They're all part of the same gang!
He got his money from the Three Fat Men, too."
The Negro clenched his fists.
Now the joy of the crowd changed to anger.
"Sure!
One scoundrel chased another away."
"He was afraid we'd beat up his friend, so he thought he'd play a joke on us."
"Get out of here!"
"Scoundrel!"
"Traitor!"
Doctor Caspar wanted to say something, to hold the crowd back, but it was too late.
A dozen men had climbed up on the stage and surrounded the Negro.
"Hit him!" an old woman screeched.
The Negro held up his hand.
He was calm.
"Stop!"
His voice rose over the shouting, the noise, and the cat-call Everything became suddenly quiet, and in the stillness the Negro words sounded truthful and simple:
"I'm Tibul the Acrobat."
There was confusion everywhere.
The circle of attackers fell away.
"Oh!" the crowd gasped.
And only one voice asked:
"But why are you black?"
"Ask Doctor Caspar Arnery!" The Negro smiled as he said this and pointed to the doctor.
"Of course it's him!"
"Tibul!"
"Hooray!
Tibul is alive!
Tibul is with us!"
''Long live...."
But the words ended abruptly.
Something unexpected and unpleasant had happened.
There was confusion at the back.
People scattered in all directions.
"Quiet!
Be quiet!"
"Run, Tibul, run for it!"
Three men on horseback, followed by a carriage, appeared on the square.
It was Count Bonaventura, Captain of the Palace Guards, accompanied by two of his men.
A Palace official rode inside the carriage. On his lap he was holding the broken doll that belonged to Tutti the Heir.
The doll was sadly leaning its lovely curly head on his shoulder.
They were looking for Doctor Caspar Arnery.
"It's the Guards!" someone shouted.
Several persons climbed over a nearby fence.
The black carriage came to a stop.
The horses tossed their heads, making the harness jingle and flash.
The wind fluttered through the light-blue feathers.
The riders pulled up beside the carriage.
Captain Bonaventura had a terrible voice.
If the sound of the violin gave you a toothache, his voice made you feel a tooth had been knocked out.