thought to himself that he could
attend to his particular business as well, if not better, by traveling
with the show a few days than in any other way, and he asked:

"Do you want a good dancer?"

"If you mean yourself, I'll say yes mighty quick. Will you come?"

"There is no reason why I shouldn't for a while, providing you won't
make any objection if I should leave very suddenly."

"Say, my boy, what are you up to in this section of the country, eh?"

"Nothing in particular, or perhaps it would be best to say, nothing
that I can explain."

"Then I won't ask any questions. How much do you want a night to do
two turns, and help us out in any other way that may come up?"

"If you'll pay my traveling expenses and hotel bills, I'll go on for
one night, and, perhaps a week, but when it comes to leaving this
section of the country I shall have to stay behind."

"I'll accept the offer, and reckon we can keep you with us a good
while, if you are so stuck on this part of the State, for we intend to
remain within a circle of fifty miles for a couple of weeks. Business
has been so bad that we can't afford to make many long jumps, and there
are plenty of little towns where I hope to pull out money enough to set
us on our feet."

This plan exactly suited Jet, and he believed he had been very
fortunate in thus meeting the manager.

When the conductor came for the tickets, Jet's friend paid his fare to
the town where the company had been waiting for funds ever since the
day the young dancer felt forced to leave them.

It was a very cordial greeting which he received from the members of
the show party that night, and many times was he forced to give an
evasive answer in reply to their searching questions, lest his secret
should be discovered.

During the evening he wrote to Harvey, telling him how he proposed to
travel, and concluded by saying:

"You see, by this means I can stay around here a long while without
spending any of your money, and it seems as if there is less chance of
being suspected by friends of Bob's whom I might meet without knowing
them."

During the following day he helped distribute programmes, put the hall
to rights, and otherwise made himself so useful that all looked upon
him as a decided acquisition to the company.

On this night he did his regular turn, and instead of trying to prevent
himself from looking at the audience, stared at each person every time
he came on the stage, hopin