



Produced by Annie R. McGuire








[Illustration: HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE]

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VOL. III.--NO. 141. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOUR
CENTS.

Tuesday, July 11, 1882. Copyright, 1882, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1.50 per
Year, in Advance.

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[Illustration: SEARCHING FOR THE BURGLAR.]

MR. STUBBS'S BROTHER.[1]

[1] Begun in No. 127, HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE.

BY JAMES OTIS.

CHAPTER XV.

STEALING DUCKS.


Toby coaxed and scolded, and scolded and coaxed, but all to no purpose.
The monkey would clamber down over the end of the tent as if he were
about to allow himself to be made a prisoner, and then, just as Toby
would make ready to catch the rope, he would spring upon the ridge-pole
again, chattering with joy at the disappointment he had caused.

The visitors fairly roared with delight, and even the proprietors, whose
borrowed property was being destroyed, could not help laughing at times,
although there was not one of them who would not have enjoyed punishing
Mr. Stubbs's brother very severely.

"He'll break the whole show up if we don't get him off," said Bob, as
the monkey tore a larger hole than he had yet made, and the crowd
encouraged him in his mischievous work by their wild cheers.

"I know it; but how can we get him down?" asked Toby, in perplexity,
knowing that it would not be safe for any one of them to climb upon the
decayed canvas, even if there were a chance that the monkey would allow
himself to be caught after his pursuer got there.

"Get a long pole, an' scrape him off," suggested Joe; but Toby shook his
head, for he knew that to "scrape" a monkey from such a place would be
an impossibility.

Bob had an idea that if he had a rope long enough to make a lasso, he
could get it around the animal's neck and pull him down; but just as he
set out to find the rope, Mr. Stubbs's brother settled the matter
himself.

He had torn one hole fully five inches long, and commenced on another a
short distance from the first, when the thin fabric gave way, the two
rents were made one, and down came Mr. Monkey, only saved from falling
to the ground by his chin catching on the edges of the cloth.

There he hung, his little round head just showing above the canvas, with
a bewildered and at the same time discouraged look on his face.

Toby knew that it would be but a moment before the monkey would get his
paws out from under the canvas, and thus extricate himself from his
uncomfortable position. Running quickly inside the tent, he seized Mr.
Stubbs's brother by his long tail, pulling him completely through, and
the mischievous pet was again a prisoner.

It was a great disappointment to the boys on the outside when this
portion of the circus was hidden from view; but it was equally as great
a relief to the partners that the destruction of their tent was at last
averted.

After the excitement had nearly subsided, and Toby was reading his pet a
lesson on the sin of destructiveness, Reddy arrived with the materials
for making his circus poster--a sheet of brown paper, a bottle of ink,
and a brush made by chewing the end of a pine stick.

He began his work at once. It was a long task, but was at last
accomplished, and when the partners went to their respective homes that
night, the following placard adorned one side of the tent:

[Illustration]

On arriving at the house, Toby secured Mr. Stubbs's brother so that he
could not liberate himself, after which he ran into the house to inquire
for Abner.

The news this time was more encouraging, for the sick boy had awakened
thoroughly refreshed after his long sleep, and had asked how the work on
the tent was getting on. Aunt Olive thought Toby could see him, and
after promising that he would not remain very long, or allow Abner to
talk much, he went upstairs.

The crippled boy was lying in the bed bolstered up with pillows, looking
out of the window that commanded a view of the tent, and evidently
puzzled to know whether the large sheet of brown paper which he saw on
one side was there as an ornament, or to serve some useful purpose.

Toby explained to him that it was the poster Reddy had made, and then
told him all that had been done that day toward getting ready for the
great exhibition which was to dazzle the good people of Guilford, as
well as to bring in a rich reward, in the way of money, to the managers.

Abner was so interested in the matter, and seemed so bright and cheerful
when he was talking about it, that Toby's fears regarding