Joe Strong on the high wire

BACK IN THE CIRCUS

Mr. Potter took out pencil and paper and drew a rough sketch. Joe, who expected to see depicted some rocky gorge, perhaps in the Bronx section of New York, was surprised to note that the moving picture man drew what seemed to be two tall buildings on either side of a street.

"That's a queer sort of chasm," Joe said.

"It's about the only kind we have in the lower part of New York," Mr. Potter answered, with a smile. "The chasm, or canyon, I refer to is a street in the financial section of the city. There are tall office buildings on either side of it, but the particular two I have picked out and sketched here have flat roofs."

He looked at Joe expectantly.

"Go on," suggested the motor-cycle rider.

"I thought you'd need to have a flat roof on which to make a start with your machine, and another flat roof for a stopping place," proceeded the moving picture operator. "Now if we stretch a wire from the roof of one of these buildings to the other, do you think you could ride across on your machine?"

Joe took the sketch and studied it for a few seconds. The location of the street was marked, and Joe, who had once or twice been down where the New York millionaires operate in stocks and bonds, made a mental picture of the section.

"Will you do it?" asked Mr. Potter. "Wait, though; before you answer I'd like to state one difficulty. The buildings are over twice as high as you say you stretch your wire. You'd have to ride across the street at a height of over one hundred feet in the air."

"Height doesn't bother me," said Joe.

"No, I judged that from your climb up the Flatiron Building. But I thought I'd mention it so you couldn't say we took advantage of you. Then you'll ride for us? There'll be five hundred dollars in it for you, and a good advertisement."

Joe considered for a moment. The money was an inducement, and so was the advertising. And if a life-net were spread across the street below him, he was in no more danger than in doing his regular ride. The flat roofs as an approach and at the end of his wire would make it a comparatively easy feat.

"Why, yes, if you can arrange it, I'll do it," he said. "That is, after I finish my Jersey City engagement."

"Oh, yes, that's understood. Besides, we've got to make a little change in the scenario."

"Scenario?" repeated Joe, in some surprise.

"Yes. You're to have a part in a moving picture story. I didn't mention it at first, for I knew if you agreed to the main part you wouldn't balk at the easier end. This is the way it is.

"We have a moving picture story, based on a big robbery in the financial district of New York. That's why I picked out two office buildings down near Wall Street. In the story, the hero is supposed to aid the police after the robbery and help catch the robbers by working his way hand over hand along a telegraph wire which stretches across the street. Of course we planned to have a wire of our own, heavier than a telegraph cable.

"But at the last minute, and when some of the inside stuff of the pictures had already been made, the actor who played that part refused to cross on the wire. He said it was too dangerous, and maybe he was right. Anyhow, he wouldn't do it. We didn't know what to do until to-day, when I saw you climb the building, and when I heard of your wire-riding stunt, it occurred to me that you could do the trick for us."

"But I never acted in the movies, except riding my motor-cycle," objected Joe.

"That's all we want you to do here," said Mr. Potter.

"And I don't in the least know how to behave like a hero."

"We'll coach you all right. Hero stuff is the easiest kind there is."

"But if you have some of the pictures made with one man in them, how are you going to make me fit in—unless I look like the hero you have been using?"

"You look enough like him for our purposes," said Mr. Potter. "We can dress you as he was dressed, and as the action will be quick, the substitution will not be noticed. It is often done in the movies. A trick rider on a horse, for instance, will double with the hero or heroine who is not able to make a good fall. Substitution is done every day. It will be easy in your case. All you'll have to do will be a little preliminary acting just before you ride across the street chasm on your machine. Then will come a little bit more at the other building, and your part is done. It will be a good advertisement for you, I think."

"I think so, too," agreed Joe. "That's one reason why I'm doing it. Advertising is money for me. Well, when do I begin?"

"Oh, in about a week. As I said, the scenario, or the plot of the play, will have to be changed to make it fit. Instead of crossing a wire by hand, we'll have you cross on the machine. You'll probably play the part of an inventor of a new kind of motor-cycle. You will be discovered up on the roof of the building, testing the machine when the robbery occurs. You are appealed to to ride across on the telegraph wire (in reality your own wire, strung by yourself) and you do it. It will make a big hit in the movies."

"Maybe," laughed Joe. "Well, go ahead. I'll do my part."

"Of course there'll be a net below you," said Mr. Potter, "and anything else in the way of safety you may need. And your own men can stretch the wire so as to be sure it's all right. So, now that's settled, I'll go ahead with my part. I'll send one of our assistant directors to coach you as to the acting in a few days."

Joe was rather pleased, than otherwise, at the opportunity afforded him for this new publicity. For to a circus performer or an actor publicity is his means of livelihood. He must be well and favorably known to draw a good salary.

"And I guess there'll be a good crowd on hand to see me ride," Joe mused. "The movie people will see to that."

Joe continued riding on the high wire at the Jersey City fair, and during his spare time he was coached by one of the moving picture men in the rôle he was to play. The rôle was easy, and the lad soon mastered it. Then he went down to look at the two buildings, one on either side of the street across which he was to ride. It was not more than a hundred and fifty feet—half the distance Joe was accustomed to ride along the wire on his motor-cycle, but it was over twice as high. However, as Joe said, that did not trouble him.

The engagement in Jersey City came to an end, and the high-wire motor-cyclist moved his apparatus over to New York. Of course he would not need the shears in this case, the wire extending straight out from each flat roof, being held taut by an ingenious mechanical arrangement that Joe designed, and which a machinist made for him, the moving picture people paying the bill.

