ive you!" declared Helen, blushing more than
ever. And so the little quarrel ended.

As Joe had intimated, he had engaged his banquet helpers secretly, and
they had met him at the city where the circus was to remain three days
and nights. Ham Logan had been instrumental in getting the performers
for Joe, since the old circus man knew the best theatrical agency at
which to apply. So Joe had hired the young men and women to act the
part of guests at the "banquet." He had guessed that Helen's actions
denoted her jealousy, but he could not forbear teasing her.

"But did they actually eat the fire?" Helen asked, when she and Joe were
together again. "Of course I know they didn't," she went on. "It's silly
of me to ask such a question. But it was very realistic."

"I'm glad of that," said Joe. "No, they didn't actually 'eat' the fire,
any more than I eat it. And I may say that I had quite a little trouble
in getting them to put it near enough their mouths to make it seem as if
they did.

"But the 'food' was only very thin paper of a peculiar kind, which Ham
Logan and I worked out together. It can be made to look like almost any
food, and yet it is treated chemically so as to burn easily and quickly.
The flames go out as soon as they come near enough our mouths to feel
the effects of certain chemicals that are on our faces. I can't tell you
all the secrets, but that is enough to show you how we worked it.

"There was no more danger than there is when I 'eat' fire, and the trick
is done in much the same way. Ham Logan is getting to be an invaluable
helper. I hope he stays with me. I never could have done this trick
without him."

The blazing banquet was the talk of that and other cities. As Jim Tracy
had said, the feat was shown at each and every performance, Joe cutting
out some of his less sensational acts. The circus made a longer stay
than usual in the city where the fiery food was first "eaten," and
played to record-breaking business.

"And the best of it is that we haven't seen a bogus ticket!" said the
treasurer, much elated.

Joe, as one of the chief owners of the circus, was able to hire the
"fire-eaters" unknown to any of his associates until the last minute,
and thus the surprise was all the greater.

Joe's fire tricks were now the talk of the theatrical and circus worlds,
and he received many offers to leave Sampson Brothers' Show and star by
himself. But he refused them all, saying he wanted to build up h