JOE STRONG

THE BOY FISH

OR

_MARVELOUS DOINGS IN A BIG TANK_

By

VANCE BARNUM

Author of "Joe Strong, the Boy Wizard, " "Joe Strong on the Trapeze, "etc. 

WHITMAN PUBLISHING CO. RACINE, WISCONSIN

JOE STRONG, THE BOY FISH

CHAPTER I

SOMETHING WRONG

Bass drums were booming, snare drums were rattling, above them soundedthe shrill notes of the bugles. There was the rumble of big-wheeledwagons, now and then an elephant trumpeted or a lion gave a hungryroar. Gay banners fluttered, glistening spears flashed with points oflight, gaily attired women and men sat on the backs of swaying, uglycamels, or galloped on mettlesome steeds. And looking at it all was avast throng of eager-eyed men, women and children. It was the openingperformance of the circus. 

"Good crowd all right, " remarked Joe Strong, as he came back to thedressing tent from a preliminary survey of the audience. He took upone hole in the belt of his acrobatic suit of tights. 

"Full house--is there?" asked a dark-complexioned, foreign-looking man, as he rubbed some rosin on the soles of his soft shoes, so they wouldnot slip when he attempted some feat high up on a trapeze bar, or lethimself down a rope head first, disdaining the use of his hands. 

"I should say it is a full house!" went on Joe as he, too, west over tothe rosin box. "They'll have to do as they do in theatres, and hang outthe S. R. O. Sign if it keeps on. It looks as though there would bestanding room only before long, it certainly is starting the seasongood. "

"I'm glad to hear it, " remarked Tonzo Lascalla, one of a trio of"brothers" with whom Joe Strong did more or less dangerous things onthe high trapeze. "If the owners take in plenty of money they may giveus more salary. "

"Not much danger of that, " averred Tom Jefferson, who did a "strongman" act. "Still, we can't complain. We get pretty goad money as itis. "

There came a different note into the music. There were a few sharpnotes on a bugle, and the strong man, who had been lying down on someboxes covered with blankets, sprang to his feet. 

"Grand entry's over, " he remarked. "I've got to go on!"

"And so have I!" added a clown, who had been busily engaged in paintingone half of his face white and the other black. "Here we are againgentlemen!" and he turned two or three somersaults on the grass of thedressing, tent. "Whoop-la-la!" and out he ran to make his appearance inthe ring. A gale of laughter followed, testifying to the effects of hisantics. 

"All ready, Joe?" asked Sid Lascalla, the other member of the acrobatictrio. 

"Why, that isn't our call, is it?" asked Joe, who was relacing one ofhis shoes. 

"No, but it will come in a few minutes. Are you going to try the longswing and double catch this afternoon?"

"I think we might as well, don't you? We've had enough practice at it, even though this is the first show of the season. What do you say, Tonzo?"

"Oh, I'm ready for it. "

"So am I, then, " added Sid. "Only let's be sure the life net is allright. The ring-attendants are apt to be a bit careless at first. "

"I'll look after it, " promised Joe. 

The lacing of his shoes seemed to give the young trapeze performer somelittle concern. He did not want them too tight, and, on the other hand, they must not be loose enough to give any play to the ankles. For in agreat measure the life of the young man who was soon to thrill the bigaudience with his daring depended on the firmness of his stand. 

A fine figure of youthfulness was Joe Strong as he stood in his closelyfitting red tights, tall and straight as an Indian arrow, with not anounce of superfluous flesh, and yet not over-muscled. But the muscleshe had were powerful. One could see his biceps ripple under his tightsas he bent his arm, and when he straightened up there were bunches backof his shoulders that told of power there. His legs, too, on thestrength of which he depended for many tricks, were symmetrical withmuscles, and his hands and wrists showed force. 

The young acrobat finally seemed to be satisfied with his shoes, andnodded his readiness to his two partners. In the first part of theprogram the three worked together as the "Lascalla Brothers, " thoughthere was no real relationship. But the name showed well on the bills, and, as a matter of fact, the three performers looked sufficientlyalike. 

When his part with the trio was over Joe Strong was in an act byhimself, for he had made quite a name as a daring performer. Hestrolled over toward the entrance to the main tent--the entrance usedby the performers as they emerged from the dressing tents. A girlriding a beautiful horse galloped out from the ring as Joe reached theplace. 

"How goes it, Helen?" asked Joe, as the rider drew her horse to oneside. The animal rubbed his nose against Joe's hand. "No, I haven't anysugar now, Rosebud, " said Joe with a smile. "There aren't any pocketsin this suit, " he went on with a laugh. 

"I'll give him some as soon as I get off, " promised Helen Morton, or"Mademoiselle Mortonti" as she was called on the circus bills. 

"How did everything go?" asked her companion. 

"Fine, Joe. Rosebud never behaved better, and the crowd was certainlygenerous in the way of applause. "

"Glad to know it. I heard some of it. Pretty good opening then?"

"I call it so, yes. "

Again the trumpet blared in a new note, and there was a scurrying onthe part of some performers to leave the rings and raised platforms, while others came bustling from the dressing tent to take their placesin providing entertainment for the circus throng. 

"See you later!" called Joe as he hurried back to join the two LascallaBrothers, that they might run into the ring together and stand posedfor a moment, their arms on one another's shoulders, before they begantheir act. 

"All right, " answered Helen, as she rode away on her fine trick horse, Rosebud; for Helen was a fancy rider, and, in addition, had taught theanimal to do many difficult tricks. 

It was the first performance of the spring season for the SampsonBrothers' Circus. The winter had been spent in Bridgeport, as far asthe animals were concerned, the quarters of many out-door shows beingthere. The performers had done as they pleased for the idle months whentent shows are out of the question. Some had filled engagements intheatres, while others had gone into retirement, some to evolve newexploits, thrilling acts and tricks. 

Joe Strong had spent part of his winter doing gymnasium work. He hadlater filled in a few weeks on a theatrical circuit doing feats ofmagic. At this he was an expert, and in this line of work he had beenengaged before joining the circus. 

Helen Morton had been in the South, her horse with her, and she hadreturned a few weeks previously, joining the circus in Bridgeport toget in some needed practice before starting out on the road. Now theshow was in full swing. It was a pleasant day, and a record-breakingthrong had crowded into the tents. What more could circus folk ask?

"Hello, Ben!" called Joe, as he hurried back to join his two partners. "All ready for your 'death-defying dive?'"

"Yes, as ready as I'll ever be, I guess, " was the somewhat despondentanswer of a frail-looking youth, who was attired in a shimmering greensuit made to resemble fish scales. 

"Why, what's the matter, Ben Turton?" asked Joe, as he placed his handon the shoulder of the "human fish, " as Ben was known; for he did adiving act in a large glass tank filled with water, staying under aboutthree minutes without breathing, and performing some tricks in thelimpid depths. 

"Oh, I don't know, Joe, what the matter is, " Ben said. "I guess I'mjust tired. "

"What! After your winter's rest?"

"I didn't have much rest. I played two circuits. "

"Oh, that's right, so you did. I'd forgotten. But is it the same oldtrouble you complained of last season?"

"Yes, my head--back here, " and Ben put his hand to the base of hishead. "But don't say anything about it. Maybe it will wear off when Iget to working. I've got to go on with the act, anyhow. "

"Say, it's too bad, Ben. Maybe if you were to speak to Jim Tracy----"

"No. I won't do that, Joe. Never mind about me. There's your call. "

"So it is. I'll see you again. Come on, Sid--Tonzo!"

Joe clasped hands with his two fellow trapezists, and together they ranlightly out to the ring. Benny Turton followed more slowly. He was tobegin his act in a few minutes. The big glass tank, filled with water, was waiting for him out on a raised platform. 

"I don't know what's the matter with me, " he murmured. "I feel just asif something were going to happen. Oh, pshaw! I mustn't be such a kid. It'll be all right. I've gone under hundreds of times before. "

He stood looking out into the main tent. He saw Joe Strong and theother two Lascallas on the trapezes high up above the life net. Thisthe trapeze performers had inspected with unusual care, for it was theopening act of the season and, as Sid had said, some of the attendantswho put it up might have been careless, particularly as a lot of newmen were always hired at the beginning of the season. 

After some rather usual and not very difficult acts, to get themselveswarmed up, the Lascallas prepared for one of their "thrillers. "

Joe climbed to a small platform, fixed high up on one of the poles atone side of the tent. Sid Lascalla occupied a similar position on theother side. Between them swung Tonzo on a trapeze. 

"All ready!" cried Joe. 

"Ready!" answered Sid. 

Together they swung down from their platforms, each one grasping atrapeze bar. Tonzo swung first toward Sid who, at a signal, let go, andturning over and over in the air reached out his hands at the propermoment and grasped those of Tonzo. The two, clinging together, hungthere a moment, swinging to and fro in a long arc. 

Then, with a yell to show he was coming, Joe Strong let go of histrapeze, and launched himself toward the other two. He whirled himselfabout in a dizzying succession of somersaults, and then, straighteningout with a jerk, he grasped the dangling legs of Sid, and hung there byhis hands, the two lower acrobats being supported by Tonzo, who clungfrom his trapeze by his knees. 

There was a burst of applause at this clever and rather dangeroustrick. It was dangerous even with the life-net below them, for had themen fallen together, in a heap, they would have been hurt in spite ofthe net. 

But the trick was over successfully. First Joe dropped into the net, then Sid and finally Tonzo, each one somersaulting down. 

As Joe jumped out of the net to get ready for his next act, he sawBenny Turton leap off his platform to dive into the tank of water. Itwas the beginning of the acts of the "human fish. "

"He seems to be all right, " thought Joe. "I guess he was just nervousabout the first day. "

He watched the youth, and saw him make a clean dive into the water. Then there should have followed on Benny's part some queer littletricks designed to bring forth a laugh. 

But as Joe watched through the glass sides of the tank, he saw a lookof agony come over Ben's face. The boy seemed doubled up in a cramp, and his hand went to the back of his head. 

"There's something wrong!" thought Joe in a flash. "Benny's in bad!I've got to help him!"

Joe knew the danger of creating a panic in a crowd. Whatever was donemust be done quietly so as not to alarm the audience. Joe glancedabout. Near him was Bill Watson, a veteran clown, pretending to play agame of ball all by himself. 

Joe ran over to Bill and whispered in his ear:

"Quick, Bill! Benny's got a cramp in the tank! We've got to get him outin a hurry. Come on with me!"

CHAPTER II

JOE FILLS IN

For a moment Bill Watson looked as though he did not understand whatJoe said to him. 

"It's Ben--in the tank--something wrong, " whispered Joe. 

"I get you!" said Bill quickly. He dropped the big stick he waspretending to use as a bat, and hurried with Joe to the big glass tank. As yet no one else seemed to have noticed anything wrong with the"human fish. " Other acts were going on around him, and the crowd, watching through the glass sides of the tank, appeared to take it allas a matter of course. Ben was still under water, but he was doingnothing save swimming about slowly--altogether too slowly, Joe thought, for it indicated that whatever ailed the "human fish" was increasing inintensity. 

"What's the matter?" asked Jim Tracy of Joe, as the young acrobat andBill hurried across the tent. "Why aren't you two going on with youracts?"

Jim Tracy was head ring-master and one of the owners of the circus. 

"Ben's in some kind of a fit, " answered Joe. "We've got to get him outof the tank. "

"Whew! Great Scott!" exclaimed the ring-master in a low voice. "Can wedo it without starting a panic?"

"We've got to, " said Joe fiercely. "If the audience knows that he'snearly drowned----"

"They mustn't know, " agreed Tracy. "Come on. "

They fairly ran toward the glass tank. By now Ben had settled down onthe bottom, an inert form. He had been unable to hold his breath underthe water, and it was filling his lungs. Joe Strong thought quickly. 

He might dive into the tank and pull Benny out, for Joe had more thanonce on a hot day cooled off in the water in which the "human fish" didhis act. But if Joe did that now it would let the people know somethingwas wrong. 

"But we've _got_ to get Benny up!" Joe reasoned. 

He saw, lying near the tank, one of the elephant goads--"ankus" is theIndian name for the instrument. It is shaped like a boat-hook, but issharper. 

Joe quickly caught this up. Jumping to the platform, on which the tankstood, Joe whispered to Bill Watson and Jim Tracy to stand as near himas possible. 

"We can sort of screen our movements that way, " he said. 

Reaching the hook down into the water, Joe caught it in a portion ofBenny's "fish" suit. It was an easy matter to raise the now almostdrowned performer to the surface, and then lift him out into the armsof Joe, the ring-master and the clown. 

"We'll have to carry him to the dressing tent and have a doctor, " saidJim Tracy. "And we'll have to do it on the quiet. Get some of theclowns, Bill, and have them march in a body, carrying Benny betweenthem. Make it look as if it was all a part of the show. Carry it off aswell as you can. Though what in the world I'm going to do to explainwhy the tank act isn't finished, I don't know. But we've got to takecare of Benny first. Is he alive yet?"

"Just about, " answered Joe, making a hasty examination. 

Bill Watson quickly summoned some of his fellow clowns, and on astretcher which two of the eccentric men had been using in a funny actof their own, Benny was carried from the main tent. The clowns sosurrounded him that not a glimpse did the audience have of thestretched-out, silent, green-clad figure. 

"Pretend it's all a joke, " whispered the ringmaster fiercely. 

"Sure, " muttered Bill Watson. 

It was a pretty grim joke, and only the great necessity for notstarting a panic in the crowd of sightseers would have induced any oneto take part in it. 

And while poor Ben is being carried where he can have medicalattention, new readers will be told briefly something about Joe Strongas he figures in the previous books of this series. 

The first volume is entitled "Joe Strong, the Boy Wizard; Or, TheMysteries of Magic Exposed. " Joe, whose mother had been a circus riderunder the name Madame Hortense, and whose father, a sleight-of-handworker, was known as Professor Morretti, was, at the opening of thestory, an orphan, living with Mr. And Mrs. Amos Blackford in the townof Bedford. Deacon Blackford had taken care of Joe since the boy wasabout five years old, and was, in a sense, his foster-father. 

Joe inherited from his mother an ability to ride almost any kind ofhorse, and he had nerves that made him unafraid to do circus tricks atgreat heights. As a boy he had climbed the village church steeple, tothe delight of his companions and the horror of his foster-parents. 

One day "Professor Rosello" gave an exhibition of magic in Bedford, andnew events in Joe's life dated from then. The young man saved theprofessor's life, and then, because of threatened punishment on thepart of Deacon Blackford, Joe ran away from home, eventually joiningProfessor Rosello, who made him an assistant. 

Joe Strong was then started on his career to become a magician, and he"made good, " as they say in theatrical circles. He invented somestartling tricks and was a great help to the professor. At one timeJoe's foster-father made a serious charge against him, and our hero wason the verge of arrest. 

The second volume of the series is called: "Joe Strong On the Trapeze;Or, The Daring Feats of a Young Circus Performer. " In that book Joe isfirst met helping Professor Rosello do a "fire trick" on the stage. Something went wrong with the electrical current and the magician wasin danger of being burned to death. Joe's quick work saved ProfessorRosello, but the shock was so great that the magician had to give uphis stage work. The professor offered to lease the show to Joe, but theyoung performer had received a very good offer from the SampsonBrothers' Circus to become a trapeze performer, and he accepted. 

Joe had formed the acquaintance of a few of the circus folk some timebefore in a casual way, and he had shown what he could do on the flyingrings and the trapeze, which resulted in his engagement. 

Jim Tracy, the ring-master, took quite a fancy to Joe, and BennyTurton, who did the "human fish" act, was very fond of our hero. As forJoe, he was more than interested in Helen Morton. So much so, that whenit came to a question of whether or not to stay with the circus Joedecided to remain, just because he thought he might be of service tothe girl rider. 

He had been of great assistance to her in helping recover money left toher by her grandfather, and which a rascally law clerk nearly securedfor himself. Bill Watson, the veteran clown, was also much interestedin Helen and her inheritance, and he mentioned, casually, that perhapsJoe might come into money. For Mrs. Strong, who, before her marriage, was Janet Willoughby, came of a wealthy English family that had casther off when she married Professor Morretti. But though Joe had writtento England he had, as yet, received no encouraging word as to anyinheritance that might come to him through his mother. 

Joe is now beginning his second season with the Sampson Brothers'Circus, and the opening performance was marked by the accident whichhappened to Benny Turton. 

"Quick now, boys!" urged the ring-master, as he walked along with theclowns who were carrying the half-unconscious form of the waterperformer. "I don't believe the crowd knows anything about it. "

And this seemed to be the case. There were so many other things goingon in the circus, so much to attract the attention, that it is doubtfulif any in the throng realized that anything out of the ordinary hadtaken place in the big, glass tank. They may have supposed that everytime, after his dive, the "human fish" was carried out that way to getready for his next act. 

For there were other parts to Benny's act. The dive into the water wasreally only the beginning, and no wonder Jim Tracy was anxious as towhat could be done to "fill them in. "

For the feats of the "human fish" had been widely advertised, and were"billed big, " as it is called, on the posters. If the crowd saw no morethan had been given them--merely a high dive into a comparativelyshallow tank--there would be grumbling. 

But, for the time being, there were no murmurings as the crowd expectedBenny to come back. 

Into the dressing tent the limp form, clad in its scaly green suit, wastenderly carried. 

"You got him out in good shape, Joe, with that elephant hook, " saidBill Watson. 

"Yes. It came in nicely, " said Joe, his eyes fixed on the white face ofhis friend. What had happened to Benny? Would he live?

Tenderly the boy--for he was only a boy--was laid on one of the cots inthe dressing tent. Word of the accident had quickly but quietly passedamong the circus folk, and already a messenger was on his way to summona physician. Meanwhile first aid was being administered, for circuspeople have to hold themselves ready to deal with all sorts ofemergencies and accidents. 

"I guess he'll pull through, " remarked Bill Watson, when it was seenthat Benny was breathing, though very faintly. 

"It was a close call, " remarked another clown. 

"That's what it was, " agreed Jim Tracy. "A good thing you saw him intime, Joe. "

"It was just chance I did, though I sort of had an eye on him. He saidhe didn't feel well when he started out to-day. "

The physician came in. A quick examination told him the boy would live. 

"Though it was a close call, " he said. "There's something the matterwith him besides nearly having drowned. "

"What is it?" asked the ring-master. 

"I can't tell. I will have to make a more careful examination--and in ahospital. "

"Hospital? Then he can't go on with his act now--I mean in half an houror so?"

"Go on with his act! I should say _not_, my dear sir! Why, the boy isnear death yet. I must give him heroic treatment. I will call anambulance. "

"All right, doc. You know best. But I don't know what I'm going to do, "and Jim Tracy shook a puzzled head. "The crowd will expect the tankact--he didn't do more than start it. It's been advertised all over thecountry. I don't know where I can get some one to take his place. Thissure is hard luck, though, of course, it isn't Ben's fault, and I wantyou to take the best care of him you can. But who in the world can Iput in on the tank act?"

"Put me in, " said Joe Strong in a quiet voice. 

"You?" cried Jim Tracy. 

"Yes, " answered the young acrobat "I can fill in all right. Let mefinish out Benny's tank act. "

CHAPTER III

JOE IN THE TANK

Jim Tracy seemed hardly to know whether or not Joe was in earnest. Theystood together, a little distance away from the cot on which lay BennyTurton, only just recovering consciousness. 

"Do you really mean it, Joe?" asked the ring-master. 

"I certainly do, " was the answer. "I don't say I can do all the tricksBen did, for I haven't practised them. But I may be able to improvise afew of my own. "

"But can you stay under water as long as he could, Joe? That's thepoint. You know we bill him as remaining under a fraction over fourminutes, and challenge the world to produce his equal. We even invitethe public to hold their watches and keep time for themselves. 

"As a matter of fact, Ben never stayed under more than four minutes, though he once, in his earliest attempts, did make it four even. Butthe public isn't very critical on that point. As a rule the women getnervous, and I've often heard some of 'em call out to him not to drownhimself. 

"But the crowd would surely expect the act to last three minutes underwater--I mean three minutes at a time. Can you do that?"

"I think I can. In fact I can do better than three minutes. "

"Are you sure, Joe?"

"Yes, sure. "

"Of course he is, " broke in a new voice, and Joe and the ring-masterturned to see Helen Morton standing beside them. She had finished heract some time before. 

"I heard that something had happened to Benny, " she said, "and I camein to see if I could do anything. I heard what you and Joe were saying, Jim, and I couldn't help speaking as I did. I know Joe can stay underwater more than three minutes. "

"How?" asked the ring-master. He seemed dazed by the way things werehappening. "How do you know, Helen?"

"I timed him--I held the watch on him, as you call it. "

"That's what she did, " confirmed Joe. 

He then told, Helen adding her share to the story, how one hot day, being warm from exercises in the circus tent, he had put on a bathingsuit, and gone into Benny's glass water-filled tank to cool off. Whilethere Joe, who was an adept in the water, as are many boys who live inthe country near a river, decided to test himself for under-waterendurance. He filled his lungs with air and went under. 

"And he stayed more than three minutes, " testified Helen. 

"Well, if you can do that, maybe we can pull off the act yet, " agreedthe ring-master, with a sigh of relief. 

There was a hasty consultation. By this time the ambulance had arrivedand Benny was put in it to be taken to the hospital. The physicianpromised to give the boy every attention, and to let the circusmanagement know at once how he was getting along. 

"Just what he is suffering, from, I can't say, " the doctor stated, "butit is something serious, I fear. It was something that made himincapable of helping himself or calling for help. "

"All right, Joe, " said the ring-master, when it was certain Benny couldnot finish his act. "You'd better get ready to go into the tank. Canyou wear Benny's suit?"

"I guess so, but it will be a pretty tight fit. It's wet, too, and itisn't going to be easy to get into it. "

The green, scaly, fish suit had been taken off Benny before he was putinto the ambulance. 

Joe found he could squeeze into the suit. It was of rubber, andstretched some. 

"I'll be ready in a few minutes, " he told the ring-master. "You go outand make whatever announcement you please. Sort of tone it down forme, for I don't know that I can please the public on such short notice, particularly as I haven't practised any of Ben's tricks. "

"Can't you do some of your own?" asked Helen, as she was leaving thetent, having come back to see how Joe looked in the fish suit. "I meansome of those you used to do with Professor Rosello?"

"That's so--I might, " said Joe reflectively. "I've got a box ofapparatus in my trunk. "

"I'll help you get it out, " offered the pretty little trick rider. 

"Thanks, " murmured Joe. 

Jim Tracy hurried out to the main tent, where he knew the crowd wouldbe waiting for the rest of the tank act. The ring-master signaled tothe band that he was going to say something. 

The music stopped. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, " began Jim Tracy, "there has been a slightmishap to Mr. Turton, who, a little while ago, dived into this glasstank which you see before you, " and he waved a hand toward the tank. "Mr. Turton is unable to go on with the act for the present, being, infact, under the care of one of your local physicians. As you all knowwe advertised to show the 'human fish, ' and if there is one thing morethan another that the Sampson Brothers try to do it is to keep theirword--keep faith--with the public. As we advertise so we do. And Isay, without fear of successful contradiction, that there is not oneact down on the show bills or posters--not one pageant, not one wildanimal, not a riding act, not a driving act, not a trapeze act, whichwe advertise, that we do not give you complete, in full and in itsentirety. 

"We have advertised to give you a fancy diving act in a glass tank ofwater, and you have all seen that. Mr. Turton before he wasunfortunately taken ill, did that part of his act. But he is unable togo on. And I am now about to introduce to you a young man who will takehis place. You have all seen him. But a little while ago he thrilledyou, in company with his partners, the Lascalla Brothers, in a hightrapeze act. It was while doing this that the young man I am about tobring to your favorable notice saw Mr. Turton in distress in the tank. Mr. Joe Strong, as he is known in private life, acted promptly andpulled Mr. Turton from the tank. He saved his life, though, in ordernot to alarm you, we did not let that fact become known until justnow. "

There was a murmur in the crowd, and some applause. Clearly theannouncement was a surprise. 

"What do you think of that?" was asked on all sides. 

"And now, " went on Jim Tracy, "following the invariable policy of theSampson Brothers' Circus, we are going to keep our word again, and giveyou just what we advertised we would--a wonderful under-water act, fullof thrills, and interesting in the extreme. But I must crave yourslight indulgence, and I feel sure that, under the circumstances, youwill extend it to, not only myself and the show management, but to theyoung man who has volunteered to take the place of the 'human fish' onsuch short notice. 

"You will see by the circus posters that we claim Mr. Turton can stayunder water four minutes. This he has done time and again, as you whohave seen him before can bear witness. And if any of you think it iseasy to do that, just take out your watch, and hold your breath forfour minutes out here in the tent--not under water, where to breathemeans death--yes, ladies and gentlemen--death!"

The ring-master paused impressively. 

"Now we do not claim that Mr. Strong will be able to stay under waterfour minutes. Three, I believe, is his limit. But you must remember, ladies and gentlemen, that he is doing this act in public for the firsttime, and that merely to help out the show and prevent you from beingdisappointed. 

"He will endeavor to remain under water three minutes at a time, andwill also offer for your approval a few tricks. But I wish to statethat staying under water even three minutes is a feat of no meanability. We do not say that no one else can do it, though we have astanding offer of a thousand dollars to any one who will duplicate thefeat of Mr. Turton, and remain under four minutes. But under thecircumstances that offer is withdrawn. 

"But if any of you think it is easy to stay under three minutes justtry to hold your breath for the time Mr. Strong remains under water. Iventure to say none of you can do it. "

Again the ring-master paused for dramatic effect. Then he took out hiswatch, and looked toward the entrance to the dressing tent. One of theattendants signaled that Joe was ready. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, " went on Jim Tracy, "I now take great pleasurein introducing to you Joe Strong, the boy fish, and I crave your slightindulgence under the circumstances. Remember he is only filling in atan emergency. So do not be over critical. Mr. Strong!"

The band blared out as Joe walked up on the platform beside thering-master and threw off his bath robe, revealing himself in the scalygreen suit Benny had worn. 

Joe bowed right and left. 

"I will now leave Mr. Strong to entertain you, my friends, " concludedthe ring-master. 

There was another blare of music, and Joe started up the steps that ledto the platform from which Benny had dived. Joe was going to start thetrick in the same way. 

"Though I hope what happened to Benny, whatever it was, doesn't happento me, " thought the young acrobat. 

He poised for an instant on the small platform, and then with a quickspring launched himself into the air. Joe brought into play one of histrapeze tricks, and turned three somersaults before he struck thewater. In he went, with a little splash, and, a moment later, he openedhis eyes under water, staring out through the glass sides of the tankat the expectant throngs in the circus tent. 

CHAPTER IV

BAD NEWS

There was applause at Joe's rather fancy dive--a more elaborateentering of the water than Benny had been in the habit of presenting. But Joe could not hear the people clapping, for he was under water, andall sound was lost to him. He could, however, see the motions of theirhands, and by the interested looks on their faces he judged that theaudience was pleased. 

