the wind still kept up, blowing stronger if anything, and Joe and
others realized that it needed but a little accident to start a rush
that might end fatally for some.

Joe was just about to go into the second series of his gymnastic work
when he heard a tent pole beneath him snap with a breaking sound. At
first he thought it was the big one to which his apparatus was made
fast, but a glance showed him this one was standing safe. It was one
of the smaller side poles.

That part of the tent sagged down, the wind aiding in the break, and
there were cries of fear from scores of women, while men shouted all
sorts of directions.

But the circus people had gone through dangers like this before, and
they knew what to do. Under the direction of Jim Tracy and his
helpers, extra poles were quickly put in place to take the weight of
the wet canvas off the broken one. This at once raised the tent up
from those on whom it had partly fallen.

And then something else happened.

One of five horses which were being put through a series of tricks by a
man trainer, suddenly bolted out of the ring. Joe, high up in the
tent, saw him running, and noted that the animal was headed for the
ring where Helen Morton was performing with Rosebud.

"He's going to run into her!" thought Joe. "I've got to do something!"

He must think and act quickly. While attendant's were running after
the bolting horse Joe, looking down, saw that the animal would pass
close to his life net. In an instant Joe had decided what to do.

He poised on the small platform, from which he made his swings, and
dropped straight into the big net. Just as he had calculated, he
bounced up again, and as he did so he sprang out to one side.

Joe's quick eyes and nerves had enabled him to judge the distance
correctly. He leaped from the net just as the horse was opposite him,
and landed on his back in a riding position.

It was the work of but a second to reach forward, grasp the little
bridle which the animal wore, and pull him to one side.

And it was not a second too soon, either, for the horse was on the edge
of the ring in which Helen was performing with Rosebud. If the
maddened animal had gone in, there would have been a collision in which
the girl performer would, undoubtedly, have been injured.

"Good work, Joe!" cried the ring-master. "But there's plenty more to
be done. I guess we'll have to get all the men performers to help hold
down the tent.