"Well, we may be able to save him, but that can not yet be said with certainty," stated the doctor. "You see the water pressure on his ear drums, and on his vocal cords, caused by his act in picking up coins in his mouth while under water, has, to a certain extent, injured them. He is in a bad way now."
"Can he speak?" asked Helen.
"Only a little. And he can hear less."
"We'd like to see him," put in Joe.
"I think that can be arranged," the doctor said. "I'll go and find out how he is now."
"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."