"Now if I don't get rattled when I do some of my tricks, I may be ableto pull off a good stunt in the tank, " thought Joe. "Well, here goesfor it, anyhow. "

All this while, of course, Joe was under water and could not breathe. But he had first deflated and then inflated his lungs to their fullestcapacity, and he felt sure he could remain at least three minutes, possibly longer, without coming to the surface. 

The glass tank in which Joe was performing--Benny's tank, to be exact, for the "human fish" owned it--was practically a big glass box. Thatis, four sides of it were of glass, measuring eight feet each way, thusgiving Joe nearly eight feet of water into which to dive. 

Not a very great depth for a high dive, but there are tricks of diving, as all know, and dives from a pole sixty feet high into a tank not morethan four feet deep have been made. For this the instant the surface ofthe water is struck the body must curve upward, also curving upward theextended arms and hands. The result is a "shallow dive, " and a shot tothe surface of the water almost as soon as it is entered. However, adive into shallow water is always a dangerous thing even for an expertswimmer. 

The glass tank was then of good size for the purpose for which it wasdesigned. The top was, of course, fully open, and the bottom was ofmetal, covered with a layer of white sand. This not only made anagreeable surface on which the performer could recline, but itreflected the light, and made every action of the person under watervisible to the audience. 

The glass, being on all four sides of the tank, of course gave a clearview all around the big circus ring, and as the tank stood on a raisedplatform the "human fish" act was one of the best-viewed acts in theshow. At each corner of the tank were heavy metal strips which held theglass sides. The metal strips were bound with rubber to preventleakage. 

As has been said, Joe deflated his lungs just before he took his dive. He did this by standing in a drooping position, with his shoulderssagging forward. He actually pressed from his lungs all the airpossible. This was to enable him to fill them again with a freshsupply, rich in oxygen. For it is with the air he takes into his lungsbefore he plunges into the water that a diver keeps himself alive. 

Joe had watched Benny inflate his lungs, and Joe himself had a way ofhis own of doing this, for he had often swum comparatively longdistances under water when a boy, and he had learned the necessity offully and properly filling his lungs with air. 

"Well, it seems to be going all right so far, " thought Joe as he foundthat it was no harder to stay under water now than it was the time hehad practised before in the tank, with Helen timing him. "Now for a fewtricks. "

It had been Benny's habit to swim about after entering the tank, imitating a fish as nearly as possible. Perhaps it would be morecorrect to say a seal; for a seal in the water more nearly resembles ahuman being than does a fish, which has no need of breathing air intothe lungs, as a seal does. The gills of a fish are so constructed as toextract the oxygen from water, serving the purpose the lungs do in theair. Probably all know that a fish can "drown, " if the functions of thegills are interfered with. 

"Now for some fancy swimming, " thought Joe. He began whirling about inthe water, as he had seen Benny do, turning over and over in a gracefulfashion, just as a seal does. Joe really turned backward and forwardsomersaults under water, but of course he did it more slowly than thefeats would be performed in the air. And in a sense it was easier, forthe water supported him all around. 

For the present Joe was not trying for an endurance test, and when hehad shown three or four different styles of swimming--the old-fashionedbreast stroke, the Australian crawl, the overhand style, and so on--hecame up. 

This was not done to get air, as he had not been under more than twominutes, and he could stay much longer than that. But it was to makethe act last a little longer, and to give the ring-master a chance tomake a further announcement as to what was to take place. 

Always, on a stage, in a theatre or in a circus, the effect of an actis "heightened" as it is called, it is made more dramatic and thepublic is more deeply impressed, if some one, even the performer, states just what is going to be done, with, perhaps, a reference to thedanger or difficulty of it. In this case there was no particulardanger, as Joe could come up whenever he wanted to. But it is not easyto stay under water for three minutes. 

Joe shot up to the top of the water, and climbed, dripping wet, out onto the rubber-covered platform. He nodded to Jim Tracy to let thering-master know he was now ready for the second part of theperformance. 

"Ladies and gentlemen!" cried the circus man, "Mr. Strong will now showyou how long he can remain under water. He is going to attempt to staythree minutes--possibly longer. Of course that is not the record, butyou are aware of the circumstances under which this act is being doneto-day. During his stay under water Mr. Strong will do some tricks toamuse you. Ready!"

The band blared out as Joe bowed, and once more he made himself readyfor the under-water act. While Jim Tracy had been speaking Joe haddeflated his lungs, and now he took a full, long and deep breath. Thenin he plunged. 

As soon as he was on the bottom of the tank, lying full length on thebed of soft white sand, an attendant lowered to him a metal boxcontaining some of Joe's trick apparatus. 

"If I have to do this tank act often I can get some water-proofapparatus made, " thought Joe. "But I guess Benny will be back on thejob in a few days. I might teach him how to do tricks. "

Raising himself on his elbow, with his head resting on his hand in acareless and comfortable attitude, as though lying under water withoutbreathing were the most natural thing in the world, Joe juggled withthree small iron balls, using only one hand. It was an easy enoughtrick to do "on land" so to speak, but Joe found that the balls did notmove so freely in the water, and he had to make his motions slower. However, the trick seemed to be appreciated, for he could see thepeople applauding. 

"If I only had some celluloid playing cards, I could do some trickswith those under water, " Joe reasoned, as he kept juggling the balls. "Water won't hurt celluloid. I must have a pack made. " Joe was an adeptat card tricks, and they would show off well under water, he thought. 

In order that the audience on all sides of him might see, Joe nowturned slowly about under water, facing to the four sections of thetank. 

He was beginning to wonder how many minutes had now ticked off, but heknew it could not be three yet, though he was beginning to feel thestrain. He had not had as much practice at holding his breath underwater as Benny Turton. 

"It might be a good thing to have a clock just outside the tank where Icould look at it, " thought Joe. "That's another point I'll suggest toBenny when he gets back to work. "

After his juggling act was over Joe did a few simple "disappearance"tricks--that is he showed objects, such as cubes and balls, in hishands and then, by a mere motion, he caused them to vanish. This heaccomplished by the familiar "palming" method. Also he concealed thethings in the false bottoms of two metal vases he was using underwater. 

It was not a very finished performance, and Joe really had not had timeto work out as many details as he wished. But he was doing very well, and the audience seemed pleased. At any rate a panic had been avertedand the circus crowd was not given a chance to find fault becausesomething down on the programme had not been given. The management hadkept faith with the public. 

Joe's head was beginning to ache a little now, and his chest felt thestrain of holding his breath. But he was not going to come up yet. Benny had done a trick of picking up in his mouth a number of metalcoins from the bottom of the tank. Joe wished he had practised thattrick, but he had not, and he knew it would be risky to attempt it. However, he decided to try and see if he could open his mouth underwater. 

It was not easy, but he did it. A little water got down his throat, buthe found that by pressing the back of his tongue up against his softpalate he could close the opening to the throat and wind-pipe, and, atthe same time, open his mouth. 

"If I keep on I'll be able to eat under water, " thought Joe, "andthat's something Ben can't do--or, at least, hasn't done. "

Then Joe bethought himself of a little finish to his tank act. He knewhe must bring it to a close soon now, for he was about at the limit ofhis ability to hold his breath. 

It might be said that the ability to hold one's breath differs greatlyin individuals. It follows that a person of large lung capacity is ableto fill himself with a greater amount of oxygen than a person whoselungs are not well developed. 

The world's record, it is said, is four minutes and thirty-sevenseconds, and is held by a man. A girl, about eighteen years old, hasremained under water doing various things, such as picking up objectsin her mouth, three and a half minutes. It can be seen that it is notalways a man or a boy who has the largest lung capacity. This girl wasnot remarkable for size, being, in fact, rather frail. But she hadunder-water endurance down to a science, and it is even said that herlast record was four minutes. 

Sponge and pearl divers of tropical countries are credited with powerto remain under water for long periods--some claim five minutes--butthe records give about three minutes as the average, though it ispossible that some exceptional individual may equal five minutes. Butthey have to work hard while under water, and, of course, divers godeeper than the eight feet in Joe's tank. 

Opening his mouth under water gave the young performer an idea. 

He stretched out his arms in a tired and lazy manner, yawned withwide-open mouth as though sleepy, and then, using the box his trickscame in as a pillow, he stretched out on the sandy bottom of the tank, and pretended to go to sleep. 

And this, coming at the end of his little performance, and when he hadbeen under water nearly three minutes, made quite an impression on thecrowd. There was some laughter at Joe's comical antics, but there werealso murmurs of wonder at his endurance. 

However, Joe was about at the end of this now. His head felt dizzy andit seemed as if his lungs would burst through his chest, so great wasthe confined pressure on them now. 

Still he knew he must not hurry up, gasping for breath. Benny never didthat, but came out as though he could have stayed under all day if hehad cared to. It made a far neater finish to the act. 

So Joe slowly opened his eyes, pretended to look at a watch as thoughit were time to get up, and then he slowly floated to the top of thewater. 

And oh! how good it did feel to get that breath of air. He wanted togulp in a whole lot of it at once, but he held himself in reserve, andtried to breathe naturally. It was hard work, though. 

"Three minutes and four seconds!" announced the ring-master, as he heldup his watch. "If I am wrong correct me, friends. "

"Good work! Fine, Joe!" cried the ring-master. "You saved the day forus. I put some one else on your trapeze for the time being. I thoughtyou wouldn't want to go on. "

"No, hardly. Glad you did. Do you think it went all right?"

"It sure did!"

"Oh, Joe! I'm so glad--for you!" exclaimed Helen as the young performerwent down the steps to the ground. 

"Look out! I'll get you all wet!" he warned her. 

"I don't mind, " she answered blushingly. "Oh, it was great!"

"I'll do better, next time, " Joe said. "I wonder how Benny is? I thinkI'll go to the hospital and find out as soon as I get into my regularclothes. "

"I'll go with you, " offered Helen. 

The two young people, their circus work over for the afternoon, weresoon on their way to the hospital. The doctor who had attended Benny inthe tent met them. 

"Well, what's the news?" asked Joe. 

"It's bad, I'm sorry to say, " was the answer. 

"Is--is Benny going to die?" asked Helen, clasping Joe's arm. 

"No, he won't die, but it will be a long while before he can join thecircus again. "

CHAPTER V

JOE'S PROMISE

Joe Strong gave a low whistle. It expressed at once surprise anddismay. He looked at Helen, and saw in her eyes deep sorrow for theunfortunate youth. For Benny Turton was loved by every one in thecircus. His act was so peculiar that there was no professional jealousyagainst him, as there was against other performers, including Joe. AndBenny was a gentle youth. 

"Not able to join the circus again, " repeated Joe. 

"No, " replied the physician. 

"What is the trouble?" Helen queried. "Was he hurt in the tank?"

"Well, it wasn't an accident, if you mean it that way, " went on thedoctor. "But his injuries and condition are due to long-continuedtank-work. "

"How is that?" inquired Joe. He was interested, not only because heliked Benny Turton, but from a personal standpoint. Joe might have togive several more performances in the tank before some one was obtainedto fill Benny's place, or until a new "thriller" was substituted forthe tank scene, and Joe did not wish to run any chances. He had felt noill effects from his immersion, save a slight inconvenience due toholding his breath, and this had passed as soon as he was out of thewater. 

"Your friend Benny's trouble, " said the physician, "is due to stayingso long under water. I don't mean staying under too long at onetime--there is a limit which nature fixes in that case. But Iunderstand he has been doing this act twice a day now for some years. He works, so I am told, under about eight feet of water. Of coursedivers have withstood greater pressures than that, but Benny has doneit so constantly that he had injured himself. "

"Permanently?" Joe asked. 

"That remains to be seen. But it is certain now that he is in greatdanger of becoming deaf and dumb. "

"Oh!" exclaimed Helen, sympathetically. "Poor Benny, never to speak orhear again!"

"Well, we may be able to save him, but that can not yet be said withcertainty, " stated the doctor. "You see the water pressure on his eardrums, and on his vocal cords, caused by his act in picking up coins inhis mouth while under water, has, to a certain extent, injured them. Heis in a bad way now. "

"Can he speak?" asked Helen. 

"Only a little. And he can hear less. "

"We'd like to see him, " put in Joe. 

"I think that can be arranged, " the doctor said. "I'll go and find outhow he is now. "

"That was the meaning of all the pains and queer feelings Benny had, "said Joe to Helen, as they were left alone in the waiting room of thehospital. "You know he often spoke about a pain at the back of hishead. "

"Yes, you mentioned it several times, " Helen remarked. "Oh, I am sosorry for him! I wonder if there is anything we can do for him. "

"I'll find out when we see him, " answered Joe. "But I don't know what Iought to do. If he can't go on with his act to-night----"

"Oh, surely he can't!" Helen interrupted. 

"No, I reckon not, " Joe agreed slowly. "Well, that means I'll have todo it, I suppose, if they have it billed. It won't do to shut it offsuddenly. We'll have to wait until we get to another town, and we showhere another day. I guess I'll have to let Jim Tracy know that Bennywon't be with the show again right away. "

"I suppose that would be best, " Helen said. "We'll go back to the tentas soon as we've seen Benny. "

They found the young circus tank-actor propped up in the clean, whitehospital bed, with a pleasant-faced nurse hovering about him. Bennylooked pale and wan, though perhaps some of his pallor was caused bythe white pillows and bedspread. 

"Well, old man, how goes it?" asked Joe, as he walked up, with extendedhand. 

Benny smiled, but did not answer. 

"You'll have to speak louder, " the nurse said. "He's quite deaf, youknow. "

Joe, for the moment, had forgotten. He repeated his question in loudertones. 

Benny fumbled under the bedclothes and brought out a pad and pencil. 

"The doctor doesn't want him to speak for a while, " the nurseexplained, for the physician, after telling Joe and Helen they might goup, had been called to see another patient. "He will write his answers, and he can hear if you speak quite loudly. "

Benny wrote:

"I'm feeling better. Glad you came. What did they do about my act?"

"Oh, I went through with it--after a fashion, " said Joe, making himselfunderstood. "It's all right, Ben. I didn't do as well as you, ofcourse, and I couldn't stay under as long. But I did the best I could. "

"We're mighty sorry this happened to you, but if you take a rest you'llbe all right again. "

"That's just it, " Benny wrote on the pad. "I can't afford to take arest. I must get back as soon as I can to help support my mother. "

Joe did not know what to say. But he shook his head, and, after amoment's thought, remarked. 

"Well, you can't work to-night, Ben, so I'll go into the tank again foryou. After that we'll see what's to be done. Now don't you worry, everything will be all right. "

"We all miss you, " said Helen, as she shook hands with the youth. "Getwell as soon as you can and come back to us. "

Benny nodded, and tears came into his eyes, so that he turned away hishead. 

"I don't like to drive you away, " the nurse put in smiling, "but Ithink he has seen you long enough for the present. "

"May I come back later?" asked Joe. 

"Perhaps--if the doctor says so. But we'll take good care of him. "

"Oh, I know that!" Joe declared. 

He and Helen bade Benny good-bye and went out, feeling rather sad. Ithad all happened so suddenly, and the prospects were not very brightfor the young circus performer. 

"What's to be done?" asked Helen. 

"I don't know, " Joe was frank enough to say. "I'll have to have a talkwith Jim Tracy. "

The ring-master shook his head when Joe reported to him theunsatisfactory result of the visit to the hospital. 

"It looks bad, Joe, " said Jim. 

"That's what I think. "

"Can you go into the tank again to-night?"

"I guess so. You'll have to fill in part of my trapeze work though. "

"Well, I can do that more easily than I can get some one to work thetank act. It's lucky you practised that. "

"It was luck--nothing else. Well, I'll do the best I can. I'm going tosee Benny to-morrow, and there may be a change for the better. "

"I hope there is. I don't want to lose him out of the show. "

Joe went into the tank again at night. It was rather more spectacularin the evening, for special lights above the big glass box filled withwater made it sparkle when the bubbles arose as Joe went through onetrick after another. 

He did pretty much as he had done in the afternoon, and his act waseven better received. The crowd applauded loudly. Joe did not try tostay under water any longer at the evening performance than he had donein the afternoon. 

"Time enough to work up that end of it if I have to keep on with theact, " he thought. 

When he saw Benny at the hospital the next day, it was made certainthat Joe would have to keep on with the act, at least for the present, if it was to be billed with the circus. 

Poor Benny was worse, instead of better. He could hardly hear and hewas too weak to write much. But he did manage to scribble a note:

"Dear Joe, " he wrote. "I don't know what to do. I haven't been able tosave any money, and my mother is an invalid, needing much care. I musttry to get back to the tank as soon as possible. "

"You'll do nothing of the sort, " wrote Joe in reply, for he did notwish to shout for fear of annoying the patients in the rooms near by. "Now don't worry, Ben. It will be all right. "

Then Joe wrote out a promise, the keeping of which made quite a changein his prospects, and, for a time, caused him to be misjudged by hisfriends. 

But Benny had a happier look on his face when Joe went out, and thesuffering boy put under his pillow a precious piece of paper. 

CHAPTER VI

THE SHOW MOVES ON

"What's the news?" asked Jim Tracy, as Joe came back from the hospital. 

"Not very good, " was the reply. "Benny's worse. "

"Then he won't be with us to-day?"

"No, and not for some days to come, I fancy. "

"Will you do the act this afternoon and to-night then, Joe? You seewe've billed it big here, and it's too late to make a change in thistown. When we move on we can drop out that act without its being sonoticeable. If necessary I can have that part of our bill posteradvertising covered up with blank sheets, though I hate to. But that'sall there is to be done if Benny can't act. "

"No, he can't act, " Joe said. "I'll go on to-day, of course. TheLascalla Brothers won't kick, will they?"

"I don't care if they do. You can do your principal stunts with them, and we'll shove the tank act back on the programme so as to give you achance to make the change. I suppose, though, if you keep too much outof the Lascalla act they will be kicking. "

"They may want another partner, " suggested Joe. 

"That's right, " agreed the ring-master. "But there's one thing, though. If they ask to have Sim Dobley back again I'll tell 'em it can't bedone. I won't have that fellow around. That's flat, let me tell you. "

Sim Dobley at one time was one of the Lascalla trio. He was dischargedfor misconduct, and Joe was given his place in an emergency. Thisangered Sim and he threatened revenge. Though the other twoLascallas--Tonzo and Sid--wanted Sim back, and though Joe suspectedthem of at least once trying to cause him to get a humiliating fall, nothing had come of Sim's threats. 

"Yes, they may want him back, " Joe admitted. "But I don't know justwhat I can do. I'll go on with as much of my trapeze work here as Ican, and also do the tank act. But when we move on----"

"We'll talk of that later, " interrupted the ring-master. "Well, what isit?" he asked as a man came running up to him. 

"A boy just got clawed by the lion, " the man said. "Went too near thecage. "

"Blame those kids!" cried Jim. "Well, I'll be right over. Have someof the animal men attend to the lad, and I'll get a doctor. Was he oneof our boys?"

"No, some kid who wanted to carry water for the elephants. He isn'tclawed bad--just on his hand. "

"Well, I'm glad it isn't bad. "

In spite of his vexation against the lad, Jim had a kind spot in hisheart. 

The ring-master went to see about the lad, who, it appeared, in hiseagerness to get a view of the animals in their cages, had gone toonear the one containing a dangerous lion. With a quick, cat-likemotion of his great claw, the big beast had ripped some skin from theboy's outstretched hand. A doctor soon made him comfortable. 

Joe looked for Helen to tell her about Benny. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry for him!" she exclaimed. "Is there anything I cando?"

"I don't believe so, " was the answer. "He'll have to stay in thehospital for a while. "

Joe did not find it exactly easy to fill the rôle of two performers, but he did his best, and cheerfully, for he felt he owed a debt ofgratitude to Jim Tracy for giving him a chance in the circus. 

Joe first had to dress for the trapeze work, and go through with thoseexploits which were not easy, especially the long swing and the triplesuspension. Then Joe, alone, did an act which has been fully describedin the book just previous to this one. It is called the "drop back toinstep hang, " and Joe did it in such a way that it was very thrilling. The act looked as though an accident had happened and that Joe wasfalling from the trapeze. But he caught himself in the nick of time. 

Joe also did some tricks on a long suspended rope, fastened high in thetent. He slid rapidly down this, headforemost, without the use of hishands. He dropped until it seemed certain that his head would hit theground, but he stopped himself when about an inch away, amid theplaudits of the crowd. 

Then, when he had finished this thrilling work, Joe had to hurry to thedressing tent and put on the green fish suit. 

The young "fish" was more at home in the tank on the second day than hehad been when he first made his bow to the public in the shimmering, green, scaly suit. He was not so nervous, and this made it easier forhim to hold his breath. 

Joe also worked in a few new tricks. He spent the morning of thesecond day of the circus going over his box of apparatus, and he madesome changes in certain pieces to enable them to be used under water. Joe tried to get some celluloid playing cards, but found they wouldhave to be made to order, so he wrote to Professor Rosello, his formerchief, and asked him to get them for him. 

The professor was still resting, and his show, under lease, was on theroad. Joe kept up a correspondence with the man who had given him sucha good start toward becoming a public entertainer, and the professorwas always glad to hear of the success of his protégé. 

The circus performers who knew Benny, and there were few who at leastdid not have some sort of an acquaintance with him, were very sorry tolearn of his disablement. 

"Well, it's too bad he can't be with us!" said motherly Mrs. Talfo, thefat woman. "Benny sure was a nice little boy, and I'm certainly sorryfor him. "

"So am I, " affirmed Señorita Tanlozo, the snake charmer. "He got mesome medicine once, when I had a terrible toothache, and I'll neverforget it. "

"And will he not ever be able to appear in public again?" asked SeñorBogardi, the lion tamer. 

"I don't know about that, " answered Joe. "Never is a long while. He'llhave to stay in the hospital for some time, the doctor says. "

"Ugh! Hospitals!" exclaimed Madame Bullriva, the strong woman. "Deliver me from them. They mean all right--those doctors andnurses--but it's awful trying to lie on your back and want a drink ofwater. "

"Especially if you happen to know that you could get up and lift abarrel of it, if you weren't ill, " put in Tonzo Lascalla. "Yes, I, too, am sorry for Benny. But it is what will happen to all of us inthis business. "

"What will happen?" asked the snake charmer. 

"Oh, we will be down and out some day. You may play once too oftenwith that big constrictor which you let twine about your waist. Someday he will squeeze you too hard--Poof! You are dead!"

"Well, I must say you are not very cheerful!" exclaimed SeñoritaTanlozo. 

"Oh, well, what matter?" asked the trapeze performer, with a shrug ofhis shoulders. 

The circus parade was over. The procession had returned to the groundsand dinner was being served. The afternoon performance would soon beunder way. 

"Well, Joe, all ready for another swim?" asked Helen, as she passed the"boy fish" (as he had been dubbed by some) on her way to look afterRosebud. 

"Yes, all ready to get wet again, " he answered. "How's the nice horse?"

"All right. He was asking for you, " and she laughed at her littlejoke. 

Joe's trapeze work went off well, and, hurrying to the dressing tent, he donned the green suit. Again the ring-master made his announcementabout Joe, and the youth, inflating his lungs to their capacity, plunged in. 

Joe knew the value of a laugh, even in a thrilling scene, and this timehe had prepared a few simple but laughable tricks to perform underwater. They all worked well, and Joe brought the act to a close withhis "sleep, " which again won him applause. 

That afternoon Joe paid another visit to the hospital where Benny was apatient. The "human fish" was in great pain, and Joe could only seehim for a few minutes. 

"I think we shall have to operate on him, eventually, " the doctor said. 

Joe wrote Benny a cheering message, and hurried back to the tent to getready for the evening performance. 

The tank act went off well, and to add to it Bill Watson, the veteranclown, rigged up a pole and line, and pretended to be fishing in thebig glass box. Joe, who entered into the spirit of the occasion, caughtthe hook as he was lying on the sandy bottom, and fastened on it arubber boot, which Bill pulled up and regarded with comical gravity. 

When amid applause Joe came up out of the tank after an immersion ofnearly three and a quarter minutes, Jim Tracy gave orders to have thewater emptied out, and the tank packed for transportation. The glasssides were removable. 

"I don't know whether we'll have any use for it again or not, " said thering-master. "How about it, Joe?"

"I'll tell you later, " was the answer. 

"Say, what about Benny Turton?" asked Tom Jefferson, the strong man, asthe performance came to a close and the crowd was filing out. "Can hetravel on with us?"

"No, " answered Joe. "He will have to stay behind when the show goeson. "

And, as the circus was to play in another town the next day, the show"moved on. "

Benny Turton, the "human fish, " was left behind. But it had to be so. There was no other way. 

"Poor boy, " murmured Helen, as she thought of the slight figure restingin the white hospital bed. "Poor boy! I suppose they'll all forget himsoon--when they have a new act in place of his. "

But Joe Strong did not forget the promise which he had written onBenny's pad--the promise which was under the pillow of the "humanfish. "

CHAPTER VII

JOE'S OFFER

Joe Strong turned over in his berth in the circus sleeping car. Something had awakened him from a sound sleep. At first he was notaware what it was, but as his brain cleared he realized that it wassome sound of confusion outside the car. 

"Where are we?" he asked, for he saw Tonzo Lascalla, his trapezepartner, peering from between the curtains of his berth across theaisle. 

"I think we are in, " was the answer, meaning that the circus train hadreached its destination. "We are on the siding, but it isn't time toget up yet, thank goodness. "

"Yes, let us sleep, " begged a yawning voice. "Keep still, can't you?"

"Sounds as if something had happened, " commented Joe. He looked out ofthe window of his berth, but it was too dark yet to see more than aconfused jumble of black shapes moving about. Joe saw another train onthe track alongside of the sleeping cars. It was a train of "flats, "on which the animal cages were carried. 

"Look out now! There he goes! Get after him, some of you men!" avoice ordered. 

There was a crash of breaking wood, more shouts and the noise of acracking whip. 

"Or maybe shots!" exclaimed Joe, half aloud. "I wonder if any of thewild animals have escaped. "

A moment later, however, there was the sound of laughter. 

"Whoop!" a man yelled. "Here he comes at us! Look out! There, he'sgot Bill down!"

There were excited yells, and a voice, presumably Bill's, was heard toexclaim:

"Get off my leg, you big brute! Wow! If you step on me again I'll be asflat as a board seat! Here, somebody take him off me!"

There was a stir inside the sleeping car, for most of the occupantswere now awake. 

"For the love of Mike!" grumbled Tom Jefferson, the strong man. "Can'tthey let a person get his sleep? Are they giving a private rehearsalout there, or what's going on?"

"I guess some of the animals are loose, " said Joe, "though it doesn'tseem to be serious. "

More shouts, mingled with laughter, seemed to testify to this view ofit. 

"I'm going out to see what it is, " decided Joe. He looked off towardthe east. A faint glow there told that dawn was beginning to break, though it was still very dark. "I've had enough sleep, " Joe reasoned, "and I can't get any more with all that racket going on under my carwindow. "

He quickly dressed and went out, he alone of those in his car caring tosee what the trouble was. The rest of the circus men preferred to turnover for a possible "forty winks" more. 

As Joe was making his way toward the place where he could see a crowdof men about some central object, he heard a voice calling to him fromone of the windows of the sleeping car occupied by the women of thecircus troupe. 

"What has happened?" some one asked. "Is it a wreck?"

