t though it had also left the rails it was
standing upright. In fact, none of the cars had tilted more than was
to be expected from the accident.

"Well, this is a nice pickle!" exclaimed Jim Tracy, bustling up. "This
means no parade, and maybe no afternoon show. How long will it take
you to get us back on the rails?" he asked one of the brakemen.

"Hard to say," was the answer. "We'll have to send for the wrecking
crew. Lucky it's no worse than a delay."

"Yes, I suppose so," agreed the ring-master. It was only one train of
the several that made up the circus which had left the rails. The
animal cars were on ahead, safe, and the sections following the
derailed coaches had, by a fortunate chance, not left the rails.

"What caused us to jump?" asked Benny.

"There was a fish plate jammed in a switch," answered one of the
brakemen. "We found it beside the track where we knocked it out, and
that saved the other trains from doing as we did."

"A fish plate in the switch?" repeated Joe. "Did it get there by
accident?"

"Ask me something easier," quoted the brakeman. "It might have, and
again it might not. I understand you discharged a lot of men at your
last stop, and it may be some of them tried to get even with you."

It was true that a number of canvasmen had been allowed to go because
they were found useless, but none of the circus men believed that these
individuals would do so desperate a deed as to try to wreck the train.

Joe thought of the threatening letter he had received--Sim Dobley was
the writer, he was sure--but even Sim would hardly try anything like
this. He might feel vindictive against Joe, and try to do him some
harm or bring about Joe's discharge.

But to wreck a train----

"I don't believe he'd do that," reasoned Joe. "I won't mention the
letter--it would hardly be fair. I don't want to get him into trouble,
and I have no evidence against him."

So Joe kept quiet.

The circus trains ahead of the derailed one could keep on to their
destination. After some delay those in the rear were switched to
another track, and so passed around the stalled cars.

Then the wrecking crew arrived, and just as the first gray streaks of
dawn showed the last of the cars was put back on the track.

"Well, we're off again," remarked Joe, as, with Benny and some of their
friends, they got back in their berths.

"Not much more chance for sleep, though," the "human fish" remarked,
dolefully eno