EXPERIMENTS
Since Joe Strong had decided that he would make of the tank act a
better performance than had been possible the first two days of the
opening of the circus season, he now resolved to watch the setting up
of the big glass box. Joe wanted to learn all he could about the
accessories of the act, for he had some new ideas he intended to put
into effect if he found that he could succeed in the new work that had
come to him by accident.
"Perhaps I can get up a new idea in regard to dressing the act,"
thought Joe. "If I can, it may take even better than it has, and I can
hold the public with me until I can develop my lung power and stay
under an even four minutes, or perhaps longer."
To "dress an act" means, in stage language, to set up the scenery and
to wear certain costumes, in other words the external fittings that
serve to make the act more or less spectacular.
Some acts are "dressed" very simply. That is, there may be only a
simple room scene, with a table or chair. Then the actor depends on his
action or his "lines" to make an impression on the public.
Another act may be a very showy one with elaborate fittings and
expensive costumes, and in this case, as a rule, the acting proper and
the lines are not of so much importance.
In Joe's case he had no "lines," or spoken words, to attract the
attention of his audience. It is hard to make the voice carry in a big
circus tent, and even an accomplished ring-master often fails in this
respect. Of course in Joe's case he could not talk under water, and
aside from the introduction on the part of Jim Tracy there were no
"lines."
"But I have an idea," mused Joe, "that I could dress the act
differently from Benny's performance. He had it a little too plain. I
don't know just what I want, but it's got to be something different.
I'm going to experiment."
Of course there was no time that day to make changes. Already it was
nearly time for the parade to be formed on the circus grounds. Joe, as
well as several of the other performers, did not go in the parade, for
they had to get ready the special apparatus connected with their acts.
In Joe's case, he had to look after his trapezes, and now, in addition,
the tank, in order to make sure that all was in proper shape. Of course
there were men whose duties were to see to these things for the
performers, but Joe took no chances--he supervised everything himself
very carefully, as did Tonzo and Sid Lascalla.
For when one's life depends on the strength of a wooden bar or on the
firmness of a rope, it behooves one to look well to the apparatus.
In regard to the tank, of course, there was comparatively little
danger, even should one of the glass sides break or a leak occur. The
worst would be that the water would escape and the act be spoiled. But
Joe did not want that to happen, so he carefully watched the men as
they took out the parts of the tank and began fitting them together on
the raised platform where Joe's act would occur.
A supply of white sand for the bottom of the tank was carried with the
glass box. When the water was drained off it after the night
performance, the sand was put in a box to be used over again.
Joe watched the men slip the big sheets of heavy plate glass into the
metal holding strips at the corners of the tank and tighten up the
rubber water-proof fittings. Then the sand was spread over the bottom,
the steps, by which Joe reached a little platform on the edge of the
water-filled tank, were put in place, and the act was nearly "set."
"Well, I guess I can't do much more with it now," thought Joe as he saw
the tank completed. "I'd better see about my trapezes."
As he crossed to another part of the tent he saw Helen giving some
orders about a few pieces of apparatus she used in her tricks with
Rosebud.
"Well, Joe," asked the girl, "you haven't caught any more hippos, have
you?"
"No, Helen, one a day is enough. How is everything with you?"
"All right. I'm going to give Rosebud his sugar."
"I'll walk along with you. I'm going to see about my trapezes."
"Oh, aren't you going to do the tank act? I thought I saw the men
setting it up."
"You did. I'm going to do a double turn--at least for a while."
"Good luck to you!"
Joe's trapeze work was simpler now that he had added the underwater
feature to his circus acts, and it did not take him long to see that
the bars, ropes and rings were in perfect condition, all fastenings
secure and made so they would not slip when the strain from a long
swinging jump came on them.
Then, having a little time on his hands before he would have to go on
for the afternoon show, Joe went in to town, to stroll about. The place
was filled with country visitors who had come in to see the circus,
this being the center of a thriving farming community. Joe, going into
a drug store to get an ice cream soda, saw in the window of an
establishment next door a large aquarium, in which goldfish were
swimming about amid long, waving, green aquatic grass.
"There's my idea!" exclaimed Joe, aloud. "Or one of them, anyhow."
"Did you speak to me?" asked an old gentleman, who was just coming out
of the drug store as Joe went in.
"No, sir. I beg your pardon. I just thought of something."
