human
Your friend Benny's trouble, said the physician,
gpt
Permanently?
human
That remains to be seen. But it is certain now that he is in great danger of becoming deaf and dumb.
gpt
Oh! exclaimed Helen, sympathetically.
human
Poor Benny, never to speak or hear again!
gpt
Well, we may be able to save him, but that can not yet be said with certainty, stated the doctor.
human
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.
gpt
Can he speak?
human
Only a little. And he can hear less.
gpt
We'd like to see him,
human
I think that can be arranged, the doctor said.
gpt
I'll go and find out how he is now.
human
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.
gpt
You know he often spoke about a pain at the back of his head.
human
Yes, you mentioned it several times, Helen remarked.
gpt
Oh, I am so sorry for him! I wonder if there is anything we can do for him.
human
I'll find out when we see him, answered Joe.
gpt
But I don't know what I ought to do. If he can't go on with his act to-night----
human
Oh, surely he can't!
gpt
No, I reckon not, Joe agreed slowly.
human
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.
gpt
I suppose that would be best, Helen said.
human
We'll go back to the tent as soon as we've seen Benny.