saying he could not expect that much. But the following week, the circus did not have commitments for a few days.
“During that time I’m sure we can find another substitute rider,” Dan told her.
“In other words,” said Nancy, “you want me to finish out this week.”
“That’s the idea. How about it?”
Nancy said she was willing, if she could possibly get away with the subterfuge. It would give her a chance to do more sleuthing in the circus. On the spur of the moment, a plan came to her.
“Suppose I room with someone else in the circus,” she said. “Rosa can move back to Erika’s tent. Since Mr. Kroon probably will be watching to see that she goes into the big top, Rosa might dress and ride in the parade. Then, when it’s time for her act, I’ll substitute for her.”
Dan Webster smiled. “We’ll do it! I’ll arrange for you to stay at the hospital tent. Kroon would never think of looking for you there.” He winked. “And besides, the doc and his nurse are good friends of mine.”
Nancy now told the horse trainer that she was fearful Kroon might return to his trailer and take the bracelet away. She did not want this to happen and asked if Dan Webster could possibly play detective for her again.
“You did very well the last time you became a sleuth,” she encouraged him.
The horse trainer laughed and said that he did not believe he could get away with it a second time. Kroon would be sure to know something was up. Dan suggested that one of his midget friends act as lookout.
“Little Will is to be trusted implicitly,” he said.
Nancy knew the pleasant little man and consented to the plan. Then Nancy told Dan Webster that she was going to telephone her friends, Bess and George, in River Heights and ask them to drive over to Danford.