of it?"

"Oh, it was just accident, I guess."

"A lucky accident. We other performers will have to dress our acts
differently if we want to get any attention."

Joe's act was better that night than it had been in the afternoon. One
of the circus men caught a big mud turtle in the creek, near which the
tents were erected, and finding it was not of the biting kind, Joe put
it in the tank with the goldfish. That added to the effectiveness of
the scene at night.

"Say, what are you going to do with these fish?" asked an attendant as
he was about to empty Joe's tank after the night performance in order
to pack it for transportation.

"I arranged with the aquarium man to buy them back at a reduction,"
said Joe. "I don't suppose we can transport them very well, but I'll
keep the green plants. They'll live a long while and I like them in the
tank. The man who brought the fish also brought a small net to lift 'em
out with. It ought to be around here somewhere. Put the fish in the box
they came in, fill it with water and I'll send 'em back."

"You'll do nothing of the sort!" broke in Jim Tracy.

"Why not?" asked Joe, somewhat surprised.

"Because those goldfish are going to travel with you. They're a part of
the regular act after this, and don't you forget it! It went too well
to give up. We can carry goldfish as easily as a hippopotamus, I
reckon. Put 'em in some kind of a water-tight box, and we'll ship 'em
in the hippo tank, where he can't nose 'em out. I'll have a regular
traveling tank made for 'em later. Leave those fish behind? I guess
not! They're too good for that. Take 'em with you, Joe."

The boy fish was only too glad to do this. He had not hoped to have
this part of the act permanently, as he did not see how it was possible
to get a fresh supply of goldfish in each town where they played. But
taking the fish with them solved the problem.

The golden swimmers were put in the box in which they had been brought
to the circus grounds from the animal store, and when water was added
they swam about, seemingly in comfort, though their quarters were
rather crowded.

Joe put in some of the green aquatic plant, as this serves to keep the
fish healthy, and makes it unnecessary to change the water so often.

"But they'll have to have a fresh drink as soon as we arrive in the
morning," Joe said.

"I'll look after them," promised the keeper of the hippopotamus, who
was grateful to Joe for having stopped the big be