s mind that this was a
good time to try to make a new under-water record--that is, new for
him.

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

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

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

Helen came back, and she and Joe went to breakfast. They sat not far
from 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 was
embarrassed and so she turned the conversation. Later on, when Helen
and 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 salary
isn't, for I told you about it. What Tonzo was hinting at was that I
ought to give some sort of banquet."

"Why?" Helen demanded.

"Oh, because I'm getting so much money. Well, I suppose I am earning
big pay, but, as I claim, I'm doing big work--that is double work. But
I'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 well
except that in one elaborate elephant trick one of the huge beasts
refused to do his share in the act.

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

This c