"Can you slide down it?" asked Benares.
Andy's eyes sparkled.
"Say, Mr. Benares," he replied, "if I wasn't rattled by all that crowd, I could do it head first. I've done the regular, one leg drop, fifty times."
"You are admirable—an ex-paart!" declaimed old Benares. "Who are you, anyway?"
"Only Andy Wildwood. Do you think I could ever do a real circus act?"
"Do I think—hear them yell! You have made a hit. Good boy. Be careful.
Go."
Andy essayed an old rope performance he had seen done once, and had many times practiced.
This was to secure one leg around the rope, throw himself outwards, fold his arms, and wind round and round the rope, slowly descending.
The orchestra caught the cue, and kept time with appropriate music. A second hush held the audience. Without a break, Andy descended the forty odd feet of cable.
Nearing its end, he caught at the rope to steady himself. Then he gracefully leaped free of it to the sawdust, and made a profound bow to the audience amid wild thunders of applause.