“Requests from whom?” Joe asked.

“One of the newspaper men was telling me they received a lot of telephone calls to-day asking if the box trick would be done and the reward paid in case some one discovered the way it was done.”

“What did you say?”

“I said I thought you’d put the trick on in that case.  Don’t you think you’d better?  We didn’t advertise it specially for to-night, but there might be a lot of sore-heads if we don’t pull it off.”

“Oh, I’ll do it all right!” declared Joe.  “I thought it was getting a bit stale.  But if the crowd wants to see it I’ll do it.”

“I guess it will be better,” said the ringmaster.

Accordingly, at the proper time, Joe, in his dazzling white suit, took his place in the silk-curtained enclosure.  Helen, in her black dress, was ready to help him.  The fireman, with his gleaming ax, ready to chop Joe out of the box in case anything should go wrong, was also on the stage.

As has been related in the other book, this last was done only for effect.  Joe well knew that he could get out of the box.  The manager made the usual offer of ten thousand dollars to be paid to any one who would disclose how the trick was done.

“You will all be given a chance to claim the reward under the usual conditions after the trick has been performed by Professor Strong,” was the announcement made.

As the description of the manner in which Joe and Helen did the trick is given in all its details in the volume preceding this, suffice it here to say that Joe got into the box, which was locked and roped, and, at the proper time, he appeared outside.

“Is there any one who can tell how the trick was done, and so earn the ten thousand dollar reward?” asked the manager.  He had made this announcement many times.  Seldom, of late, had any one come forward.  But now, somewhat to the surprise of Joe and his friends, a man’s voice called from a location near the platform: 

“I can tell how it was done!”

“Will you please come forward,” invited Joe, now taking charge of the proceedings.

A fairly well-dressed man stepped across the arena and approached the stage.  Joe and Jim Tracy and the others vitally interested looked closely at him.  He was not Bill Carfax—­that was certain.  And Joe did not know the man, nor, as Jim Tracy admitted afterward, did he.

“You say you can tell how I get out of the box?” asked Joe, and the audience listened intently.

“Yes.  I know the secret.”

“Are you willing to post a hundred dollars to be forfeited to the Red Cross in case you fail?” went on the young magician.

“I am.  Here is the money!” was the cool response.  This quick compliance with the terms of the offer rather staggered Joe.  But he had no fear as to the outcome.

“Very well,” went on the originator of the box trick.  “The ringmaster will hold your money.  If you are successful in telling how I get out of the box the cash will be handed back to you, and you will receive, in addition, a check for ten thousand dollars.  Now then, how do I get out of the box?  Tell the audience.”