“Kroon may discover the ruse we’ve planned,” she said. “In that case, I’ll need some transportation home. And besides, the girls can relieve Little Will in watching Mr. Kroon’s trailer.”
At once Nancy telephoned George, who promised that she and Bess would start immediately for Danford.
“I’ll be hiding in the hospital tent, George. Come there.”
It was shortly before the afternoon performance that the cousins arrived. Bess was aghast to hear what had transpired and tried her best to coax Nancy into going home with her and George at once. But the girl detective contended that it was important for her to stay.
“Kroon is bound to find out,” Bess insisted. “You’re just taking your life in your hands.”
Nancy said she was sure that no harm could come to her with so many people around. Just before time for the parade, Dan Webster came to tell Nancy that Little Will was hard at work. He had watched the trailer constantly. Mrs. Kroon had entered it directly after luncheon and had not come out since.
“How would it be if I relieve your midget friend now?” George proposed. “I don’t care about seeing the circus performance again.”
Nancy thought that this was a good idea. George went off, but Bess remained with Nancy. She would act as messenger to carry the riding costume back and forth. Presently the gong sounded for the parade to begin.
Rosa, seated on the beautiful horse, took her position, and Nancy watched from a near-by place of concealment. As the girl detective had predicted, Kroon was on hand to meet her. He smiled in satisfaction.
Apparently completely satisfied that his orders were being carried out, the ringmaster did not stay in the tent when the Vascon troupe entered. Nancy felt a little nervous at first but did her act well.
When the performance was over, she quickly ran to the hospital tent. After she removed her costume, Bess hurried with it to Rosa. She returned in a few minutes and reported that her cousin was still on duty. Little Will had said he would eat his supper and then take George’s place until he had to perform again.
Presently three supper trays were brought in and the two girls began to eat.
“Nancy, why don’t you turn this case over to the police?” Bess suggested.
Nancy said she hated to do so without more evidence.
“But you can’t keep up this watching and performing. You’ll need sleep,” Bess argued. “And George and I can’t help you much longer. We’ll have to go home in a little while.”
“Oh, please stay overnight,” Nancy requested. “By tomorrow I’m sure we’ll find out about the bracelet. Would you mind calling home and telling your mother and George’s you’ll be here?”
Bess finally agreed and made the call. Then, fearfully, she went off to take George’s place while her cousin came to eat her supper in the hospital tent.
“Kroon didn’t come here while you were gone, thank goodness,” she reported when George returned.
George waited for Little Will to arrive. When he did, the midget said he had scarcely an hour to be on duty. Would she be sure to return in time? George spent the intervening time with Nancy and Bess but was back on time. Still Kroon had not arrived, and Mrs. Kroon had not left the trailer.
The evening performance came to a close, without the ringmaster suspecting that Nancy had been pinch-hitting for Rosa. Relieved, Nancy had just reached the hospital tent when George rushed in.
“Nancy! News!” she cried.
She related how Kroon had sneaked up to the trailer from the rear. Mrs. Kroon had handed him a small package through the side window. The ringmaster, in turn, had given it to the son of one of the aerial artists and told him to mail it.
“I followed the boy downtown toward the post office,” said George. “As we got near a light, I started to run and pretended to bump into him. He dropped the package and I looked at the address on it. And listen to this: it was going to Lola Flanders, care of Tristam Booking Agency in New York City!”