It was a risky plan, but it worked. While Hank slowly approached Ajax from in front, wading out into the creek, with his elephant hook raised, ready to catch it in the sensitive trunk of the brute, other men approached through the water at the rear, holding in readiness heavy chains. Ajax concentrated all his attention on Hank, whom he doubtless hoped to treat as he had served poor Henyon. “Ajax! Attention! Up! Up!” suddenly cried Hank, giving the beast the order to stand on his hind legs. Habit was too much for the brute, enraged as he was. With a trumpet of protest, he rose slowly. [Illustration: “To bid defiance to his pursuers” _Page 188_] “Now, men!” cried Hank, and in a trice two chains had been slipped about the hind legs. Ajax was caught before he had gotten into town, but there was sorrow among the circus folk when they heard how grievously Bill Henyon was hurt. Ajax had caught him unawares, as the elephant man stooped over to adjust one of the chains that the big creature had pulled loose. But the show must go on, no matter what happens to the employees or performers, and when the news got around that one of the elephants in the circus had nearly killed his keeper there was a bigger crowd than usual at the night performance, every one anxious for a glimpse of Ajax. The brute had quieted down somewhat, but there was an extra fence of ropes about his enclosure in the animal tent, and he was so heavily shackled with chains that it would have been a task even beyond his terrible strength to get loose. Every one in the circus was more or less nervous that night, and even the veteran performers on the high wire and on the flying trapeze did not feel so sure of themselves as usual. Once, during a particularly long jump clear across the tent, when one of the trapeze performers swings loose to catch in the hands of another, there was a miscalculation, and the performer fell quite a distance into the net. After that Mr. Paine called the act off. “It’s too risky,” he said. “I’m afraid something’s going to happen to-night.” Perhaps all this got on Jack’s nerves, for, though he was usually clear headed, he found himself feeling somewhat nervous as he climbed to the top of his platform, ready for his first leap with the flying machine. “Pshaw!” he exclaimed to himself. “What’s the matter with me, anyhow? I’m thinking too much of poor Mr. Henyon. Well, here goes,” and he launched himself down. He landed safely, amid the laughter of the crowd at his queer act. “I guess I’m all right,” he thought. His success made him more confident, and he did the next two turns even better than the first. Then came the last one.