fled save by the few escaping
bubbles of air.

"But how can you?" asked the girl. "There isn't another diving suit to
be had here, Joe, even if you were used to one."

"I'll go down without one!" declared Joe. "In fact, I think I can work
better without one than in one. I'm going down and try to save him!"

"Oh, if you only can!" she answered. "It would be great! But you will
be careful--won't you?"

Joe nodded. Helen did not ask him not to go. She knew Joe too well for
that. The young circus performer stepped up to Mr. Blair.

"If they'll let me," said Joe, "I'd like to go down and try to free
that diver from whatever is holding him."

"You go down? Are you a diver?"

"Not the kind that uses a suit, no. But I do a diving and tank act in
the circus."

Joe's offer and his talk had aroused instant attention from the crowd
about him and from the men at the air pumps and life-line.

"I guess you'll find, young man, brave and generous as your offer is,"
said one of the air-pumpers, "that diving in a circus tank is some
different from going down forty feet."

"I realize that," said Joe quietly.

"And what about holding your breath?" asked Mr. Blair. "Can you do it?"

"He can hold it for nearly four and a half minutes," said Helen
quickly.

"Whew!" whistled one of the diver's helpers. He knew what that record
meant.

"If you'll let me, I'll go down without a suit," offered Joe. "I'm not
saying I can save your man, but I simply can't stand here and let him
die without making an effort."

"Good for you!" cried one of the pump-men. "Some of us tried to go
down, but we couldn't fetch that far, not being able to hold our
breath. If you'll try, it will be the only chance poor Tom has, for he
can't last much longer, and by the time the other diver gets
here--well, it'll be too late, that's all. Go ahead, young man, and
try."

Murmurs of appreciation greeted Joe's announcement. There was a hurried
consultation among the members of the town water committee, of which
Mr. Blair was one.

"Shall I go down?" asked Joe.

"Yes!" cried Mr. Blair. "Go, and we'll all pray that you may be
successful," he added solemnly. "It is a terrible thing to stand by and
know a fellow being is dying, as Rand may be," and he motioned to the
water, still gently agitated by the air bubbles.

Joe Strong lost no time. He was told there were some old clothes in the
gate house which he could use, and soon, attired in a pair of trousers
c