The roofs were of a smooth concrete mixture, and Joe knew he would have no trouble riding his machine across them, and on to the wire as well as off it.

There were some rehearsals up on the roof of the action called for in the rewritten scenario, and Joe did his part very well.

"We'd make a regular movie actor of you if you'd like that sort of life," said Mr. Potter, who was much pleased.

"No, I guess I'll stick to my own line," Joe answered.

The day of the thrilling ride came. It had been well advertised, and big crowds were expected to be on hand in the streets near the scene of Joe's trip across the municipal chasm. Of course there would be no money made by the exhibition itself, but the moving picture people counted on enough interest being aroused in the film to fill the houses where it should be displayed later.

Several camera men were on hand, for it was one of those acts where a "re-take" was practically out of the question. Though Joe himself felt that if he succeeded in riding across the street once, he could do it a second time, and oftener if necessary.

The wire had been stretched, and Joe had tested it. The cable seemed all right. Far down in the street below was the life-net, made doubly secure, for if Joe fell he would fall with more than twice the force gathered from a fifty-foot drop. Boys who are studying physics can figure out the difference for themselves.

But the brave youth had no thought of falling. Theoretically, if he could ride on a wire across a space fifty feet up in the air, he could do it at more than twice that distance.

Joe had been "made up" to resemble, as nearly as possible, the man who had acted in the earlier scenes in the moving picture story, and he felt rather odd with grease paint and a moustache on.

"Are you ready?" asked Mr. Potter of our hero.

"As ready as I ever shall be," Joe coolly answered.

"Go on, then," said the moving picture man. "Action!" he called to his helpers, for he was not grinding the crank of a camera that day.

The preliminary scenes having been acted in the studio, on this day the story began in the middle and Joe was discovered on the roof of the building with his motor-cycle. He pretended to be getting it ready for an experiment, when a girl (one of the moving picture actresses) rushed up to him through a scuttle in the roof, and informed him of the big robbery in one of the banks. The police were after them, but the robbers had imprisoned the officers in a little room in the top story of a building across the street. If Joe could ride across on the telegraph wire, he could open the fastened-down scuttle hatch-cover, free the police, and so enable them to catch the robbers.

This was enacted to the satisfaction of the director.

"And now for the ride!" cried Mr. Potter. "Action, there, you with the cameras!"

There was a big and expectant crowd in the streets below. They had seen nothing of what went on upon the roof, nor were they much interested in that. What they wanted to see was Joe's ride across the chasm.

The youth jumped to the saddle of his machine and started the motor. A chalk line had been marked on the roof, and in another instant Joe was riding along it and toward the wire which stretched out from the roof of the building where he was to the other across the street.

"Well, here I go!" mused the boy.

The front wheel took the wire. The rear wheel followed. Then the lad found himself whizzing across the dizzy height, while down below was the yelling, shouting and cheering throng—an enthusiastic multitude.

Joe permitted himself one downward glance; then he fixed his eyes on the opposite building, where he was to free the officers.

Almost before he knew it he had ridden across the street chasm. He was on the other roof. The yelling down below continued, but Joe paid no attention to it—he had some acting still to do.

Quickly shutting off the power of his motor-cycle as he reached the other roof, Joe alighted from the saddle. Running to the cover of the inside stairway, he pried it off, thus releasing the policemen. They at once scattered to pursue the escaping robbers.

That ended Joe's part in the moving picture play, though in response to the yells and calls from the street below he appeared at the edge of the roof and waved his hand. A multitude of hands, hats and handkerchiefs were waved back to him.

"Congratulations, my boy!" said Mr. Potter, when he had rejoined Joe, the other camera men continuing to take the following scenes in what afterward proved to be a thrilling picture. "You did it magnificently."

"Oh, it wasn't so hard after I got started," said Joe. "Now I'd like to get some of this grease paint off my face."

"Yes. You're not used to it," assented Mr. Potter.

That evening and the next day the papers contained accounts of Joe's ride, and he received a lot of good advertising out of it, as well as the five hundred dollars. This last was very welcome, as Joe had no bookings for the next week.

He determined to remain in New York until he had to go to a distant county fair, for he had been told he might have a preliminary view of himself in the moving pictures, and he was anxious to see them.

It was toward the close of the week that Joe received another visit. He was in his hotel room when a card was brought to him by a bell-boy. The card bore the name of Mr. James Tracy.

"James Tracy!" exclaimed Joe. "I hope it's Jim Tracy, the ring-master in Sampson Brothers' Circus."

He found it was, a little later, when his visitor came up in response to Joe's invitation.

"Jim Tracy!" cried Joe, shaking hands. "I'm glad to see you!"

"Same here, my boy! You look the same as ever."

"And how's the circus?"

"Oh, she's fine, Joe. Notice how I said 'she'?"

Joe blushed but did not reply.

"I've been reading about you, Joe," went on the ring-master. "You certainly have 'em all sitting up and taking notice around New York. I never saw better press notices."

"Yes, they are pretty good."

"Now say, Joe, you haven't signed any contracts, have you?" asked Mr. Tracy earnestly.

"Contracts? No. That is, only for a week ahead. I'm due in Akron next week."

"That's good!" exclaimed the other. "Then don't sign anything more, Joe. Don't make any more engagements."

"Why not?"

"Because we want you, Joe. Sampson Brothers' Circus wants you. We want you back in the circus. We've got to have a thrilling act, and yours is the best in the country. Will you join us again, Joe?"