ndent. You just tell him that Casey sent you and it will be all
right."

"Thanks; perhaps we will," said Joe.

There was a little time after supper before the performers had to go on
with their acts, and Helen prevailed on Joe to take her to the hospital
whither the injured fire-eater had been removed. They found him swathed
in bandages, no objection being made to their seeing him after the magic
name of "Casey" had been mentioned to the superintendent.

"We came in to see if you needed any help," said Joe to the pathetic
figure in the bed. "We're in the same line of business, in a way."

"Are you a fire-eater?" slowly asked the man.

"No," Joe told him. "But I'm in the circus--Sampson Brothers'."

"Oh, yes, I've heard about it. A partner of mine was with 'em for years.
Gascoyne was his name."

"That was before my time," said Joe. "But how are you getting on? Can we
be of any help to you? We professionals must help one another."

"That's right. We get knocked often enough," was the reply. "Well, I'm
doing as well as can be expected, the doctor says. And I'm not really in
need of anything. The museum folks were pretty good to me. Thank you,
just the same."

"How did it happen?" asked Helen.

"Oh, just my carelessness," said the man. "We get careless after playing
with fire a bit. I put too much alcohol on the tow, and there was a
draft from an open door, some draperies caught, and it was all going
before I knew it. I tried to put it out--that's how I got burned."

"Then you really didn't eat fire?" asked Helen.

Joe and the man swathed in bandages looked at one another and a
semblance of a wink passed between them.

"Nobody can eat fire, lady," said the museum performer. "It's all a
trick, same as some your husband does in the circus."

Joe blushed almost as much as did Helen.

"We're not married yet, but we're going to be," explained Joe, smiling.

"Lucky guy!" murmured the man. "Well, as I was saying, it's all a
trick," he went on. "Strong alum solution in your mouth, just a dash of
alcohol to make a blaze that flares up but goes out quickly if you
smother it right. You know the game," and he looked at Joe.

"Well, not exactly," was the reply. "I've read something of it. But,
somehow, it never appealed to me."

"Oh, it makes a good act, friend!" said the man earnestly. "I've done a
lot of museum and circus stunts, and this always goes big. There's no
danger if you handle it right. I'll be more care