on the
road motor-cycling some day," said Jim Tracy. "If you do, and don't get
back 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 go
too far away, so, in case of some accident to the machine, he could
hire a horse and wagon to bring him and Helen back. But the machine had
not 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 got
it and the seal I seemed to be going it pretty heavy in the matter of
expenditures."

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 far
as making the machine go without it, Joe might as well have had a bad
smash-up.

Helen was not with him, and he was glad of this, for when the break
came he was on his way back to the circus grounds, as it was nearing
time for the afternoon performance.

Joe tried to mend the chain himself, but a link was needed and he had
no spare one. He was looking about on the country road for some place
where he could hire a horse and carriage, when he met a small boy who
told him there was a garage about a mile away. Joe decided that if he
could get his chain repaired he could make better time than by engaging
a horse.

Accordingly he pushed the heavy machine along a sandy road until he
came to the garage and repair shop. To his delight, the machinist said
he 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 time
to reach the circus on time, even if he rode at top speed, and had
excellent roads all the way.

He was returning by a different route from the one he had taken on
going 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 his
watch. "I've cut my schedule too fine."

He came to a small village and inquired of some loungers if there was
not a shorter route to the circus town than the one he had been told to
take.

"Well, there is a short cut," said a man, "if you can ride the railroad
track. Otherwise you can't get over the river without going five miles
out of your way. The railroad bridge over the river is the only one
around here, and it's a long, high bridge at that."

"I guess I can ride the railroad," said Joe.