Joe Strong the Boy Fire-Eater | Page 4

Don't rush!"
It is the panic and rush that circus men are afraid of--the pushing and
"milling" of the crowd and the trampling under foot of helpless women
and children.
There was some commotion near the junction of the animal tent and
that in which the main performance took place. What it was, Joe did
not concern himself about just then. He felt it to be his task to prevent a

panic. And to this he lent himself, aided by Helen, Jim Tracy, and
others who realized the danger.
And while this is going on and while the expert animal men are
preparing to get back into its cage the tiger which, it was learned
afterward, had got out through an imperfectly fastened door, time will
be taken to tell new readers something about Joe Strong and the series
of books in which he is the central character.
Joe Strong seemed destined for a circus life and for entertaining
audiences with sleight-of-hand and other mystery matters. His father,
Alexander Strong, known professionally as Professor Morretti, was a
stage magician of talents, and Joe's mother, who was born in England,
had been a rider of trick horses.
His parents died when Joe was young. He did not have a very happy
boyhood, and one day he ran away from the man with whom he was
living and joined a traveling magician, who called himself Professor
Rosello. With him Joe, who had a natural aptitude for the business,
learned to become a sleight-of-hand performer.
In the first book of the series, entitled "Joe Strong, the Boy Wizard; Or,
the Mysteries of Magic Exposed," is told how Joe got on in life after
his first start. Joe was not only a stage magician, but he had inherited
strength, skill and daring, and he liked nothing better than climbing to
great heights or walking in lofty and dizzy places where the footing
was perilous. So it was perhaps natural that he should join the Sampson
Brothers' Show. And in the second book is related, under the title, "Joe
Strong on the Trapeze; Or, the Daring Feats of a Young Circus
Performer," what happened to our hero under canvas.
Joe loved the circus life, even though he made some enemies. But he
had many friends. There was Helen Morton. Then there was Benny
Turton, who did a "tank act," and was billed as a "human fish." Jim
Tracy, the ringmaster, Bill Watson, the veteran clown, and his wife, the
circus "mother," Tom Layton, the elephant man who taught the big
creatures many tricks, were only a few of Joe's friends.

Among others might be mentioned Señor Bogardi, the lion tamer, Mrs.
Talfo, the professional "fat lady," Señorita Tanzalo, the pretty snake
charmer, and Tom Jefferson, the "strong man." Joe loved them all. The
circus was like one big family, with, as might be expected, a "black
sheep" here and there.
Joe became an expert on the trapeze, and, later, when Benny Turton
was temporarily in a hospital, Joe "took on" the tank trick. In the third
volume some of his under-water feats are related, while in the fourth
book Joe's acts on a motor cycle on the high wire are dealt with.
With his "Wings of Steel," Joe caused a sensation, and after an absence
from the circus for a time he joined it again, bringing this act to it.
Eventually Joe was made one of the circus owners, and now controlled
a majority of the stock. He had also inherited considerable money from
his mother's relatives in England, so that now the youth was financially
well off for one who had started so humbly.
The book immediately preceding this one is called "Joe Strong and His
Box of Mystery; Or, the Ten Thousand Dollar Prize Trick." In that
volume is related how Joe constructed a trick box, out of which he
made his way after it was locked and corded about with ropes. Helen
Morton helped him in this trick, which was very successful.
The circus management offered a prize of ten thousand dollars to
whomsoever could fathom how the trick was done. Bill Carfax, an
enemy of Joe's and a former circus employee, tried to solve the
problem but failed.
The box trick was a great attraction for the circus, and Joe was in
higher favor than before.
He had been on the road with the show for some time when the events
detailed in the first chapter of this book took place.
By dint of much shouting and urging the people to retain their seats and
not rush into danger, Joe Strong and the others succeeded in calming

the circus crowd. Meanwhile there was much suppressed excitement.
"Is the tiger caught? Is he back in his cage?" was asked on every side.
While Joe and