"Oh, I see," and with a smile the gentleman passed on, while Joe, still
thinking deeply, went in to get his soda.
"Well?" asked the clerk, suggestively, as Joe paused at the marble
fountain.
"I'll have a goldfish sundae," said Joe, reflectively.
"What? Say, come again, young fellow! This isn't a joke shop," and the
clerk seemed rather angry.
"Oh, I beg your pardon," Joe hastened to say. "I mean a chocolate nut
sundae. I was thinking of goldfish--that's all."
"That's different," laughed the clerk. "I thought you were trying to
jolly me with the name of a new drink."
And while Joe ate his cream his thoughts were busy with the idea which
had suddenly come to him.
"I wonder if Jim Tracy will stand for it," he mused. "I've a good
notion to do it without asking him. If he doesn't like it he can say
so, and no great harm's done. I'll stand the expense myself. If I could
get hold of the inheritance Bill Watson thinks ought to come to me
through my mother, I'd pull off a still bigger stunt in this tank act.
But I guess I'll never get any money from England."
So far Joe's efforts to prove that he was entitled to anything from his
mother's estate had been unavailing.
"Yes," thought our hero, as he finished his cream and went out,
stopping to look at the goldfish in the aquarium, "I'll do it and trust
to luck."
Joe went into the store, which was a place where not only fish, but
dogs, cats and birds were sold. He remained some little time in
conversation with the proprietor, and some money changed hands. Joe was
smiling when he came out.
"At least it will be different, whatever else it is," thought the boy
fish, as he may now be called, for he was destined to be billed as that
later on.
There was so much taking place in the big circus tent, or "main top" as
it is called, that Joe's activities around the glass tank were hardly
noticed. If any of the circus people saw him they probably believed he
was just doing what Benny had often done, looking to see about the
temperature of the water, and to be positive that the joints were not
leaking.
And when, a little later, a circus attendant brought word to Joe that
there was a man with a horse and wagon outside the tent who had a big
box for Joe, even that caused no comment, for it was almost time for
the show to start and every one was busy about his or her own affairs
or special act.
But when Jim Tracy passed the platform on which the tank was standing,
and saw a big canvas cover wrapped about the sides of the glass box, he
opened his eyes in surprise.
"What's the idea, Joe?" he asked.
"Oh, just a little experiment," was the answer.
"Experiment! You're not going to fall down on the act, are you?
Remember we have it billed in this town, and we're likely to play to
record-breaking audiences both this afternoon and evening. You're not
going to cut out the act, are you, after promising----"
"Cut out the act? Of course not!"
"But putting that canvas around the tank makes it look as though it was
out of business."
"Oh, it isn't out of business at all," said Joe with a laugh. "In fact
I hope it will draw more business than before. Just leave it to me,
Jim. It will be all right, I'm sure. You go ahead and make the usual
announcement, only don't pull any four-minute immersion on me, for I'm
not up to that yet. Make it three and a quarter if you like, I think I
can hold my breath that long."
"But I don't quite see, Joe."
"You don't need to, now. I want to spring it on you, as well as on the
public. Just give me a man to yank off the canvas cover when I say the
word, and that'll be all I want."
"All right, Joe. It's your affair, as long as you do as we've
advertised."
"I'll do that and more, Jim Tracy. Leave it to me."
Joe's trapeze work came first on the programme, and while he liked this
as well as ever and did his usual hair-raising feats, this day he was a
bit impatient for the act to be over, so he could do what he had
planned in the tank.
At last, however, he made his final swing, and dropped down into the
life net amid the plaudits of the crowd. Then Joe hurried to the
dressing tent to get into Benny's scaly, green, rubber suit.
"That's another thing I'm going to do when I get around to it," thought
Joe, as he squeezed himself into the garments. "I'm going to have
another suit, different, and of another color. I've got to change this
act about to bring it up to my ideas."
Out on the little platform at the edge of the tank, Joe took his place.
Jim Tracy, standing near by on the ground, pointed up to the
queerly-clad figure and made his usual dramatic announcement.
"And now," finished the ring-master, "the boy fish will show you that
it is as easy for him to live, move and have his being under water, as
it is for ordinary mortals in the atmosphere of this earth. Ready!"
"Ready!" cried Joe, and he nodded to the attendant who stood ready to
pull a rope that would let fall from the tank the canvas that concealed
it from view.