anies and other amusement
enterprises.

Joe had seen it before, and he now looked through it for any news of
Professor 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 glanced
over the advertisements there was one that caught his attention. He
read it once--twice, eagerly. Then he cried:

"Say, I believe that would be the very thing I've been looking for! If
I 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 offering
for sale a trained seal, guaranteed to be kind and gentle, and able to
do 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 in
the theatrical paper. The boy fish asked for all particulars regarding
the seal, inquiring especially if a stranger could put it through the
usual tricks, and if it would readily learn a few new ones.

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

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

"There isn't any _she_ about it," Joe would retort, but he could not
help getting red in the face.

"You ought to send her a self-addressed envelope," added one of the
clowns. "Maybe she can't write, Joe."

"It's awful hard to get your mail when you're with a circus," sighed
the 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 another
friend now, outside the business."

"Oh, I'm not worrying," laughed Helen, but Joe thought she did look at
him in a peculiar manner, and she blushed slightly. For Joe's anxiety
over the letter was obvious to all.

And he did not want to tell even Helen his expectations and hopes for
fear he would be disappointed. He knew Helen would keep his secret if
he so requested, but he thought it better, everything considered, not
to say anything until he had had a reply from the man who offered the
trained seal for sale.

And at last a letter came for him. It had been delayed, reachin