“Keep your money for America.”

“It’s bad luck to profit off the sweat of another’s back.”

“Do I look like I need it?” says grouchy Fong, whose knee patches are nearly worn through. He needs not just new trousers but an entirely new outfit, and maybe even a new outlook, if they sell such things.

Jamie looks at me, and I nod. “Those are our terms. Take them or leave them.”

Standing, Tao presses his palms and bows toward Jamie. “There is a saying: If you always give, you will always have. Thank you, little captain.”

With that, the Flying Twins cross to the next stepping-stone. Only a few remain until we step onto the shore of a new world.

22

The men leave, each to his errands, and Jamie turns on me, his face grippy. “A rail is hard enough. But props?”

“I’ve seen Fong nicking the salt and pepper. Why waste talent?”

He gives an impatient shake of his head. “They were common thieves until Tao found enlightenment. What I mean is, why do you always make it so hard? We haven’t done a show in two years.”

“Where’s the challenge in just walking across?”

“Routine can be peaceful. Like being a fireman is peaceful.”

I snort. Still running that same racetrack. “It’ll wear you down, eventually.”

“Unless my sister wears me down first.”

“If it’s too easy, the audience knows.”

“As long as you act like it’s hard, they’ll buy it. You’re always out to prove something.” He mashes his lips together.

I cough. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, why can’t we just give a performance? You have to make it ridiculous, just like Ba.”

Each of his ideas was as ridiculous as brick shoes. Well, if Jamie thinks I’m ridiculous, I think he’s ridiculous, too. “You’re the one chasing a girl who’s two leagues ahead of you.”

His mouth wads up like a fist ready to punch. Straightening, I face him eyeball to eyeball. The phoenix may stand taller than the dragon by several inches, but he’ll never cow me.

He crooks an eyebrow. “Remember how you thought it’d be a good idea to juggle eggs on the rope? You got egg all over that woman’s head.”

“She should’ve been wearing her hat.”

A smile struggles to break free from his face. “I doubt the RMS Titanic will look kindly on us if we crack their fine crockery.”

“So we won’t break it. We’ll practice, and if you don’t feel good about it, we’ll take it out.” I whack him on the arm. “Let’s do wake-up drills.”

We run through the stretches, and then I clear the floor to let Jamie practice walking on his hands.