"Well, I must say you are not very cheerful!" exclaimed Señorita Tanlozo.
"Oh, well, what matter?" asked the trapeze performer, with a shrug of his shoulders.
The circus parade was over. The procession had returned to the grounds and dinner was being served. The afternoon performance would soon be under way.
"Well, Joe, all ready for another swim?" asked Helen, as she passed the "boy fish" (as he had been dubbed by some) on her way to look after Rosebud.
"Yes, all ready to get wet again," he answered. "How's the nice horse?"
"All right. He was asking for you," and she laughed at her little joke.
Joe's trapeze work went off well, and, hurrying to the dressing tent, he donned the green suit. Again the ring-master made his announcement about Joe, and the youth, inflating his lungs to their capacity, plunged in.
Joe knew the value of a laugh, even in a thrilling scene, and this time he had prepared a few simple but laughable tricks to perform under water. They all worked well, and Joe brought the act to a close with his "sleep," which again won him applause.
That afternoon Joe paid another visit to the hospital where Benny was a patient. The "human fish" was in great pain, and Joe could only see him for a few minutes.
"I think we shall have to operate on him, eventually," the doctor said.