"No, nothing as bad as that, I guess, Helen, " Joe replied, recognizingthe tones of the pretty trick rider. "Some of the animals seem to beout. I'm going to see. "

"Come back and tell me about it. I hope it isn't one of the cats. "

"So do I, " Joe said. "But I don't believe it is. I'll let you know. "

Circus folk and animal men in general speak of lions, tigers and otherbeasts of the feline tribe as "cats, " and elephants, camels, horses andtheir like are known in show parlance as "hay animals, " because hay istheir principal fodder. 

Joe hurried on to the crowd gathered about one of the flat cars. 

"Look out! He's loose again!" came the yell, and Joe saw the crowdpart, and a big ungainly animal come charging through. 

"It's the hippopotamus!" cried Joe. "The big brute is loose!"

The big animal, the "blood-sweating behemoth of Holy Writ, " as it issometimes called on the circus bills, was out of his tank wagon, andseemed to enjoy his liberty. 

"Look out there!" some one in the crowd yelled to Joe. "If he stamps onyou there won't be anything left of you. "

"I guess that'll be true enough, " thought Joe. For the hippopotamusweighed nearly two tons, being one of the largest specimens incaptivity. 

On came the big beast, now and then opening its huge mouth, as Joecould see in the light that was beginning to break. Some of the crowdof men came rushing after the hippopotamus with ropes, but the animalmoved faster than one would suppose a creature of his bulk couldtravel. 

"Stop him! Stop him, somebody!" came a voice. "If he gets on the trackan engine may hit him!"

That, Joe knew, would be a serious loss. For the animal was valuable, having cost the Sampson Brothers four thousand dollars originally, andhis value had increased. Joe remembered hearing that Jumbo, the bigelephant, many years ago, had been struck by an engine and killed, hisskeleton now being in the American Museum of Natural History in NewYork. 

"Get him! Get him!" begged the head animal man. 

"I wish I could!" thought Joe. 

As he moved to get out of the way of the beast the young acrobatstumbled over a coil of rope which had been used to let some of theheavy wagons down the gangplank off the flat cars. 

"If I could only lasso him with the rope it might stop him, " thoughtJoe. "But I don't know how to manage a lasso, even if I could tie anoose in this rope. And I don't see how one lassoes a hippo anyhow. However, here goes! I'll do the best I can. Maybe I can tangle his feetup in the kinks of the rope so he'll fall. "

Joe caught up the rope, and, without trying to straighten out thecoils, threw it at the big animal, which was opposite him, Joe havingleaped to one side. And he did by accident what the circus men had forsome time been trying to do by design. He threw coils of the rope aboutthe short legs of the "river horse" and down went the hippopotamus witha thud. 

"That's the stuff! Good work!" cried the animal's keeper. "Quick now, boys! Rope him!"

Before the beast could get up he was pounced upon by a crowd of theanimal men and securely bound with ropes. 

"Whew!" exclaimed the keeper, as he faced Joe in the now gray dawn ofthe morning, "that was some work!"

"How did he get loose?" Joe asked. 

"The bottom dropped out of his wagon. Must have been rotten. He droppedwith it and started off on his own hook. He walked all over a lot of uswhile we were trying to corner him. "

"Walked on us! Say, he danced a jig on my stomach!" complained BillDudley, one of the animal men, as he came limping up. "Have you got himsafe?"

"Yes, " replied the keeper. 

"Well, don't let him get loose again. He almost made a pancake of me!"

The circus men now led the subdued beast to temporary quarters untilhis own cage could be repaired, and the work of unloading the rest ofthe circus was proceeded with. 

"Is it all right?" Helen asked Joe, as he walked back to his car. 

"Yes. The excitement is all over. It was the hippo, " and he told whathad taken place. 

"And you caught him?" asked Helen. 

"Oh, it was just luck, " said Joe modestly. "I didn't take any chances, you may be sure. "

"Maybe he thought you were a friend of his, because you work in a tank, too, " laughed Helen, for the wagon in which the hippopotamus was keptwas in two parts, one end being a tank for water. 

"Maybe, " agreed Joe. And at that laughing speech there came to mind amatter he knew must be settled. What would be done about Benny's tankact? The question would come up that day. 

Breakfast was served to the circus folk in the big tent, which had beenput up in advance. The earliest arrivals at the circus ground are thetent men, the cooks with their big stoves on heavy wagons, and theanimals. So that when the performers get up they generally find a hotbreakfast ready for them. 

After the meal Joe strolled across the lot, watching the men at work. Some of them were gathered about the wagon containing the glass tank inwhich Benny, the "human fish, " had done his act. 

"You needn't open that, " said Jim Tracy, who was already around, looking after his many duties. "We won't set up the tank. "

"Why not?" asked one of the men. 

"Because Benny isn't with us any more. We'll have to cut out the fishact. "

Joe Strong heard this, and came to a sudden decision--and yet not sosudden, either, for he had given it considerable thought. 

"Look here, Mr. Tracy, " he said. "I don't believe we'll have to give upthe tank act after all. "

"Why not?"

"Well, can't I do it well enough?"

"Oh, it isn't a question of that, Joe. You sure did make a hit with it. But I thought you'd rather keep at your trapeze work. "

"So I would--for a while at any rate. But why can't I do part of thetrapeze act, and the rest of my stunts in the tank? I like it. I'm sureI can do better the more practice I have. I'll make you that offer--todo the tank act and as much of my trapeze work as I have time for. Whatdo you say?"

"Why, I guess I'll say 'yes, '" replied the ring-master. "I only thoughtyou were doing it to fill in at our opening engagement; to prevent thepublic's howling, Joe. But if you want to keep on with it, why, I'mwilling, and thankful too. "

"All right, I'll do it!" decided Joe. 

"Good! Unpack the tank, boys!" cried Jim Tracy. "Set her up and fillher with water. We'll have a 'boy fish' act after all!"

CHAPTER VIII

EXPERIMENTS

Since Joe Strong had decided that he would make of the tank act abetter performance than had been possible the first two days of theopening of the circus season, he now resolved to watch the setting upof the big glass box. Joe wanted to learn all he could about theaccessories of the act, for he had some new ideas he intended to putinto effect if he found that he could succeed in the new work that hadcome to him by accident. 

"Perhaps I can get up a new idea in regard to dressing the act, "thought Joe. "If I can, it may take even better than it has, and I canhold the public with me until I can develop my lung power and stayunder an even four minutes, or perhaps longer. "

To "dress an act" means, in stage language, to set up the scenery andto wear certain costumes, in other words the external fittings thatserve to make the act more or less spectacular. 

Some acts are "dressed" very simply. That is, there may be only asimple room scene, with a table or chair. Then the actor depends on hisaction or his "lines" to make an impression on the public. 

Another act may be a very showy one with elaborate fittings andexpensive costumes, and in this case, as a rule, the acting proper andthe lines are not of so much importance. 

In Joe's case he had no "lines, " or spoken words, to attract theattention of his audience. It is hard to make the voice carry in a bigcircus tent, and even an accomplished ring-master often fails in thisrespect. Of course in Joe's case he could not talk under water, andaside from the introduction on the part of Jim Tracy there were no"lines. "

"But I have an idea, " mused Joe, "that I could dress the actdifferently from Benny's performance. He had it a little too plain. Idon't know just what I want, but it's got to be something different. I'm going to experiment. "

Of course there was no time that day to make changes. Already it wasnearly time for the parade to be formed on the circus grounds. Joe, aswell as several of the other performers, did not go in the parade, forthey had to get ready the special apparatus connected with their acts. In Joe's case, he had to look after his trapezes, and now, in addition, the tank, in order to make sure that all was in proper shape. Of coursethere were men whose duties were to see to these things for theperformers, but Joe took no chances--he supervised everything himselfvery carefully, as did Tonzo and Sid Lascalla. 

For when one's life depends on the strength of a wooden bar or on thefirmness of a rope, it behooves one to look well to the apparatus. 

In regard to the tank, of course, there was comparatively littledanger, even should one of the glass sides break or a leak occur. Theworst would be that the water would escape and the act be spoiled. ButJoe did not want that to happen, so he carefully watched the men asthey took out the parts of the tank and began fitting them together onthe raised platform where Joe's act would occur. 

A supply of white sand for the bottom of the tank was carried with theglass box. When the water was drained off it after the nightperformance, the sand was put in a box to be used over again. 

Joe watched the men slip the big sheets of heavy plate glass into themetal holding strips at the corners of the tank and tighten up therubber water-proof fittings. Then the sand was spread over the bottom, the steps, by which Joe reached a little platform on the edge of thewater-filled tank, were put in place, and the act was nearly "set. "

"Well, I guess I can't do much more with it now, " thought Joe as he sawthe tank completed. "I'd better see about my trapezes. "

As he crossed to another part of the tent he saw Helen giving someorders about a few pieces of apparatus she used in her tricks withRosebud. 

"Well, Joe, " asked the girl, "you haven't caught any more hippos, haveyou?"

"No, Helen, one a day is enough. How is everything with you?"

"All right. I'm going to give Rosebud his sugar. "

"I'll walk along with you. I'm going to see about my trapezes. "

"Oh, aren't you going to do the tank act? I thought I saw the mensetting it up. "

"You did. I'm going to do a double turn--at least for a while. "

"Good luck to you!"

Joe's trapeze work was simpler now that he had added the underwaterfeature to his circus acts, and it did not take him long to see thatthe bars, ropes and rings were in perfect condition, all fasteningssecure and made so they would not slip when the strain from a longswinging jump came on them. 

Then, having a little time on his hands before he would have to go onfor the afternoon show, Joe went in to town, to stroll about. The placewas filled with country visitors who had come in to see the circus, this being the center of a thriving farming community. Joe, going intoa drug store to get an ice cream soda, saw in the window of anestablishment next door a large aquarium, in which goldfish wereswimming about amid long, waving, green aquatic grass. 

"There's my idea!" exclaimed Joe, aloud. "Or one of them, anyhow. "

"Did you speak to me?" asked an old gentleman, who was just coming outof the drug store as Joe went in. 

"No, sir. I beg your pardon. I just thought of something. "

"Oh, I see, " and with a smile the gentleman passed on, while Joe, stillthinking deeply, went in to get his soda. 

"Well?" asked the clerk, suggestively, as Joe paused at the marblefountain. 

"I'll have a goldfish sundae, " said Joe, reflectively. 

"What? Say, come again, young fellow! This isn't a joke shop, " and theclerk seemed rather angry. 

"Oh, I beg your pardon, " Joe hastened to say. "I mean a chocolate nutsundae. I was thinking of goldfish--that's all. "

"That's different, " laughed the clerk. "I thought you were trying tojolly me with the name of a new drink. "

And while Joe ate his cream his thoughts were busy with the idea whichhad suddenly come to him. 

"I wonder if Jim Tracy will stand for it, " he mused. "I've a goodnotion to do it without asking him. If he doesn't like it he can sayso, and no great harm's done. I'll stand the expense myself. If I couldget hold of the inheritance Bill Watson thinks ought to come to methrough my mother, I'd pull off a still bigger stunt in this tank act. But I guess I'll never get any money from England. "

So far Joe's efforts to prove that he was entitled to anything from hismother's estate had been unavailing. 

"Yes, " thought our hero, as he finished his cream and went out, stopping to look at the goldfish in the aquarium, "I'll do it and trustto luck. "

Joe went into the store, which was a place where not only fish, butdogs, cats and birds were sold. He remained some little time inconversation with the proprietor, and some money changed hands. Joe wassmiling when he came out. 

"At least it will be different, whatever else it is, " thought the boyfish, as he may now be called, for he was destined to be billed as thatlater on. 

There was so much taking place in the big circus tent, or "main top" asit is called, that Joe's activities around the glass tank were hardlynoticed. If any of the circus people saw him they probably believed hewas just doing what Benny had often done, looking to see about thetemperature of the water, and to be positive that the joints were notleaking. 

And when, a little later, a circus attendant brought word to Joe thatthere was a man with a horse and wagon outside the tent who had a bigbox for Joe, even that caused no comment, for it was almost time forthe show to start and every one was busy about his or her own affairsor special act. 

But when Jim Tracy passed the platform on which the tank was standing, and saw a big canvas cover wrapped about the sides of the glass box, heopened his eyes in surprise. 

"What's the idea, Joe?" he asked. 

"Oh, just a little experiment, " was the answer. 

"Experiment! You're not going to fall down on the act, are you?Remember we have it billed in this town, and we're likely to play torecord-breaking audiences both this afternoon and evening. You're notgoing to cut out the act, are you, after promising----"

"Cut out the act? Of course not!"

"But putting that canvas around the tank makes it look as though it wasout of business. "

"Oh, it isn't out of business at all, " said Joe with a laugh. "In factI hope it will draw more business than before. Just leave it to me, Jim. It will be all right, I'm sure. You go ahead and make the usualannouncement, only don't pull any four-minute immersion on me, for I'mnot up to that yet. Make it three and a quarter if you like, I think Ican hold my breath that long. "

"But I don't quite see, Joe. "

"You don't need to, now. I want to spring it on you, as well as on thepublic. Just give me a man to yank off the canvas cover when I say theword, and that'll be all I want. "

"All right, Joe. It's your affair, as long as you do as we'veadvertised. "

"I'll do that and more, Jim Tracy. Leave it to me. "

Joe's trapeze work came first on the programme, and while he liked thisas well as ever and did his usual hair-raising feats, this day he was abit impatient for the act to be over, so he could do what he hadplanned in the tank. 

At last, however, he made his final swing, and dropped down into thelife net amid the plaudits of the crowd. Then Joe hurried to thedressing tent to get into Benny's scaly, green, rubber suit. 

"That's another thing I'm going to do when I get around to it, " thoughtJoe, as he squeezed himself into the garments. "I'm going to haveanother suit, different, and of another color. I've got to change thisact about to bring it up to my ideas. "

Out on the little platform at the edge of the tank, Joe took his place. Jim Tracy, standing near by on the ground, pointed up to thequeerly-clad figure and made his usual dramatic announcement. 

"And now, " finished the ring-master, "the boy fish will show you thatit is as easy for him to live, move and have his being under water, asit is for ordinary mortals in the atmosphere of this earth. Ready!"

"Ready!" cried Joe, and he nodded to the attendant who stood ready topull a rope that would let fall from the tank the canvas that concealedit from view. 

CHAPTER IX

A NEW STUNT

There was a hush of expectancy as Joe stood poised on the littleplatform above the tank. The band, that had blared out when Joe madehis bow, had stopped playing, and the drummer was ready to sound a big"boom" on the bass instrument when Joe should plunge into the water. 

The canvas came slithering down from around the sides of the glasstank, and at once there arose murmurs of admiration from the big crowdin the tent. 

"How pretty!" women's voices said. 

"Say, you did pull off something new!" murmured Jim Tracy, greatlypleased. 

Joe had transformed the tank into a big aquarium. In the four cornerswere long, waving, green, aquatic plants, seemingly growing in thewhite sand. 

The plants did not interfere with a view from all four sides throughthe transparent glass, but they added greatly to the effectiveness ofthe act. But, more than this, there were a score of large goldfishesswimming about in the tank, their brilliant scales reflecting back thelight that came in from top and sides. 

"Why, they're real!"

"They're alive!"

"They're real fish!"

Thus murmured the crowd, and Joe smiled at the sensation he had caused. That had been the idea which had come to him as he saw the aquarium offish as he was going in to get his ice cream. He had bought the fishfrom the dealer, as well as the long streamers of aquatic plants, andhad placed them in his tank, few if any of the circus folk being awareof the surprise Joe was planning. 

"That sure is great!" declared Jim, who was as much surprised as anyone in the audience. 

Joe waited a moment for the crowd to appreciate the novel and prettylittle scenic background he had provided for his act. Then, havinginflated his lungs with air, he plunged gracefully into the tank ofwater. 

There was a rush of the real fish to one end as the boy fish came downamong them, and the flitting, glittering, golden bodies could easily beseen as they darted to and fro in alarm when Joe settled down on thewhite, sandy bottom. 

Then, prevented by the glass sides from getting too far away from thestrange creature who seemed almost as much at home in the water as theywere, the fish began swimming about in all directions. 

This was just what Joe wanted, for he knew it added to theeffectiveness of the act. He believed that the audience would befascinated in seeing him through the glass, surrounded as he was byreal, live, swimming fish. 

Waiting a moment to let the golden creatures become quiet, Joe beganhis own swimming movements, turning, circling and somersaulting in thelimpid element. He slowly waved his hands to and fro, pretending to beplaying with the fish. Sometimes one or two of them would slip throughhis fingers, and he might have caught them, only he did not want toinjure them. 

Joe had bargained for the biggest goldfish he could buy, so they couldeasily be seen from even the far end of the tent. At night, when therewas no sunlight to illuminate the scene, a big gasoline incandescentlight overhead and smaller ones arranged like footlights on a stage, toshine up, would make the tank of water even more plainly visible andmore brilliant than in the afternoon. 

"I guess I didn't make any mistake in this experiment, " thought Joe, ashe looked out through the glass and saw the crowd applauding. 

His swimming exhibition at an end, Joe came out to prepare for thesecond part of his act--the under-water endurance feat, during which hedid several simple tricks. 

"Though the fish swimming about may spoil some of the juggling, " Joemused. "I never thought of that. However, it may make the act take allthe better if it's a bit funny. "

As a matter of fact, it did. 

Joe took a little longer than usual to inflate his lungs this time. Hewas going to try to remain under water longer than he had done on theother occasions. 

The iron box of tricks was slowly lowered into the tank, for Joe didnot want to frighten the fish any more than he could help. Then he gotin himself, not diving this time, as he had found on the first divethat the fish were very much startled. 

"And as long as they are my silent partners in this act I must treat'em fairly, " thought Joe, as he went under water. 

He did a little juggling with the iron balls, and, just as he had halfanticipated, a big goldfish swam between his hand and the ball once, just as he was about to catch it. He, therefore, failed to get theball, and, taking advantage of the occasion, he pretended to get angry. He shook his fist at the fish, which, of course, darted away. 

Joe's comical little caper begot a laugh, and he made a mental note towork in that feature at all the performances. The value of a laugh isappreciated even in a circus act. 

As Joe went through the tricks, pretending to swallow an egg and makingit come out of his ear, causing several small objects to disappear, anddoing other tricks that he had learned while on the road with ProfessorRosello, Joe thought of something else. 

"I wonder how that would work, " he mused, for he could think, if nottalk, under water while holding his breath. As a matter of fact activethinking did not make the time seem so long as when his attention wasfixed on the number of minutes he was trying to stay under. 

"I must see if I can't work out something like that, " Joe continued tomuse. "It ought to go well. I'd have to have some apparatus made forit, though. Well, one thing at a time. I'll stick to the fish stuntfor a while yet. "

Joe's head was beginning to throb now, caused by the continued waterpressure and by the retention of his breath. He felt that he wouldsoon have to go up to breathe. 

"But I'll try to beat my own record, though it isn't much to boast ofas yet, " he decided. 

He finished his tricks, and then, stretching and yawning, which alwayscalled forth a laugh, he straightened out on the white sand andpretended to go to sleep while the goldfish swam above him. 

It made a pretty and effective scene, and the audience applauded well. 

Joe was nearly at his limit of endurance, though he was not in suchphysical distress as he had been when first doing the act. He decidedthat he must come up, so, pretending to awaken, and to be extremelysurprised at finding himself in a tank of water, with fish forcompanions, Joe slowly floated to the surface. 

"Three minutes and twenty seconds!" announced Jim Tracy, who stood withhis watch in his hand. "As I told you, friends, the boy fish hasremained under water, not three minutes and a quarter, as I predictedhe would, but five seconds longer. And let me tell you, my friends, five seconds is a long time--under water. "

The crowd applauded again as Joe came out of the tank and bowed whilehe wrapped a bath robe about him to hurry to his dressing tent. 

"Oh, Joe! It was fine!" cried Helen, as he passed her when she wasgetting ready to go into the ring with Rosebud. "It was so pretty! Howdid you ever think of it?"

"Oh, it was just accident, I guess. "

"A lucky accident. We other performers will have to dress our actsdifferently if we want to get any attention. "

Joe's act was better that night than it had been in the afternoon. Oneof the circus men caught a big mud turtle in the creek, near which thetents were erected, and finding it was not of the biting kind, Joe putit in the tank with the goldfish. That added to the effectiveness ofthe scene at night. 

"Say, what are you going to do with these fish?" asked an attendant ashe was about to empty Joe's tank after the night performance in orderto pack it for transportation. 

"I arranged with the aquarium man to buy them back at a reduction, "said Joe. "I don't suppose we can transport them very well, but I'llkeep the green plants. They'll live a long while and I like them in thetank. The man who brought the fish also brought a small net to lift 'emout with. It ought to be around here somewhere. Put the fish in the boxthey came in, fill it with water and I'll send 'em back. "

"You'll do nothing of the sort!" broke in Jim Tracy. 

"Why not?" asked Joe, somewhat surprised. 

"Because those goldfish are going to travel with you. They're a part ofthe regular act after this, and don't you forget it! It went too wellto give up. We can carry goldfish as easily as a hippopotamus, Ireckon. Put 'em in some kind of a water-tight box, and we'll ship 'emin the hippo tank, where he can't nose 'em out. I'll have a regulartraveling tank made for 'em later. Leave those fish behind? I guessnot! They're too good for that. Take 'em with you, Joe. "

The boy fish was only too glad to do this. He had not hoped to havethis part of the act permanently, as he did not see how it was possibleto get a fresh supply of goldfish in each town where they played. Buttaking the fish with them solved the problem. 

The golden swimmers were put in the box in which they had been broughtto the circus grounds from the animal store, and when water was addedthey swam about, seemingly in comfort, though their quarters wererather crowded. 

Joe put in some of the green aquatic plant, as this serves to keep thefish healthy, and makes it unnecessary to change the water so often. 

"But they'll have to have a fresh drink as soon as we arrive in themorning, " Joe said. 

"I'll look after them, " promised the keeper of the hippopotamus, whowas grateful to Joe for having stopped the big beast from running intodanger. 

Thus Joe's act was added to. But he was not done yet--not satisfied. Hewanted something different. 

For a week the show traveled on. Joe and Helen wrote to Benny, and inreply received a short letter from him. He said they were getting readyto operate on him, though they would have to wait for a favorableopportunity. 

"It is the only chance, they say, " wrote Benny, "of preventing me frombecoming deaf and dumb. But oh, how I dread it! And my mother!--I don'tknow how to tell her. "

"Poor boy!" murmured Helen. "He certainly is in trouble. I wish wecould be with him--but we can't. "

For the show must go on, and Joe and Helen had to go with it. 

Joe's act in the tank made a favorable impression all along the route. He was gaining a reputation, and Jim Tracy ordered some new show billsfeaturing him. Joe also bought a new suit, red and in some otherrespects different from Benny's old one. 

"Oh, what a pretty color!" Helen exclaimed when she saw Joe's newunder-water suit. "It just matches the goldfish. "

"So it does, " Joe agreed. "I never thought of that when I sent for it. "

It did make an effective picture in the tank, and at first glance Joeappeared to be a big goldfish himself, so perfect was the coloring ofhis rubber garment. 

One day, following the afternoon performance, Joe, having finished hisact, was watching the antics of some performing dogs that had latelybeen added to the circus. One dog made a jump from a high pole into ablanket held by four men. 

"Another idea!" Joe exclaimed as he watched. "I'll have a new stunt ifthey'll only let me do it. I wonder if it would work. I'm going to try. It will be even better than the goldfish act!"

CHAPTER X

IN TERROR

When the afternoon performance was over, Joe found a chance to speak toMr. Fleet, the man who owned the performing dogs. 

"Pretty good act you have there, " said the boy fish. He sat down andbegan petting one of the dogs. 

"Glad you think so, " was the answer. "You have some little actyourself. Strong, I believe your name is?"

"Yes, " Joe nodded in friendly fashion. "I guess my act does go prettywell, but it's more because of the novelty of it than from anything Ido. It's different from trapeze work. "

"It certainly is. I don't see how you hold your breath so long. "

"Practice, " said Joe. "But if I just stayed under water I wouldn't beable to hold the attention of the crowd long. I have to work in somespecial stunts. "

"So I noticed. That goldfish idea is a good one. "

"And that brings me to what I want to say to you, " Joe said. "I have anew idea. You know, we've got to be always on the lookout for somethingnew. " Mr. Fleet nodded in comprehension. "Now it occurred to me while Iwas looking at your jumping dog, " went on Joe, "that perhaps I coulduse him in my act--with you to help, of course. "

"I'd be very glad to do anything I could, " returned Mr. Fleet. He hadsoon become aware of the popularity of Joe's act, and as trained dogsare not much of a novelty he welcomed the opportunity of increasingattention to his particular act. To be associated with the boy fishwould be well worth while. 

"What is your idea?" asked the dog trainer. 

"This, " said Joe. "I want to get something alive in the tank withme--something bigger than the goldfish and the turtle. Of course thefish look pretty, and I shall probably keep them, but they don't showoff well enough, especially at the far end of the tent. People can'tsee them well--I mean as well as I'd like to have them. "

"And you have an idea that you can take one of my dogs into the tankwith you?"

"Well, yes, that's what I've been thinking of, " answered Joe. "Now takethe one that jumps off the pole. He seems to have a lot of nerve. "

"He has. That dog is a wonder, but I had my own troubles training him. However, I don't understand just what you mean. "

"This, " said Joe. "After you have put your dogs through their paces, and I have done most of my act, why can't we have the jumping dog leapinto the tank, where I'm under the water?"

"We might be able to get him to do it, " assented the trainer, slowlyconsidering the matter. "But he wouldn't stay under water with you. "

"No, I don't suppose he would at first, certainly not very long at atime, " Joe said. "But he could be taught to. An animal, I think, instinctively holds its breath under water. It doesn't try to breathe, as a human being does who falls in for the first time. Of course a dog, or any other animal, instinctively comes to the top as soon as it canafter finding itself under the water. But your dog is so smart we mightbe able to teach it to swim under water, for say a minute at a time. "

"Well, perhaps we might, " assented Mr. Fleet. "Toto is very quick tolearn, and I suppose staying under water for a little while wouldn't beany harder for him to accomplish than some of the tricks I've made himdo. But wouldn't it rather detract from you to have a dog sharing inthe applause?"

"I don't think so, " replied Joe. "If we get Toto to stay under a minutewe'll be doing well, and we may have to cut it to a half. But if I stayunder more than three minutes it will give the public a good idea ofhow much more endurance a human being has than an animal. That's onlyan idea of mine, of course. I don't know that we could make it work, but I feel like trying it. "

"Well, I'm willing, if you are, " assented Mr. Fleet. "We'll give it atrial, anyhow. We can do it now, if you like. "

"We'll try the preliminaries, " said Joe. "That is, we'll try to get himto jump into the tank of water first, so he'll get used to that. Therest will come gradually. "

"Come on, Toto!" called Mr. Fleet, and the intelligent animal startedup from his master's feet. "A new trick, old boy, " went on the trainer. Toto barked in anticipation. 

"Toto is a very willing worker, " said the trainer. "He seems to lovetrying something new. If any of my dogs, or any dog in fact, can dowhat you want, Toto is the boy!"

