Chapter XIV: Facing a Traitor

Inquiry developed the fact that Boss Burton was in the ticket wagon with Carter, checking over the evening's receipts and making them ready to be carried to the train and safely stowed until the next town on the show's schedule was reached.

"We'll catch Carter right in the strong wagon," laughed McGlory, as he and Matt hurried to the place.

The door of the wagon was always kept locked. Matt knocked, and the voice of Burton demanded to know what was wanted.

"It's Motor Matt," replied the young motorist. "Let us in for a few minutes, Burton."

"I'll come out and talk with you. There's not much room in here."

"I'd rather talk in there," said Matt. "It's important. McGlory is with me."

A bolt was shoved and the door of the wagon pulled open.

"What's all the hurry?" asked Burton, as the boys crowded in.

"You'll know in a few moments," answered Matt, closing the door behind him and forcing the bolt into its socket.

Carter sat at a small table on which a shaded oil lamp was burning. He and Burton, it seemed, had finished their work, and there were two canvas bags, lettered like those with which Matt was already familiar, near the lamp. The bags were bulging with silver and bills. Convenient to Carter's hand lay a six-shooter.

Matt's eye was on the weapon. There was no telling what Carter would do when he learned why the boys had paid their call on him and Burton.

"What's up?" asked Burton.

"Something I've got to talk over with you and Carter," replied Matt.

Casually he picked up the revolver.

"A S. and W., eh?" he murmured, giving the weapon a brief examination. Then, still holding the weapon, he transfixed the ticket man with a steely look.

"Where's the money that was stolen this afternoon, Carter?" he asked.

Carter started up.

"What do you mean?" he flung back, his face flushing and then becoming deadly pale.

"That's what I'd like to know," blustered Burton. "You act as though you thought Andy knew where that money was."

"He does know," said Matt decisively. "The whole plot has come out. There were two robbers, Dhondaram and Carter."

"I'll not stand for this!" cried Carter wrathfully. "Burton," and he leveled a quick gaze at the showman, "are you going to let this upstart come in here and insult me?"

There was an odd glimmer in the showman's eyes.

"Be careful, Matt," he cautioned. "You're making mighty grave charges."

"Are they any graver," asked Matt, "than the charges you made against Carl?"

"You haven't the same foundation for them that I had--and have now, for that matter."

"You're on a wrong tack, Burton," proceeded Matt. "The theft of that money was the result of a plot between the Hindoo and Carter here----"

"And I struck myself in the head and cut my face, eh?" sneered Carter. "A likely yarn."

"Whether you were knocked down or not is open to question. But there isn't any doubt about your cutting your face. You say you fell against one of the wagon wheels. There's not a particle of evidence to bear out the story. You wanted to make it appear as though you were robbed. Dhondaram hid himself in one of the wagons----"

"Oh, he did!" returned Carter ironically. "He knew your Dutch pard was going to ask me to go there, I suppose. If that's the case, why wasn't your Dutch pard in the plot, too?"

That was the one weak place in Matt's theory. According to Ping, Dhondaram had gone into hiding at the wagons. Matt supposed that Ping was a little at sea, or that the Hindoo had not made for the wagons until he had seen that Carl and Carter were going there.

"Dhondaram knew what was going to happen," continued Matt, "and he placed himself where he could be of most aid in carrying out the plot. He knocked Carl down, and while the lad lay senseless you and Dhondaram emptied the money bags into your hats. One of the bags was placed in Carl's pocket, and the Hindoo took the snake from the basket and placed it in the other bag. You two wanted the basket for the money, and you wanted the empty bag in Carl's pocket in order to throw suspicion on him. We all know how the other bag was used. Dhondaram said----"

Carter gave a startled jump, and a muttered oath fell from his lips.

"Did that infernal scoundrel tell you all this?" rasped out the ticket man.

"I'm not saying a word about----"

"I know he did!" ground out Carter, going all to pieces on the mere suspicion. "He told it all, and you----"

With a sharp cry of rage, Carter flung himself at Motor Matt and made a desperate effort to secure the revolver. Matt hung to the weapon, and Burton caught Carter and pushed him down in his chair.

"Here's a fine how-d'ye-do," grunted Burton. "Andy, you've worked for me two years, and I never thought you'd turn against me like this!"

"It was Ben Ali roped me into it," was Carter's angry reply. "If I had that gun in my hands, I'd show you a trick or two. Well," and he threw a look at Burton, chagrined but defiant, "what are you going to do about it?"

The showman sat down on the edge of the table.

"You admit the whole business, eh, Andy?" he asked.

"Dhondaram seems to have given his side of the story, and I might as well give mine," answered the ticket man.

Matt flashed a look at McGlory. The king of the motor boys had not intended to convey the impression that the Hindoo had been captured and had confessed, but Carter, out of his guilty conscience, had jumped to that conclusion.

"You might as well tell it all, Andy, and be perfectly frank with me," said Burton. "What had Ben Ali to do with the affair?"

