e dressing room. It was evidently shared with
others, for there were suits of men's tights scattered around, as well
as other belongings. Joe left his valise and went outside. He wanted
to see all he could--to get familiar with the life of a circus.

It cannot be said that Joe was exactly easy in his mind. He would much
rather have joined the circus without having supplanted a performer of
so vindictive a character as Sim Dobley. But, as it had to be, the lad
decided to make the best of it.

"I'll be on the watch for trouble," he murmured as he went out of the
dressing tent.

A busy scene was being enacted on the circus lots. In fact, many
scenes. It was feeding time for some of the animals and for most of
the performers and helpers. The latter would dine in one of the big
tents, under which long tables were already set. And from the distance
Joe could catch an odor of the cooking.

"My, but that smells good!" he told himself. He was hungry.

The Sampson Brothers' Show was a fair-sized one. It used a number of
railroad cars to transport the wagons, cages and performers from place
to place. On the road, of course, the performers and helpers slept in
the circus sleeping cars. But when the show remained more than one
night in a place some of the performers were occasionally allowed to
sleep at the local hotels, getting their meals on the circus grounds,
for the cooking for and feeding of a big show is down to an exact
science.

As Joe wandered forth he heard a voice calling to him:

"Well, where in the world did you come from?"

"Oh, hello!" cried our hero, as, turning, he saw Benny Turton, the
"human fish," walking toward him.

"I'm glad to see you again!" went on Benny, as he shook hands with Joe.

"And I'm glad to see you."

"What are you doing here?" the "human fish" asked.

"Oh, I'm part of the show now," replied Joe, a bit proudly.

"Get out! Are you, really?"

"I sure am!" And Joe told the circumstances.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it," said Ben. "Real glad!"

"How's your act going?" asked Joe.

The "human fish" paused a moment before answering.

"Oh, I suppose it goes as well as ever," he said slowly. "Only I----
Oh, what's the use of telling my troubles?" he asked, with a smile. "I
reckon you have some of your own."

"Not very big ones," confessed Joe. "But is anything the matter?"

"No, oh, no. Never mind me; tell me about yourself."

Joe told something of his experience