The big tent was practically deserted save for a few attendants whowere putting apparatus in shape for the evening performance. The highpole from which Toto jumped was on a movable platform, and with thehelp of some ring-men Joe and Mr. Fleet transported it over close tothe tank which was left filled with water ready for Joe's evening act. 

"Hadn't you better take out the goldfish?" asked Mr. Fleet. "Some ofthem may be hurt if Toto jumps in. "

"No, I think not, " said Joe. "The tank is big enough for them to swimout of the way, and if the trick goes I'll want the dog used to thefish in the water, so he might as well begin with them. "

"Yes, " assented the trainer. "I don't suppose you'd dare use a cat inan act like this, even if you could get her to go into the water, whichmost cats hate. She'd eat the goldfish. "

"I'm afraid so!" laughed Joe. "But say! that would be a stunt, wouldn'tit? A diving cat! That would create a sensation, but I guess itcouldn't be done. I've heard of diving horses and diving bears, butnever of a diving cat. Well, we won't bother about that now. "

The pole was in place near the tank, the top being reached by a ropeladder up which Toto climbed. On top of the pole was a small paddedplatform for the dog to rest on before he got the word to make theleap. 

"Up, Toto!" ordered Mr. Fleet, and with a bark the dog started up theladder. Reaching the platform, he sat there in a "begging position, "waiting for the sign to jump. 

"Down, Toto!" called Mr. Fleet, but instead of jumping, as he hadalways done at the word, Toto only whined and moved about uneasily onthe little platform. 

"Come on! Come on!" cried the trainer, but the little dog would not. 

"He's afraid of the water, " said Joe. "He's used to seeing a blanketunder him. "

"I guess that's right, " agreed the trainer. 

"Well, let's hold a blanket over the tank, " suggested Joe. "We can holdit high enough at first so it won't touch the surface of the water. Gradually we can lower it until we have a little water showing as itseeps through the blanket. In that way perhaps we can get him used toit. "

"We'll try that, " assented Mr. Fleet. Four men held a blanket which wasstretched over the top of the tank of water. 

"Down, Toto!" commanded his master, and down the little dog jumped witha bark of satisfaction. 

"That's our plan!" cried Joe. 

They kept on with the experiment until they had the dog leaping intothe blanket as it sagged down in the water, a quantity of which washeld in the depression of the cloth. Toto seemed to like the new trick. He was eager for the leap, and splashed about joyously in the water. 

An hour's practice was considered enough for one day. 

"To-morrow we'll go at it again, " said Mr. Fleet. 

The more Joe thought of the new trick the better he liked it. 

"To work with a diving dog will surely create a sensation, " he mused. 

"What's this I hear about you, Joe?" asked Jim Tracy at the eveningperformance. "Trying some new stunt?"

"Well, yes, just trying it. You mean about the dog?"

"Yes. "

"I don't know that we can work it, " went on Joe; "but if we can itought to make a hit. "

"That's the idea!" said the ring-master. "We've got to keep working fornew hits in the circus business all the while. "

For several days after that, whenever opportunity offered, Joe and Mr. Fleet put Toto through the jumping rehearsal, using the blanket. Finally, when they thought the dog would no longer be afraid, they tookit away. But at first Toto refused to jump, and his master would not, of course, use force. 

Finally, however, patience won, and when another dog, a little waterspaniel, was put in the tank Toto seemed to think it was all right, andmade his first leap from the high platform into the tank where thegoldfish flitted about. 

"Hurrah!" cried Joe, as the water splashed up, and the little dog swamto the edge of the tank to be lifted out by his master. "Hurrah! We'llhave a diving dog yet!"

"But I'm afraid it will be some time before you can get him to stayunder water as long as you do, " said Mr. Fleet. 

However, the first part was accomplished, and for several days afterthat Toto was given frequent practice in jumping into the tank, Joe nothaving yet taken his place beneath the surface. 

Then one afternoon, when it was thought that Toto had lost all fear ofthe water, since he did the trick as naturally as he did some of hisolder ones, Joe got in the tank, and Mr. Fleet called to the dog tojump. 

But the little animal flatly refused to leave the platform. No urgingor coaxing could make it take the jump. Whether the sight of Joe in thetank frightened Toto, or whether the form of the boy fish was undulymagnified to the dog because of the fact that Joe was under thesurface, could only be guessed at. The fact remained that Toto refusedto jump, though when Joe climbed dripping out the dog quickly jumpedin. 

"Now, what do you think of that!" exclaimed Mr. Fleet. "Well, I've beenup against just as queer things in a different way when training otherdogs. You'll get them to the point of doing a trick, and maybe becausea new kind of fly buzzes around their ears they balk. But we won't giveup. "

"Maybe it we try it when the tent is crowded, and the music is playing, it will be different, " suggested Joe. "Let's do it. "

"But if he balks in public it will spoil the act, " suggested Mr. Fleet, "and we don't want that to happen. We'll keep on practising inprivate. "

And so they did, but Toto refused to make the jump while Joe was in thetank, and the boy fish had about concluded to give up the trick andthink of something else. 

"Though I do want to do it, " he said. "Maybe we could break in anotherdog. "

"I haven't another one who will jump as fearlessly as Toto does, "objected the trainer. "No, we'll have to stick to him. "

The circus reached a town where a two days' stay was to be made. Therewas a good attendance the first day, and as the weather was fine thecircus folk were in high spirits, for a combination of good weather andgood crowds is the best thing in the world for a circus. 

Joe, musing on some way of making Toto do the jumping trick, had goneinto the animal tent a few minutes before the close of the afternoonperformance. His act had been unusually successful, but he was stillimpressed with the idea that he must make it more novel. He and Mr. Fleet had arranged to give Toto another trial when the crowd shouldhave departed, and Joe had come to the animal tent to talk to the dogtrainer. 

The chariot races were over, the "grand concert" had been given, andnow the crowd began to file out of the big tent. Some, especially thosewith children, were coming back into the animal tent for another lookat the elephants, camels, lions, tigers and other beasts, but most ofthe audience was satisfied with the view they had had in passingthrough to the "main top. "

"What's the matter, Señor Bogardi?" asked Joe, as he saw the lion tamerwith an anxious look in his face, standing near a cage which wascovered with canvas. "More trouble?"

"Yes, friend Strong, more trouble, " replied the man who went into theircages and put the lions through their several tricks. "This time it isPrince. "

"The big Barbary lion?"

"Yes. Ever since we had to shoot his mate, Princess, he has not beenlike himself. To-day he began throwing himself with all his forceagainst the iron door. He even started some of the bars, so I had toscreen him from the public to quiet him. "

"Did it?"

"Yes, he seems to be more tractable now. But I want to see if I can nottake off the canvas. The public does not like it that they do not seeall the animals. I hope Prince is not going on a rampage as Princessdid. "

Joe recalled the time when, by quick action, he had prevented thelioness from escaping. She had been shot later, while he was in thehospital recovering from the effects of a fall from his trapeze. Nowher mate was making trouble. 

"Softly now, Prince! Softly, " began the lion tamer, as he removed thecanvas cover. "Softly now, old boy!"

But no sooner was the cover off than the lion, which had been lyingdown, jumped up with a roar and dashed himself against the iron door ofhis cage. 

Women in the crowd screamed with terror, and there was a rush to getout of the tent. 

"There is no danger!" Señor Bogardi assured the people. But theythought it safer outside, and the rush for the exit continued. 

The lion kept on throwing himself against the door, as though trying tobreak out. 

"We must put the canvas back!" cried the tamer. 

"I'll help, " offered Joe. 

But, even as he spoke, the lion with one last, desperate leap gave abound against the side of the cage that almost overturned it. Then, with a rending of wood and a snapping of metal, the door of the cagesprang open, and the lion was loose in the tent. 

CHAPTER XI

TOTO'S DISCOVERY

Fortunate it was that the circus was over for the afternoon and thatthe small crowd of spectators in the animal tent had rushed out beforethe lion broke loose, or there might have been a panic in which manymight have been hurt, if not killed. Not necessarily by the lion, butby being trampled on by the feet of hundreds. For it is seldom that awild beast kills when it first breaks out of a cage. It is too dazed byits sudden freedom, and often too frightened to want to do anythingexcept run and hide. 

Not that an escaped wild beast would not kill afterward if cornered, but it is seldom that one seeks blood when first it breaks out. 

Mingled with the screams of frightened women and children, now safelyoutside the tent, and the hoarse cries of the men spectators, also inthe open, were the yells of the circus people. 

"A lion is loose!" was the warning that echoed through the animal tent. This was to let other circus folk know, so they might prepare to meetthe danger. 

Señor Bogardi drew his revolver and fired several shots in the air, hoping to frighten Prince and make him cower in some corner, whence hemight be driven into another cage. 

But the shots seemed only to frighten the lion into further action. Joehad a glimpse of the tawny form, with switching tail, dodging under theother animal cages which were drawn up in a circle around the tent. 

"He's headed for the 'main-top' all right!" shouted some one, as he sawPrince running toward the passage which connected the two tents. 

"Come on! We must catch him!" exclaimed the tamer. "If he gets loose itwill be a great loss!"

"More than a loss. I guess, if he has his appetite with him, " musedJoe. "I wonder how they'll catch him. "

He had heard circus stories of wild animals escaping and being securedagain, sometimes days later, but aside from his experience with thehippopotamus Joe had seen nothing of this kind. 

The animal tent was now a place of wild confusion. Men were rushinghere and there, to arm themselves with tent pegs, stakes--anything theycould grab up. They were alive to the danger, but they did not shirk. The elephants were trumpeting loudly, and some were tugging at theirfoot chains attached to stakes driven in the ground. The big beastsknew something was wrong. 

Monkeys in a cage next to the broken one from which the lion hadescaped were wildly leaping about and chattering. They had caught sightof the tawny beast, and knew him for one of their jungle foes, thoughthere was little danger now that the simians would be injured. 

The Siberian tigers were spitting and snarling in their cage, andanother lion began to roar till he seemed to shake the ground. All thecaptive animals appeared to know that one of their number had gainedits freedom and it was as if they were eager to congratulate him. 

"Keep the crowd out! Don't let 'em in here!" cried Jim Tracy, as hecame running in, word having reached him of what had happened. 

"No danger of any of that crowd coming in, " said Joe, as he noddedtoward the throng that had passed out of the tent. "You couldn't drag'em in. "

"Come on, boys!" called Señor Bogardi. "We must get him before he runsout of the big tent. "

He led the throng of animal men and others in the chase. The mencarried ropes, sharp iron prongs and other weapons, while thelion-tamer had sent to the cook wagons for a big chunk of raw beef withwhich to placate Prince, in case he should come close enough. 

And then, in the big tent, there began a lion hunt. The place wascleared of spectators now, but there were many nooks under thethousands of seats or behind some of the apparatus that was left inplace for the evening performance, where a beast could hide. 

The lion had disappeared. Under the direction of Jim Tracy and thebeast's tamer the big tent was gone thoroughly over but no lion couldbe found. 

"He must have gotten out, " declared Joe. 

"If he has there'll be trouble--not now maybe, but later, " said thering-master. 

"We can't move on and leave him behind very well, " he went on. "Princewill probably go into hiding until he gets up an appetite, and thenwe'll have bills of damages to settle from farmers whose calves andsheep are disappearing. I almost wish we didn't have any cats in theshow, but I s'pose we must. "

The search went on in the tent, but was unavailing. Prince seemed tohave run in and run out again, though the circus folk and others on theoutside of the tent, on being questioned, said they had seen nothing ofthe beast. 

"Well, we've got to find him, that's all, " decided Jim, "and beforedark if we can. Get a crowd of men, Bogardi, and start out and see whatyou can do. "

The lion tamer picked some men who were used to handling animals, andset off with them. A spare cage was made ready to rush to the scene assoon as word of the finding of Prince should come in. 

Meanwhile there was nothing for the others to do save wait, and nervouswaiting it was. Not that the circus could not go on without the lion, but people would not be very likely to come to the evening performancewhen they knew a savage lion was loose in the neighborhood. They wouldprefer to remain in their homes. 

There, too, was the trouble that would be caused if some one wereinjured or killed by the beast. 

"It sure is tough luck!" complained Jim Tracy. 

"Sure is, " agreed Joe. 

Gradually matters quieted down in the animal tent, and while some ofthe performers went to supper Joe spoke to Mr. Fleet about giving Totoanother trial at the water jump. 

"We've got to go on with the show, lion or no lion, " said Joe, "and wemight as well practise that act. "

The dog trainer agreed with him, and they brought in Toto. 

"Now, Toto, " said his master, "be nice, and do what we want you to. Upyou go. "

He had the little dog in his arms and was walking toward the platformon which Joe's tank stood. But Toto acted very strangely. He trembledand whined, and seemed to want to get out of Mr. Fleet's arms. 

"Why, why now! Steady!" murmured the trainer soothingly. "What's thematter, Toto?"

The dog continued to whine, and exhibited signs of fear. 

"Why now, little doggie, " said Joe, "you won't have to do that jump ifyou don't want to. Come on now, jump into the tank. I'll stay out ifyou won't jump with me in at first. "

Mr. Fleet put Toto down at the foot of the rope ladder which led to thetop of the pole. 

"Up you go!" he said. 

But, instead, Toto, with whines and barks, jumped to the ground. Then, running away a short distance, the little dog turned and stood facingthe platform of the tank. Toto growled and barked, and the hair on hisspine stood up in a straight ridge. 

The platform was hollow. It consisted of four uprights, and around themwas a heavy and stiff piece of canvas, painted to resemble a mass ofrock. On top of this seeming rock pile stood the glass tank. 

"Why, Toto, what in the world is the matter?" asked Mr. Fleet. 

Joe had a sudden idea. 

"It's something--something under the platform, " he said. 

He and Mr. Fleet looked at each other. The same thought came to themboth. 

"The lion!"

Toto continued to bark and growl and to face the canvas-enclosedplatform. 

"Prince must be under there, " said Joe. 

"Yes, " nodded the dog-trainer. "What had we better do?"

"Take your dog away, keep quiet, and one of us go and tell Jim Tracy, "decided Joe. "One of us must stay and watch to see that the lion doesnot come out. I'll stay. "

"Perhaps I'd better stay, " suggested Mr. Fleet. "I'm used to handlinganimals, and once I trained some pumas--treacherous beasts they were, too. You go and tell Jim. "

This seemed to be the best plan, though Joe would willingly havestayed. It was not a question of bravery, but of expediency. If thelion did come out the dog-trainer could probably hold it back betterthan Joe could. 

"The lion under your tank!" cried the ring-master. "Great Scott! Inever thought of looking under there. We'll get him out right away. Say, it's a relief to know where he is!"

CHAPTER XII

MORE MONEY

The animal men who had not gone out with Señor Bogardi to searchthrough the town were hurriedly summoned. The spare cage was wheeled inand arrangements made to again put Prince into captivity. "Is he thereyet?" asked the ring-master, as he came up to where Mr. Fleet stood. 

"Yes. He hasn't made a move or sign. Of course we're only guessing--Joeand I--that he's under there. It was Toto's actions that gave us theidea. "

"Oh, I guess he's there, all right--the dog ought to know, " said JimTracy. "He picked out the best hiding place in the whole tent. I guessit looked sort of like home to him. "

Indeed the space under the tank platform, with its canvas coveringpainted to resemble rocks, made an ideal hiding place. A lion, or anyother beast of his size, could crawl under the flexible cloth whichwould fall into place without disclosing that it had been disturbed. And, too, Barbary lions have their dens in holes in the rocks, and poorPrince may have fancied he was back in his old home again. 

"We'll make sure he's there before we try to drive him out, " said Jim. With a long prodding rod he lifted one end of the canvas. At once theresounded a menacing growl, and some of the men moved back. 

"He's there all right, " the ring-master announced. "Now to get him out. Bring up some of those tubs. "

He pointed to some of the heavy wooden affairs used in elephant tricks, and the men rolled them around three sides of the platform. Then theybraced them with boards so the sudden rush of the lion would not knockthem over. 

"Now bring up the cage!" ordered Tracy. It was on wheels, one of theregular wagon affairs, and the spring door was braced open, with a manready to snap it shut as soon as Prince should be inside. A big pieceof raw beef was thrown inside the cage as a bait. 

"Now then, Joe, I'm afraid we'll have to spoil some of yourornamentation, " said the ring-master grimly. "I'm going to slit downone side of the canvas, but we'll have it fixed for you again. I want agood opening for Prince to run out through when we start him going. "

A quick motion of a keen knife, and one side of the canvas fell away. There was another menacing growl and then, in a far corner of thehiding place he had chosen, Prince was seen curled up in a mostcomfortable fashion. 

"The rascal!" said Jim Tracy. "Come out of that. Get behind him, someof you men, and prod him with the irons. Be easy, we don't want him togo on another rampage. "

Reaching under the canvas, the men, with prodding irons, poked awayuntil they touched the crouching body of the lion. With a roar Princesprang up. He saw light only in one direction, where the canvas hadbeen cut. He started toward that, caught a glimpse of the barred cageand hesitated. Then there came to him the odor of the meat, and hecould not resist. Prince had had enough of liberty. With slow steps hewent into the cage, gave one roar, and began to eat. The door wassnapped shut and Prince was caught. 

"Good work!" exclaimed the ring-master in relieved tones. "Now we cango on with the show. "

Messengers were sent to recall the other lion-hunters, and greatprecautions were taken to see that this second cage was secure. Princeseemed to have calmed down after his brief freedom. 

"We've got to let the public know that the lion is caught, " decided JimTracy. "Otherwise we'll be playing to empty benches to-night, and thatwon't do. "

Accordingly men were sent out to spread the report that the beast wascaptured, and could be safely viewed behind strong bars at the circusthat night. When Señor Bogardi came back, glad indeed to find that hislion was safe, he said Prince was much quieter and need not beconcealed behind canvas, for the present at least. 

Joe's stand was temporarily repaired and he made ready for the eveningperformance. 

"I guess we'll let the dog trick go for a while, " he said to Mr. Fleet. "Probably it will be hard to get Toto near the platform for a few days, until he can no longer notice the lion smell. "

The dog-trainer agreed with him. Wild beasts, even in captivity, giveout a strong odor, and it was this that had given the little dog theinformation that some jungle creature was underneath the canvascovering. 

The efforts of Joe and Mr. Fleet to make Toto dive into the tank whilethe boy fish was in it, were totally unavailing, even some days afterthe lion episode. Toto would dive in when only the goldfish were there, but the minute Joe entered the little beast refused to jump. It was notthat Toto was not friendly with Joe, either, for he would let the youthpet him, and was very fond of him. It was one of those things whichcannot be explained, and there was no use trying to get Toto to do thetrick as Joe wanted it done. 

"Well, if I have to give that up I'll work out something else, " ourhero decided. And, as the show traveled on from place to place, Joeperfected himself in aquatic work. 

He was getting accustomed to staying under the water, increasing thetime of submersion a few seconds each day, and he did not doubt but hecould make a record of four minutes in the course of a month or two. His lung power was increasing. 

From Professor Rosello he had received a pack of celluloid playingcards, and Joe now added to his tricks some sleight-of-hand work withthe Kings, Queens and other cards. It took well with the audience, butJoe was not satisfied. He wanted something more spectacular. 

Meanwhile Joe was doing less trapeze work in order to give moreattention to the tank. In private he practised picking up coins in hismouth, as Benny had done. At first it was hard work, and more than onceJoe swallowed so much water that he had to come up to the surface. Buthe did not stop on that account. 

He still continued to use the goldfish, but the turtle died from someundiscoverable cause. Señorita Tanlozo, the snake charmer, offered tolet Joe take one of her water anacondas into the tank with him. 

"No, thank you, " the boy fish said with a laugh and a shake of hishead. "It may be all right, but I'd be so busy watching him, to seethat he did not make a necklace of himself around my throat, that Icouldn't do my acts. I'll just work with the fishes for a while. "

Gradually Joe found that he could gather up almost as many coins asBenny had in his best day. Joe had acquired the knack of opening hismouth under water without swallowing any of the liquid. Then came anidea for varying the trick. 

"Picking up the coins doesn't show off very well, " he decided. "I oughtto have something larger. And yet I can't get so many of them in mymouth. I have it--I'll eat under water! I wonder if it can be done. "

After some experiments--not all of which were pleasant ones--Joe foundthat bananas were easier to handle and eat while under water than anyother food; and, moreover, the moisture did not spoil them. 

So one day he added to his stock of tricks that of eating a bananawhile submerged. Some persons were skeptical as to whether or not hereally did swallow the fruit, thinking it might be sleight-of-handwork. But Joe invited a committee to search him and the tank for anytrace of the fruit or of a hiding place, and he proved that he reallydid swallow the banana under water. It was not easy, but he soon becameused to it. 

Then he elaborated the trick a little. He had a sheet iron table made, and this was lowered to him after he entered the tank. On the tablewere plates, a cup and saucer, a knife, a fork and a spoon. It was acomplete table set under water. 

For food Joe used bananas cut into different shapes. He swallowed them, cutting them with his knife, feeding himself with his fork andpretending to drink from the cup. That of course was pretense. 

Then he did his "sleep act" and came up to receive merited applause. Joe was certainly highly successful in his tank work. He had lengthenedthe whole act by several minutes, and he was nearer than ever toremaining under the full four minutes. 

Another performer had been secured in his place to act with theLascalla Brothers, but Joe did his lone trapeze work with the samesatisfactory results as before. 

Finally, the young performer decided to take a step he had contemplatedfor some time. 

"Look here, Mr. Tracy, " he said one afternoon, after the big crowd thathad applauded our hero had filed out, "don't you think I ought to begetting more money?"

"More money!" repeated the ring-master. "What for?"

"Well, I'm doing a double turn. I do almost as much trapeze work as Idid at first, and I'm putting on the tank act too. I've made thatlonger than Benny did. I really think I ought to be getting moremoney. "

"You get a pretty good salary now, Joe. You've had several increasessince you joined the show. "

"I know I have, Mr. Tracy. But I want more now. Why, you bill my actbig!"

"Oh, I know it. It's a good act, Joe. "

"Then give me more money! I've just got to have it!"

CHAPTER XIII

ILL FEELING

The ring-master looked critically at the boy fish, but Joe returned thegaze steadily. He seemed very much in earnest. 

"Say, Joe, " asked Jim Tracy teasingly, "you're not going to getmarried, are you, that you want more money?"

Joe blushed and answered:

"No, not just yet, though I suppose you do pay the married men morethan the single ones. "

"Yes, that's the general custom. But if we practically doubled yoursalary, Joe, you'd be getting more than some of the married men. "

"Well, I'm doing a double turn, Mr. Tracy. You've got to think ofthat. "

The ring-master scratched his head. Clearly Joe had the best of theargument there. 

"Well, I guess you're right, " Jim Tracy was forced to admit. 

"Then you'll give me more money?" Joe's voice was eager. 

"I'll take it up with the treasurer, Joe, " answered his friend. "Youknow this circus is a partnership affair, and I can't act alone. ButI'll do the best I can for you. "

It was a day or so later that Joe again brought up the subject. It wasafter a particularly successful performance, where Joe had been loudlyapplauded for staying under water within a few seconds of four minutes. 

"Now's a good time to strike again for my increase, " thought the boyfish. He approached Jim. 

"How about more money for me?" Joe asked. "Do I get it?"

"Yes, we have decided to give it to you, " was the ring-master's answer. "But I can't imagine what a boy like you--for you are only a boy--canwant of so much money. "

"Oh, I have a very good use for it, " replied Joe coolly. "Thanks, Mr. Tracy. "

"Oh, you're welcome, Joe. And I want you to feel that we are glad topay you well, for you are a drawing card for the show. Only don't wasteyour money. The time to save is when you're young. I only wish I'd doneso. "

Joe smiled at this good advice, but he did not say whether or not hewas going to follow it. He was pleased when, on the next pay day, hereceived an envelope with nearly twice as much in it as he had been inthe habit of getting. 

"It's a good thing I got up spunk to ask for it, " mused Joe. "I guess Ididn't do so badly when I ran away from the deacon's. "

Joe thought back to the time when he had first made the acquaintance ofProfessor Rosello, the magician, rescuing him at the fireworksexplosion. From then on Joe's rise had been steady until now he wasearning a salary many a mature man would be glad to receive. 

"It may seem a funny way to make a living, turning somersaults in theair, and seeing how long I can stay under water, " mused Joe, "but itbrings in the money, and that's what counts. "

Joe was quite disappointed at the failure to get the diving dog workedinto his act. He knew the necessity for something novel from time totime in performances destined to please the public, and he saw, allabout him, men and women connected with the circus always striving toget some new effect, or do an old act in a new way. 

The clowns were particularly anxious in this respect, for the publictires of nothing so quickly as of something funny. A thing may beget alaugh the first time, and even up to the fourth or fifth time, and thenthe cry is:

"Give us something new!"

The clowns knew this, and, from the veteran Bill Watson to the newestmember of the staff, they were continually cudgeling their brains fornovelty. All were afraid lest some fellow-clown steal their ideas;consequently they each worked on them in secret until he had themperfected and ready to give to the public. After that, of course noclown would be allowed to do what another offered for the amusement ofthe audiences. 

Sometimes the simplest thing was made the basis for a funny act. BillWatson could come out, attired in a suit half black and half white withhis face tinted to match, and by going through the motions of abaseball player in his own inimitable way, raise a gale of laughter. 

Some of the other clowns would go through the pretense of eating ameal, some one would pretend to go sailing in a soap box, while oneteam would do a "barber act. " Each act was good and funny because ofthe peculiar way it was done. 

So, seeing this spirit all about him, Joe was sorry he had not beenable to add something new to his act. Of course, the goldfish had addedgreatly to it since Benny had been forced to give up his performance. 

It did not seem likely that Benny Turton would take up his act againfor some time, as a report received from the hospital said that adelicate and dangerous operation would have to be performed if he wasto hear and speak again. Therefore, as the days went by, Joe kept hiseyes open for a chance to supplement his tank act. There was not muchhe could do that was new or different in his trapeze work, though hestill kept himself in the van of the profession and did as manyhair-raising feats as before. He performed on the trapeze alone now, having dropped his act with the Lascalla Brothers because he could notfit it in with the water work. With this Joe was well pleased; forwhile the Spaniards worked well with him, Joe could not help feelingthat they did not like him for having taken the place of Sim Dobley, who had been discharged. 

"Well, Joe, I hear you're pulling down a pretty good salary now, "remarked Tonzo Lascalla to our hero one day. 

"Who told you?" asked Joe, for he had not mentioned the increase to anyone but Helen, and she had said she would not tell. 

"Oh, those things are soon known in the circus, " explained theSpaniard. "We're glad to hear about your good luck though. What do yousay to a little celebration in town? We're going to lay over hereSunday. "

"What do you mean?" asked Joe. 

"I mean why don't you 'blow yourself, ' as the boys say over here. Givea sort of supper to the crowd. "

"I'm afraid I can't afford it, " replied Joe, with a shake of his head. "I'd like to, but it would take a good deal more salary than I'mgetting to entertain the circus. "

"Oh, I didn't mean the whole outfit, " said Tonzo. "I mean just thirtyor forty of those you know best. "

Joe shook his head. 

