He closed his lips, seemed to be chewing something, opened his mouth, and showed it empty.
"A little light lunch!" he remarked, but his smile faded as Helen screamed in horror.
CHAPTER IX
THE CHEMIST'S LETTER
"Oh, Joe, you'll surely burn yourself!" exclaimed the startled bareback rider.
"Did you get burned?" questioned Mrs. Watson.
"Some trick!" declared the snake charmer.
For the moment there was some excitement, for this was a new act for the circus people.
Helen soon recovered her customary composure, and then she explained the cause of her excitement and the startled cry she had given. She had, of course, expected some trick with fire when Joe had summoned her and the others to his own private part of the dressing tents. But she had not expected to see him actually put the blazing material in his mouth.