Part 32 (1/2)
”You must have money in the bank,” put in Sid, coming up just then.
”Well, suppose I have?” asked Joe, with a tinge of anger in the words, ”I earn what I get, don't I?”
”Oh, you may,” replied Tonzo, with a shrug of his shoulders. ”You certainly keep what you get--that is sure.”
”Of a certainty, yes!” chimed in Sid. ”Not once have you treated the crowd on the strength of your increases in salary.”
”No,” returned Joe slowly, ”I haven't, that's a fact. And now I want to say one thing. I know you fellows have been calling me a 'tight-wad'
and all that. I stood for it because----”
At that moment a dusty youth came pus.h.i.+ng his way up to Joe, the Lascallas and some others of the circus folk who had formed a group about the boy fish. The youth was in the uniform of a telegraph messenger, and he pushed a dusty wheel, chewing gum the while.
”Say, where's Joe Strong?” he asked of no one in particular. ”I've got a wire for him. Is he de guy what does dat tank act? Say! dat's swell, all right. I'd like to see dat, I would!”
He took off his cap, and from the top extracted a telegram and a receipt sheet.
”I'm Joe Strong,” said our hero quietly.
”G'wan!” answered the messenger. ”Why, he must be a big guy to do all de bills says he does--rescuin' a diver an' all dat! G'wan!”
There was a laugh, but others a.s.sured the boy that Joe could make good his claim to ident.i.ty.
”Sign dis,” the messenger said, extending the telegram and receipt blank to Joe. The boy fish hurriedly scribbled his name, and then tore open the envelope. As he read a look of surprise and joy showed on his face.
”Hurrah!” he cried. ”This is good news! Now, fellows, I'll tell you why I wouldn't spend my money treating you. I wanted to, badly enough, but I had other ways for my cash. Now I can tell you, since it's all over and a success. But first let me read you this.”
He held up the message and read:
”Operation an entire success. Benny will both hear and speak. He can rejoin circus by next season and do tank work if he likes.”
”Who's that from?” asked Helen, coming up in time to hear the message.
”From the celebrated surgeon--a friend of Dr. Wertz,” said Joe. ”I hired him to operate on Benny Turton to save him from becoming deaf and dumb. It took a lot of money, but I'm glad I had it saved. And that's why I had to pose as--a 'tight-wad,' fellows.”
Joe's voice faltered, but there was a happy look on his face.
Tonzo Lascalla stepped forward. He held out his hand and said:
”I want to beg your pardon, Joe Strong. I have misjudged you!”
”So have I!” exclaimed Sid.
They were both very much in earnest, and as they shook hands there were tears in Joe's eyes. But they were happy tears. Others of the circus folk who had not understood Joe made haste to make amends, and, for a time, there was a happy group.