section where the circus was then playing.

Crowds came daily and nightly to see Joe in the tank with the trained
seal, and now, more than ever, persons were taking out their watches
and timing Joe's stay under water.

He had resumed that feature of his exhibition, and though he never
again equaled his record of four minutes and forty seconds, he several
times stayed under for thirty-seven seconds beyond the four minutes,
thus evening up with the record established as a world's record--that
is, so far as is known.

Now and then Joe introduced something new in the way of a trick, for he
still kept up his sleight-of-hand practice, not knowing when it might
be useful. He could not do much of that under water, but what he did do
was novel in effect. Lizzie, too, was very teachable, and she and Joe
became great friends. It may seem queer to have a seal for a pet, but
they are very intelligent animals, and, unlike a fish, they can live
out of water.

Joe heard from Tom Rand, the diver. He had fully recovered and was
again back at his perilous calling. He wrote to Joe thanking him for
having saved his life, but, as has been said, Joe rather counted it an
even thing for had the diver not caught him in time our hero would
certainly have been drawn into the pipe and killed.

The water committee of the town also passed a vote of thanks to Joe for
his work, for he had saved them large expense and perhaps a suit for
damages in case the diver had been drowned.

It was the last few weeks of the circus. Joe had been working hard, and
so had Helen, for she had introduced some new effects with her trick
horse. Joe had given up most of his trapeze work to devote more time to
his tank, but he still did a few of his most thrilling feats on the
bars.

"Let's go for a ride," he said to Helen one day, as he brought out his
motor-cycle. "It's too nice to stay around the lot. I'll get you back
in time."

"Please do," she urged. "And don't leave me in order to go diving in
reservoirs, either."

"I won't," Joe promised.

They rode off through the beautiful country, and when it was nearing
noon Joe turned about.

"Why are you in such a hurry to get back?" asked Helen. "We don't go on
until 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 it
comes."

"A telegram," repeated Helen. "Oh, Joe! is it about your mother's
estate in England?"

Joe shook his h