Part 9 (1/2)

CHAPTER VIII

EXPERIMENTS

Since Joe Strong had decided that he would make of the tank act a better performance than had been possible the first two days of the opening of the circus season, he now resolved to watch the setting up of the big gla.s.s box. Joe wanted to learn all he could about the accessories of the act, for he had some new ideas he intended to put into effect if he found that he could succeed in the new work that had come to him by accident.

”Perhaps I can get up a new idea in regard to dressing the act,”

thought Joe. ”If I can, it may take even better than it has, and I can hold the public with me until I can develop my lung power and stay under an even four minutes, or perhaps longer.”

To ”dress an act” means, in stage language, to set up the scenery and to wear certain costumes, in other words the external fittings that serve to make the act more or less spectacular.

Some acts are ”dressed” very simply. That is, there may be only a simple room scene, with a table or chair. Then the actor depends on his action or his ”lines” to make an impression on the public.

Another act may be a very showy one with elaborate fittings and expensive costumes, and in this case, as a rule, the acting proper and the lines are not of so much importance.

In Joe's case he had no ”lines,” or spoken words, to attract the attention of his audience. It is hard to make the voice carry in a big circus tent, and even an accomplished ring-master often fails in this respect. Of course in Joe's case he could not talk under water, and aside from the introduction on the part of Jim Tracy there were no ”lines.”

”But I have an idea,” mused Joe, ”that I could dress the act differently from Benny's performance. He had it a little too plain. I don't know just what I want, but it's got to be something different.

I'm going to experiment.”

Of course there was no time that day to make changes. Already it was nearly time for the parade to be formed on the circus grounds. Joe, as well as several of the other performers, did not go in the parade, for they had to get ready the special apparatus connected with their acts.

In Joe's case, he had to look after his trapezes, and now, in addition, the tank, in order to make sure that all was in proper shape. Of course there were men whose duties were to see to these things for the performers, but Joe took no chances--he supervised everything himself very carefully, as did Tonzo and Sid Lascalla.

For when one's life depends on the strength of a wooden bar or on the firmness of a rope, it behooves one to look well to the apparatus.

In regard to the tank, of course, there was comparatively little danger, even should one of the gla.s.s sides break or a leak occur. The worst would be that the water would escape and the act be spoiled. But Joe did not want that to happen, so he carefully watched the men as they took out the parts of the tank and began fitting them together on the raised platform where Joe's act would occur.

A supply of white sand for the bottom of the tank was carried with the gla.s.s box. When the water was drained off it after the night performance, the sand was put in a box to be used over again.

Joe watched the men slip the big sheets of heavy plate gla.s.s into the metal holding strips at the corners of the tank and tighten up the rubber water-proof fittings. Then the sand was spread over the bottom, the steps, by which Joe reached a little platform on the edge of the water-filled tank, were put in place, and the act was nearly ”set.”

”Well, I guess I can't do much more with it now,” thought Joe as he saw the tank completed. ”I'd better see about my trapezes.”

As he crossed to another part of the tent he saw Helen giving some orders about a few pieces of apparatus she used in her tricks with Rosebud.

”Well, Joe,” asked the girl, ”you haven't caught any more hippos, have you?”

”No, Helen, one a day is enough. How is everything with you?”

”All right. I'm going to give Rosebud his sugar.”

”I'll walk along with you. I'm going to see about my trapezes.”

”Oh, aren't you going to do the tank act? I thought I saw the men setting it up.”

”You did. I'm going to do a double turn--at least for a while.”

”Good luck to you!”