a daring run across the slender support, following some risky
side swinging, Helen saw Joe lower from the high platform where he
stood a flexible wire. Standing on the ground below, Ham Logan received
it and fastened on the end several of the metal torches Joe had made.
The young magician hauled them up to him by means of the wire.

Then, as Helen and the audience watched, Joe set the torches ablaze.
They were made of hollow cones of sheet iron, in which were placed bits
of tow, soaked in alcohol.

With four blazing torches, two in either hand, Joe Strong started out to
cross the high, slack wire. And then, to the wonder and amazement of the
audience, no less than that of his friends in the show, Joe began
juggling with fire.

CHAPTER XX

THE BLAZING BANQUET

Across the wire walked the young performer, and as he walked he tossed
into the air, catching them as they came down, the flaming torches. When
it is remembered that the fire was of the real, blazing sort, and hot at
that, also when it is recalled that if Joe happened to catch hold of the
wrong end of any of the whirling torches, and when it is evident that he
must "watch his step," it will be seen that he was performing no easy
feat.

Yet to watch him one would have thought that he had been doing it right
along for many performances, instead of this being his first in public,
though he and Ham Logan had practiced in private.

Across the wire walked Joe, juggling with fire, and when he reached the
other platform he walked backward along the swaying wire.

Then the applause broke out, loud and long. The crowd appreciated the
trick, with all its dangers. True, Joe Strong was an expert on the wire,
and he was also a good juggler. But juggling with torches while on a
swaying cable was not as easy as handling harmless rubber balls or
Indian clubs, and the circus throng seemed to appreciate this.

Getting back to the platform whence he had started, Joe dropped the
still blazing torches into a tub of water where they went out hissingly.
This provided a fitting climax to the act, as showing that the flames
were real ones.

And then Joe donned his cap of leather, with the little grooved wheels
fastened in the top, and on his head he slid down the slanting wire
through the blazing hoops. It was a good end to a good trick; and the
crowd went wild.

"Well, Joe, you sure did put another one over for us," said Jim Tracy,
at the conclusion of the performanc