"He figured it out while he was with the show," went on Carter. "So----" He broke off suddenly. "But what good is it going to do me to tell you all this?" he asked.

"It may do you a lot of good, Andy, and it may not do you any. You'll have to take your chances on that."

Carter was thoughtful for a few moments, and then gave vent to a bitter laugh.

"Well," said he recklessly, "here goes, neck or nothing. I'll see to it, though, that this Dhondaram has his share of the responsibility," and a glitter crept into the ticket man's eyes. "As I say, Ben Ali figured out how the game could be worked. We were going to try it long before we reached Lafayette, but circumstances didn't just shape themselves so we could pull it off. I thought about the deal for some time before I agreed to go into it. The habit you have, Burton, of making me tote the money bags to the calliope tent after the ticket office closes for the afternoon show first gave Ben Ali the idea. But Ben Ali, as you all know, made things too hot to hold him, in the show, and had to pull out. I was glad of it, for I thought the temptation had been taken away from me entirely, but this morning along comes Dhondaram, direct from Ben Ali----"

"From Ben Ali?" echoed Motor Matt.

"Speak to me about that!" grunted McGlory.

"Surprise to you, eh, Motor Matt?" observed Carter, with an evil grin. "Ben Ali is a bad man to get down on you, and I guess he's got as big a grouch against Motor Matt as he could have against any fellow on earth. Ben Ali, since he left the show, has been framing up a scheme to put the king of the motor boys out of business. In order to carry out his plan, he sent to Chicago for Dhondaram--and, between you and me, that's where Ben Ali made a mistake. The two Hindoos met near the town of Lafayette somewhere, and Ben Ali told Dhondaram what he wanted. Dhondaram was to hire out as a keeper for Rajah, and the elephant was to do the business for the aëroplane. The cobra was to make things warm for Motor Matt. It was all cut and dried between the two Hindoos. But I was rung into it when Ben Ali told Dhondaram to work the hold-up here in Jackson. Dhondaram came to me at the ticket wagon and I had a short talk with him. He said he'd bowl me over and get the money, and then take chances on getting away and playing even with Motor Matt later. I didn't know how the Hindoo was to work it; and I wouldn't have gone into the game at all if I had known all that was to happen.

"Dhondaram heard me talking with the Dutchman when he flagged me and wanted to talk. He must also have heard the Dutchman mention the canvas wagons, for he was there when we reached them. The first thing I knew the Dutchman was down, lying like a log on the ground. There was nothing for me to do then but to mar myself up and make it look as though there had been a fracas. We put the money in the basket, and hid the basket under a pile of old canvas in one of the wagons. It was arranged that I should meet Dhondaram to-night, bring the basket, and then we'd divide the loot.

"But I was suspicious of Dhondaram. He was a stranger to me, and I wasn't going to trust him. During the afternoon, while the aëroplane flight was on, I took the basket out of the wagon and stowed it in another place. By doing that I made it impossible for the Hindoo to pick it up and slope without meeting me. That's all."

"Where's the money?" inquired Burton.

He had had abundant faith in Andy Carter, and there was something almost sad in the showman's face as he listened to the tale of treachery.

Carter leaned forward.

"I'll tell you that, Burton," he answered, "just as soon as you promise to let me off and not make any move against me on account of the robbery."

The brazenness of the proposition struck Burton, and struck him hard. But it was the logical thing for Carter to do, in the circumstances. It was a trump card, and he was cunning enough to know how to play it.

"I'm getting a good many surprises to-night," muttered Burton, "but I guess I deserve it for trusting a whelp like you. I agree, of course. You know very well I can't do anything else."

"You'll not take any legal action against me?" asked Carter eagerly.

"No."

"Of course I can't work for the show any longer?"

"Well, I should say not! What do you take me for?"

"I thought as much, but I wanted to make sure."

"Just a moment," put in Matt. "Where were you to meet Dhondaram, and at what time?"

"Didn't he tell you that? It was to be sometime before the show was over, at the edge of the grounds on the south side. I was to come that way with the basket, and whistle. Where did you nab the Hindoo? I suppose it was that infernal snake business that got you after him."

"He hasn't been nabbed," returned Matt. "You took that for granted, Carter."

Carter sank back in his chair and stared. Then he swore under his breath.

"I'm a fool of the first water, and no mistake," said he, "but that Hindoo will kill me if he's left at large. You can capture him if you go where I told you and do what I said. I'm playing in tough luck, Burton," he added dejectedly.

"You're playing in more luck than you ought to have, at that," snarled Burton. "Put on your hat and coat, and we'll go for the money."

"No," put in Matt, "let me take his hat and coat."

Burton stared, then gave a short laugh as Matt's plan drifted over him.

"Right you are, Matt," said he. "Put on the hat and coat. I guess Carter won't take any harm going out in his shirt sleeves and without his hat. But give me the gun. That will be of use in case Andy forgets his agreement."

A few minutes later they all left the ticket wagon, locking the door behind them. The wagon was constructed of boiler iron, and the money in the bags would be safe where it was until the time came for loading the show and getting ready to move to the next town.