"I can't afford it, " he replied. 

"What! With the money you're getting? Why, I hear you've had yoursalary nearly doubled!"

"Well, I'm doing double work, am I not?" asked Joe. 

"Of course you are, but----"

Tonzo shook his head, and there was an unpleasant sneer on his face ashe turned away from Joe. 

A little later Joe saw Tonzo and Sid talking together. He could nothelp hearing what they said, as they were in their dressing room, whilehe was in his, putting on the red, scaly suit which he wore in thetank. 

"Will he do it?" asked Sid of Tonzo. 

"No. He claims he can't afford it. "

"And getting nearly twice as much as we do! Say, he must be a regulartight-wad!"

"That's what he is, " said Tonzo bitterly. "Afraid to spend his money!"

The words stung Joe. He paused in his dressing. 

"Tight-wad?" he mused. "So that's what they call me. Well, it isn't avery nice name, but if they think I'm going to spend my money onblow-outs for the crowd they're mistaken. I'm not going to be sofoolish. "

Joe knew that Tonzo had not proposed dissipation, for circusperformers, particularly those who take their lives in their hands onhigh trapezes, cannot afford to live a riotous life, even for onenight. Their nerves would be shattered for days to come, and once aperformer's nerve is gone he is useless to himself and to others. ButJoe was not going to waste his money on even an ordinary supper for thecrowd. 

"But I sure do hate to be called a tight-wad, " he mused, "especiallywhen I don't deserve it. "

However, he seemed to have acquired that reputation unwittingly. Several times after that he heard sneering remarks directed towardhimself, and once or twice some laughing reference was made to the"blow-out" he was going to give. 

Joe flushed at these slurs, but he did not give in. 

CHAPTER XIV

HELEN IS WORRIED

Joe Strong stood in a secluded part of the circus lot early one morningbefore breakfast. The show had reached the place only a little whilebefore, there having been a delay because of a slight accident. Most ofthe performers, with increased appetites, were wending their way to thedining tents, but Joe, with coat and vest off, with shoulders thrownback and head held high in the air, was taking in long breaths andexpelling them again to the utmost capacity of his lungs. 

"What in the world are you doing, Joe?" asked Helen, who was on her wayto breakfast. "Are you trying to rival Mr. Jefferson when he breaks achain on his chest?" for this was one of the feats of the strong man. 

"Hardly that, " laughed Joe, as he let out a long breath. 

"Then what are you doing?"

"Practising deep breathing for my tank work. I'm going to try for thefour-minute record to-day. "

"Are you really?" Helen was much interested. 

"I don't say I'm going to do it, " went on Joe, for he was anything butboastful. "But this seems a good day to make the attempt. It's clearand crisp after the rain, and I seem to be able to hold my breathlonger on a day like this than when it's warm and muggy. So I thoughtI'd get in a little early practice before I got too loggy with a bigbreakfast. "

"A good idea, " Helen said. "I'll wait for you and we'll eat together. "

"Thanks, " remarked Joe. "But I'll be ten minutes yet, and your appetitemay not stand such a delay. "

"Oh, yes, it will, " laughed Helen. "I'll run over and see how Rosebudis while you finish your practice, " and she turned toward the horsetent where her trick pet was contentedly munching his breakfast ofoats. 

Joe practised faithfully, for he had made up his mind that this was agood time to try to make a new under-water record--that is, new forhim. 

"If I can't get an elephant, or something big like that, to work in thewater with me, I'll have to thrill the crowds by making them wonder howI can live so long without breathing, " decided Joe. "I'll do fourminutes or--bust!" and he smiled at his conceit. 

Joe finished his breathing exercises. In them he made an attempt tohold a full breath for four minutes. This he did, timing himself withhis watch. But this, of course, was in the open air, and under waterconditions were different. 

"If I can only do that in the tank, " thought Joe, as he noted thesecond hand slip five paces beyond the four minute mark, "I'll be allright. Well, I'm going to make a big effort. "

Helen came back, and she and Joe went to breakfast. They sat not farfrom Tonzo and Sid Lascalla, and the former, looking over at Joe, asked:

"When are we going to have that supper?"

"I can't say, " Joe answered, trying to be jolly about it. 

"What supper is that?" inquired Helen, smiling at Joe. 

"Oh, it's one he's going to give to celebrate his increase in salary, "answered Tonzo. 

Helen looked at Joe, and became aware, from the expression of his face, that there was a hidden meaning in the words. She saw that Joe wasembarrassed and so she turned the conversation. Later on, when Helenand Joe were alone, the young aquatic performer said:

"I suppose you are wondering what Tonzo was driving at?"

"Oh, I don't want to hear any secrets, " Helen answered. 

"It isn't a secret, " Joe answered. "At least my increase in salaryisn't, for I told you about it. What Tonzo was hinting at was that Iought to give some sort of banquet. "

"Why?" Helen demanded. 

"Oh, because I'm getting so much money. Well, I suppose I am earningbig pay, but, as I claim, I'm doing big work--that is double work. ButI'm not going to waste my money on blow-outs. "

"I don't blame you, " Helen said. "Don't let them worry you, Joe. "

The time of the afternoon performance arrived. Everything went off wellexcept that in one elaborate elephant trick one of the huge beastsrefused to do his share in the act. 

His trainer endeavored to force the big brute, and the elephant grewugly. It looked for a few seconds as if he would run out of the ringand into the crowd. But two of the more tractable elephants wereordered to force the unruly one into line and they did so. 

This caused a little delay, and there was a slight feeling as of panicin the audience. The elephants were near Joe's tank, and for a whilethe boy fish was afraid lest they knock it over and smash it. In thiscase there would be a serious delay in getting another, though onespare glass side was always carried. 

"And I don't want anything to happen when I'm going to try to make arecord, " Joe thought. 

He had said nothing to Jim Tracy about the attempt he was going tomake, preferring not to have the public expect too much through anannouncement by the ring-master. 

Joe did his usual work, swimming about in the midst of the shimmeringgoldfish, showing different strokes, turning graceful somersaults anddoing a longitudinal whirl that made him look like the propeller ofsome water craft. 

Then Joe performed his tricks, those with the celluloid cards seemingespecially to please the audience. 

"Mr. Strong will now show you how long it is possible for him to stayunder water, " announced the ring-master, "and if any of you think it isan easy thing to do, just take out your watches and time him, holdingyour own breaths as long as does the boy fish. We challenge the worldto produce his equal!"

The band blared as Joe made his bow, and then, having inflated hislungs to their capacity, he slipped into the tank, and began "eating. "

This was one of the tricks he did to keep the audience amused while theseconds of his underwater endurance were ticked off. It would have beenrather monotonous for the crowd merely to look at Joe staying in thetank. He must keep up some kind of action. Then, too, when he was busy, it kept his mind from thinking of the passage of time, and the fourminutes, or whatever part of them he remained under the surface, seemedto pass more quickly. 

Finally he had done the last of his "water stuff, " he had eaten thebanana, had pretended to drain his cup of tea and then, yawning andstretching, he prepared for a "nap" under water. 

"Now comes the real test!" thought Joe grimly. 

Already he was beginning to feel the strain. His temples were throbbingfrom the retained breath and the water pressure, and his head felt bigand stuffy. It was aching, too. Joe had placed outside the tank analarm clock with big figures so he could keep track of the time. Threeminutes and a half had passed, and Joe knew that every second, from nowon, would be agony for him, agony that the watching crowd littlesuspected. 

"Can I do it?" thought Joe. The hand was within ten seconds of thefour-minute mark. Joe, who had opened his eyes for a brief glance atthe clock, shut them again. His heart was beating like a hammer insidehis chest, trying to make up for the lack of oxygenated blood. 

To Joe it seemed as if fifteen seconds had passed, He gave a swiftglance at the clock. 

"Only six, " he thought. "I'm afraid I can't do it. "

To make a complete four minutes he must stay under water four secondsmore, and seconds, now, were like hours to him. 

There was a ringing in his ears. His head throbbed painfully, he beganto yawn and stretch again, as though awakening from a sleep. He lookedup and saw Jim Tracy peering anxiously down into the tank. Thering-master realized that this was longer than Joe had ever stayedunder water before, and he thought perhaps something had gone wrong, asit had in the case of Benny. The ring-master was calling off the halfminutes to the crowd, in which many were holding watches. 

A few had tried to imitate Joe's feat, but had given it up as ahopeless task. 

"The boy fish has now been under water, without breathing, fourminutes, ladies and gentlemen!'" cried the ring-master. "He has beatenhis own record!"

It was indeed true. But still Joe did not come up. He was fighting fortime now--fighting for fractions of a second. He felt as if he wouldburst, but he did not come up. He saw, by his clock, that he had stayedunder four minutes. A second passed--two--three--and still Joe wasunder water. Then he could not stand it longer. He had come close tothe world's second best record at that. 

Four seconds--five--and at the last tick of the five seconds over thefour minutes, Joe shot up to the surface. He tried not to show hisexhaustion as he climbed, dripping wet, out on to the platform andbowed to the plaudits of the enthusiastic crowd, but it was hard workfor Joe to keep up. He did it, however. 

"Good work, old man!" cried the ring-master as he helped put the bathrobe about Joe. "Great work! How'd you do it?"

"Oh--I--I just did it!" panted Joe, breathing in deeply of thelife-giving air. 

"You didn't tell me you were going to pull off a stunt like that. "

"I--I didn't know, myself, whether or not I could do it, " said Joe, ashe started for his dressing room. "And I didn't want a failure. "

"Good boy!" said Jim. "I guess I didn't make any mistake raising yoursalary, Joe!"

"If you'll give me more money I'll try for a better record yet, " saidthe boy fish with a smile. 

"Say, what are you trying to do--become a millionaire?" asked thering-master, jokingly. 

"Oh, I can always use more money, " replied Joe. 

As he came down to the ground he saw Tonzo Lascalla looking at him. Thetrapeze performer had heard what Joe said last. 

"We don't see much of your money, " he commented, with a sneer. 

"Why should you?" asked Joe, passing on. 

"Oh, Joe! I congratulate you!" cried Helen, as soon as she saw him. "Itwas wonderful!"

"Glad you think so, " he replied. "But I'm not done yet. "

"Are you going to try for a longer time?"

"That's what I am. I don't feel very hopeful about it though. I amabout to the limit, I guess. "

The world's record for a man to stay under water, holding his breath, is four minutes and thirty-seven seconds. Joe was several seconds shortof that, but he was ambitious. 

It was about a week after this that one day, as Joe and Helen werewalking around town after the afternoon performance, Helen paused infront of a furrier's. In the window were fur coats, an advance showingof fall and winter styles, for the summer was passing and alreadymerchants were preparing for the winter's trade. 

"That's something I must get, " Helen said. "A fur coat. I've beenwanting one a long while, and now that I have my inheritance I feel Ican afford it. My old one is about worn out. "

"I'd like a fur-lined overcoat myself, " Joe said. 

"Why don't you get it?" asked Helen. 

"Can't afford to, " was Joe's reply. "I have other uses for my money. "

Helen looked at him curiously, and there was a worried look on her facethat Joe did not notice. 

"I wonder, " mused Helen. "I wonder----"

But she did not finish her thought. 

CHAPTER XV

JOE'S INSPIRATION

Joe Strong was supervising the cleaning of the glass sides of his tank. It was a few days after he had made his record of staying under watermore than four minutes, and the circus had moved on to another town. Ithad arrived on time, and as Joe had a few hours to spare before he hadto get his act into shape, he decided he would have the glass cleaned. 

Since he had used goldfish and the aquatic plants the transparent sidesof the tank occasionally were dimmed by a slight natural growth, andfrom refuse of the food given to the fish. This made it difficult forthe audience to see clearly, so Joe had the glass taken out every fewdays and scrubbed. 

He was watching the men do this now, as he made it a practice to be onhand when this work was done. The men might grow careless and let oneof the big pieces slip, which would mean breakage. 

"Going to try something new?" asked Helen, as she passed near Joe wherehe sat on an empty barrel. Helen carried her riding habit over her arm, having taken it out of her trunk. 

"No, just having the tank cleaned, " Joe answered. "I wish I could getsomething new, though. What's wrong with you?" he asked. "Can't you sitdown and have a chat?"

"No, I'm going to get Mrs. Watson to help me make a little change inthis habit. I want to put on some new ornaments. "

Mrs. Watson, the wife of the aged clown, was a sort of mother to allthe circus folk. She mended the men's socks, and was always ready tosew up a rent in some distracted woman performer's costume. Mrs. Watsonhad been a bare-back rider, but increasing age and accumulated fleshhad made it necessary for her to give up the work. She now traveledwith her husband. 

"Joe, " began Helen, and she seemed somewhat embarrassed, "I want to askyou something, and I hope you won't be offended. "

Joe looked up quickly. 

"Offended?" he asked. "You know you couldn't offend me, Helen. "

"Oh, I don't know, " and her voice was more serious than her manner. "Ican't tell how you'll take it. Do you remember the other day sayingsomething about not being able to afford a fur coat?"

"Yes, of course I do. Have you bought yours yet?"

"No, but I've ordered it. But what I want to know is, Joe, why youdon't get one, as long as you want it. "

"And you thought that question would annoy me? That's queer. I don'tget one simply because I can't afford it. "

"I haven't yet asked you the question I fear may annoy you, " went onHelen. "But this is it, Joe. I know you are getting a good salary, foryou told me so. And if you are, what are you doing with it? I--I--thisis what I want to ask you, Joe--you're not--not gambling with it--areyou?"

She blushed vividly as she made this inquiry. 

Joe glanced at the girl curiously. There was a strange look on hisface. 

"Gambling!" repeated Joe. The men, carrying one of the cleaned glassplates, had moved away. 

"Yes, " went on Helen. "I feared, when you said you had no money tospare, even with the good salary you are getting, that perhaps youmight be wasting it on cards. "

Joe shook his head. 

"I haven't any use for gambling, " he said solemnly, and Helen could nothelp believing him. "And I don't care for cards, except to do trickswith them. It isn't any fun for me to play, as I could too easily foolthe other players--if I wanted to. No, Helen, I'm not spending my moneythat way--I don't gamble. "

"Oh, Joe, I'm so glad! I was afraid you might be, and yet I didn't seehow you could be. I thought I knew you better than that. I'm so glad!"

Impulsively she held out her hand, and Joe took it in a warm clasp. 

"Now I must hurry away, " the girl went on, "or I won't be mended upwhen the show begins. "

She moved off, with a bright look and a nod to Joe, who sat watchingthe men finish their work of cleaning the glass sides. 

"Gambling, " mused Joe, as he watched Helen enter the tent where Mrs. Watson had her quarters. "Gambling! I wonder if they are spreading suchreports about me just because I don't spend my money on them?"

It was time to put the tank together and to put the water and goldfishin, in readiness for the afternoon show. Joe went to see about this, still puzzling over Helen's question. 

The goldfish were carried in a separate tank which the ring-master hadprovided for them, and Joe, having seen that they were fed, had themturned into the big glass box in which he was soon to go through hisact. 

"Ah, Señor Strong, " called Señorita Tanlazo, the snake charmer, as shepassed Joe on her way to look after her reptiles in their air-holedbox, "ah, why did you not take advantage of my offer, and use my nicebig anaconda in the tank with you?"

"Thank you again, but no, " said Joe. "The anaconda is a little tooill-tempered for me. "

"Yes, he is that. I was only joking when I suggested that you use him, "said the Spanish woman. "I have to be very careful how I handle him oflate. He is getting ready to shed his skin, and that always makes asnake treacherous. But have you put anything new in your act of late? Ihave not been able to watch you, though they tell me you are quite adrawing card. "

"No, I haven't been able to hit on anything new, " Joe said. "I wish Icould. If you hear of anything I wish you'd let me know. "

"I will, " promised the snake charmer, as she passed on. "Here is atheatrical paper you might like to look at, " she said. "I am throughwith it; so you need not keep it for me. "

She handed Joe a magazine which chronicled the doings of actors andactresses, news of circuses, theatrical companies and other amusemententerprises. 

Joe had seen it before, and he now looked through it for any news ofProfessor Rosello's show, in which he had begun his public career. 

"It's still on the road, " mused Joe, as he saw a note to that effect. "The professor can't have recovered yet. "

Joe turned over the pages of the publication rather idly. As he glancedover the advertisements there was one that caught his attention. Heread it once--twice, eagerly. Then he cried:

"Say, I believe that would be the very thing I've been looking for! IfI could work that in it would be a hit! I'll write to that man. "

The advertisement which had given Joe his inspiration was one offeringfor sale a trained seal, guaranteed to be kind and gentle, and able todo a number of tricks. 

"If I can only work it!" Joe murmured. 

CHAPTER XVI

THE TRAINED SEAL

The first opportunity he had Joe wrote to the man who had advertised inthe theatrical paper. The boy fish asked for all particulars regardingthe seal, inquiring especially if a stranger could put it through theusual tricks, and if it would readily learn a few new ones. 

Then Joe so anxiously watched the incoming mails that it got to bequite a joke with some of the performers as they crowded around whenthe epistles were distributed. 

"What! hasn't she written yet, Joe?" asked Tom Jefferson, the strongman. "Something must be wrong. "

"There isn't any _she_ about it, " Joe would retort, but he could nothelp getting red in the face. 

"You ought to send her a self-addressed envelope, " added one of theclowns. "Maybe she can't write, Joe. "

"It's awful hard to get your mail when you're with a circus, " sighedthe snake charmer. "I know I've lost dozens of perfectly good letters. But don't worry, Joe. It may come yet. "

"Helen, you'd better look out, " joked Bill Watson. "Joe has anotherfriend now, outside the business. "

"Oh, I'm not worrying, " laughed Helen, but Joe thought she did look athim in a peculiar manner, and she blushed slightly. For Joe's anxietyover the letter was obvious to all. 

And he did not want to tell even Helen his expectations and hopes forfear he would be disappointed. He knew Helen would keep his secret ifhe so requested, but he thought it better, everything considered, notto say anything until he had had a reply from the man who offered thetrained seal for sale. 

And at last a letter came for him. It had been delayed, reaching acertain town after the circus had left, and it had been forwarded fromplace to place, always getting there a day after the show had moved on. So that when it finally did reach Joe it was about a week after it hadbeen written. 

To Joe's delight the seal was guaranteed to be so kind and docile thata stranger could, in a short time, put it through the course of itstricks. And the animal was said to be young, so that it could be taughtnew tricks. 

"I think it is just what I'm looking for, " mused Joe. "If only hehasn't sold it to some one else on account of my delay in answeringbecause I didn't get this letter. I guess I'd better telegraph and sayI'll take it, but I'd like to look at it first. "

The price asked for the seal was within Joe's means. He quickly decidedthat, and he also made up his mind that he would take the seal, afterhaving seen it, and add it to his tank act if it came up to hisexpectations. 

One might think that Joe's proper course would have been to apply tothe owners of the circus and get them to buy the seal for him. But incircuses, just as is often the case in theatrical companies, theperformers "dress" their own acts--that is, they provide all they needto work with, and these accessories become their personal property. Ofcourse in big pageants, such as are sometimes seen with circuses, themanagement provides the costumes and the weapons, chariots, thrones andother spectacular pieces. 

But in an act each performer usually provides his own things. A manwith trained dogs will own them personally, as a snake charmer owns hercrawling pets. Then, when he leaves one show and goes to another, whichis often done, he takes his property with him. It is his act. 

In the case of the tank, that belonged to Benny Turton, and Joe was, ina sense, only borrowing it. Now he proposed to add a seal as hispersonal property. He knew the circus people would not object if theact went well, and they would also provide transportation for theanimal, just as they did for Helen's horse, Rosebud, or for the traineddogs. 

"Yes, if I can only get this to work I'll make a hit; I'm sure I will, "reasoned Joe. 

He sent a telegram to the man who had advertised the seal for sale, stating that he would buy it if the animal were as represented, and Joeadded that within two days he would call and talk matters over. 

He found that the next day the circus would play in a town not far fromElmwood, where the seal's owner lived, and by putting his tank act on alittle sooner Joe could get off in the afternoon in time to make thevisit and get back to the circus in season for the night's performance;that is, if he made good train connections. 

"That's the only trouble, " thought Joe, on arrival. "I wouldn't want tobe stranded and have to cut out my act at night. That wouldn't lookvery well. I wonder how I can manage it? If I only had an auto or anairship. "

But neither was available just then, though Joe began to think ofengaging an automobile if one could be hired in the town. 

He was on the verge of making inquiries as to this shortly before theafternoon performance, when, as he walked across the circus lot, he sawa man who had been with the circus the previous season as a juggler. The man was standing near a motor-cycle, and neither lookedparticularly prepossessing. They were both covered with dust, thoughthe machine was of a standard make, and needed only a good cleaning. 

"Hello, Joe!" called the performer. "How are you?"

"Why, it's Babson!" Joe exclaimed. "I haven't seen you in some time. What are you doing? Are you with a show?"

"No, I wish I were, " came the answer. "I'm sort of down on my luck. After I left the Sampsons I did well for a while, and then I had anaccident to my hand, and I had to quit juggling. "

He held out a hand on which were two crooked fingers which seemedpermanently out of shape. 

"How did it happen?" asked Joe. 

"Oh, I had an accident riding this machine. I wish I'd never bought it. I could use the money now to good advantage. "

"That's too bad, " said Joe, sympathetically. 

"I wonder if there's any chance to get on here, " went on Babson. "Icould help in an animal act--I know something about the cats. "

"You might try, " Joe said. "I saw Jim Tracy around a while ago. "

"What are you doing?" Babson asked. "Same trapeze work?"

"Oh, no; I've got a new act--Turton's tank. He gave out, you know. Comeon in and watch. It makes quite a hit. I've put in a lot of new stuff, and I'm thinking of adding more. " Then, in a sudden burst ofconfidence, Joe told about the seal, though it was the first time hehad mentioned his new idea to any one. 

"I'm going to see about it now, as soon as I finish, " Joe said. "Getting back from Elmwood is all that bothers me, though. The trainconnections are pretty close. I was just going to see about hiring anauto. Know where I can get one in this town?"

"What do you want with an auto when I have my little jitney?" askedBabson, indicating the motor-cycle. "She's a good machine, but Ihaven't cleaned her lately. She'll carry double, too. Hop up behind meand I'll have you at Elmwood in no time. I'll bring you back, too, though I won't promise to carry the seal. Time is no object tome--now, " and he laughed rather grimly. 

"Say, I believe I'll take you up, " Joe said. "That is, if you'll allowme to pay you as I would have to pay a chauffeur. "

"Pay nothing!" exclaimed the man. "I guess I can do you that favor. Ifyou feel like spending any money why don't you buy this machine? I'llsell it cheap, and you could have a lot of fun with it. Take your wifeout for a run between performances. "

"I haven't one, " laughed Joe. 

"Well, you may have one some day. That's no reason for not buying mymotor-cycle. I'll let you have it cheap. "

"I don't know how to run one, " objected Joe. 

"It won't take you long to learn. Come on, I'll take you over and youcan look at the seal, and I'll be giving you instructions on the way. "

"All right, " agreed Joe. "But first come in and watch my act. Then youcan see Tracy, too. "

And so it was arranged. Babson was disappointed in not securing workfrom the ring-master, who said, though, that there might be an openinglater. But the former juggler enjoyed Joe's act, and said so. 

"Don't say anything about the seal proposition, " Joe cautioned him, ashe went out with Babson after the performance in the tank. "I don'twant it known until I actually have the seal. "

"Oh, I'll keep quiet. But say, Joe, that act of yours, as it standsnow, is a dandy! It sure is!"

"Glad you like it. I'm going to make it better yet, I think. "

Joe enjoyed the trip on the motor-cycle. It was not his first one, fora boy he once knew in Bedford owned one, and Joe had frequent rides onit. But now he took a new interest, since he began to consider buyingthis one. 

"It wouldn't be such a bad idea, " he told himself as Babson explainedhow simple it was to ride and operate one. "And I suppose Helen wouldcome for a ride now and then. It wouldn't be any bother taking it withme. A motor-cycle, more or less, wouldn't matter to a circus. "

Joe found the seal still unsold. The man had owned several of theintelligent creatures which he took about with him giving performancesin theatres. But his health had broken down, and he had been forced togive up his act and had advertised his seals for sale. 

"I only have this one seal left, " he explained to Joe, "but she is thebest of the lot. I hate to part with her. "

They went out to the barn, where there was a large tank of water. Stepping up to it Mr. Blossom, the seal's owner, called loudly:

"Here, Lizzie!"

The water had been calm and placid, but in a moment it was violentlyagitated, and a queer snakelike head was thrust up, while there came aseries of loud cries:

"Hook! Hook! Hook!"

"There she is, " said Mr. Blossom. He leaned his head over close to thewater, and the seal, swimming to him, seemed to kiss him. 

"That's the girl, Lizzie!" Mr. Blossom exclaimed. "And now I supposeyou want your reward. "

From a pail near the tank he took up a dead fish. The seal held up herhead high from the water. Mr. Blossom balanced the fish on the animal'snose, and raised a finger. 

"No, no. Not yet, Lizzie!" he cried. "Wait a moment. "

Turning to Joe, the trainer said: "Count three, and then snap yourfingers. "

Joe did so, and no sooner had the snap come than the seal, which hadfixed its intelligent eyes on Joe, tossed the fish up into the air, caught it in its mouth as it came down and swallowed it. Then, withanother loud "Hook!" the animal dived and swam rapidly to the far sideof the tank. 

CHAPTER XVII

THE NEW ACT

Joe and Babson stood looking in admiration at the swimming seal. Nothing in the water could be more swift or graceful. 

"If I could only swim like that, " murmured Joe. 

"They tell me you are a sort of human fish, " remarked Mr. Blossom. "Youdo a tank act, you tell me. "

"Yes, and I've been thinking of adding to the novelty of it. That iswhy I want your seal. Tell me, do you think I could train him--or, Isuppose, it's a her, since you call her Lizzie. "

"Yes, it is a female, and she is very affectionate. I believe you couldtrain her to work with you, though I have never swum in the tank withher. I don't know just how she'd take to it. You may try here, if youlike. It is large enough. I used to keep ten seals here when I was noton the road. "

Joe rather liked the idea of giving the seal a practical test beforepurchasing her. If the animal objected to being in a tank of water witha human being she would be useless for his act, and he might as wellknow that now as later. 

"You saw how quickly she obeyed you about the fish, " went on Mr. Blossom, "and I think she would as readily take orders from you inregard to other tricks. She is young and learns readily. If you like, Ican let you take an old bathing suit, and you can go into the tank now, if you have time. "

"Oh, yes, we have time enough, now that I have a motor-cycle at mydisposal, " Joe answered. "I believe I would like to see how Lizzie willbehave. "

The seal shot out on to a small platform near the edge of the tank, herbody glistening wet. Again she cried in that peculiar way, which isbest represented by the word "Hook!", sometimes with the "h" silent. 

"More fish, that's what she's asking for, " said the trainer. "Here youare, Lizzie. " He held up one from the pail. The seal flipped her wayover to him, and with a snap of her jaws bit the fish cleanly in twopieces with her sharp teeth. 

