of what his friend had said Joe could
but feel that the magician might be disappointed over the choice. But
Professor Rosello was a broad-minded man, as well as a fair and
generous one.

"Joe, I'm sure you did just the right thing!" he exclaimed, as he shook
hands with the boy wizard, or rather with the former boy wizard, for
the lad was about to give up that life. Yet Joe knew that he would not
altogether give it up. He would always retain his knowledge and
ability in the art of mystifying.

"Yes, I thought it all over," said Joe, "and I concluded that I could
do better on the trapeze than at sleight-of-hand. You see, if I want
to be a successful circus performer I have to begin soon. The older I
get the less active I'll be, and some tricks take years to polish off
so one can do them easily."

"I understand," the professor said. "I think you did the right thing
for yourself."

"Of course if I could be any help to you I wouldn't leave you this
way," Joe went on earnestly. "I wouldn't desert in a time of trouble."

"Oh, it isn't exactly trouble," replied the magician. "I really need a
rest, and you're not taking my offer won't mean any money loss to me,
though, personally, I shall feel sorry at losing you. But I want you
to do the best possible thing for yourself. Don't consider me at all.
In fact you don't have to. I am going to take a rest. I need it.
I've been in this business nearly thirty years now, and time is
beginning to tell.

"I think there is more of a future for you in the circus than there
would be in magic. Not that you have exhausted the possibilities of
magic by any means, but changes are taking place in the public. The
moving pictures are drawing away from us the audiences we might
otherwise attract. Then, too, there has been so much written and
exposed concerning our tricks, that it is very hard to get up an
effective illusion. Even the children can now guess how many of the
tricks are done.

"It may be that I shall give up altogether. At, any rate I will lease
my show out for a time. I'm I going to take a rest. And now about
your plans. What are you going to do?"

"I don't exactly know," was the hesitating answer. "I have telegraphed
to Mr. Tracy that I would join his circus in two days. I think I'll
need that much time to get ready."

"Yes. We can settle up our business arrangements in that time, Joe.
As I said, I'll be very sorry to lose you, but it is all for the b