er one. The fish, of course, swam
about as they were in the habit of doing. The fact that they were in a
much more restricted space did not seem to perplex or vex them.

Then Joe got into the inner tank, and Lizzie was allowed to follow him.
No sooner did the seal see herself surrounded by the fish she loved to
eat than she made a dash for a big golden one.

Of course Lizzie bumped her nose against the protecting glass, but this
did not deter her. Joe watched the sea-lion curiously. Again she made a
dash for a fish, evidently thinking she had not been quick enough to
get the first one. Again came a painful bump.

Joe continued to swim about as he always did when Lizzie was in the
tank. It was not until after her third failure that the intelligent
seal began to think something was wrong. Then she swam alongside the
inner glass. Just beyond, three-quarters of an inch away, but as secure
as though the space were miles, swam the goldfish. Lizzie could not get
them, and then she turned her big eyes on Joe as if to ask what sort of
trick this was to play on a good, performing seal.

If Joe had not been under water he would have laughed. He did this when
he came up, however, and he gave Lizzie more than her usual allowance
of common fish to make up for her disappointment over the gold ones.

But Helen's solution of the problem was perfect. The circus folk formed
a critical rehearsal audience and as Joe swam about in the inner tank
with the seal, and as the goldfish flitted about in the outer tank, Jim
Tracy said:

"It couldn't be better. The illusion is perfect. No one looking at it
as the crowd will view it, could tell but that it was all one tank.
Helen, you're a fine suggester. First I know, you'll be going into
business for yourself."

"Not while I have Rosebud," she answered, blushing. "But I'm glad my
plan worked."

Joe was glad also. Not only was he enabled to get a much more
spectacular effect by having the goldfish and his seal in the same act,
but it saved a lot of work in taking out the fish every time he wanted
to perform with Lizzie. And as it had been necessary to take the
goldfish out twice a day--for the afternoon and night performance--much
work was entailed. And there is so much to do, anyhow, in moving a
circus from place to place, that everything which makes for economy of
time or motion is very welcome and eagerly adopted.

That afternoon the audience seemed to appreciate very much the aquatic
a