will."

"Did you call me?" asked the striker who had been appointed to wait on
the ring-master and learn his decision.

"I did _not_!" cried Jim Tracy. "I'm through with you. We don't need
your services."

"Ha!" laughed the man. "Let's see you get up the 'main top' without
us."

"Stick around long enough and you'll see it," said Joe Strong.

Joe found a group of the men performers gathered in the dressing tent,
discussing the situation. And while the ring-master hastened to gather
up such forces as he could muster, Joe made his little talk.

"You're just the very one we want," he said to Tom Jefferson, "the
strong man." "You ought to be able to put up the tent alone. Come on
now, gentlemen, we must all work together," and rapidly he explained
the situation to some who did not understand it.

"Will you help raise the tent?" Joe asked.

"We will!" cried the performers in a chorus.

Soon there was a busy scene in the circus "lots." Not that there is not
always a busy time when the show is being made ready, but this was
somewhat different. Led by Joe, the performers placed themselves under
the direction of some veteran canvasmen who had been working in other
departments of the circus.

Jim Tracy, who had in his day been a helper, took the part of the
striking foreman of the canvas-workers, and the "main top" soon began
to look as it always did. The big center poles were put in place and
guyed up. The sections of canvas were laced together in the regular
manner, so that they could be taken apart quickly simply by pulling on
a rope. Knots tied in erecting a circus tent must be made so they are
easily loosed, even in wet weather.

For a while the striking canvasmen stood and laughed at the efforts of
those who were taking their places. But they soon ceased to jeer. For
the tent was slowly but correctly going up.

"We'll give the show after all!" cried Joe, as he labored at lifting
heavy sections of canvas, pulling on ropes or driving stakes.

"I believe we will," agreed the ring-master. "I don't know how to
thank you, Joe."

"Oh, pshaw! I didn't do anything! I'm only helping the same as the
rest."

"Yes, but it was your idea, and you persuaded the men to pitch in."

And, in a sense, this was true. For Joe was a general favorite with
the circus performers, though he had been with them only a
comparatively short time. But he had his mother's reputation back of
him, as well as his father's,