"You contemptible cur!" cried Carl.

"Take that for calling us thieves!" added the young gymnast.

"Whow!" spluttered Nathan Wampole as he struggled to rise. "Wha-what do you mean by attacking me in this fashion?" he howled.

"What do you mean by insulting us?" said Carl sternly.

"I-I told the tru--"

"Stop or we'll give you another dose," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Leo. "Now let us come to an understanding, Nathan Wampole. You broke your agreement with us, and that ended our engagement. As to the things we took, we can prove our property. Your talk doesn't go."

This plain talk had its effect on Nathan Wampole. He was naturally a coward, and he at once began to cringe.

"Well, I-perhaps I was mistaken, gentlemen, but-ah-really, you ought to join our company. It will be the chance of a lifetime, and--"

"We won't waste words with you," said Carl. "But understand, our names come off your bills. If they don't, we'll tear the bills down and have you up in court for false pretense. We are done with you."

Thus speaking, Carl left, followed by Leo. Walking down the street they tore their names from every bill to be found.

Nathan Wampole followed and expostulated, but in vain. He had to rebill the town, and this time took good care that their names did not appear.

Wampole never bothered either of them again.

At the proper time Leo and Carl made their appearance at the mansion where they were to perform. The partners had a new trick which they called "Samson's Strength."

"Any one can have the strength of a Samson if he so desires," said Carl on coming forward. "Please to look at these dumbbells."

He produced a pair of iron dumbbells each weighing about ten pounds.

"Now, if you will observe, I handle these dumbbells with ease." He gave them a flourish. "Over they go-high in the air-around and around-easy enough, is it not? Bang!"

Down went the dumbbells on a large, flat stool he had provided.

"Will the strongest man present pick them up?"

A tall, well-formed man came forward and caught hold of one of the dumbbells.

He thought he could lift it with ease.

He was sadly mistaken.

In vain he tugged at the dumbbell. It refused to budge.

"You have fastened it down in some way," he said.

"Fastened it? Nonsense!" cried Carl, and leaning forward he picked up the dumbbell with only his forefinger and his thumb.

"Try the other dumbbell," he said.

The man did so, and found it equally hard to raise.

"Why, a little girl can pick them up," said Carl, and he motioned for a young miss of twelve to come forward. "I will strengthen your arms," he added, and made several mysterious signs over her wrists.

The little girl took hold of the dumbbells. Sure enough, she raised them without trouble.

This trick was a grand success, and the audience wondered how it was accomplished.

The explanation was simple. Under the stool Carl had a powerful magnet connected with the electric current which served the mansion with lights. By applying this magnet to the dumbbells the attraction was so strong they could not be moved. Leo controlled the current from below the floor, and certain movements which Carl made with his foot told the young gymnast when to turn the attractive force off or on.

CHAPTER XXIII.-THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH ONCE MORE.

The performance at the mansion lasted longer than had been antic.i.p.ated.

Many visitors were present and the whole affair was voted a big success.

But, though Leo and Carl both tried, they failed to secure another engagement anywhere in the vicinity.

"Never mind, we can't expect to earn twelve or twenty dollars every night," said the young gymnast. "If we did that we would be millionaires in no time."

When they arrived at the hotel at which they were to stop they found several gentlemen talking about eggs and how Columbus had stood one on end.

"Yes, but he cracked the sh.e.l.l," said Carl. "I will agree to stand an egg on end without cracking the sh.e.l.l. Wait till I put my traps away."

He disappeared upstairs, but soon returned.

"I'll bet a dollar you can't stand an egg up on end," said one of the gentlemen, and produced an egg brought from the kitchen.

Carl took it and waved it over his head several times.

"You have to daze the chick inside," he explained. "Now it will stand up all right."

He put the egg down on the smooth table. Sure enough, it stood up as nicely as one would please. Then he took the egg up, and, making several pa.s.ses, handed it to the man.

But the egg wouldn't stand for the man, try as hard as he could.

"You've won the bet."

"Keep your money; it was only a trick," smiled Carl.

"And how was it done?"

"Ah, that's one of our professional secrets," laughed Carl.

"Good-night," and he and Leo retired.

"How was the trick done?" the reader asks. We will tell them. When Carl went out he procured another egg and put in one end a bit of quicksilver. This egg he subst.i.tuted for the original egg when he waved the latter in the air. The egg with the quicksilver could, of course, be set on end with ease, for the quicksilver's weight would balance the other end.