You are to stay here with us until
you are better. A Mr. Tracy told me to tell you."

"Oh, yes, Jim--the ring-master. Well I--I guess I'll have to stay
whether I want to or not."

Joe had tried to raise his head from the pillow, but a severe pain,
shooting through his neck and shoulders, warned him that he had better
lie quietly. He also became aware that his head was bandaged.

"I must be in pretty bad shape," he said.

"No, not so very," replied the trained nurse cheerfully. "But you must
keep quiet if you are to get well quickly. The doctor will be in to
see you soon."

Joe sunk into a sort of doze, and when he awakened again the doctor was
in his room.

"Well, how about me?" asked the young performer.

"You might be a whole lot worse," replied the medical man with a smile.
"It's just a bad wrench and sprain. You'll be lame and sore for maybe
two weeks, but eventually you'll be able to go back, risking your neck
again."

"Oh, there's not such an awful lot of risks," Joe said. "This was just
an accident--my first of any account. I can't understand how my hands
slipped off the bar. Guess I didn't put enough resin on them. How
long will I be here?"

"Oh, perhaps a week--maybe less."

"Did they bring my pocketbook--I mean my money?"

"You don't have to worry about that," said the doctor. "It has all
been attended to. A Miss Morton made all the arrangements."

"Oh," was all Joe said, but he did a lot of thinking.

Joe's injury was more painful than serious. His sore muscles had to be
treated with liniment and electricity, and often massaged. This took
time, but in less than a week he was able to be out of bed and could
sit in an easy chair, out on one of the verandas.

Of course Joe wrote to Helen as soon as he could, thanking her and his
other friends for what they had done for him. In return he received a
letter from Helen, telling him how she--and all of the circus
folk--missed him.

There was also a card from Benny Turton, and a note from Jim Tracy,
telling Joe that his place was ready for him whenever he could come
back. But he was not to hurry himself. They had put no one in his
place on the bill, simply cutting his act out. The Lascalla Brothers
worked with another trapeze performer, who gave up his own act
temporarily to take Joe's position.

"Well, I guess everything will be all right," reflected our hero. "But
I'll join the show again as soon as I can."

Joe was sitting