e of velvet-covered boards.

With a lithe contortion, Joe squirmed to an upright position, recovering
his balance with a great effort, for he had been put out in his
calculations of distance, and then, turning, he bowed to the crowds,
revolving on the platform to take in every one.

Again the applause broke forth, to be drowned in the boom and ruffle of
the drums as the band began to play. There is little time in a circus,
where act follows act so quickly, for long acknowledgments.

The other performers came into the rings or on to the raised platforms,
and Joe descended by means of the rope ladder. Helen met him, and they
walked toward the dressing rooms.

"That was a wonderful trick, Joe," she said. "But I didn't see you
practice that drop."

"I didn't practice it," he remarked dryly. "I did it on the spur of the
moment."

"Joe Strong! wasn't it dangerous?"

"Well, a little."

"What made you do it?"

"I couldn't help it."

"You couldn't help it? Joe--do you mean--?" She sensed that something
was wrong, but walking around the circus arena, with performers coming
and going, was not the place to speak of it. Joe saw that she
understood.

"I'll tell you later," he said. "We have to get ready for the trick box
and the vanishing lady stunt now."

"Oh, Joe! were you in much danger?" she asked in a low voice.

"Oh, not much," he answered, and he tried to speak lightly. Yet he did
not like to think of that one moment when he saw the rusted and broken
wire.

While Joe and Helen are preparing for the box act, which has been
treated fully in the previous volume, the explanation of how the
vanishing lady trick was accomplished will be given, though that, too,
has been explained in an earlier volume.

A large newspaper is put on the stage and the chair set on the paper,
thus, seemingly, precluding the possibility of a trap door being cut in
the stage through which the lady in the chair might slip. The word
"seemingly" is used with a due sense of what it means. The newspaper was
not a perfect one. On one of its sides which was not exhibited to the
audience, there was cut an opening, or trap, that exactly corresponded
in size with a trap door on the stage. The paper, as explained in the
previous book, is strengthened with cardboard, and the trap is a double
one, being cut in the center, the flaps being easily moved either way.

The audience thinks it sees a perfect newspaper. But there is a square
hole in it, bu