"Whew!" whistled Joe. "She can bite, can't she? I hope she doesn't takea notion to do that to my leg. "

"She's as gentle as a baby, " declared Mr. Blossom. "Look!"

He called the seal to him, and put his hand in her mouth. She nuzzledhim as a pet horse might do, but made not the slightest effort to bite. 

"I think you would be safe, " said the trainer to Joe. "There isn't agentler sea-lion in the world, and I've handled a good many of them. "

"Is this a sea-lion?" asked Joe. "I thought they were those big animalswith long tusks. "

"You're thinking of walruses, " said Mr. Blossom. "Lizzie really is asea-lion, though it is easier for me to call her a seal, since nine outof ten persons do so. Few know the difference between a seal and asea-lion. The latter, of which Lizzie is a specimen, have flat frontflippers, without hair and triangular in shape. They use their flippersalmost as well as we do our hands, and you can see what an aid they arein swimming. The sea-lions have long necks, and carry their heads wellup. There are nine species of them, and the so-called 'fur seal' isone. Sea-lions are mostly used in acts such as mine, and shown inzoological parks, for they are active, easy to keep and, you might say, cheerful. 

"On the other hand, the seals have short stubby front flippers, provided with claws and covered with hair. Seals haven't half the powerin their front flippers that sea-lions have, and, as a result, theseals are much less active and interesting. Seals have very shortnecks, in comparison with sea-lions. 

"I tell you this, " said Mr. Blossom to Joe, "so you can answerquestions if any one in the audience should ask you about youract--that is, provided you buy Lizzie. "

"I'm much obliged to you, " answered the boy fish. "And I'm almost sureI'll take your seal--I mean sea-lion--if she'll act in the tank withme. Now for a trial. "

Soon, attired in an old bathing suit belonging to Mr. Blossom, Joeentered the tank and began to swim about. There was considerably moreroom than in his glass tank, and he did several of his tricks. 

"Say, you _are_ a sort of human fish!" exclaimed the sea-lion'strainer. 

During the time Joe was in the tank Lizzie remained on the platformgazing at him. She followed his every movement with her big intelligenteyes, but she showed no disposition to enter the water with Joe. Butshe did not seem frightened. 

"In, Lizzie! In!" commanded Mr. Blossom. 

Lizzie "Hooked!" but that was all, save that she moved about on theplatform. 

"Come on, Lizzie; go in and have a dip!" her master commanded. 

But the seal (which is the name used here merely because it is apopular one, and not because it is correct) refused to go in, and Joebegan to fear his plan would be a failure. 

"You call her, " suggested Babson, who had been watching theproceedings. 

"Come on, Lizzie! I won't hurt you!" called Joe. 

"Hook! Hook! Ook!" barked the seal. 

"Here, I think this will take her in, " said Mr. Blossom. He tossed afish into the tank, and, after a brief moment of hesitation, in floppedthe seal. 

"Good!" cried Joe. 

Like a flash the seal swam for the fish, and ate it at a gulp. Then sheswam back to the platform, upon which she clambered. 

"Well, we've got her started, anyhow, " said the trainer. "I thinkshe'll soon get used to you. "

Joe continued to swim about. Another fish was thrown in and this timeLizzie did not go out so quickly. She swam about and even let Joeapproach her. Then the lad dived, turning a somersault in the tank. 

The seal snorted, gave her peculiar cry, and then, to the delight ofJoe, who, with open eyes under water, could see every motion, Lizziefairly imitated his act, turning over and over and shooting out on tothe platform. 

"I guess you've got her started, " said Mr. Blossom. "Give her a fewmore trials. "

For half an hour Joe remained in the tank, and every minute Lizzieseemed to grow more friendly toward him. Finally she let him swim ather side, though, of course, Joe could not equal the seal in speed. Then she let him put his hands on her, and she took fish from Joe'sfingers. 

"I guess she'll do, " said the tank-performer, as he came out. "I'lltake her, Mr. Blossom, and trust to luck that she'll act with me inpublic. Now, can you ship her to me in good condition?"

"Oh, yes, I think so. I still have some of the shipping crates I usedto use when on the theatrical circuit, and Lizzie is accustomed totraveling. You may have a little trouble with her in a new tank, andone of glass such as you use, but if you are patient with her I thinkshe'll soon learn to do just what you want her to. That is the onegreat secret of training animals--seals or any other kind. One must begentle and have infinite patience. I wish you good luck. "

"Thank you, " replied Joe heartily. "If I can make this act go I thinkit will be a good thing for me and the circus, too. "

He donned his clothes and paid the sum agreed upon for the seal. It wasa bargain as such things go, for Joe knew something about the value oftrained animals. Lizzie would be shipped to the next town in which thecircus showed, and in a crate she had formerly traveled in, and thiscrate Joe would use in transporting his new acquisition about thecountry. 

"Well, now I'm ready to go back with you, Babson, " announced Joe. "Itsure was good of you to bring me on the machine. Only for that Icouldn't have made that tank test and gotten back in time. As it isnow, I'll have an hour or so to spare. "

"Yes, a motor-cycle is handy for getting anywhere in a hurry, " saidBabson. "Why don't you buy mine and work it in your tank act?"

"I don't see how I could, " laughed Joe. "But I don't know but that itwould be a good thing to have, anyhow. I could take rides about thecountry. "

"You and your wife--when you get one, " added Babson. "I'll let you havethis machine cheap, for I'm in want of cash just now. It's in goodshape, I'll guarantee that, though it is rather travel-stained. I'veridden about on it a lot lately, following up circuses and Wild Westoutfits looking for work. What do you say?"

He named a price that Joe knew was reasonable, and the upshot of it wasthat Joe became possessed of the motor-cycle. 

"It sure is going some to get a trained seal and a gasoline craft allin one day, " laughed Joe, as he completed the transaction. "I don'tknow which one will give me the most trouble. "

Joe went through his tank act that night with more zest than usual, andreceived an ovation when he remained under water four minutes and tenseconds. 

"I'm coming on, " he congratulated himself. "I guess that motor-cycleride to-day did me good. I must take more. And when I get my performingseal in the water with me--well, I can ask for more money for the act. It'll be worth it, and I'll need it, for I'll have some expenses Ididn't have before. "

Joe told Helen of his new purchases, and spoke about the change heintended to make in his tank act. 

"Is that what you've been saving your money for?" she asked. 

"No, " Joe said. "Both the seal and the motor-cycle were accidents, soto speak. Do you think you'd like to ride with me?"

"I certainly would. And I'm anxious to see the seal. "

The animal, which had traveled safely, was awaiting Joe on his arrivalin the next town. He had told Mr. Tracy of Lizzie, and the showman wasenthusiastic about the chance Joe had taken to add to his act. 

"I hope it works all right, " the ring-master said. "You'll have to tryit out in private. "

"Oh, surely, " assented Joe. 

He made arrangements to have his motor-cycle and seal added to the carin which his tank and goldfish were carried, so all his specialpossessions would be together. 

"As soon as I get Lizzie trained, or partly so, I'll begin to practisemotor-cycling, " Joe decided. 

He began the seal's education the second day after he obtainedpossession of her, allowing one day to go past so Lizzie could get usedto her new quarters. Then, as soon as the tank was set up and filledwith water, Joe had the seal taken to the foot of the steps that led tothe platform. Lizzie had been trained to go up a short flight of stepsto her own tank. 

"Now to see what she'll do, " said Joe, as Helen and some others of thecircus folk gathered about to watch the experiment. Joe had arrangedfor a supply of fresh fish, and one of these he now put on the topstep. 

Lizzie flapped out of her box, she smelled the fish, and, looking atit, she cried: "Hook! Hook! Hook!" and up the steps she went as she hadbeen in the habit of doing. 

"Now if she'll only go into the tank that will be part of the gamesolved, " mused Joe. He had not put in the goldfish, for he knew, nomatter how well trained Lizzie was, she would surely eat the fish ifthey were left in the tank. The problem of using them in his new actwas one Joe had not yet solved. 

Up the steps, in her peculiar manner, went Lizzie, the trained seal, and at the top she gulped down the fish. Then, after a moment'shesitation, in which she looked about the tank, she plunged in andbegan to swim about as though used to it all her life. 

"Good!" cried Joe. "The glass sides didn't bother her a bit. I wasafraid they would. Now to see how she acts with me. "

He had on his fish suit and, moving slowly in order not to alarm thesea-lion, Joe went into the glass tank with her. At first Lizzie seemeda bit timid, and came out. But Joe coaxed her in again with a bit offish, and soon he and the seal were swimming about in the big glasstank, while the circus folk outside applauded gladly. 

Around and around swam Joe, going through many evolutions, and, swimming sometimes at his side, sometimes above and sometimes belowhim, went Lizzie. 

"Say! That's a great act!" cried Jim Tracy, coming in at that moment. "A great act!"

He told Joe as much when the boy fish came out to breathe, as Lizziehad also to do, for a seal has lungs, and not gills like a fish. 

"It was a great act, Joe!" said the ring-master. 

"It remains to be seen whether she'll do as nicely in public, " Joereplied. 

CHAPTER XVIII

SAD NEWS

Joe spent as much time as he could spare before the afternoonperformance in practising with Lizzie. The trained seal seemed to havetaken naturally to the boy fish and was becoming quite friendly. Shewould let Joe put his arms around her as they both swam under water, and she made no attempts to bite. This was one thing Joe had feared, for he knew that a nip from the sharp teeth of the sea-lion would makea bad wound. 

But Lizzie seemed content with the fish, and the number of them shecould eat and the ease with which she bit them into two pieces whenthey were too large to take at one mouthful showed her appetite as wellas the strength of her jaws and the keenness of her teeth. 

"Going to put on the new act this afternoon, Joe?" asked thering-master at the conclusion of the practice. 

"I think I'd better not, " was the answer. "Something might go wrong, and it would queer me, I think. Wait a few days. I want to get her usedto the tent, the crowds and the lights. You see, she has only worked intheatres up to the present time. "

"Well, maybe you're right, " agreed the ring-master. 

So that afternoon Joe did his usual tank act, with the goldfish placedin the big glass box. Joe ate his bananas under water, and though hetried to equal his other record of four minutes and ten seconds he hadto come up two seconds sooner than the day before. 

"I guess I've been going it too hard practising with Lizzie, " hereflected. "Then, too, I didn't have a motor-cycle ride. I must get outthe machine. "

The trained seal was brought into the tent that evening before thenight performance and allowed to climb up the steps to get a fish. Thegasoline incandescent lights were set aglow, for Joe's object was tosee if the strange surroundings at night would bother the seal any. 

But Lizzie did not seem to mind. She flopped her way up the steps, atethe fish and plunged into the tank of water, from which the goldfishhad again been taken. 

"I'll have to think up some way of keeping them in when I work withLizzie in the water, " mused Joe. "They're too pretty to leave out ofthe act, but unless I put a muzzle on her I don't see how I can keepher from eating them. Well, I'll think of that later. "

Joe did not get in the tank with Lizzie for practice that night, as hewanted her to learn gradually. Then, too, he was rather tired, and hehad his trapeze work to do in addition to his aquatic act. 

That night Lizzie, by Joe's orders, was left in her crate in the bigtent while the show went on. Joe's object was to let the seal hear themusic and the various noises, to see the lights, and to grow accustomedto the general atmosphere of a night performance in the "main top. "

"Then she'll understand what she has to go through with six days out ofthe week during the season, " said Joe. 

But something funny happened at that night's performance. Joe was inthe midst of his tank act, and was getting ready to come out, prior togoing in for the endurance test, when he heard the now familiar:

"Hook! Hook! Ook!"

"Lizzie's loose!" he exclaimed, looking around from the platform onwhich he stood, inflating his lungs with air to get ready for thefour-minute--and longer--under-water stay. 

And there, flapping her way over the ground toward the steps that ledto the tank platform, was the trained seal. She had gotten out of hercrate--though how Joe did not know--and was coming to the place sheremembered as her feeding station. 

Joe had to act quickly. The tank contained the goldfish, and to letLizzie in now would mean that some of the pretty fish would be eaten. It would not do to have that happen in public. 

"Take her back!" Joe cried to some of the ring attendants. "Don't lether get on the steps. "

For Lizzie moved quickly and she could ascend the steps in a very shorttime, hitching herself along by her flippers. And once at the top, Joeknew a sight of the goldfish swimming around freely in the tank wouldbe too much for the seal. 

But Lizzie did not want to be caught, and she flapped away from theattendants who ran after her. They laughingly pursued the seal, and alittle boy in the crowd cried:

"Oh, Mamma! What a funny game of tag! They're trying to make the sealit!"

Those about the youngster laughed, and Joe joined in. But Lizzie, whileagile, was more used to the water than the land, and she was sooncaught and carried, barking protestingly, to her crate. Joe ran overand saw that the door was securely fastened before he went on with hisact. 

"I don't want her to come splashing in after the fish when I'm tryingto hold my breath for an under-water record, " reflected Joe. 

Lizzie did not get out again, and Joe went through his turnsuccessfully, though he did not quite equal his former endurance. 

"I must be out in the air more and increase my breathing capacity, " hedecided. "The motor-cycle for me!"

Joe's life was now a busy one--busier even than when he had traveledabout with Professor Rosello. For the boy fish still kept up histrapeze work--at least, the greater part of it--he did his usual tankwork, and in addition he rehearsed each day with Lizzie. He was not yetquite ready to put that act on in public. He wanted to make it afinished piece of work, with no chance for failure, as far as he couldforesee. 

Still Joe found time to practise some on the motor-cycle. He hadmastered the method of controlling and driving it, and all he needednow was practice. Joe had been a good bicycle rider, and this stood himin good stead though the motion was much swifter, and the exhilarationof fairly flying through space with no effort on his part was new tohim. 

He found that this swift motion in the open air was doing him good. Hislung power, which was most excellent, was improved, and he began tohave hopes of equalling the world's record of under-water work--fourminutes and thirty-seven seconds. 

"And I'll even try to beat it, " he thought. 

Joe found time to ride immediately after breakfast when his tank wasbeing set up in the tent. He did not take part in the parade, andhaving seen to it that the glass box was being properly put together, and having fed Lizzie, he would ride off around the country on themotor-cycle. And as he rode Joe began to turn over in his mind plansfor utilizing the machine in some trick. 

"Though I don't just see my way clear to it now, " he told himself. 

Finally Joe became so well-used to the gasoline bicycle, as hesometimes called it, that he took Helen out with him, she sitting onthe seat in the rear. Naturally a good equilibrist, the girl tookeasily to the motor-cycle, and even when Joe went at top speed on somesmooth road she liked it. 

"Oh, it's just great!" she said. "I'll think Rosebud is terribly slowafter this. "

The time quickly came when Joe was first to exhibit the seal in public. Lizzie had been behaving well, and in private she and Joe did all sortsof tricks under water. Joe took down with him to his table some piecesof fish. While he ate the bananas he would hold up on a fork a piece offish for Lizzie to take. 

The seal would curve gracefully downward, take the morsel and eat itunder water, even as Joe ate his fruit. It made a novel scene. 

"And now to see how it goes in public!" said Joe. 

The big tent was crowded when the boy fish entered his tank thatafternoon, and after going through some preliminary work, showing thetricks with the celluloid cards and other of his sleight-of-handperformances, Joe gave the signal, and Lizzie was let out of her cage. 

Barking and uttering her peculiar cry, she flapped her way to thesteps. Up them she went, taking the piece of fish left there to tempther, and then into the tank she plunged with Joe. Of course thegoldfish were not being used. 

Then, while the wondering crowd looked on, Joe and the seal swam abouttogether, showing off to the best advantage. It was a good act, and thethrong appreciated it, applauding mightily. To cap the climax, Joe andthe seal ate under water. Lizzie behaved perfectly, paying no attentionto the crowd. Nor did the transparent sides of glass annoy her as theyhad just a little at first, when she would sometimes unexpectedly bumpher nose against them. 

It was one of the best aquatic exploits ever exhibited, and thering-master so announced it. Jim Tracy was delighted with Joe's work, and Joe was pleased himself. Lizzie was certainly a great acquisition. 

Back and forth, around and around, up and down, turning, somersaultingand doing all manner of swimming went Joe and Lizzie. 

"I couldn't have a better act unless I got a real live mermaid toperform with me, " Joe decided, as Lizzie shot up out of the water tobreathe. 

Joe did not know the length of time the sea-lion could stay under waterwithout breathing. Doubtless she could rival him, but she never did--atleast, in the glass tank. A minute seemed to be her limit of endurance, though Joe had no means of making an accurate decision. 

At any rate, the act was a big success, and Joe had to bow and bowagain to the applause as he came out after his endurance test. Thistime he made it four minutes and eleven seconds, a gain of one, and heascribed his better lung power to motor-cycle riding in the open air. 

"Good work! Good!" was Jim Tracy's compliment at the conclusion of theperformance. 

"I'm glad to hear him say that, " said the boy fish. "It will make iteasier to ask for more money, for that's what I'm going to do. "

When the mail was distributed just before supper, there was a letterfor Joe. 

"Hello! This is too bad!" Joe exclaimed as he read the note. 

"What is it?" asked Helen. 

"Bad news, " Joe answered. "There isn't any hope for Benny after all!"

CHAPTER XIX

HELEN'S SOLUTION

Helen read the letter which Joe held out to her. It confirmed the newsthe boy fish had given. The note was from the physician who had firstattended Benny in the circus tent, and stated that though originally itwas hoped an operation would prevent the youth from becomingpermanently deaf and dumb, such hope now had to be abandoned. 

The physician went into the particulars of the case in writing to Joe, who, it seemed, had left word that he wished to be informed as toBenny's progress. It was his belief that the long continued practice ofBenny in staying under water had brought on a disease of the ears andthroat. 

"I thought it would be comparatively easy to operate on him, or getsome surgeon better qualified than I to do it, " wrote the hospitaldoctor. "But, after a consultation, we have decided that it would bedangerous, and so, as far as we can see, there is no hope for yourfriend. He will not die--in fact, he is much stronger than he was--buthe will be unable to speak or hear. He will write you himself shortly, he indicated to me. Just at present he is too down-hearted to do so. "

"Poor fellow, " murmured Helen, sympathetically, "I should think hewould be. Isn't it just perfectly terrible, Joe?"

"It certainly is hard luck!"

"Can't anything be done?"

"I don't see what, " was the moody answer. "I was planning to--oh, well, no matter. "

"Go on, tell me, " Helen urged. 

Joe shook his head. 

"No. There isn't any use now, " he said. "I--I can't do what I intendedto, that's all. Poor Benny. "

"Yes; poor Benny, " echoed Helen. 

The sad news concerning the "human fish" soon spread among the circusfolk, and much sympathy was expressed for Benny Turton. A movement wasstarted to get up a purse for him, and a small sum was raised. Circusperformers do not get the big salaries which theatrical stars arecredited with, and, in addition, most of those with the SampsonBrothers' Show had families to support. Then, too, the circus was notone of the big ones. So, all told, not much was done for the youth inthe hospital. 

Helen and Joe each wrote him a letter, encouraging him as much as theycould, but they both knew that the first sudden shock of hearing thebad news must wear off from Benny's mind before he could begin to bereconciled to it. 

"Well, it isn't as bad as going blind, " remarked Helen with a sigh. "That would be too terrible! Benny can still have the pleasure ofreading and seeing things. "

"Yes, his case might be worse, " admitted Joe. He seemed in a thoughtfulmood, and more than once that evening Helen surprised him in a deepstudy. 

"What are you thinking of, Joe?" she finally asked. 

"Oh, nothing--that is, nothing that seems to get me anywhere, " heanswered. 

But if the news from Benny was saddening, Joe had plenty of othermatters to make him rejoice, and the principal one was that the trainedseal was such a success in the tank act. For Lizzie certainly sharedthe honors with Joe, and the boy fish was contemplating elaborating theact. He thought of having the seal do a series of juggling and othertricks on a platform near the tank, either before or after theunder-water work. 

"But I guess we'd better wait until next season for that, " said JimTracy when Joe spoke of it. "You see every act is timed now to occupyjust so much of the programme. If I should give you more than twice thetime you now have I'd have to cut some one else, and no one would likethat. "

"Oh, no, I wouldn't want that, " Joe declared. As it was, there wasplenty of professional jealousy directed toward him, and he did notwant to arouse more by encroaching on the time of some other performer. 

"I could cut out all of your trapeze work, " went on the ring-master, "but I don't want to do that. We haven't any too many good trapezists. "

"Thanks, " said Joe. "I wouldn't want to give up the bar and rope work, either. I guess I'll wait until next season to give Lizzie a largerpart in the act. "

Joe did not want to give up his trapeze work for several reasons, onebeing that it kept him in trim for a certain hazy plan he had in mind. Joe was a youth on whom great heights made no impression. He felt fullyas safe on the dizzy height of some church steeple as he did on theground. 

There are some persons who have a morbid fear of looking down from anygreat height, and who always refuse to ascend a high place or to lookdown from the top of a tall building. 

There is another class of people who are really made temporarily insanewhen looking from a great height and have an almost irresistibleinclination to throw themselves down. There is a complicated medicalterm which is applied to this disease, for a disease it is. Suchpersons should never look down from great heights. 

But, fortunately, Joe was not in this class. He did not in the leastmind climbing high up into the air, with even a frail support. And itwas his trapeze work that kept him in good trim for this sort ofdaring, so Joe did not want to give it up. 

The tank act, with Lizzie, the seal, in it, was made one of the bigfeatures of the circus. Jim Tracy had new bills printed showing Joe andLizzie apparently having a fine time under water. The posters werelarge and in gay colors, and Joe's name was featured, to the envy ofmany others in the circus. 

Not a few were the sneers cast at Joe on more than one occasion, whenhe declined to take part in some jollification, and remarks were madeabout his being a miser and a "tight-wad. "

But Joe did not seem to care. He drew his salary regularly, and as hewas not known to gamble or to have other noticeably bad habits, therewas considerable speculation as to what he did with his money. 

"He doesn't send any to his folks, for he hasn't any folks, " said TonzoLascalla. "He told me so. His foster father is well off, and doesn'tneed any cash from Joe, and he hasn't any other relatives, except maybesome in England he never heard of. "

"Maybe he's saving to hire a lawyer to get his English fortune forhim, " suggested Sid Lascalla. 

"Maybe, " agreed his partner. 

But, as a matter of fact, Joe had about given up hope of ever hearinganything favorable from England. His inquiries had come to naught, though Bill Watson insisted that Janet Willoughby, which was Mrs. Strong's name before her marriage, came from a wealthy and aristocraticfamily. 

The circus moved on from town to town, and Joe was more and moresatisfied with his purchase of the trained seal. Lizzie in the tankwith Joe was certainly an added attraction. The seal seemed to like theunder-water work as much as Joe did. She ate her fish as Joe ate hisbananas, and was a pretty sight as she cavorted around in the waterwith the boy fish swimming by her side. 

Joe took frequent rides on his motor-cycle, Helen often accompanyinghim, and when one day he found he was able to stay under water for fourminutes and twenty seconds he ascribed his success to his swift ridingin the open air. 

"I'll go after the world's record before the season is over, " he saidto Helen. 

"I hope you make it, " she said. 

"One thing bothers me, though, " said Joe. "I can't use the goldfish inthe tank when I act with Lizzie. She'd do nothing but eat them. Andit's quite a bother to have to take the fish out every time just beforeI let Lizzie go into the water. I could have two tanks, I suppose, doing part of my act in one with the goldfish, and then changing toanother with the seal. But I have enough duffle to cart about as it is. I don't want another big tank. "

"No, it would be a nuisance, " agreed Helen. 

"I've tried and tried to think of a way to use the double act, but Ican't, " Joe went on. "I took a couple of goldfish into the tank withLizzie and me one day, but she gobbled them up before I could turnover. I didn't repeat that experiment. "

Helen seemed to be thinking deeply. Suddenly she clapped her hands, hereyes sparkled, and she cried:

"Oh, Joe! I believe I have it!"

"Have what?"

"The solution of your trouble. I think I know a way in which you canuse the goldfish and the seal in the same tank. "

"How, by putting a muzzle on Lizzie?"

"No, but by using a tank with double glass sides. Let me show you whatI mean!"

CHAPTER XX

ACROSS THE TRESTLE

Helen, with a pencil and piece of paper, began rapidly making a littlesketch. Joe looked over her shoulder. They were in the outer section ofthe dressing tent, waiting for their turn to go on with their acts. 

"See, " Helen explained, "you can easily put double glass sides on yourtank by slipping sheets of glass inside the four present outer sides, leaving a space of five or six inches between them. Fill this spacewith water, and put the goldfish in that. Then they can swim around, and Lizzie can't get at them because they'll be protected by theglass. "

She made a sectional view of the tank with its double sides and held itup triumphantly to Joe. 

"Will that solve the puzzle?" she asked. 

"Why, I really believe it will!" exclaimed Joe, after a moment'sthought. "Yes, I could have metal clips, made water-tight with rubber, fitted inside the tank. Taking five inches off each side wouldn't meanmuch loss. Then I could slip four sheets of glass down in the metalclips, and, as you say, fill the intervening space with water for thegoldfish. "

"Exactly, " cried Helen. "The audience can't tell whether the fish arein the tank with you or not, for the water and glass, beingtransparent, will make it look exactly as if you and the fish and theseal were in the same bit of water. "

"Good!" cried Joe. "I'll do it! The very thing, Helen!"

The fact that persons looking directly at a glass tank of water can nottell how far back the water and tank extends is taken advantage of bymoving picture operators in producing novel effects. Only the other daywas shown a scene where a man apparently went down to the bottom of ariver. Fish swam all about him, there was a portion of a wreck halfburied in the sand and mud, and waving aquatic plants seemed to reachout and twine themselves around the man, while fish swam above andbelow him. 

This effect was produced by having the man go through certain actionsbehind a square glass tank in which the sand, aquatic plants, wreck andfish had been placed. The fish could swim about, but the man was not inthe water at all but behind the tank, the water and glass offering noobstruction to the camera. 

It was that principle which Helen suggested to Joe. He and the sealwould be doing their act behind a glass and water screen, in which fishwere swimming and aquatic plants gently waving. 

Joe lost no time in putting the plan into operation. He ordered theglass and metal holding clips, with the water-tight rubber gaskets, from the same firm in New York that had originally made Benny's tank. They still had the patterns, and knew just the proper size and kind ofglass to send, and Joe had no difficulty in malting his tank a doubleone. 

The experiment was tried in private one afternoon just before theperformance. The plants and goldfish were put in the thin outer tankwhich extended all around the inner one. The fish, of course, swamabout as they were in the habit of doing. The fact that they were in amuch more restricted space did not seem to perplex or vex them. 

Then Joe got into the inner tank, and Lizzie was allowed to follow him. No sooner did the seal see herself surrounded by the fish she loved toeat than she made a dash for a big golden one. 

Of course Lizzie bumped her nose against the protecting glass, but thisdid not deter her. Joe watched the sea-lion curiously. Again she made adash for a fish, evidently thinking she had not been quick enough toget the first one. Again came a painful bump. 

