"I'll send Paddy Flynn," promised the ringmaster. As he went out he looked curiously at Harry.
"How's the stuff coming on, Ted?" asked Joe, when the doctored mixture had been thrown away and new made.
"All right, I guess. I'll try it."
He put some on one finger, thrust the member into the flame of a candle, and held it there longer than usual.
"Look out!" Joe warned him. "You can't be too familiar with fire."
"The stuff's all right," was the answer. "It's better than the last we used."
"Good! Well, let's get busy!"
In spite of the strain of what he had gone through in listening to the partial confession of Harry Loper, Joe did some of his best work in the fire acts that day. The blazing banquet was most effective.
Having changed to his costume for his magical box and other tricks, and learning that Harry was still safe under the watchful eye of Paddy Flynn, Joe hurried out to his stage, where Mr. Tracy was already making the ten thousand dollar offer.
As Joe hurried across the arena one of the tent men thrust into his hand a scrap of paper.