Part 9 (1/2)

”Oh, in a couple of nights now,” Joe answered.

”You sure are making good, all right,” the ring-master informed him.

”I didn't make any mistake booking you. I didn't know whom to turn to in a hurry when Sim Dobley went back on me, and then I happened to think of you. Got your route from one of the magazines, and sent you the wire.”

”I was mighty glad to come,” confessed Joe.

The new act created more applause than ever for the Lascalla Brothers when it was exhibited, but the louder applause seemed to come to Joe, though he did not try to keep his fellow performers from their share.

And, as might be expected, there was not a little professional jealousy on the part of some of the other performers.

If Sid and Tonzo were jealous of him they took pains to hide that fact from Joe, but some of the others were not so careful. A few of the other gymnasts openly declared that the Lascalla Brothers were getting altogether too much public attention.

”They detract from me,” declared Madame Bullriva, the ”strong woman,”

whose star feat was to get beneath a board platform on which stood twelve men, and raise it from the saw-horses across which it lay.

True, she only raised it a few inches, but the act was ”billed big.”

”I don't get half the applause I used to,” she complained to Jim Tracy.

”You let those 'Spanish onions' have too much time in the ring, and give that Joe Strong a ruffle of drums and the big boom every time he makes the long jump.”

”But it's worth it,” said the ring-master. ”It's a big drawing card.”

”So's my act, but I don't get a single drum beat. Can't I have some music with my act?”

”I'll see,” promised the ring-master, but he had many other things to think of, and the act of Madame Bullriva went unheralded, to her great disgust.

”Talk about footlight favorites,” she complained to Helen Morton, as they dressed together for a performance, ”that Joe Strong is getting all that's coming to him.”

”Oh, I don't think he tries to take away from any of us,” Helen answered.

”No, he doesn't personally. He's a nice boy. But Tracy makes too much fuss over him. I like Joe, but he and his partners are 'crabbing' my act, all right.”

”Perhaps if you spoke to him----”

”What! Me? Let him know I cared? I guess not! I'll join some other circus first.”

”You might put another man on the platform, and lift thirteen,” the young trick rider suggested.

”What! Lift thirteen? That would be unlucky, my dear. I did it once when I was on the Western circuit in a Wild West show, and believe me--never again! I strained a shoulder muscle, and I had to lie up in a hospital five weeks. Twelve men are enough to lift at once, take it from me! But Joe is a nice boy, I'll say that. Don't you like him?”

Helen's answer was not very clear, but perhaps that was because she was fixing her hair in readiness for the entrance into the ring with her trained horse, Rosebud.

Joe, Helen and Benny Turton seemed to have formed a little group among themselves. They sat together at the circus table, and when they were not ”on,” they were much in the company of one another.

They were about the same age, and they enjoyed each other's society greatly, being congenial companions. Joe was ”introduced” to Rosebud and, being naturally fond of animals, he made friends with the intelligent horse at once, which pleased Helen.

She and Joe were getting very fond of one another, though perhaps neither of them would have admitted that, if openly taxed with it.

But, somehow or other, Joe seemed naturally to drift over near Helen when they were both in the tent, awaiting their turns. And when their acts were over they either took walks together in and about the town where the circus was playing, or they sat in their dressing tent talking. Often Benny Turton would join them, always being made welcome.

But Benny did not have much time. His s.h.i.+mmering, scaly, green suit was quite elaborately made, and it took him some time to get into it.