"That was a wonderful trick, Joe," she said. "But I didn't see you practice that drop."
"I didn't practice it," he remarked dryly. "I did it on the spur of the moment."
"Joe Strong! wasn't it dangerous?"
"Well, a little."
"What made you do it?"
"I couldn't help it."
"You couldn't help it? Joe—do you mean—?" She sensed that something was wrong, but walking around the circus arena, with performers coming and going, was not the place to speak of it. Joe saw that she understood.
"I'll tell you later," he said. "We have to get ready for the trick box and the vanishing lady stunt now."
"Oh, Joe! were you in much danger?" she asked in a low voice.
"Oh, not much," he answered, and he tried to speak lightly. Yet he did not like to think of that one moment when he saw the rusted and broken wire.