He quickly dressed and went out, he alone of those in his car caring to see what the trouble was. The rest of the circus men preferred to turn over for a possible "forty winks" more.
As Joe was making his way toward the place where he could see a crowd of men about some central object, he heard a voice calling to him from one of the windows of the sleeping car occupied by the women of the circus troupe.
"What has happened?" some one asked. "Is it a wreck?"
"No, nothing as bad as that, I guess, Helen," Joe replied, recognizing the tones of the pretty trick rider. "Some of the animals seem to be out. I'm going to see."
"Come back and tell me about it. I hope it isn't one of the cats."
"So do I," Joe said. "But I don't believe it is. I'll let you know."
Circus folk and animal men in general speak of lions, tigers and other beasts of the feline tribe as "cats," and elephants, camels, horses and their like are known in show parlance as "hay animals," because hay is their principal fodder.
Joe hurried on to the crowd gathered about one of the flat cars.
"Look out! He's loose again!" came the yell, and Joe saw the crowd part, and a big ungainly animal come charging through.
"It's the hippopotamus!" cried Joe. "The big brute is loose!"