Bert’s eyes were glued to his pocket watch. Soon, he would dash to the various dressing rooms to shout, “Five minutes, please.” The final dash would be to the dressing room of Harry Houdini, calling him out to perform what might be his most fantastic illusion ever.

“Isn’t it magical, sir?” one of the young stagehands asked. “Being present to see Mr. Houdini make an entire elephant disappear?”

Moaning, the stage manager flapped his hands at the boy as if trying to make him disappear.

“Are you well, sir?” the young man asked.

“As well as can be expected,” Bert replied. “Go check on—” He waved his hand deeper backstage, an action that encompassed much instruction.

“A word, Bert?” The Great Oberon appeared at the stage manager’s elbow, carrying a large canvas satchel.

“I’m very busy.” Bert rubbed his forehead. Who was this? Not the juggler. And not the seal man. He remembered. That audition. “We’re about to open the curtain. This isn’t the time—”

The Great Oberon smiled. “Well, Bert, my time is nearer at hand than you realize.”

“All right, all right, Algernon—”

“Oberon!” Wylie Wurme hadn’t quite worked out how he was going to permanently take over that stage name. Apparently, the real Oberon had gone west, seeking his fortune, taking his Asrah Levitation gear with him. That was why Wylie couldn’t add that illusion to his repertoire, why he’d had to fake those robberies. Maybe it was Canada that Oberon had set out for. Did it truly matter? He hadn’t been heard from in years. After tonight, he would be the Great Oberon. And Wylie wouldn’t rely on cheap tricks like the Asrah Levitation. He would produce grander and grander illusions. Make an elephant vanish? Posh. That was baby stuff. He would—well, he hadn’t actually thought about what he would do to surpass Houdini. What was larger than an elephant? A city? Yes, that was it. He, the Great Oberon, would make an entire city disappear! Of course, he wouldn’t start with New York. Much too large. What about that burg he’d passed through on the train? Swayzee, Indiana, that was it. He would make Swayzee, Indiana, disappear. That was a place no one would miss, or he was no magician.

Wurme continued. “Far be it from me to cast aspersions on a fellow performer.” He coughed into his fist. “But it seems to me that this evening Mr. Houdini is promising a great deal more than he can deliver.”

“Why would you say that?” Bert sneezed right in Wurme’s face. “Pardon me.”

“Vanish an elephant?” Wurme’s eyes widened. “I mean, really.”

Bert vigorously blew his nose. Oh, if he lived to be one hundred, he would never, ever, deal with magicians again. A definite career change was called for, and soon. Maybe he could help his cousin with his dynamite business.

“On the outside chance that Mr. Houdini is not able to fulfill his promises”—Wurme reached into his satchel—“I am most willing to step in.” He produced a fistful of handbills.

Bert ignored the sheets presented him. “Nothing will go wrong tonight. Now, in the name of liverwurst, get out of my hair!”

Before the Great Oberon could say more, the young stagehand came running.

“Now what?” Bert tore at his thinning hair like a madman.

“The walrus,” the boy said.

“Walrus?” The stage manager grabbed hold of the boy and shook him like a rag doll. “We have no walrus.”

Eyes rattling, the stagehand tried to gather his thoughts. It was a creature of the sea, he was certain. Slimy thing, too. And reeked to high heaven. “Seal!” he spat out. “The seal.”

Bert sucked in a great breath. “What about it?”

The boy grabbed his sleeve. “You’d just better come along,” was all he could manage.

They were both gone in a flash, leaving the Great Oberon standing alone. No matter. After tonight, he would never again be alone. The admiring crowds would press so tightly around him that he’d be imprinted with their buttons. He could wait. It was only a matter of an hour or so before his marvelous dreams would come true.

*   *   *

Shortly before the Pomegrantos went on, they rehearsed backstage one last time. Bimmy fumbled an easy cascade.

“Are you nervous, chum?” Audie asked.

“A little.” Bimmy struggled with whether to tell Audie what she’d been thinking about. Theo’s laboratory had been so fascinating. And though Bimmy had never before allowed herself such dreams, the notion of assistant scientist fell on her shoulders like a warm, well-fitting coat. Yet how could she ever part from Audie? Bimmy bit another fingernail down to the quick.

“I too must confess to a case of nerves.” Theo pushed her spectacles up on her nose.

“We’re going to knock them dead.” Audie performed a shower with three small rubber balls. She fumbled at the end. “Well.” She shrugged. “At least we’ll try.”

Cypher paced backstage left. It was one thing to juggle balls; it was another to juggle people. Keeping an eye on Theo and Houdini stretched him thin. And then there were his charges. On top of everything else, whose idea was it that they wear tassels? No man should be made to wear tassels. “I’m not going on,” he called over to the girls. “I feel ridiculous.”

“Nonsense,” Audie replied. Certain schemes revolved around the act going on as planned. Exactly as planned. “A person can do anything once,” she encouraged her mentor.

“When you get out on the stage, you won’t even notice what you’ve got on,” Bimmy offered. “I’ve worn worse costumes than this, but once I began my bit, it didn’t matter. Not one iota.” She reached out to pat Cypher but pulled back as she took in his expression. “It’s not about what we’re wearing. It’s all about the fantasy we create.” She grinned. “Though we may actually have to hypnotize this audience to convince them we’re jugglers.”

Bimmy did not notice the odd expression on Theo’s face at this remark.

“I think you look handsome,” Audie proclaimed. “I only wish Beatrice could see you!”

Cypher grimaced.

“Oh, listen!” Audie exclaimed. “The orchestra’s warming up.”

“It’s nearly time.” Bimmy double-checked that she had all of her juggling equipment.

“Tassels!” Cypher sighed.

“Everything will be hunky-dory.” Audie did several pliés to get limber. “Right, Theo?”

“I think I can safely say this will be an evening of amazements.” The girl scientist pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. “Absolute amazements.”