Then the one in pink tights went up the rope hand over hand, with an ease that seemed surprising to Larry, who had often tried the thing at Campton, in his father’s barn, when, with other country boys, he had played circus.
Reaching the trapeze, the man sat down on the bar, and began to swing to and fro. He seemed to be adjusting the ropes. Then he turned over backward, and swung by his knees, head downward. Working his body back and forth he caused the trapeze to sway rapidly to and fro, in a long swing.
For several minutes this went on, until the trapeze was moving backward and forward, with its human burden, as far as possible.
Suddenly the man in pink tights gave a loud cry just as he reached the highest point in a backward swing. Then, to Larry’s horror, and seemingly no less to the astonishment of the ringmaster and the helpers, the man was seen shooting downward, as if the ropes of the trapeze had broken. Larry was sure the man would be killed.
But, just when it seemed that the man’s head would strike the ground, and he be terribly injured, the ropes suddenly became taut, and the performer’s downward course was checked, though he continued to swing back and forth in large arcs.
All at once he straightened up, and lightly leaped from the cross-bar.
“What do you think of that for a hair-raiser?” he asked. “Won’t that make ’em sit up and take notice some?”
“It sure will,” replied the ringmaster. “I thought you were a goner. How did you manage that?”
“I had the ropes on both sides shortened by a series of slip-knots,” the man in pink tights explained. “Then, when I was swinging good and hard, I yanked the cord that held the first two knots in place. The weight of my body pulled the others out, and the rope began to lengthen, and you saw me come down. I had it calculated so that I would cease falling a little ways from the ground.”
“It’s a good trick,” commented the ringmaster.