bra. Sparks were seen to shoot from
his finger tips, and in an instant the seven lights were glowing. That
was an electrical trick. In reality the candles were gas jets, made to
look like wax tapers, and Joe lighted them from an electric current
produced by a dry battery he carried on his person.

He then proceeded to his main trick. He picked up a plate. It seemed to
contain pieces of bread. Joe touched the edge of the plate to a flame
of one of the candles. In an instant the plate was ablaze, and Joe
calmly began putting the blazing stuff on it into his mouth.

Cube after cube of the blazing "bread" he lifted up on a fork and thrust
between his lips. And he seemed to enjoy the "eating" of it.

The audience was spellbound. Every one's eyes were on Joe Strong doing
his fire-eating trick.

The plate was empty. Joe looked about as though for something else hot
to eat. He caught up an article from a table. Holding it to the flame of
a candle, it was at once ablaze.

And then, with a thrilling cry, Joe Strong leaped from the stage, his
two hands, held high above his head, seeming to be enveloped in a mass
of fire. And with this fire held over him, he ran toward the tank in
which Benny Turton did his "human fish" act.

The next instant Joe Strong, apparently ablaze all over, dived into the
tank.

CHAPTER XIV

HEAD FIRST

Which was the more surprised--Benny Turton, who had just finished his
fish act in his tank, the spellbound audience, or Jim Tracy, who was, in
a way, directing Joe's performance--it would be hard to say. All three
were thrilled by the unexpected outcome of the fire-eating act. Joe
Strong alone seemed perfectly at his ease, and, it might be mentioned
incidentally, perfectly at home in the water. He had, as told in a
previous volume, entitled "Joe Strong, the Boy Fish," perfected himself
in this sort of work, and could remain submerged for an unusually long
time.

Of course the fire which seemed to envelop the young magician was
instantly put out when he leaped into the tank. He was wearing a rather
fancy suit, and as he came up, wet and bedraggled, Jim Tracy could not
help wondering what Joe meant by his performance.

"Joe! Joe! was that part of the act or an accident?" asked Jim in a low
voice, as he ran over to where Joe was now climbing out of the tank.
For one instant Joe hesitated. The audience was wildly applauding now.
Clearly there was but one thought in their minds. The whole th