"h.e.l.lo! What"s this? There appears to be something else in the bottle!" exclaimed Joe, apparently surprised, as he held the flask up to his ear.
"Yes, I"ll let you out--right away," he said aloud. "There must be some mistake," he went on, "there is an animal in this bottle. I"ll have to break it open to get it out."
He went quickly back on the stage with the bottle, took up a hammer, and holding the flask over a table gently cracked the gla.s.s. In an instant he held up a little guinea pig.
There was a moment"s pause, and then the applause broke out at the effectiveness of the trick.
How was it done?
A trick bottle, you say at once. That is right. The bottle was made with three compartments. One held milk, another grape juice and the third water. Joe could pour them out in any order he wished, there being controlling valves in the bottom of the bottle.
But how did the guinea pig get inside?
It was another bottle. The bottom of this one had been cut off, and, after the guinea pig had been put inside, the bottom was cemented on again. This was done just before the trick was performed. On his way back to the stage, after having given the lady the gla.s.s of water, Joe subst.i.tuted the bottle containing the guinea pig for the empty one that had held the three liquids. This was where his quick sleight-of-hand work came in. When he gently broke the bottle it was easy enough to remove the little animal, which had been used in tricks so often that it was used to them.
Joe brought the show to a satisfactory conclusion, perhaps a little earlier than usual, as he was anxious to get to the hotel and see how the professor was. The audience seemed highly pleased with the illusions the boy wizard gave them, and clapped long and loud as Joe made his final bow.
He left the theatrical people and his helpers to pack up, ready for the trip to the next town, and hastened to the hotel. There he found Professor Rosello much better, though still suffering somewhat.
"Do you think you will be able to go on to-morrow night?" asked Joe.
"I don"t know," was the answer. "I can tell better to-morrow."
But when the next day came, after a night journey that was painful for Mr. Crabb, he found that he could not give his portion of the performance.
And as Joe alone was not quite qualified to give a whole evening"s entertainment it was decided to cancel the engagement. It was not an important one, though several good "dates" awaited them in other towns on the route.
"I think I need a rest, Joe," the professor said "My nerves are more shattered than I thought by that electrical accident. I need a good rest to straighten them out. I think we"ll not give any performances for at least a month--that is I sha"n"t."
Joe looked a little disappointed on hearing this. His living depended on working for the professor.
"I say I"ll not give any more performances right away, Joe," went on the professor, "but there"s no reason why you shouldn"t. I have been watching you of late, and I think you are very well qualified to go on with the show alone. You could get a helper, of course. But you can do most of my tricks, as well as your own. What do you say? I"ll make you a liberal offer as regards money. You can consider the show yours while I"m taking a rest. Would you like it?"
"I think----" began Joe, when there came a knock on the door of their hotel room.
"Telegram for Joe Strong!" called the voice of the bellboy.
CHAPTER IV
A CHANCE ENCOUNTER
Professor Rosello and Joe Strong looked at each other. It was not unusual for the magician to receive telegrams in reference to his professional engagements, but Joe up to now had never received one of the lightning messages which, to the most of us, are unusual occurrences.
"Are you sure it"s for me?" Joe asked the boy, as he opened the door.
"It"s got your name on it," was the answer. That seemed proof enough for any one.
"Maybe it"s from your folks--the deacon," suggested the professor.
"Something may have happened."
He really hoped there had not, but, in a way, he wanted to prepare Joe for a possible shock.
"I wonder if it can have anything to do with the deacon"s robbery,"
mused Joe as he took the message from the waiting lad. "But, no, it can"t be that. Denton and Harrison are still in jail--or they were at last accounts--and the robbery is cleared up as much as it ever will be. Can"t be that."
And then, unwilling and unable to speculate further, and anxious to know just what was in the message Joe tore open the envelope. The message was typewritten, as are most telegrams of late, and the message read:
"If you are at liberty, can use you in a single trapeze act. Forty a week to start. Wire me at Slater Junction. We show there three days.
Jim Tracy--Sampson Bros. Circus."
"What is it?" asked the professor as he noted a strange look on Joe"s face. In fact, there was a combination of looks. There was surprise, and doubt, and pleased antic.i.p.ation.
"It"s an offer," answered Joe, slowly.
"An offer!"
"Yes, to join a circus."
"A circus!"
The professor did not seem capable of talking in very long sentences.
"Yes, the Sampson Brothers" Show," Joe went on. "You know I went to see them that time they played the same town and date we did. I met the "human fish" and----"
"Oh, yes, I remember. You did some acts on the trapeze then."
"Yes, and this Jim Tracy--he"s ring-master and one of the owners--made me a sort of offer then. But I didn"t want to leave you. Now he renews the offer."
The boy wizard handed the message to the professor who read it through carefully. Then after a look at Joe he said:
"Well, my boy, that"s a good offer, I"d take it. I sha"n"t be able to pay you forty a week for some time, though you might make it if you took my show out on the road alone, or with one a.s.sistant. Then, too, there"s always a chance to make more in a circus--that is, if you please your public. I might say thrill them enough, for your trapeze act will have to be mostly thrills, I take it."
"Yes," a.s.sented Joe. And, somehow, a feeling of exultation came to him. While doing puzzling tricks before a mystified audience was enticing work, yet Joe had a longing for the circus. He was almost as much at home high in the air, with nothing but a slack wire or a swaying rope to support him, as he was on the ground. Part of this was due to his early attempts to emulate the feats of circus performers, but the larger part of it was born in him. He inherited much of his daring from his mother, and his quickness of eye and hand from his father.
Moreover, mingled with the desire to do some thrilling act high up on a trapeze in a circus tent, while the crowd below held its breath, Joe felt a desire to meet again pretty Helen Morton, whose bright smile and laughing eyes he seemed to see in fancy now.
"It"s a good offer," went on the professor, slowly, "and it seems to come at the right time for both of us, Joe. We were talking about your taking out my show. I really don"t feel able to keep up with it--at least for a time. Are you ready to give me an answer now, Joe, or would you like to think it over a bit?"
"Perhaps I had better think of it a bit," the youth answered. "Though I have pretty nearly made up my mind."
"Don"t be in a hurry," urged Professor Rosello. "There is no great rush, as far as I am concerned. One or two days will make no difference to me. Though if you don"t take up my offer I shall probably lease the show to some professional. I want to keep my name before the public, for probably I shall wish to go back into the business again. And besides, it is a pity to let such a good outfit as we now have go into storage. But think it over carefully. I suppose, though, that you will have to let the circus people know soon."
"They seem to be in a hurry--wanting me to telegraph," responded Joe.