Joe Strong the Boy Fire-Eater / Or, The Most Dangerous Performance on Record

om the room in which was the apparatus, and where, as Joe had be

in a little while," said Mr. Waldon, as he observed Joe's nose twitching

ed Joe, with a laugh. "But don't be u

gh the window. The chemist washed his hands and then

you?" asked Mr. Waldon

," replied Joe, "and since I've got a puzzling paper problem here, suppose w

ented Mr. Waldon. "Wha

for fifty cents, or perhaps more in these days of the war tax. They entitle the holder to a seat on what,

re formerly sold at the gilded wagon. These were handed in at the main entrance, and the tickets were used over and over again. Sometimes the blue ones

hem printed on a thin but tough quality of paper, and each ticket was numbered. In this way it needed but a glance at the last ticket in the rack and

and some others of the officials had had an idea that the man who was charged with the work of destroying the tickets, ins

the trick is worked. So far, we haven't been able to find this out. As a matter of fact, we don't know whether

cked up a handful of the slips Joe had brought. "That's very

king even two tickets with the same number, we don't know which was sold

ouch could tell they were identical, and they bore

hich of these two is the official cir

thought fo

ed some time ago-which you are

ks ago at our ticket wagon, before we noticed this trouble. I bought the ticket myself, so I know. I happened to be passin

r out of my own pocket, and passed him in to a reserved seat. But I forgot to turn the ticket in to th

. Strong, this is going to take some time. I'll have to compare all these ticke

reciate that it isn't easy. We certainly have been puzzled. So I'll leave them with you, and you can write to me when you have any resul

t with the understanding that you do all the e

for some hours, Joe Strong

. Waldon there was a look of satisfact

ve told me," he said. "As soon as I get it perfec

n't too far away,"

e invited Helen, Jim Tracy, and a few of his more intima

seated in chairs before a small table, on which were severa

it to the candle flame. In an instant the object that was on the fork burst into a blaze

be chewing something, opened h

emarked, but his smile faded