"That was the meaning of all the pains and queer feelings Benny had," said Joe to Helen, as they were left alone in the waiting room of the hospital. "You know he often spoke about a pain at the back of his head."
"Yes, you mentioned it several times," Helen remarked. "Oh, I am so sorry for him! I wonder if there is anything we can do for him."
"I'll find out when we see him," answered Joe. "But I don't know what I ought to do. If he can't go on with his act to-night----"
"Oh, surely he can't!" Helen interrupted.
"No, I reckon not," Joe agreed slowly. "Well, that means I'll have to do it, I suppose, if they have it billed. It won't do to shut it off suddenly. We'll have to wait until we get to another town, and we show here another day. I guess I'll have to let Jim Tracy know that Benny won't be with the show again right away."
"I suppose that would be best," Helen said. "We'll go back to the tent as soon as we've seen Benny."
They found the young circus tank-actor propped up in the clean, white hospital bed, with a pleasant-faced nurse hovering about him. Benny looked pale and wan, though perhaps some of his pallor was caused by the white pillows and bedspread.
"Well, old man, how goes it?" asked Joe, as he walked up, with extended hand.
"You'll have to speak louder," the nurse said. "He's quite deaf, you know."
Joe, for the moment, had forgotten. He repeated his question in louder tones.
Benny fumbled under the bedclothes and brought out a pad and pencil.
"The doctor doesn't want him to speak for a while," the nurse explained, for the physician, after telling Joe and Helen they might go up, had been called to see another patient. "He will write his answers, and he can hear if you speak quite loudly."
"I'm feeling better. Glad you came. What did they do about my act?"
"Oh, I went through with it--after a fashion," said Joe, making himself understood. "It's all right, Ben. I didn't do as well as you, of course, and I couldn't stay under as long. But I did the best I could."
"We're mighty sorry this happened to you, but if you take a rest you'll be all right again."
"That's just it," Benny wrote on the pad. "I can't afford to take a rest. I must get back as soon as I can to help support my mother."