"First-rate."

"It's a peculiar sensation when you go up for the first time."

The young gymnast smiled.

"It wouldn't be my first trip," he said. "I went up once before-in a big hurry."

And he told of his adventure while trying to escape from Daniel Hawkins.

About a week after this Leo went up with the professor, taking the place of the a.s.sistant. He rather enjoyed the trip and was not at all afraid.

"I'm used to swinging around in the air, you know," he explained.

The circus was going still further west, and one day it struck a town around which the forest fires were raging rather extensively. On this same day Larry Greson came to the manager of the show and said that Professor Ricardo was sick and could not give his customary exhibition.

"That's too bad," replied Adam Lambert. "It has been advertised, and I hate to disappoint the crowds."

Leo heard about the trouble and presently he volunteered to go up with Greson.

"I'll do a turn or two on the bar and the country folks won't know the difference," he said.

And so it was arranged that the young gymnast should go up.

"But be mighty careful, Leo," cautioned Barton Reeve. "We can't afford to lose you."

At the appointed time Leo was on hand, the big balloon was inflated, and up the monster went, with Greson in the tiny basket and Leo clinging to a bar beneath.

The wind was blowing rather strongly, and as they shot up it increased in velocity. Before Leo had time to make a dozen turns on the bar the balloon had left the circus grounds far behind and was sailing rapidly over the outskirts of the town.

Far ahead could be seen the burning forests.

It being useless to remain on the bar, Leo hastily clambered into the basket.

"We had better come down," he cried.

"We can't come down fast enough," gasped Greson.

"What do you mean, Greson?"

"We are sailing along too fast. We'll land right in the center of the fire."

"Then what is best to do?"

"Sail over it and land on the other side of the woods."

"Can we do that?"

"Oh, yes."

"Then go ahead," returned Leo, much relieved. "Put some more alcohol on your sponge," he added, referring to the sponge which was blazing beneath the balloon opening to keep the air hot.

Leo kept a sharp lookout ahead while Greson tended to the lighted sponge.

They kept well up in the air.

It was not long before the burning forest could be seen plainly.

"Gosh! but we don't want to get down in that!" cried Greson, with a shudder. "We would never come out alive!"

"Look to your sponge!" called out the young gymnast sharply.

A puff of wind had blown the flame in an opposite direction.

Greson turned to comply, but at that moment the wind took a piece of the lighted sponge from the holder and carried it upward.

It caught on the balloon. There was a puff of smoke and a tiny flame.

The balloon was on fire!

White with terror, Greson sank down on the floor of the basket, too overcome to think or act.

Leo's heart leaped into his throat.

They were speeding with terrible swiftness directly toward the forest of fire.

CHAPTER XXVI.-ADVENTURES AMID THE FLAMES.

There was no escape, for the burning balloon was going down in the very midst of the crackling forest.

Already the atmosphere was thick with smoke and flaming pieces of wood and brush.

It was with difficulty that Leo breathed, and he could scarcely see a dozen feet before him.

Larry Greson, the a.s.sistant, lay on the floor of the basket, too frightened to move.

"Out with the sandbags!" cried the young gymnast. "It is our one hope!"

"What's the use? The balloon is on fire!" gasped Greson hopelessly.

"We must do something-I won't give up!" was Leo's response.

He began to cast out the heavy bags one after the other. Greson at last consented to help him.

The burning balloon shot up into the air fifty or sixty feet. But only for a few seconds.