human
You know the big net?
gpt
You mean the one over which the flying four perform?
human
Yes.
gpt
What about it?
human
It can be fixed.
gpt
How?
human
By weakening some of the strands on each side.
gpt
That is good, but suppose someone noticed.
human
Not if it is done right. I don't mean to do it all at once. I'll doctor one or two strands every day until the net is so weakened that it won't hold.
gpt
Yes, but how will you do this so no one will see?
human
I'll tell you. After the act is over they roll the net up and carry it out. It is dumped just outside the pad room, where it is picked up by one of the property wagons later in the evening. It's in the same place every night.
gpt
I think somebody may see us do it.
human
No danger. Keep cool; that's all. We'll get even with those fellows. We have got to before we can carry out the other plans we have talked over. They are too sharp. Sooner or later they will get wise to us, and we've got to get them out of the way before we go any further. The work must be done in a natural sort of way, so that no suspicion is aroused.
gpt
Yes, that's so. But what about the others? You want to hurt them, too?
human
I don't care, so long as we get the right one, how many get their bumps.
gpt
That's right. But only one of them is on trapeze. What you do about other?
human
It is the tall one that I want most. He's got to be put out of the running. It won't kill him, but it will lay him up in a hospital for the rest of the season, and that's enough for us.
gpt
Yes.
human
The other one will be taken care of after we get through with the first. The small fellow is sharp, but he can't see beyond his nose. It's easy to fool him.
gpt
The fiends! muttered Phil.
human
I believe they are plotting against Teddy and me. I have a good notion to sail into them right here and settle it. I believe I could whip the two of them. I--
gpt
What's that?
human
I heard nothing.
gpt
You didn't? Well, I did. There's someone around here and close by us.
human
Perhaps it was a squirrel in the grass. There is no one here.