s,
and Joe was not a little apprehensive as he was hoisted to the top of
the tent. He saw the big pole to which his trapeze was fastened,
swaying as the wind shook the "main top."

CHAPTER XIV

HELEN'S INHERITANCE

Joe Strong had scarcely begun his act when he became aware that indeed
the storm was no usual blow and bluster, accompanied by rain. He could
feel his trapeze swaying as the whole tent shook, and while this would
not have deterred him from going on with his performance, he felt that
an accident was likely to occur that would start a panic.

"It surely does feel as if the old 'main top' was going to fall,"
thought Joe as he swung head downward by his knees, preparatory to
doing another act. He could see that many in the audience were getting
uneasy, and some were leaving their seats, though the red-capped ushers
were going about calling:

"Sit still! Keep your seats! There is no danger. The tent is
perfectly safe."

Jim Tracy had ordered this done. As a matter of fact the tent was not
perfectly safe, but under the circumstances it was best to tell the
people this to quiet them and to avoid having them make a rush to get
out, as in that case many would be hurt--especially the women and the
children.

"It's a good thing it isn't night," reflected Joe. "Whew! That was a
bad one!" he exclaimed as a terrific blast seemed fairly to lift one
side of the tent. Men started from their seats and women and children
screamed.

"Just keep quiet and it will be all right," urged the ring-master, but
the crowd was fast getting beyond control.

Joe saw Jim Tracy sending out a gang of men to drive the tent pegs
deeper into the ground. The rain softened the soil, and thus made the
pegs so loose that they were likely to pull out. At the same time the
rain, wetting the ropes, caused them to shrink, and thus exert a
stronger pull on the pegs and poles. So the ropes had to be eased off,
while the pegs were pounded farther into the ground with big mauls.

"Lively now, men!" called the ring-master.

The big tent swayed, sometimes the top of it being lifted high up by
the wind which blew under it. Again the sides would bulge in, making
gaps by which the rain entered.

But the band kept on playing. Jim saw to that, for nothing is more
conducive to subduing a panic than to let the crowd hear music. The
performers, too, kept on with their acts, and some of the audience
began to feel reassured.

But