“You do? You never told us fellows.”
“Oh, well, I sort of had to keep them under cover. You know my foster-parents aren’t any too proud of what my father and mother did for a living.”
“So I’ve heard, Joe.”
“But I’m proud of them!” Joe exclaimed, with flashing eyes. “I wish I could be such a rider as I’ve heard my mother was, and as good a magician as my father. But, as I said, I’ve had to sort of keep my ambitions under cover.
“I have done a little practicing on the side, though, and I have some books on magic I’m studying. There’s more to it than most persons suppose. No, I don’t want to get to the bottom of any of Professor Rosello’s tricks. I fancy I know most of them anyhow. But I would like to know what he was doing in that factory, especially up where he was when the fire broke out.”
“Maybe he’ll tell us,” said Tom.
As the two young men went through the town the signs of excitement about the fire were still pretty much in evidence. On all street corners little groups were talking about it. Several persons had been overcome with smoke, and one or two employees were slightly burned, one man seriously, it was feared.
As Joe walked along he and Tom heard more than once a murmur of voices, which could be heard commenting on Joe’s brave act.
“There he goes now!” some one exclaimed. “The nerviest fellow in seven counties! I don’t believe there’s a thing Joe Strong doesn’t dare do!”
“You’re getting famous, Joe,” commented his chum.