lashed over the water, and he
was again speeding over the valley itself, with hard ground, rocks,
stones and sharp-pointed trees beneath him.

Of course, in case Joe's machine did leave the rail he might fall on
the other side. There would be comparative safety, save that he might
be badly cut and bruised by the motor-cycle falling on top of him.

On and on he sped. True to the rail he held the front wheel. He was at
the height of his speed now, and every second added to his safety, for
the faster he went the nearer true to a straight line could he hold the
machine.

"Almost over," thought Joe. A quick glance ahead showed him where the
trestle came to an end. He had nearly made good his boast.

It was a good mile across the high trestle, and Joe said afterward that
he made it in less than a minute. And he must have done so. That rate
of speed was necessary in order to keep the machine straight.

Joe looked down. No longer did he see below him the open ties.

He was over the trestle!

He had done what he had said he would do, and crossed on the rail.

With a movement of the handle bars he sent the front wheel down on the
cinder bed. He could ride on a broader path now. A little jar, as first
one wheel and then the other left the rail, told him that his daring
ride was over.

Joe slowed down, and turned to wave a reassuring hand to the crowd at
the other end of the trestle. They waved their hands in return, and
doubtless they cheered, though Joe could not hear them, as the wind was
in the wrong direction.

"Well, that's over!" he said, thankfully enough, though his heart was
beating scarcely faster than if he had done some trapeze act, and his
nerves were under perfect control.

"I'm glad I didn't meet any train," thought Joe. But he had inquired of
his new friends before undertaking the ride about the time of the
trains, and had learned that none was scheduled to cross the trestle
for some time. Of course there might have been a special, but that did
not happen.

Joe was safe. He rode along the even road-bed for some distance and
then, following the directions the villagers had given him, he turned
down the embankment into a country road. A little later he was on the
highway that led to the town where the circus was showing.

"I'll get there just about in time," thought Joe as he looked at his
watch.

"Well, I was just thinking about sending out a searching party for you,
Joe," remarked Jim Tracy, as ou