Joe continued to swim about as he always did when Lizzie was in thetank. It was not until after her third failure that the intelligentseal began to think something was wrong. Then she swam alongside theinner glass. Just beyond, three-quarters of an inch away, but as secureas though the space were miles, swam the goldfish. Lizzie could not getthem, and then she turned her big eyes on Joe as if to ask what sort oftrick this was to play on a good, performing seal. 

If Joe had not been under water he would have laughed. He did this whenhe came up, however, and he gave Lizzie more than her usual allowanceof common fish to make up for her disappointment over the gold ones. 

But Helen's solution of the problem was perfect. The circus folk formeda critical rehearsal audience and as Joe swam about in the inner tankwith the seal, and as the goldfish flitted about in the outer tank, JimTracy said:

"It couldn't be better. The illusion is perfect. No one looking at itas the crowd will view it, could tell but that it was all one tank. Helen, you're a fine suggester. First I know, you'll be going intobusiness for yourself. "

"Not while I have Rosebud, " she answered, blushing. "But I'm glad myplan worked. "

Joe was glad also. Not only was he enabled to get a much morespectacular effect by having the goldfish and his seal in the same act, but it saved a lot of work in taking out the fish every time he wantedto perform with Lizzie. And as it had been necessary to take thegoldfish out twice a day--for the afternoon and night performance--muchwork was entailed. And there is so much to do, anyhow, in moving acircus from place to place, that everything which makes for economy oftime or motion is very welcome and eagerly adopted. 

That afternoon the audience seemed to appreciate very much the aquaticact. It certainly made a pretty scene with Joe, in his red scaly suit, going through all manner of performances in the water, while the darkseal swam in and out, sometimes circling around his head, again dartingthrough his looped arms, while on all sides they were surrounded bygoldfish and gracefully waving green grass and plants. 

It was one of the showiest acts in the circus, and taking advantage oneday of a particularly gracious reception on the part of the crowd, andwhen he had lengthened his stay under water by two seconds, Joe askedfor more money. 

Jim Tracy whistled in mild surprise, but he did not make half theobjections he had made on the other occasion. 

"I'm under a lot more expense, " Joe explained. "Lizzie cost me money, and I have to buy fish for her every day. Besides, the extra tankfittings cost considerable. "

"All right, Joe. I'm not making any kick, " said the ring-master. "You're certainly worth a lot to us, and we can't afford to lose you. Iwouldn't say that to every performer, or they'd get such a swelled headthat there'd be no doing anything with them. But you're different, I'mglad to say. Yes, you shall have more money. The act is worth it, especially since you got Lizzie. First you know you'll be amillionaire, my boy. "

"Not in this business, I guess, " laughed Joe. 

Joe found himself liking more and more his motor-cycle rides. Helen, too, enjoyed them very much. She was even learning to manage themachine herself, though, as yet, she had not ventured to drive it atmore than a slow speed, and then on some little-frequented road. 

As soon as the circus reached a town where it was to show, and Joe andHelen had had their breakfast, and had seen, one to his tank and sealand the other to her horse, they would set off for a ride through thebeautiful country. It took them away from the atmosphere of the circus, and rested them mentally and physically. They were in better trim forthe strenuous and exacting work that was to follow. 

Helen had greatly elaborated her act since the time when Joe had firstseen it. She had taken a little dog--the same one that had refused toact with Joe in the tank--and had trained it to ride with her onRosebud's back. The dog did some simple tricks, and that, with thebeautiful and intelligent horse and Helen, who herself was strikinglypretty, made an act that always was well applauded. 

"I only hope you two don't have a break-down when you're out on theroad motor-cycling some day, " said Jim Tracy. "If you do, and don't getback to the show on time--well, I don't know what I'll do. "

Joe had not thought of that, and thereafter he was careful not to gotoo far away, so, in case of some accident to the machine, he couldhire a horse and wagon to bring him and Helen back. But the machine hadnot yet given him trouble and he hoped it would not. 

"I'm very glad I bought it from Babson, " he said, "though the day I gotit and the seal I seemed to be going it pretty heavy in the matter ofexpenditures. "

Then, one day, Joe had his accident. It was not a very serious one, merely the breaking of the motor-cycle transmission chain, but as faras making the machine go without it, Joe might as well have had a badsmash-up. 

Helen was not with him, and he was glad of this, for when the breakcame he was on his way back to the circus grounds, as it was nearingtime for the afternoon performance. 

Joe tried to mend the chain himself, but a link was needed and he hadno spare one. He was looking about on the country road for some placewhere he could hire a horse and carriage, when he met a small boy whotold him there was a garage about a mile away. Joe decided that if hecould get his chain repaired he could make better time than by engaginga horse. 

Accordingly he pushed the heavy machine along a sandy road until hecame to the garage and repair shop. To his delight, the machinist saidhe could easily repair the chain, and he set about it. 

But Joe had consumed more time in his weary walk than he was aware of, and when the chain was mended and he set off again, he had barely timeto reach the circus on time, even if he rode at top speed, and hadexcellent roads all the way. 

He was returning by a different route from the one he had taken ongoing out, and now he regretted it, for the way was longer. 

"I'm afraid I'm not going to make it, " Joe decided as he looked at hiswatch. "I've cut my schedule too fine. "

He came to a small village and inquired of some loungers if there wasnot a shorter route to the circus town than the one he had been told totake. 

"Well, there is a short cut, " said a man, "if you can ride the railroadtrack. Otherwise you can't get over the river without going five milesout of your way. The railroad bridge over the river is the only onearound here, and it's a long, high bridge at that. "

"I guess I can ride the railroad, " said Joe. "What sort of a bed isit--cracked stone?"

"No, cinders. "

Joe was glad to hear that, for cracked stone would have worked havoc tohis tires. 

"He can't ride no railroad line, " declared another man, positively. 

"Why not?" Joe wanted to know. 

"You can't ride over the railroad trestle, and it's more than a milelong, counting the approaches. If you walk you won't make any bettertime than if you went around the long way. You can't ride that machineover the open ties. It would rattle it all to pieces. The only way youcan do is to walk and push it. "

Joe thought for a moment. 

"I think I can ride the trestle, " he said. 

"How?" demanded the man. 

"By keeping on the steel rail. That's smooth enough. "

"You never can do it!" declared the man who had offered the objection. "You never can do it in this world. You'll be off in no time, and it'sa long fall to the river. You can't do it!"

"Can't I?" asked Joe coolly. "You come and watch me. I'm going to ridemy motor-cycle across the railroad trestle bridge on the single rail!"

Several in the crowd looked at him admiringly, while others shook theirheads. 

"He'll kill himself!" murmured one old man. 

"He sure has got nerve!" exclaimed a boy, admiringly. 

Meanwhile a crowd of villagers followed Joe as he rode off in thedirection of the railroad. It was his only chance of getting to thecircus on time. 

CHAPTER XXI

IN STRANGE PERIL

Joe was running his machine at reduced speed as he went off in thedirection that had been indicated as the location of the railroadtracks. Beside him ran some of the more fleet-footed of the youths ofthe town, and behind them came some men. All were hurrying to see ifJoe would make good his boast. 

Yet, it was not so much a boast as it was a determination to do thisrisky act in order not to be late at the circus and so disappoint a bigcrowd and cause trouble for the management. 

"It's my own fault for going off so far into the country, " mused Joe, "and I've got to make up for it as best I can. "

"Turn down here to the railroad, " a lad called to Joe. "This is theshort cut. "

Joe steered his machine down a lane, and he soon saw stretching aheadof him the cinder-covered embankment of a single line of railroad. Inthe distance Joe could see a big depression where the river ran. Thestream itself was not very large, but it flowed at the very bottom of awide and deep valley, and to cross this a long trestle had beennecessary. 

"Think you can ride it, young man?" asked an elderly man, as Joehalted, for he had to push the machine up the embankment. 

"I'm going to make a big attempt, " was the answer. "You see, I'm behindmy schedule and I've got to make it up. "

"You're taking a big risk. "

"Well, I'm used to risks, " answered Joe with a smile. "I'm a circustrapeze performer. "

"That accounts for part of it, " went on the man with a smile. "I wishyou luck. "

"Thanks, " murmured Joe as he began to push the heavy motor-cycle up theembankment. Willing hands assisted him, and he soon stood on therailroad tracks themselves. He found that the road-bed was in goodcondition. The ties, or sleepers, as the wooden supports of the railsare called, were well embedded in cinders, which had been finelypulverized by the action of the weather and by many feet walking overthem, for the railroad tracks were often used as a short cut by thepeople of the neighborhood. 

"This won't be half bad to ride on, " said Joe, as he kicked at thecinders. 

"No, but the trestle is the sticker, " some one remarked. "You can'tride on that without being shaken to pieces on the ties. "

"I'm not going to try, " Joe said. "As I told you, I'm going to take toa rail. "

"You'll never do it!" was the prediction. "I thought you were jokingwhen you said that. "

"It's no joke for me if I miss getting to the circus on time, " said Joegrimly. "And if you watch you'll at least see me start. I'm not goingto guarantee where I'll end, " he concluded as he took a careful surveyof the trestle which stretched out before him for more than a mile. 

Joe was not going into this without having thought carefully of it inadvance, in spite of the short time it had taken him to make up hismind. He was used to doing that--thinking and deciding quickly. Thevery nature of his calling made it necessary for him to do this. Onedoes not have much time to make up one's mind when flying through theair from a high trapeze. 

Joe felt reasonably sure that if he could get his machine started at afast rate of speed, and could get it, at that speed, on top of thesmooth, and none too wide, rail, he could hold it there. It is awell-known fact in physics that a body in motion tends to follow astraight line, until forced out of that course by some external force. If a stone is thrown it will go in a straight line until the attractionof the earth's gravitation pulls it down. 

But in Joe's case gravitation would have no effect, as he would be onthe ground all the while, or what was practically the ground. What hewould have to guard against would be a deviation of more than an inchfrom left or right. If he swerved ever so little, his machine wouldleave the rail and he would either plunge over the side of the hightrestle, or he would find himself bumping over the ties. 

"And I wouldn't want either of those things to happen, " mused Joe, witha grim smile on his face. 

But Joe Strong knew that a swiftly moving motor-cycle or bicycle has avery strong tendency to follow a straight course. It is easy to keepone's bicycle in a straight line when going fast. There is hardly anyneed of balancing, and one may ride along even without having the handson the steering bars. 

A motor-cycle moves much faster than a bicycle, and so has a greaterchance of keeping in a straight line. This was what Joe was counting onwhen he proposed to ride on the narrow rail over the high trestle. 

He must work rapidly now. It was drawing nearer to the time for theopening of the afternoon performance, and Joe felt that his absence upto this time must be worrying the ring-master, who liked his performerson hand in plenty of time before the show was to open. 

Joe looked about for a means of getting up on the rail. It would not doto have some one hold his machine there, and so start. For that wouldmean his front wheel would swerve more or less because of an endeavorto get his balance, and he would be off the rail almost as soon as hewas on it. 

"I've got to get a flying start, and hit the rail at a good pace, "reasoned Joe. "How can I do it?"

Almost at once the answer came to him. Near the place where he and thecurious villagers had mounted to the railroad embankment were someplanks. They had been taken out of a cattle-guard, to be replaced bynew ones. 

"I can make a temporary runway of the old planks, " reasoned Joe, "andguide myself to the rail with them. "

He quickly explained to the men and boys his need. They grasped theidea at once and began to help. 

In a few minutes a platform of planks was laid on either side of a railwhere it was spiked to the sleepers which were embedded in the cinders. The trestle started a few feet beyond where the temporary runway, orguiding planks, ended. 

Joe used three planks--that is the runway was three planks wide, andthey were laid one on either side of the rail, with the middle onedirectly over the strip of steel. Where the runway came to an end somedirt was used to make an even slope down to the rail, thus taking upthe thickness of the plank. 

Joe wheeled his machine to the far end of the wooden structure whichwas made firm by having cinder-dust banked against it. The motor-cyclewas held up by willing hands on either side, and Joe started it. With apop, a rattle and a roar the powerful machine was in motion. 

"Let go!" cried Joe, as he threw in the gear. 

Off he went. Joe held the handles firm, and his eye was fixed on thatshining strip of steel along which--if he had luck--he would soon bespeeding. 

He opened up the throttle wide. He wanted speed and he needed it asquickly as he could get it, for on speed alone could he depend to keepthe machine on the narrow steel path. 

Joe heard a shout behind him, and, almost before he knew it, he was atthe end of the runway and his front wheel was on the rail. 

"So far so good!" thought Joe grimly. If he could only keep the machinethere all would be well. 

And then began such a ride as probably never before was witnessed. ForJoe Strong, holding his machine with firm muscles, his nerves as quietas only he knew how to make them, his eyes fixed on that shiny strip ofsteel, was driving his motor-cycle across the high trestle on a singlerail. 

Below him, at his right hand, was the deep valley, more than a hundredfeet down. It was covered with trees and rocks, with here and there agrassy patch. 

"If I fall on that side I hope I can pick out a bit of turf to landon, " thought Joe. But he did not intend to fall. 

Straight and true he held the front wheel. It needed no pressure on thehandle bars. It would keep straight of itself now, for the motor-cyclewas going at great speed. That alone would keep it in a true course ifno pressure from Joe swerved it. And his hands were on the bars with asdelicate a touch as a woman might have used. 

In about half a minute Joe was out over the stream which the trestlespanned. 

"This would be the best place of all to take a tumble, " mused the lad. He knew if he did fall here he would at least have a chance for hislife. For he could kick the machine away from him, and dive into thewater. And he felt that it was not too high a fall to take withcomparative safety if there was any depth at all to the stream. 

But almost before Joe realized it he had flashed over the water, and hewas again speeding over the valley itself, with hard ground, rocks, stones and sharp-pointed trees beneath him. 

Of course, in case Joe's machine did leave the rail he might fall onthe other side. There would be comparative safety, save that he mightbe badly cut and bruised by the motor-cycle falling on top of him. 

On and on he sped. True to the rail he held the front wheel. He was atthe height of his speed now, and every second added to his safety, forthe faster he went the nearer true to a straight line could he hold themachine. 

"Almost over, " thought Joe. A quick glance ahead showed him where thetrestle came to an end. He had nearly made good his boast. 

It was a good mile across the high trestle, and Joe said afterward thathe made it in less than a minute. And he must have done so. That rateof speed was necessary in order to keep the machine straight. 

Joe looked down. No longer did he see below him the open ties. 

He was over the trestle!

He had done what he had said he would do, and crossed on the rail. 

With a movement of the handle bars he sent the front wheel down on thecinder bed. He could ride on a broader path now. A little jar, as firstone wheel and then the other left the rail, told him that his daringride was over. 

Joe slowed down, and turned to wave a reassuring hand to the crowd atthe other end of the trestle. They waved their hands in return, anddoubtless they cheered, though Joe could not hear them, as the wind wasin the wrong direction. 

"Well, that's over!" he said, thankfully enough, though his heart wasbeating scarcely faster than if he had done some trapeze act, and hisnerves were under perfect control. 

"I'm glad I didn't meet any train, " thought Joe. But he had inquired ofhis new friends before undertaking the ride about the time of thetrains, and had learned that none was scheduled to cross the trestlefor some time. Of course there might have been a special, but that didnot happen. 

Joe was safe. He rode along the even road-bed for some distance andthen, following the directions the villagers had given him, he turneddown the embankment into a country road. A little later he was on thehighway that led to the town where the circus was showing. 

"I'll get there just about in time, " thought Joe as he looked at hiswatch. 

"Well, I was just thinking about sending out a searching party for you, Joe, " remarked Jim Tracy, as our hero rode swiftly up to the showgrounds. 

"I'm not late, " was the reply. 

"No. But it was getting near your time, and I wanted to make sure youwere on hand. "

"Well, I am, " replied Joe. But he did not tell until some timeafterward what a narrow escape he had had from being late, nor what arisky ride he had taken. 

"Oh, Joe, how dared you do it?" asked Helen, when he mentioned it toher. "How dared you? It was so dangerous!"

"Why, I guess I just didn't think anything at all about the danger, "said Joe with a smile. "I knew it was the only way, and so----"

"You took it, " finished Helen. "That's just like you, Joe. "

Joe went through his trapeze work in the big tent that afternoon withas much vim and vigor as though he had not, an hour before, taken sucha chance with his life. And he followed that up by doing his tank actwith his usual success. He did not stay under water quite so long, however, as he found that he was tiring a little, and he wanted to savehimself for the night's performance, when a bigger crowd would bepresent. 

And at night Joe went two seconds ahead of his previous best record. 

"You'll crowd the world's record yet, " predicted Jim Tracy. 

The show moved on, and at the next town it received an unexpected bitof advertising. For a reporter in the town where Joe had started on hissensational trestle ride had been given the facts by some of theeyewitnesses, to whom Joe had given his name. 

The reporter wrote a thrilling story, and it was published in the paperof the city where the circus was billed the following day. 

It was not until then that most of Joe's fellow performers heard abouthis feat, and it made a great sensation. 

"Why didn't you save that act for the circus?" asked Jim Tracy. "Itwould have made a big hit and brought a crowd. "

"I didn't have time to stage it properly, " Joe said. "I was thinking ofsaving myself a fine for being late at the show. "

But an unusually big crowd came to the show anyhow, brought by havingread of Joe's thrilling ride. He was a sort of center of attraction ashe went through his trapeze and tank acts. 

Unexpected and impulsive as Joe's ride was, it formed the forerunner ofwhat was afterward a big feature in his life, as will appear in duetime. 

For a week or more the circus moved along its mapped-out route, andnothing of moment occurred. The usual crowds came and went, theperformers went through their acts successfully, and Joe and histrained seal did their turns to the great amusement and entertainmentof the audiences, as well as satisfaction to the circus management. Theswimming of Joe and the seal, the showy goldfish and the generalsetting of the act made it a most novel one. 

"Is there any more word from Benny?" asked Helen one day. 

"Nothing definite, " Joe said. "He is still in the same condition. Ihave written to the doctor to make inquiries and find out if there is, in this country or abroad, any new means of treatment that could begiven. Often foreign doctors know things those over here haven't heardof yet. "

"Oh, I do hope they discover something, " sighed Helen. "Poor Benny! Ifeel so sorry for him!"

The circus grounds in the town of Westford were located near a greatreservoir which supplied water to several neighboring municipalities. And Westford was reached by the Sampson Brothers' Show about two weeksafter Joe's sensational ride on the trestle. 

After breakfast Joe and Helen strolled about the grounds, and havingseen that the performing horse and the glass tank had reached thegrounds safely, Joe proposed that he and Helen go for a littlemotor-cycle ride. 

"But you'll have to promise not to take me over any railroad trestles, "Helen warned him. 

"I'll promise, " agreed Joe. 

They did not go far, and on their way back, as they passed thereservoir, they saw a big crowd gathered on the bank near a gate-house. 

"Looks as if something was going on, " said Joe, stopping the machine. 

"Maybe some one is rivaling you in a high diving stunt, " said Helen, half playfully. 

They alighted and made their way into the throng. 

"What's up?" asked Joe of a man. 

"A diver is caught down in the outlet pipe, " was the unexpected answer. 

"A diver!" repeated Joe. 

"Yes. A man in a diving suit went down to fix something that went wrongwith one of the valves, and they can't get him up. He's been downseveral hours now and they're afraid he's dead!"

CHAPTER XXII

A DEEP DIVE

"What is it?" asked Helen, who had not understood what Joe's informanthad said. 

"It's a diver caught down at the mouth of the outlet pipe of thereservoir, " the man explained. "They're trying to get him up but theydon't seem to get him. "

"Why not?" Joe wanted to know. 

"Because they can't pull any harder on the life line than they havebeen pulling for fear either of breaking the line or of injuring thediver. And they have to be careful, too, of fouling his air hose. Ifthat breaks it would be death for him. "

"How terrible!" exclaimed Helen. "Can nothing be done to save him?"

"They're trying everything they can think of, Miss, " was the man'sanswer. "The water company has sent for another diver to go down andsee what the trouble is, but it will be half a day before he can gethere, and by that time----"

He did not finish, but Joe and Helen knew what was meant. 

The big crowd about the reservoir was excited, and yet it was a tense, quiet sort of excitement. It was a grim waiting for what might, at anymoment, happen. Either the diver would be hauled up, or he would perishdeep down there under the calm water. 

"How did it happen?" asked Joe. The man seemed to know considerableabout the accident. 

"It was this way, " he replied. "The reservoir is a new one, and ithasn't worked just right since the water was let in. That is, the mainsupply pipe, by which the water goes out to other and smaller pipes tobe distributed to the different municipalities, gets clogged up everynow and then. 

"At first they thought it was because some refuse matter, left on theground when the reservoir was built, had gotten into the valves. But adiver went down and found there was something the matter with thevalves themselves. They open and close the valves from the gate houseover there, " and he indicated it, standing on the main dam wall of thebig reservoir. 

"After the diver found what was wrong, " the man went on, "the waterconcern planned to have it fixed, and for some days now the work hasbeen going on. The diver would go down, his tools would be lowered tohim, and he has been working under water. You see they don't want tolet the water out of the reservoir because it would leave some townswithout a supply, which would be dangerous, if even for a day. 

"So the diver has been working down there, and it's pretty deep, too, about forty feet. There's a good deal of pressure at that depth, thoughof course divers have gone deeper. "

"Yes, " assented Joe. "And how did the accident happen?"

"Nobody knows, exactly. Tom Rand, the diver, went down as usual thismorning, and his tools were let down to him. But he hadn't been downlong, as I understand it, before he signaled to be hauled up. Hesignaled in a hurry, too, so something must have happened. 

"The men at the air pump and the helpers tried to get him up, but theycouldn't. He was stuck down there, and, as I said, they don't dare pulltoo hard for fear of cutting him in two, making a hole in the divingsuit, or breaking the rope. They don't know what to do. "

"Why, this is terrible!" exclaimed Helen. 

"Yes, Miss, it certainly is. To think of that poor man, caught downunder the water in some way and not able to be got up. Of course he canbreathe, for the air hose is still working, and the men are at the pumpconstantly. But it's impossible to stand that pressure very long at atime, and he'll soon give out from exhaustion, if nothing else happens. They've sent for another diver, but, as I said, he'll be some timegetting here, and then it may be too late. "

"Isn't there another diving suit to be had?" asked Joe. 

"No, " the man answered. 

Helen looked at Joe. She read the thought that was in his mind. 

"Did you ever go down in a diving suit?" she asked him in a low voice. 

"No, but I'd take a chance if they had one. However, as there isn't Ican't. But perhaps----"

Joe was interrupted by a shout from the crowd. He and Helen, with theman who had been giving them the information, stood a little to oneside. 

"Hello!" exclaimed Joe, "I wonder what happened then?"

"Come with me and we'll find out, " proposed the man. "I can take youover to the gate house where the diver's helpers are at work. I'm amember of the town water committee, " he went on. "You folks are withthe circus, aren't you?"

"Yes, " Joe answered. "But we won't have much of a crowd at theafternoon show if they all stay here at the reservoir to see the diverrescued. "

"That's right, " conceded Mr. Blair, as he said his name was. "But we'llgo and see what happened. I can take you in all right. "

They made their way through the crowd, which was thronged as near tothe scene of the accident as the men and boys, women and girls, couldget. Several constables stood on guard, but at a nod from Mr. Blairthey let him pass, with Joe and Helen. 

"Oh, Joe!" she murmured, as she held his arm. "I'm so afraid somethingdreadful will happen. "

"Perhaps not, " he answered reassuringly. 

They found the men at the pump and the other helpers very much excited, and it was this excitement which had communicated itself to the crowd. 

"What happened?" asked Mr. Blair. "Are you getting him up?"

"I only wish we were, " wearily said a man who was at the signal line. "We've not been able to move him an inch, and just now he signaled formore air. I'm afraid something has gone wrong down there--I meansomething new. Maybe his suit is punctured and he's being drowned. "

"Oh, if we could only do something!" exclaimed Mr. Blair. He stood withJoe, just outside the gate house. On the broad top of the dam, a fewfeet above the surface of the water, the pumping apparatus was set up. Near it were the tools used by the diver in the repair work. 

Going down into the water was the air hose, through which oxygen wassupplied. A few bubbles rising to the surface told that the hose wasstill connected with the diver's helmet. In addition to the hose alight but strong line led into the water. A man held this in his hand, and it was by a series of jerks on this that the diver belowcommunicated with his helpers above. Then there was a heavy rope madefast to a ring in the wall. The other end was attached to the diver'sbelt. 

And these three things--a rope, a line and a hose descending into themysterious water--were the only links that connected the diver withlife. That he was still alive was evident, for now and then there camea feeble pull on the life-line. 

Two men had hold of the heavy rope, the end of which was in the diver'sbelt, and, from time to time, they pulled on it, hoping that theunfortunate man had been able to free himself, so he could be pulledup. 

But the rope remained taut--it did not give. The diver was still caughtin the outlet pipe--just how no one could say. 

"Can't they drain the reservoir?" asked Joe. "Surely, to save a life, the towns could do without water for a while. "

"Oh, we'd drain it in a minute if we could, " said Mr. Blair. "But yousee now we can't get the main outlet pipe open. It's in that one thatthe diver is stuck. Only a little water is now flowing through it. Wehave opened all the small outlets we can, but it will take three orfour days to empty the reservoir through them. "

"Three or four days, " murmured Joe. "And in the meanwhile----"

He did not care to finish the sentence. 

Again came a quick signal on the life-line. 

"He wants more air!" cried the man who interpreted the jerks. "Give himmore air, boys!"

The men at the wheel of the air pump worked it faster. Though why anincreased pressure was wanted no one knew. 

"Helen, " said Joe in a low voice, "I'm going to try to save that man. Ican't bear to stand here and think he may be slowly dying down there, "and he pointed to the calm water, unruffled save by the few escapingbubbles of air. 

"But how can you?" asked the girl. "There isn't another diving suit tobe had here, Joe, even if you were used to one. "

"I'll go down without one!" declared Joe. "In fact, I think I can workbetter without one than in one. I'm going down and try to save him!"

"Oh, if you only can!" she answered. "It would be great! But you willbe careful--won't you?"

Joe nodded. Helen did not ask him not to go. She knew Joe too well forthat. The young circus performer stepped up to Mr. Blair. 

"If they'll let me, " said Joe, "I'd like to go down and try to freethat diver from whatever is holding him. "

"You go down? Are you a diver?"

"Not the kind that uses a suit, no. But I do a diving and tank act inthe circus. "

Joe's offer and his talk had aroused instant attention from the crowdabout him and from the men at the air pumps and life-line. 

"I guess you'll find, young man, brave and generous as your offer is, "said one of the air-pumpers, "that diving in a circus tank is somedifferent from going down forty feet. "

"I realize that, " said Joe quietly. 

"And what about holding your breath?" asked Mr. Blair. "Can you do it?"

"He can hold it for nearly four and a half minutes, " said Helenquickly. 

"Whew!" whistled one of the diver's helpers. He knew what that recordmeant. 

