here were the flat vehicles
on which the big animal cages stood, box cars for the horses and
elephants and the sleeping cars in which the company traveled.

"Oh, but it's good to get back!" exclaimed Joe.

The parade was in progress as he walked along the main street. He did
not stop to watch it, having seen it often enough. Besides he was
anxious to talk to Helen, and he knew he would find her at the tent at
this hour, since she was not in the parade.

As Joe turned in at the circus lots he saw several of the attendants
and canvasmen.

"Hello!" they called cheerily. "Glad to see you with us again!"

"And I'm glad to be back!" Joe exclaimed heartily. "How's everything?"

"Oh, fine."

"Had any trouble?"

"Not much since you had yours. Had to shoot Princess a couple of towns
back."

"You mean the lioness?"

"Yes. She went on a rampage and there was nearly a bad accident, so we
had to kill her."

"Too bad," remarked Joe, for he knew what a loss it meant to a show
when a fine animal, such as Princess was, must be disposed of. "Still
it was better than to have her kill her trainer or some one," he added.

"That's right," agreed a canvasman.

Joe passed on to the dressing tent. Helen saw him coming and ran to
meet him.

"Oh, Joe!" she exclaimed. "I am so glad to see you! Are you all right
again?"

"Quite, thank you. I'm a little lame and stiff yet, but I'll soon get
limbered up when I get in my tights and feel myself swinging from a
trapeze."

"Oh, but you must be careful, Joe."'

"I will. I don't want to have another accident. And now about
yourself. How have you been?"

"Fine."

"And Rosebud?"

"The same as ever. I've taught him a new trick. I must show you. I
haven't put it on in public yet."

"I shall like to see him. Well, you haven't had any more fortunes left
to you, have you?"

"No, indeed. I wish I had. But I can increase what I have."

"How?"

"Just buy more oil stock. I had a letter from Mr. Sanford, saying he
could get me some more. It's going up in price; so he advised me to
buy at once."

"Are you going to?"

"Would you?" Helen asked.

"I'll tell you later," Joe answered. "Have you one of the stock
certificates you did buy?"

"Yes. In my trunk. Do you want to see it?"

Joe did and said so. Helen got it for him and Joe compared it with the
one the man in the hospital had given him. His heart sank as he saw
that the names of the officers and dir