Jerry of the circus. Huh! Now for Jerry of the circus. All right, Hadley, here we are. Here's the car. Hop up. Okay. This is kind of a high step. Open the door and go right inside. Anybody in here? I guess we're alone. This is a new one on me. What's that, Hadley? This car. I don't believe I've ever seen one just like this before. These cars are special. They're built to order. You notice the bunks? They're three high. Got to have them that way to conserve space. They're compact all right. Now where do we find Spike's bunk? Let me see. I think Murray said Spike was down at the end here. Now come on. The men keep the car nice and clean. You bet they do. They have to. We haven't enough room to be throwing things around. There's a place for everything, and if you'll notice, everything's in its place. Oh, here's Spike's bunk. Have a look around. This stuff his? Yeah, that sweater and that little black valise. We'll have a look in the bag first. Anything in it? No. No, nothing but a clean work shirt. How about that sweater there? Let's see. No, nothing in the pocket. Yeah, I don't think you're going to find anything, Hadley. Wait, let me examine this bunk. Oh. What is it, Hadley? Oh, this mattress. What about it? It's been cut or torn here on the side. Say, this might be something. Or you don't think for one minute that's... Oh, wait a minute. I put my hand in this mattress a little farther. There's something in there? Yeah, it feels like... Say. What is it? What is it, Hadley? Now, wait till I get it out. It feels like money. What? There. Yes, sir, that's what it is. But, but is it counterfeit? Well, let's have a look at these numbers. Hmm. Is it? Yep, you bet it is. Oh. I've got the man we've been looking for now. This is enough bad money to send him back to prison for a long, long time. Yeah. I would have sworn Spike didn't have anything to do with this mess. Well, here's the evidence, Mr. Randall. Yeah, yeah. I guess that's all there is to it. It's a shame, too. I had a feeling Spike would have turned out to be a valuable man with the circus. Now, where do you figure he'd be about this time? Well, let's see what time it is. Oh, it's just about time for the flag to be going up for supper. He should be going over to the mess top about now to take on some food. Well, let's get over there, then. You, uh, you going to pick him up right now? Might as well get it over with. Well, come on, then. What's the matter? What are you so quiet about? Oh, I just can't understand why Spike would do a thing like this. Go ahead, Mr. Randall. Oh, it's the same old story, Mr. Randall. Birds of a feather. Oh, what do you mean by that? Prison? Exactly. A constant association with men like... Well, like his cellmate, Finetti, who naturally made a criminal out of him. Yeah, well, it's too bad. By the time he gets out of jail for this offense, he'll be an old man and not much use to the world. You go this way? Yeah, right over there. We'll walk along that path and it'll take us right to the mess top at the end of the lot. I don't like to brag, Mr. Randall, but it looks like I've got the right man spotted. Well, I'd have bet anything on Spike's honesty. There's just something about him that... Well, as I said before, it's hard for me to believe this. Well, you saw me pull this counterfeit money out of his mattress. Oh, yes, yes, I know, I know. He'll get a fair trial, all right. When it's over, he'll be on his way to prison again. Yes, but now you'll have to find out where he got this bad money to pass. I'll get that out of him, all right. Oh, look, isn't that Spike coming his way? Where? Oh, yeah, yeah, that's him all right. How are you gonna do this? He won't try to make a getaway. Oh, I know that, but I was just wondering if we couldn't do it some way so the rest of the troupe wouldn't know about it. No use making a big issue of it if we can help it. I see what you mean. Well, how about waiting here by the side of the tent and calling him over? He doesn't suspect anything yet. Well, yes, that's a good idea. I'll call him as he comes by. I'll try to be quick about it. I don't think any of the folks will notice what we're doing. Well, here he comes, poor fellow. Oh, I hate to do this, but the law has to take its course. That's the way to look at it, Mr. Randall. Now, go ahead and call him. Spike? Oh, Spike! Hello, Mr. Randall. Come here a minute, I want to talk to you. He doesn't suspect anything, he's coming right over. Yes, Mr. Randall. Oh, hello, Hadley. Hello, Spike. Yeah, got a couple of minutes to spare? Sure. Just going into supper. I've got plenty of time, though. What'd you want? I wanted you, Spike. I want to tell you something, but I don't want you to let anyone else in on it. Okay. Let's shake hands on that. All right. Hey. Hey, what's the idea of the handcuffs? You're under arrest. Oh, for what? I haven't done anything. I'm sorry about this, Spike. What's it all about, Mr. Randall? You're under arrest for passing counterfeit money. Me? Say, there must be some mistake. No, there's no mistake, Spike. Now, come on, let's get going. But I don't know what you're talking about. Honest, I don't. Playing dumb, huh? Okay, Spike, okay. Come along. We'll talk this over down at police headquarters. Mr. Randall, can't you tell me what this is all about? Really, I... I'm sorry, Spike, it's out of my hands. I have nothing to do with it. I'll be back to see you later, Mr. Randall. All right, Hadley. Mr. Randall, Mr. Randall, what's the matter? Why, why, nothing, Jerry, why? Well, I saw Mr. Hadley put those handcuffs on Spike. What's wrong? Please tell me. Well, what's up, Sam? Well, I guess you'll find out sooner or later, so I may as well tell you now. Spike's been arrested for passing counterfeit money. Oh, no. Yep, Jerry, I didn't want to believe it either, but Hadley has the evidence. Oh, say, Sam, this is bad. Yeah, it's not so good, Bumps, not so good. But I don't believe it. Spike never passed any counterfeit money. He just couldn't do anything like that. You were right about Spike the other time, but I'm afraid you're wrong this time, Jerry. No, I'm