nning to feel the
strain. He had not had as much practice at holding his breath under
water as Benny Turton.

"It might be a good thing to have a clock just outside the tank where I
could look at it," thought Joe. "That's another point I'll suggest to
Benny 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 his
hands and then, by a mere motion, he caused them to vanish. This he
accomplished by the familiar "palming" method. Also he concealed the
things in the false bottoms of two metal vases he was using under
water.

It was not a very finished performance, and Joe really had not had time
to 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 averted
and the circus crowd was not given a chance to find fault because
something down on the programme had not been given. The management had
kept faith with the public.

Joe's head was beginning to ache a little now, and his chest felt the
strain 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 metal
coins from the bottom of the tank. Joe wished he had practised that
trick, 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 under
water.

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

"If I keep on I'll be able to eat under water," thought Joe, "and
that'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 knew
he must bring it to a close soon now, for he was about at the limit of
his ability to hold his breath.

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

The world's record, it is said, is four minutes and thirty-seven
seconds, and is held by a man. A girl, about eighteen years old, has
remained under water doing various things, such as picking up objects
in her mouth, three and a half