"Would you like to see the circus?" Joe inquired, as he was leaving the office. "I have some free tickets and——"
"What! Me go to a circus?" cried the deacon, with upraised hands. "Never! Never! Circuses and theatres are the invention of the Evil One. I am surprised at your asking me!"
Joe did it for a joke, more than for anything else, as he knew the deacon would not take a ticket. Bidding him good-bye, Joe went out to find his former chums.
They, as may well be supposed, were very glad to see him. And that they envied Joe's position goes without saying.
"Well, well! You certainly put one over on us!" exclaimed Charlie Ford admiringly. "How did you do it, Joe?"
"Oh, it just happened, I guess. More luck than anything else."
"When you got Professor Rosello out of the fire you did a good thing," commented Tom Simpson.
"Yes, I guess I did—in more ways than one," admitted Joe.
"And are you really doing trapeze acts?" inquired Henry Blake.
"Come and watch me," was Joe's invitation. "Here is a reserved seat ticket for each of you."