Joe waved his hand to Helen in passing, and then he began to ascend to
his high platform. When he reached it and stood poised ready for his
act, there came a shrill whistle from Jim Tracy, the ringmaster, who
wore his usual immaculate shirt front and black evening clothes--rather
incongruous in the daytime.

The whistle was the signal for the other acts to cease, that the
attention of all might be centered on Joe. This is always done in a
circus in the case of "stars," and Joe was certainly a star of the first
magnitude.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" cried Jim Tracy, with the accented drawl that
carried his voice to the very ends of the big tent. "Calling your
attention to one of the most marvelous high trapeze acts ever performed
in any circus!"

He pointed dramatically to Joe, who stood up straight, ready to do his
act.

"Are you ready?" asked the man who was to release the trapeze, which
was caught up at one side of the platform opposite Joe.

"Ready," answered the young acrobat.

The man pulled a rope which released a catch, letting the trapeze start
on its long swaying swing. The man pulled it by means of a long, thin
cord, until it was making big arcs, like some gigantic pendulum.

Joe watched it carefully, judging it to the fraction of an inch. He
stood poised and tense on the gayly decorated platform, himself a fine