he boy was of great strength, and fearless. When a mere
child he had attempted circus feats, and now he was an expert on the
trapeze and flying rings, while he had also made a study of "magic,"
and could perform many tricks. Joe was absolutely fearless, and one of
his delights was to execute daring acts at great heights in the air.
When a boy he climbed up the village church steeple.

Thus, taking matters into his own hands, Joe ran away and joined
Professor Rosello, who hired him as an assistant. Joe had a natural
aptitude for tricks of magic and was a great help to the professor. He
even invented some tricks of his own. So Joe and Professor Rosello
toured the country, making a fairly good living.

The night Joe ran away Deacon Blackford was robbed in a strange manner,
and, for a time, suspicion was thrown on Joe, a warrant being issued
for his arrest. Among the other adventures which Joe had was a meeting
with the ring-master of Sampson Brothers' Colossal Circus. Joe had
done a favor for Benny Turton, the "human fish," and Benny made it
possible for Joe to try some tricks on the circus trapezes. As a
result Jim Tracy, the ring-master and one of the owners of the show,
made Joe an offer to join the circus. Joe would have liked this, as he
had taken quite a fancy for Helen Morton--billed as Mademoiselle
Mortonti--a fancy rider on her trick horse, Rosebud. But Joe thought
it best to remain with Professor Rosello for a time.

The circus went on its way, and Joe and the professor went on theirs.
Joe progressed in his chosen work, and he and Mr. Crabb found
themselves becoming well-known performers. On the road Joe met several
persons who had seen his father's feats of magic, and the youth learned
of the great respect in which his parent had been held by the members
of the "profession."

"And I suppose," Professor Rosello had said, "if you could meet some
circus folks they would remember your mother, even if Jim Tracy did not
know her."

So Joe had became a traveling magician. And it is in that capacity
that the readers of this volume first meet him.

But, as Joe stood there on the darkened stage, realizing the great
danger to which his friend was subjected, and wondering what he could
do to relieve him and not have the trick a failure, he, for an instant,
wished he had chosen some other calling. It was a great responsibility
for a young fellow, for now the fate of the whole remaining performance
was in