a wooden bar or on the
firmness of a rope, it behooves one to look well to the apparatus.

In regard to the tank, of course, there was comparatively little
danger, even should one of the glass sides break or a leak occur. The
worst would be that the water would escape and the act be spoiled. But
Joe did not want that to happen, so he carefully watched the men as
they took out the parts of the tank and began fitting them together on
the raised platform where Joe's act would occur.

A supply of white sand for the bottom of the tank was carried with the
glass box. When the water was drained off it after the night
performance, the sand was put in a box to be used over again.

Joe watched the men slip the big sheets of heavy plate glass into the
metal holding strips at the corners of the tank and tighten up the
rubber water-proof fittings. Then the sand was spread over the bottom,
the steps, by which Joe reached a little platform on the edge of the
water-filled tank, were put in place, and the act was nearly "set."

"Well, I guess I can't do much more with it now," thought Joe as he saw
the tank completed. "I'd better see about my trapezes."

As he crossed to another part of the tent he saw Helen giving some
orders about a few pieces of apparatus she used in her tricks with
Rosebud.

"Well, Joe," asked the girl, "you haven't caught any more hippos, have
you?"

"No, Helen, one a day is enough. How is everything with you?"

"All right. I'm going to give Rosebud his sugar."

"I'll walk along with you. I'm going to see about my trapezes."

"Oh, aren't you going to do the tank act? I thought I saw the men
setting it up."

"You did. I'm going to do a double turn--at least for a while."

"Good luck to you!"

Joe's trapeze work was simpler now that he had added the underwater
feature to his circus acts, and it did not take him long to see that
the bars, ropes and rings were in perfect condition, all fastenings
secure and made so they would not slip when the strain from a long
swinging jump came on them.

Then, having a little time on his hands before he would have to go on
for the afternoon show, Joe went in to town, to stroll about. The place
was filled with country visitors who had come in to see the circus,
this being the center of a thriving farming community. Joe, going into
a drug store to get an ice cream soda, saw in the window of an
establishment next door a large aquarium, in which goldfish were
swimming