"All right—I will."
"Did you call me?" asked the striker who had been appointed to wait on the ring-master and learn his decision.
"I did not!" cried Jim Tracy. "I'm through with you. We don't need your services."
"Ha!" laughed the man. "Let's see you get up the 'main top' without us."
"Stick around long enough and you'll see it," said Joe Strong.
Joe found a group of the men performers gathered in the dressing tent, discussing the situation. And while the ring-master hastened to gather up such forces as he could muster, Joe made his little talk.
"You're just the very one we want," he said to Tom Jefferson, "the strong man." "You ought to be able to put up the tent alone. Come on now, gentlemen, we must all work together," and rapidly he explained the situation to some who did not understand it.
"Will you help raise the tent?" Joe asked.
"We will!" cried the performers in a chorus.
Soon there was a busy scene in the circus "lots." Not that there is not always a busy time when the show is being made ready, but this was somewhat different. Led by Joe, the performers placed themselves under the direction of some veteran canvasmen who had been working in other departments of the circus.