not. I know Spike didn't do it. Jerry, Spike spent a counterfeit $10 bill when you were with him this morning, when he bought his new jacket and cap and shoes. He didn't, he didn't, I tell you. No, no, Jerry. I know how you feel about Spike, Jerry, but Hadley checked in the bill and found it was bad. But maybe Spike didn't know it. I thought of that possibility, too, but there's more to it. Well, what is it, Sam? Hadley and I just came from Spike's bunk over in the car, and Hadley found a whole package of counterfeit bills hidden in his mattress. Oh, no. Yes, he did, Jerry. I was with him and saw the bills when he found them in the mattress. Oh, what right is Mr. Hadley looking through Spike's things? Mr. Hadley is a detective, Jerry. What? Yep, that's why he joined up with us, to find out why the circus was leaving a trail of counterfeit money. Oh, Jiminy. Yeah, it's pretty hard for you to believe this about Spike, isn't it? I don't believe it. There's something funny about it, I tell you. Now, listen to me, son. Everything in the world points against Spike. His cellmate in prison was a counterfeiter, and there's little doubt, but what they worked out a deal together. Finding the bad bills hidden in his mattress is all the proof the police will need. Then you believe he's guilty, too? I have to, Jerry, as much as I dislike it. There's too much evidence against him. Now, you run along and have your supper. I've got to get back to the office wagon. I don't want any supper. Oh, now, Jerry. I want to see Spike and have a talk with him. You can't do that now. You got to eat and then get ready for the show. You're a performer now, Jerry. You got to do your show regardless. Yes, yes, Jerry. You helped Spike once before, and now if he was foolish enough to get into trouble again, he'll have to get out of it the best way he can or take his medicine. Bumps, I want you to promise me something. What is it? I want you to promise me you'll take me down to the jail after the show tonight. I've just got to see Spike before we leave this town. That's okay, Bumps. Let him go down and have a talk with Spike if he wants to. Then I... Well, he'll feel better about it. All right, Jerry. You go down and see if we can get to talk to him, but come on now and let's get our supper. You go down to the jail before we go at the railroad station. Well I don't know now. It's after visiting hours and I really shouldn't break the rule. Please, mister. We're leaving town in just a little while and this will be my only chance to see him. We won't be long, officer. The boy just wants to talk to him for a couple of minutes. Well... Please. All right. Just for a couple of minutes now, mind you. We'll go right down through that door there. Thanks, mister. Just tell the guard I said it was okay. Okay. Gee, Bumps, I just... No Spike is going to be able to prove he didn't know anything about that counterfeit money. Oh, but Jerry, now listen... Just a minute. Where are you two going? Oh, well, the man at the desk said that we could see Max Peters for a couple of minutes. Max Peters? Oh, yes. The fellow was just booked this evening. He's right in that second cell there. Now, you'll have to talk faster. Oh, don't worry. I know just what I'm going to say. Jerry! Spike! Oh, gee, Spike! Hello, Bumps. Hello, Spike. Hey, what's this all about, Spike? Please tell me. I wish I knew. What do you mean? Don't you? Well, all I know, Jerry, is that I was arrested for passing counterfeit money. But I didn't know that $10 bill was counterfeit. You're sure about that? Sure. I got that $10 bill from Belko for fixing his trunk. You did? But I'm not blaming Belko. He most likely got it somehow and changed and didn't know it was counterfeit either. Well, how about the package of bad bills that was found in your mattress? The detectives told me that, too. I don't know anything about them. Honest, I don't. I thought they were just trying to trick me. No, there were some counterfeit bills hidden in your mattress. Mr. Randall saw them himself. Well, then I've been framed. Somebody put them there, Jerry. You believe me, don't you? I sure do, Spike. Well, I don't like to say this, Spike, but Mr. Randall says you're a cellmate, you know, when you were in prison. Well, he was a counterfeiter. I know it looks pretty bad, but I never had anything to do with that fellow. I'll even admit that he made several propositions, but I wouldn't have any part of him. Who was he? I mean, your cellmate. His name was Tonetti. They called him Slippery Tonetti. Is he still in jail? No, he got out a couple of months before I did. Have any idea where he might be? No, I don't, Jerry. Well, what did he look like? Well, he was fairly tall and kind of heavy. Of course, his head was shaved, but he had bushy black eyebrows. I guess that's all I can tell you about him. What are you driving at, Jerry? Oh, I got some ideas. Say, is that all you can tell me about him? Yeah, Jerry, I'm afraid it is. Wait. Yeah? Let me look at my wallet here. I took almost everything out of it, but it might be here. What? Yeah, here it is. Now, this picture here, this is a picture of the prison football team. Now, here, take it. Now, that's me, second from the end, and the fellow next to me is Tonetti, my cellmate. Jiminy, he's a big fellow, all right. Honest, Jerry, I don't know what this is all about, really. Oh, I believe you, Spike. Jerry's pretty sure about your honesty, Spike. I think that's, well, if I was guilty, I'd admit it. Can I take this picture with me? Sure, Jerry. Then don't you worry. I don't know how long it'll take me, but I won't give up until I clear this all up. Time's up. Oh, all right, we're coming. Goodbye, Spike. Goodbye, Jerry, and thanks. Bye, Bumps. So long, Spike. Don't be surprised if you're out of this jail in a few days. I'm going to do the very best detective work I ever did. I'm going to do the very best detective work I ever did. I'm going to do the very best detective work I ever did. I'm going to do the very best detective work I ever did. I'm going to do the very best detective work I ever did.
