the next day in a big city for a two days' stand, every one was in good
humor. Staying over night in the same city where they exhibited during
the day was always a rest for the performers. They got more sleep and
were in better trim for work.

The last act was finished, the chariot races had taken place, and the
audience was surging out. The animal tent had already been taken down
and the animals themselves were being loaded on the railroad train.

As Joe, Helen, and the other performers started for their berths, to
begin the trip to the next town, the "main top" began coming down. The
circus was on the move.

Soon after breakfast the next morning, having seen that all his
apparatus had safely arrived, Joe visited Mr. Moyne in the latter's
office.

"Have you a bunch of tickets for me?" asked the young magician.

"Yes, here they are--several hundred picked at random from the boxes at
the entrance. I can't see anything wrong. If you're looking for
counterfeit tickets I don't believe you'll find them," added Mr. Moyne.

"I don't know that I am looking for counterfeits," said Joe. "That may
be the explanation, or it may be there is a leak somewhere in the ticket
wagon."

"I'm almost sure there isn't," declared the treasurer. "But of course no
one is infallible. I hope you get to the bottom of the mystery."