"If you'll let me, I'll go down without a suit, " offered Joe. "I'm notsaying I can save your man, but I simply can't stand here and let himdie without making an effort. "

"Good for you!" cried one of the pump-men. "Some of us tried to godown, but we couldn't fetch that far, not being able to hold ourbreath. If you'll try, it will be the only chance poor Tom has, for hecan't last much longer, and by the time the other diver getshere--well, it'll be too late, that's all. Go ahead, young man, andtry. "

Murmurs of appreciation greeted Joe's announcement. There was a hurriedconsultation among the members of the town water committee, of whichMr. Blair was one. 

"Shall I go down?" asked Joe. 

"Yes!" cried Mr. Blair. "Go, and we'll all pray that you may besuccessful, " he added solemnly. "It is a terrible thing to stand by andknow a fellow being is dying, as Rand may be, " and he motioned to thewater, still gently agitated by the air bubbles. 

Joe Strong lost no time. He was told there were some old clothes in thegate house which he could use, and soon, attired in a pair of trouserscut off short and in an old shirt, he took his place on the reservoirwall just above the spot where the lifeline disappeared in the water. 

It was going to be a deep dive, and Joe knew it. And now, if ever, wasthe time for him to break the record in holding his breath. For hemight be able to free the diver in a few seconds, or it might takeminutes. 

Joe inflated and deflated his lungs several times. The crowd watchedhim as if fascinated. Helen caught Joe's glance and noddedencouragingly to him, but there was a look of anxiety on her face. 

"If Joe should be caught as the diver is, " she thought for a flash. Andthen she dismissed the dreadful idea, for she dared not dwell on it. 

"Well, I'm ready, " said Joe, after a pause. 

"May you succeed!" whispered Mr. Blair. 

Joe took in a long breath--the longest, he felt, he had ever taken. Then he made his deep dive. 

CHAPTER XXIII

BROUGHT TO LIFE

Down through the limpid depths of the great reservoir of water went JoeStrong. He was swimming toward the bottom as fast as he could go, forhe wanted to get there quickly and begin the work of rescue, and heknew every second counted. 

He had his eyes open, of course, and he was glad the sun was shiningbrightly overhead, so he could have light to work by. In forty feet ofwater not much sunlight penetrates, even on a bright day, but Joe hadbeen told that the diver had a small electric light with him, and this, perhaps, would still be glowing. The current was turned on, that Joeknew, but the lamp might have been broken in the accident that hadhappened. 

Down, down, down went the young diver--a veritable "boy fish" now ifever there was such a thing. Joe had a glimpse of the air hose, likesome long, thin water snake, beside him. It went down into the depths, as did the life-line and the thicker hoisting rope. 

"And where they end--there's the diver, " reasoned Joe. He used the airhose as a guide and swam as near to it as he could. In a few seconds hefound himself nearing the bottom of the reservoir. It was of naturalformation, for the dam had been built across a narrow valley, and whenthe water came in, it covered from view the site of a small forest, much of which had been cleared away, leaving only stumps and rocks. 

Suddenly, before Joe's eyes, loomed a strange shape. It was almost likethat of some deep-sea monster, with great, round, staring, glassy eyes, and as Joe turned a somersault and landed on his feet he stood besidethe imprisoned diver. The latter was aware of something unusual goingon, and turned to stare at Joe through the glass of his helmet. Joecould not see the man's face in that light, but he knew it must showdeadly fear. 

In a trice Joe decided what he must do. It was not easy to stay beneaththe water, for his natural buoyancy had a tendency to force him up, andhis first act, after landing and feeling himself shooting back towardthe surface, was to reach out and grasp the heavy rope that he knew wasfastened about the diver's waist. There could be no harm to the diverin this, Joe reasoned, since the men up above were putting a muchgreater strain on the hempen cable. And by holding thus to the rope Joeprevented himself from going up. 

Though the diver must have been greatly astonished to see a young manin a pair of old trousers and a ragged shirt suddenly appear beside himin the reservoir, Tom Rand could show nothing of what he felt. Talkingwas out of the question. 

Suddenly the water about Joe and the diver was illuminated, and Joelooked to see the electric, waterproof light glowing. The diver hadturned the switch to give his rescuer every chance to work. 

And in that light Joe saw what the trouble was. One of the diver'sleaden-weighted feet was caught in the valve of the pipe in such a waythat he was held a prisoner. No wonder the men up above had not beenable to pull loose Tom Rand. To do so they would have had to pull aparthis diving suit, or at least pull off one leg of it, and this wouldhave meant drowning the diver. 

Joe, holding to the heavy rope, was a few feet off the bottom of thereservoir now. To work effectively he must stand directly on thebottom, and he must be held down in some way. When a diver makes adescent he is pulled down by shoes which are heavily weighted withlead. Otherwise the buoyancy of the diving dress, filled as it is withair, would send him to the surface. And in Joe's case his human body, with his lungs inflated with air, would have come up after his dive hadhe not held himself down. But he must seek a new means of hold, if hewas to work to release the unfortunate man. 

Joe looked down at the water-covered ground, now illuminated by theelectric light. He saw just what he needed. Near the outlet pipe, inthe valve of which the diver's foot was caught, was an old stump. Therewas a root exposed--a root with a sort of loop--and under this Joethrust one foot. It was almost like the stirrup of a saddle, onlyinstead of holding Joe's foot up, the root held it down. 

"Now I can have both my hands free, " thought Joe, as he fixed his footfirmly in the loop of the root. 

Joe looked through the glass-windowed copper helmet. He could see theman's face now, and on it was a look of horror, mingled with new andsudden hope. 

The boy fish pointed to the valve in the outlet pipe, and made a motionas though prying on a crowbar. He wanted to indicate that he neededsome sort of lever to work with. 

Tom Rand understood at once, and slightly nodded his big head. Then hestooped down and, after feeling about in the mud near his uncaughtfoot, he picked up a short bar of iron. 

Joe nodded to show that was what he wanted, and he moved as close as hedared to where the lead-weighted foot was caught. Joe had to be carefulin two respects. He did not dare go too near the pipe, for a stream ofwater was rushing through it and there was considerable suction, thoughnot as much as there would be when the valve was fully opened. AndJoe's feet, not being encased in big rubber boots, were small enough tobe drawn into the same hole where Rand's was caught. 

The diver was standing with most of his weight on his left foot. It wasthe right one that was caught, and this was thrust forward and outward, at an angle of about forty-five degrees from the upright one. And itwas being caught in this peculiar position that had prevented the diverfrom aiding himself. 

He could not lean forward far enough to bring effective pressure on theiron lever that had been lowered to him, or he might have pried his ownfoot loose, or have opened the valve wide enough to enable him towithdraw it. 

"And he's been standing in that painful position for hours, " thoughtJoe, "trying to help himself and not being able to. No wonder he wantedmore air. He must be pretty nearly exhausted with the water pressureand the horror of it all. "

Joe himself was suffering from the weight of water and from the laborof holding his breath. This labor was increased at the depth in whichhe was. It was deeper than he had ever gone down before--five times asdeep as his glass tank in the circus. 

Joe took the iron bar in both hands and worked himself as near to theoutlet pipe as he dared go. 

One end of the bar was pointed, and Joe inserted this between the leadsole of the diver's boot and pried cautiously. He was working as fastas he could, and he realized that more than a minute of his preciousfour--or, at best, four and a half--had passed. And he had only begun. Could he stand it? Could he hold his breath long enough to make therescue?

"I will do it! I will!" Joe told himself down there under the water. 

Several times he put all the weight he could bring to bear on the ironbar, and Joe was well muscled. But the foot was still held fast. Joewas afraid of using too much force for fear of making a hole in theboot, or of causing the diving suit to leak. But the foot would notstir. 

Joe wished he had a longer bar, so he could get more leverage, butthere was no time to signal for one. Nor could Tom Rand help him bypressing on the end. The diver could not lean forward far enough. 

"I've got to do it all by myself, " thought Joe grimly. 

Again and again he pried with all the force he dared use. Somethingtapped him on the shoulder. He looked around to see the diver beckoningto him. Joe leaned back and saw, by the motions made by Rand's fingers, that the diver was trying to tell him to pry on the valve itself. 

Joe turned back to his work again. His heart was beating like a hammernow. Every muscle ached with the strain and his head felt as if itwould burst. Joe knew he must have passed the four-minute period. Howmuch longer could he stay under?

Not long, he feared. He had about reached his limit in this depth ofwater. He felt that he simply must let out a breath and draw in----

No! He couldn't do that. To breathe in now would mean slow suffocation. He must hold out. 

He put the pointed end of the iron lever in a crack in the valve. Hepressed with all his available strength. Nothing gave. Again Joe shoveddown. His head seemed to swim, and it was black before his eyes. Stillthe imprisoned foot was caught. 

Once more Joe pressed, and then, to his joy, he felt something giveway. So suddenly did it happen that the bar fell from his hand. Thencame a great rush of water. Joe had opened the valve so wide that thewater was flowing out in a great volume. 

He felt himself being sucked forward. Desperately he forced himselfback. His foot, held under the root, seemed as if it would be torn fromhis leg. 

Then he felt great arms about him. He knew them to be those of thediver. In the light of the electric lamp Joe saw the man pull his legloose, and then, while consciousness almost left Joe, he felt himselfbeing carried toward the surface. 

The diver had been able to free himself when Joe opened the valve. Inan instant he had signaled to be pulled up, and as he shot toward thesurface, seeing Joe's great danger he had clasped him in his arms. Together the rescuer and rescued were pulled up, and an instant laterJoe, who felt that he simply could not hold his breath another fractionof a second, found himself in the air and gulped in great mouthfuls ofit. Oh, what a relief it was! For a moment, in the great need of it, heforgot what he had done. 

But others did not forget it, and no sooner was it seen that the diver, alive, was out of the underwater trap, and that Joe, in his arms, hadalso come up, than a great cheer was shouted forth. 

Eager hands lifted Joe and the diver to the top of the dam, and whilesome supported Joe, who was quite weak, others began to loosen thediver's helmet, for, until this was done, it was necessary to pump airto him. 

Then a doctor, who had been in readiness to give aid in case the rescuewas made in time, came up to minister to both of those who seemed tohave come back from the edge of a watery grave. 

CHAPTER XXIV

NEW HOPE

Joe's first realization, after he had regained his nearly spent breathand accepted a blanket which he wrapped around him, was that Helen wasstanding near him, holding his hand. 

"Oh, Joe!" she murmured. "I am so glad--so glad--and proud of you!"

He smiled, rather a weak smile it is true, but it was a smile. 

"Better look out, " he said. "I'll get you wet. "

"I don't care, " she replied. 

"She wouldn't go away, " said Mr. Blair, who had Joe's other hand andwas vigorously shaking it. "I tried to make her go when--when fourminutes passed and you didn't come up. We thought maybe you were caughtfast, too. "

"Was I down four minutes?" asked Joe. 

"Four minutes and forty seconds, " said Helen. "I kept track by my wristwatch. It was awful, Joe, to see the seconds ticking off. I couldhardly do it--but--I did, " she finished with a smile. 

"Four minutes and forty seconds, " murmured Joe. "Then I've beaten theworld's record. "

"Yes, " said Helen. 

"If it had only been in the circus tank, " Joe went on. "It would havebeen a big advertisement for the show. "

"I fancy you'll get advertisement enough out of it as it is, " said Mr. Blair significantly, as he glanced at the enthusiastic crowd which theconstables had hard work to prevent from overwhelming Joe, the diverand others on the wall of the reservoir. "And here come the newspapermen to have a talk with you. They've been here ever since word went outthat the diver was held down there under the water. "

But Dr. Wertz, who had been giving some medicine to the diver, now cameover to Joe and insisted on examining him before he would allow thereporters to interview the boy fish. 

"Oh, I'm all right, " Joe said. "Thank you just the same. All I need isa little fresh air. "

"But my dear young man, you were under water a long while--nearly fiveminutes. You may be injured. "

"Oh, I guess not, " Joe said. "I am used to it, you see, " and he quicklyexplained. 

"Ach! So? Yes!" exclaimed Dr. Wertz, who spoke at times with apronounced German accent. "And have you felt no ill effects of thewater pressure on your vocal chords or your ear drums?"

"Why, no, I haven't, " said Joe, and a strange thought came into hismind. "You see, I haven't been at it long. But a friend of mine wasdisabled from doing the act I'm doing in the circus. "

"So? I think I should like to have a talk with you, young man, aboutyourself and that friend of yours when there is time, " said Dr. Wertz. "Just now let me look you over. "

He took Joe into the gate house, to which the diver had already beencarried. Tom Rand, whose diving suit had been removed, was lying on animprovised bed. He seemed weak and ill, but he held out a rathertrembling hand to Joe. 

"I guess you're the chap who saved my life, " he said slowly. "I can'tthank you--now--too nearly all in. But I--I guess you know how I feelabout it. "

"Sure--yes, " answered Joe. "It's an even deal. You grabbed me just intime or I'd have been in that pipe, too. "

The diver nodded. 

"It was a close call, " he said. 

Arrangements were being made to take the diver to the local hospital. He was not seriously hurt, only he had been under a strain and neededrest and quiet. The physician looked Joe over. 

"Well, I can't find anything the matter with you, " he said with asmile. "You certainly are a marvel at holding your breath, though. Nearly five minutes! I don't see how you did it. "

"Just practice, I guess, " Joe answered. "Then, too, I made up my mind Iwasn't coming up without him, " and he nodded toward Tom Rand. 

While Joe was dressing, after vigorously rubbing himself, the diver wastaken away. Dr. Wertz accompanied him, and promised to see Joe again, for our hero had certain questions he wanted to ask the physician. 

Joe then gave the newspaper men the chance they had been waiting for. Several of them had flocked to the scene of the accident as soon as itwas known that something mysterious had happened to the diver. And Joewas in a position to tell exactly what the situation was down under thewater, though he had not yet heard just how the diver came to becaught. 

Joe described his own work modestly enough, but the newspaper men wereshrewd enough to guess what Joe had left out, and one may be sure, inthe writing of the story, they omitted none of the thrills. 

It was a "big story" and soon was being telegraphed over the country, though, of course, the local papers made the most of it, spreading itentirely across their front pages, using big headlines. Joe's picturewas snapped by several photographers, one having secured a view of Joein his ragged trousers and old shirt--the improvised bathing suit. 

"Well, I suppose we might as well be getting back to the circus, " saidJoe to Helen, when he could get away from the reporters andphotographers. An admiring crowd of boys followed him as he made hisway out to his motor-cycle. 

"Are you going on with your act--after what you have gone throughwith?" asked Helen in surprise. 

"Why not?" Joe asked in some astonishment. "No one else can take myplace, can he?"

"No, but I should think you'd be so exhausted that you couldn'tperform. "

"Oh, I'm all right, " said Joe easily; but, truth to tell, he did feelthe strain. "I may not try to break any under-water records, " he wenton, "but I'll do all the rest of it. "

Some of the circus folk had witnessed the sensational rescue by Joe, and when he and Helen reached the circus grounds our hero was met byJim Tracy. 

"What's this I hear about you?" asked the ringmaster. 

"Nothing bad, I hope, " answered Joe with a smile. 

"I should say not! Say! this will be the biggest card you ever had, orthe circus either. Wait until you see what happens, Joe. "

And something did happen. 

Jim had the whole story from the early editions of the papers, whichsold in great numbers on the circus grounds. Of course, there was arecord breaking crowd at the show, for the story had spread that theyoung rescuer of the imprisoned diver was the boy fish who performed inthe glass tank with the seal, and reserved seats near Joe's platformwere at a premium. 

Joe spoke to the ringmaster, saying he thought he would not try for avery long under-water stay that afternoon, as his chest hurt him alittle. 

"I should say you wouldn't try!" exclaimed Jim. "I wouldn't let you. And don't work on the trapeze at all. Just do as much of your tank actas you can. "

"Oh, I can do all that, " Joe said quickly, "and string it out a bit ifI cut out the trapeze work. "

"Cut it out, then--at least for to-day. "

When Jim Tracy made his usual announcement about Joe, before the boyfish entered the tank, there was a burst of applause at the mention ofour hero's name, some one called out:

"Three cheers for the pluckiest lad in seven counties!"

There was a roar from the big crowd in the circus tent, and Joeblushingly bowed his thanks. The papers had made his bravery known toevery one, and there was a craning of necks to see him. 

It was a relief to Joe to swim about in the tank after what he had donein the forty feet of water, and he floated about with Lizzie, doinggraceful turns, exhibiting some of his tricks, and eating under water. The seal seemed to show much affection for her young owner, and tookpiece after piece of fish from his hand beneath the surface. 

Joe's act was applauded again and again, and he had to take severalcurtain calls, though, of course, there was no curtain in the circus. 

"It went well, Joe! It was big!" whispered Jim Tracy, as our hero wentto his dressing-room after the act was over. "It's the biggest cardyet. I'm going to have new posters printed, showing you rescuing thediver. "

"Oh, I wouldn't do that. "

"Sure I will. And say, Joe, if you want to ask for more money I won'tobject, " and the ringmaster smiled. 

"Well, I can always use it, " Joe replied. 

Jim Tracy nodded, but he wondered what Joe was doing with his largesalary--that is, large in circus circles. 

At night an even larger crowd came to the circus, and Joe's act seemedthe center of attraction. He was glad, not only on his own account, butbecause it helped to advertise the circus. 

Jim Tracy made a hasty change in plans and stayed two more days in thetown where Joe had made the rescue, since it was the center of a largecommunity. And each additional day and night saw the big tent jammed. Joe's fame was spreading. 

He called on Tom Rand in the hospital, and was glad to find the divermuch improved. Rand explained how the accident had happened. 

He was adjusting the valve, which was impossible to work from the gatehouse above, when his foot slipped in the mud. As the pipe was partlyopen, his leaden-soled boot became jammed in the crack. Try as he did, he could not get loose, and he was losing hope when Joe came swimmingdown to him. 

"I thought at first you were a big fish, such as I've often seen in myocean-diving work, " said the man. "And when I had a good look at you Isure was startled. "

"Well, they call me the boy fish, " Joe said with a smile. 

Dr. Wertz was at the hospital, and shook his head at seeing Joe. 

"I can't understand why you aren't suffering from your under-waterwork, " said the physician. "I am, as perhaps you know, engaged by thecompany for whom Mr. Rand works. It employs several divers, and ontasks where there is a risk I am always on hand to be ready to aid themen if necessary. That is why I happened to be at the reservoir. "

"I have made a study of diseases and ailments brought on by waterpressure and diving work, and I wonder you do not show some signs ofear or throat trouble. "

"I'd like to talk to you about that, " said Joe. "The young man whoseplace I took is suffering from that. He is going deaf and dumb, theytell me, " and Joe gave all the details of Benny's case. 

"And you say they have given up hope of curing him?" asked Dr. Wertz. 

"Yes, " said Joe. "Can it be done? Would an operation help?"

"It would, " said the physician quickly. "I have not done it myself, nordo I feel justified in attempting it. But there is a fellow countrymanof mine, now in New York, who has operated most successfully. His feesare high, not necessarily for himself, but a complicated apparatus isnecessary, and it takes several assistants and nurses who must be paid. I have no doubt but if Dr. Hassenberg operated on your friend he couldcure him!"

"Then, " said Joe slowly, "I wish you would arrange it for me. I wantBenny cured!"

CHAPTER XXV

GOOD NEWS

These were busy days in the circus. Again the end of the season wasdrawing near. Fall was at hand, and in some places the SampsonBrother's Show had to compete with county fairs with their exhibitionsof big pumpkins, fat pigs and monster ears of corn, to say nothing ofthe horse-racing. 

But the circus with which Joe traveled did good business. And it is notexaggerating to say that a good deal of it was due to Joe's fame. Forhis rescue of the diver had been heralded over all the country, andparticularly in the section where the circus was then playing. 

Crowds came daily and nightly to see Joe in the tank with the trainedseal, and now, more than ever, persons were taking out their watchesand timing Joe's stay under water. 

He had resumed that feature of his exhibition, and though he neveragain equaled his record of four minutes and forty seconds, he severaltimes stayed under for thirty-seven seconds beyond the four minutes, thus evening up with the record established as a world's record--thatis, so far as is known. 

Now and then Joe introduced something new in the way of a trick, for hestill kept up his sleight-of-hand practice, not knowing when it mightbe useful. He could not do much of that under water, but what he did dowas novel in effect. Lizzie, too, was very teachable, and she and Joebecame great friends. It may seem queer to have a seal for a pet, butthey are very intelligent animals, and, unlike a fish, they can liveout of water. 

Joe heard from Tom Rand, the diver. He had fully recovered and wasagain back at his perilous calling. He wrote to Joe thanking him forhaving saved his life, but, as has been said, Joe rather counted it aneven thing for had the diver not caught him in time our hero wouldcertainly have been drawn into the pipe and killed. 

The water committee of the town also passed a vote of thanks to Joe forhis work, for he had saved them large expense and perhaps a suit fordamages in case the diver had been drowned. 

It was the last few weeks of the circus. Joe had been working hard, andso had Helen, for she had introduced some new effects with her trickhorse. Joe had given up most of his trapeze work to devote more time tohis tank, but he still did a few of his most thrilling feats on thebars. 

"Let's go for a ride, " he said to Helen one day, as he brought out hismotor-cycle. "It's too nice to stay around the lot. I'll get you backin time. "

"Please do, " she urged. "And don't leave me in order to go diving inreservoirs, either. "

"I won't, " Joe promised. 

They rode off through the beautiful country, and when it was nearingnoon Joe turned about. 

"Why are you in such a hurry to get back?" asked Helen. "We don't go onuntil nearly three o'clock, and we aren't far from the grounds. "

"I'm expecting a telegram, " Joe said, "and I want to be on hand when itcomes. "

"A telegram, " repeated Helen. "Oh, Joe! is it about your mother'sestate in England?"

Joe shook his head. 

"I guess there isn't any estate, " he said. "I've given up hope of that. No, this is something else. "

But he offered no explanation, and though Helen felt, in view of theirfriendship, that he might tell her, still she did not ask. 

As they reached the circus grounds and Joe was putting away hismotor-cycle, he saw Tonzo Lascalla coming toward him. 

"Well, and how is the millionaire to-day?" asked the trapeze performer. 

"Millionaire?" asked Joe, in some surprise. 

"Why, yes, you must be that since you get so much money and are neverknown to spend any, " returned the Spaniard. 

There was a sneer on his face, and his words showed how much contempthe thought he felt for Joe. 

"You must have money in the bank, " put in Sid, coming up just then. 

"Well, suppose I have?" asked Joe, with a tinge of anger in the words, "I earn what I get, don't I?"

"Oh, you may, " replied Tonzo, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Youcertainly keep what you get--that is sure. "

"Of a certainty, yes!" chimed in Sid. "Not once have you treated thecrowd on the strength of your increases in salary. "

"No, " returned Joe slowly, "I haven't, that's a fact. And now I want tosay one thing. I know you fellows have been calling me a 'tight-wad'and all that. I stood for it because----"

At that moment a dusty youth came pushing his way up to Joe, theLascallas and some others of the circus folk who had formed a groupabout the boy fish. The youth was in the uniform of a telegraphmessenger, and he pushed a dusty wheel, chewing gum the while. 

"Say, where's Joe Strong?" he asked of no one in particular. "I've gota wire for him. Is he de guy what does dat tank act? Say! dat's swell, all right. I'd like to see dat, I would!"

He took off his cap, and from the top extracted a telegram and areceipt sheet. 

"I'm Joe Strong, " said our hero quietly. 

"G'wan!" answered the messenger. "Why, he must be a big guy to do allde bills says he does--rescuin' a diver an' all dat! G'wan!"

There was a laugh, but others assured the boy that Joe could make goodhis claim to identity. 

"Sign dis, " the messenger said, extending the telegram and receiptblank to Joe. The boy fish hurriedly scribbled his name, and then toreopen the envelope. As he read a look of surprise and joy showed on hisface. 

"Hurrah!" he cried. "This is good news! Now, fellows, I'll tell you whyI wouldn't spend my money treating you. I wanted to, badly enough, butI had other ways for my cash. Now I can tell you, since it's all overand a success. But first let me read you this. "

He held up the message and read:

 "Operation an entire success. Benny will both hear and speak. He can rejoin circus by next season and do tank work if he likes. "

"Who's that from?" asked Helen, coming up in time to hear the message. 

"From the celebrated surgeon--a friend of Dr. Wertz, " said Joe. "Ihired him to operate on Benny Turton to save him from becoming deaf anddumb. It took a lot of money, but I'm glad I had it saved. And that'swhy I had to pose as--a 'tight-wad, ' fellows. "

Joe's voice faltered, but there was a happy look on his face. 

Tonzo Lascalla stepped forward. He held out his hand and said:

"I want to beg your pardon, Joe Strong. I have misjudged you!"

"So have I!" exclaimed Sid. 

They were both very much in earnest, and as they shook hands there weretears in Joe's eyes. But they were happy tears. Others of the circusfolk who had not understood Joe made haste to make amends, and, for atime, there was a happy group. 

"And I didn't understand, either, " said Helen softly as she and Joewalked away, together. "I thought you might be wasting your moneyfoolishly. Oh, Joe, I am so happy!"

The news of Benny's recovery soon spread, and there was rejoicing amongthe circus folk, for the "human fish" had many friends. 

"What does it all mean?" asked Jim Tracy. 

"It just means that when I knew Benny needed an operation I begansaving my salary to pay for it, since I knew he couldn't, " said Joe. "Imade him that promise, and I also promised to send to his mother eachweek what he had been in the habit of sending her. So, in spite ofearning a big salary, I didn't have much of it for myself. "

"I see, " murmured the ringmaster. 

"When the first doctor said there was no chance, even with anoperation, for Benny's recovery, I was discouraged. But when thediver's physician talked to me I had more hope, and I got him to engagethe specialist for Benny. He took charge of all the arrangements, andnow the good news comes. Benny will recover and can again be the tankactor. "

Jim Tracy scratched his head. 

"I don't know about that, " he said. "Of course, we'll take Benny back, but he may have to get a new act. We don't want to give you up--you andyour seal. The circus needs you. "

"To tell you the truth, " said Joe, "I am thinking of giving it up. "

"Giving it up!" cried the ring-master. 

"Yes. I don't want what happened to Benny to happen to me. I'll finishout the season with you, of course, but after that----"

"What are you going to do?" asked Tracy. 

"I'm planning some new turns, " Joe said. And those of you who areinterested in them and in Joe Strong are invited to follow his fortunesin the next volume of this series, to be called: "Joe Strong on theHigh Wire; Or, Motor-Cycle Perils of the Air. "

"Well, we sure will hate to lose you, " said Jim Tracy, "but I'm gladBenny will get well and come back to us. "

"So am I, " said Joe softly. 

Somewhere in the circus tent a bugle blew. At once all over the circusgrounds there were signs of activity. 

"Pretty nearly time to start, " observed the ring-master. 

"Yes, " agreed Joe. "And I'm going to try for the long record thisafternoon--as long as when I was in the reservoir with diver Tom Rand. "

"Good!" exclaimed Jim Tracy. "I hope you do it. "

A little later Joe, in his red, scaly suit, was in the glass tank withthe goldfish and the trained seal, while all about were throngs ofwondering persons marveling at the endurance powers of the boy fish. 

And so, for a time, we will take leave of Joe Strong. 

The End.