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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32393-8.txt b/32393-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b7f72fd --- /dev/null +++ b/32393-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6119 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Toby Tyler, by James Otis + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Toby Tyler + Ten Weeks with a Circus + + +Author: James Otis + + + +Release Date: May 15, 2010 [eBook #32393] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOBY TYLER*** + + +E-text prepared by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from +page images generously made available by Internet Archive +(http://www.archive.org) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 32393-h.htm or 32393-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32393/32393-h/32393-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32393/32393-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + http://www.archive.org/details/tobytylerortenwe00kalerich + + + + + +TOBY TYLER + +or + +Ten Weeks with a Circus + +by + +JAMES OTIS + +Illustrated + + + +[Illustration: BREAKFAST IN THE WOODS. _See p. 235._] + + + + + + +[Illustration] + +New York and London +Harper & Brothers Publishers + + * * * * * * + +HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE SERIES + +EACH, SIXTY CENTS + + +_FRANCONIA STORIES_ + +BY JACOB ABBOTT + +Malleville +Mary Bell +Ellen Linn +Wallace +Beechnut +Stuyvesant +Agnes +Mary Erskine +Rodolphus +Caroline + +BY W. L. ALDEN + +The Moral Pirates +The Cruise of the "Ghost" +The Cruise of the Canoe Club +The Adventures of Jimmy Brown +Jimmy Brown Trying to Find Europe +A New Robinson Crusoe + +BY JAMES BARNES + +The Blockaders + +BY WILLIAM BLACK + +The Four Macnicols + +BY LEWIS CARROLL + +Alice's Adventures in Wonderland +Through the Looking-Glass +The Hunting of the Snark + +BY COL. W. F. CODY + +The Adventures of Buffalo Bill + +BY GEORGE C. EGGLESTON + +Strange Stories from History + +BY JOHN HABBERTON + +Who Was Paul Grayson? + +BY MRS. W. J. HAYS + +Prince Lazybones +The Princess Idleways + +BY GEORGE A. HENTY + +In the Hands of the Cave-Dwellers + +BY W. J. HENDERSON + +Sea Yarns for Boys + +BY ERNEST INGERSOLL + +The Ice Queen + +BY DAVID KER + +The Lost City +Into Unknown Seas + +BY LUCY C. LILLIE + +Mildred's Bargain +Nan +Jo's Opportunity +Phil and the Baby +False Witness +Rolf House +Music and Musicians +The Colonel's Money +The Household of Glen Holly + +BY LIVINGSTON B. MORSE + +The Road to Nowhere + +BY MISS MULOCK + +The Little Lame Prince +The Adventures of a Brownie +Little Sunshine's Holiday +The Cousin from India +Twenty Years Ago +Is It True? +Miss Moore +An Only Sister + +BY KIRK MUNROE + +Wakulla +The Flamingo Feather +Derrick Sterling +Chrystal Jack & Co. etc. + +BY JAMES OTIS + +Mr. Stubbs's Brother +Tim and Tip +Toby Tyler, or, Ten Weeks with a Circus +Raising the "Pearl" +Silent Pete, or, the Stowaways +Left Behind, or, Ten Days a Newsboy + +BY G. B. PERRY + +Uncle Peter's Trust + +BY L. C. PYRNELLE + +Diddie, Dumps, and Tot + +BY MARGARET E. SANGSTER + +Little Knights and Ladies--Poems + +BY W. O. STODDARD + +Two Arrows +The Red Mustang +The Talking Leaves + +BY SOPHIE SWETT + +Captain Polly + +_STRANGE STORIES FROM AMERICAN HISTORY_ + +Strange Stories of Colonial Days +Strange Stories of the Revolution +Strange Stories of 1812 +Strange Stories of the Civil War + +_ADVENTURE SERIES_ + +Adventures of Uncle Sam's Sailors +Adventures of Uncle Sam's Soldiers +Adventures with Indians +Adventures of Pirates and Sea-Rovers + +_Illustrated. Price, per volume, 60 cents_ + +HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK + +COPYRIGHT, 1880, 1881, 1909, BY HARPER & BROTHERS + +COPYRIGHT, 1908, 1909, BY JAMES OTIS KALER + +PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + + * * * * * * + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAP. PAGE + + I. TOBY'S INTRODUCTION TO THE CIRCUS 9 + + II. TOBY RUNS AWAY FROM HOME 20 + + III. THE NIGHT RIDE 31 + + IV. THE FIRST DAY WITH THE CIRCUS 42 + + V. THE COUNTERFEIT TEN-CENT PIECE 54 + + VI. A TENDER-HEARTED SKELETON 66 + + VII. AN ACCIDENT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 82 + + VIII. CAPTURE OF THE MONKEYS 93 + + IX. THE DINNER-PARTY 102 + + X. MR. STUBBS AT A PARTY 118 + + XI. A STORMY NIGHT 131 + + XII. TOBY'S GREAT MISFORTUNE 143 + + XIII. TOBY ATTEMPTS TO RESIGN HIS SITUATION 156 + + XIV. MR. CASTLE TEACHES TOBY TO RIDE 169 + + XV. TOBY'S FRIENDS PRESENT HIM WITH A COSTUME 184 + + XVI. TOBY'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE RING 197 + + XVII. OFF FOR HOME! 211 + + XVIII. A DAY OF FREEDOM 229 + + XIX. MR. STUBBS'S MISCHIEF, AND HIS SAD FATE 239 + + XX. HOME AND UNCLE DANIEL 252 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + PAGE + + BREAKFAST IN THE WOODS _Frontispiece_ + + TOBY STRIKES A BARGAIN 11 + + TOBY AND HIS NEW FRIEND 27 + + TOBY'S FIRST NIGHT RIDE 33 + + OLD BEN COMES TO THE RESCUE 47 + + "WON'T YOU PLEASE GIVE ME THE MONEY BACK?" 59 + + TOBY GETS HIS SUPPER 73 + + JOB LORD LEARNS A LESSON 79 + + THE BREAK-DOWN, AND ESCAPE OF THE MONKEYS 89 + + BRINGING BACK THE RUNAWAYS 97 + + TOBY IS INTRODUCED TO THE ALBINOS 111 + + TOBY SITS DOWN ON MR. STUBBS 127 + + TOBY IN THE "WOMEN'S WAGON" 135 + + MR. STUBBS AND TOBY'S MONEY 151 + + TOBY AND THE LITTLE BOY CUSTOMERS 165 + + THE FIRST LESSON 173 + + ELLA AND TOBY 187 + + MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE AND MONSIEUR AJAX 205 + + THE RUNAWAYS 225 + + "HOW I LOVE YOU, MR. STUBBS!" 249 + + UNCLE DANIEL'S BLESSING 263 + + + + +TOBY TYLER; + +OR, + +TEN WEEKS WITH A CIRCUS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +TOBY'S INTRODUCTION TO THE CIRCUS. + + +"Couldn't you give more'n six pea-nuts for a cent?" was a question asked +by a very small boy, with big, staring eyes, of a candy vender at a +circus booth. And as he spoke he looked wistfully at the quantity of +nuts piled high up on the basket, and then at the six, each of which now +looked so small as he held them in his hand. + +"Couldn't do it," was the reply of the proprietor of the booth, as he +put the boy's penny carefully away in the drawer. + +The little fellow looked for another moment at his purchase, and then +carefully cracked the largest one. + +A shade--and a very deep shade it was--of disappointment passed over his +face, and then, looking up anxiously, he asked, "Don't you swap 'em when +they're bad?" + +The man's face looked as if a smile had been a stranger to it for a long +time; but one did pay it a visit just then, and he tossed the boy two +nuts, and asked him a question at the same time. "What is your name?" + +The big brown eyes looked up for an instant, as if to learn whether the +question was asked in good faith, and then their owner said, as he +carefully picked apart another nut, "Toby Tyler." + +"Well, that's a queer name." + +"Yes, I s'pose so, myself; but, you see, I don't expect that's the name +that belongs to me. But the fellers call me so, an' so does Uncle +Dan'l." + +"Who is Uncle Daniel?" was the next question. In the absence of other +customers the man seemed disposed to get as much amusement out of the +boy as possible. + +"He hain't my uncle at all; I only call him so because all the boys do, +an' I live with him." + +"Where's your father and mother?" + +"I don't know," said Toby, rather carelessly. "I don't know much about +'em, an' Uncle Dan'l says they don't know much about me. Here's another +bad nut; goin' to give me two more?" + +[Illustration: TOBY STRIKES A BARGAIN.] + +The two nuts were given him, and he said, as he put them in his pocket, +and turned over and over again those which he held in his hand, "I +shouldn't wonder if all of these was bad. Sposen you give me two for +each one of 'em before I crack 'em, an' then they won't be spoiled so +you can't sell 'em again." + +As this offer of barter was made, the man looked amused, and he asked, +as he counted out the number which Toby desired, "If I give you these, I +suppose you'll want me to give you two more for each one, and you'll +keep that kind of a trade going until you get my whole stock?" + +"I won't open my head if every one of 'em's bad." + +"All right; you can keep what you've got, and I'll give you these +besides; but I don't want you to buy any more, for I don't want to do +that kind of business." + +Toby took the nuts offered, not in the least abashed, and seated himself +on a convenient stone to eat them, and at the same time to see all that +was going on around him. The coming of a circus to the little town of +Guilford was an event, and Toby had hardly thought of anything else +since the highly colored posters had first been put up. It was yet quite +early in the morning, and the tents were just being erected by the men. +Toby had followed, with eager eyes, everything that looked as if it +belonged to the circus, from the time the first wagon had entered the +town until the street parade had been made, and everything was being +prepared for the afternoon's performance. + +The man who had made the losing trade in pea-nuts seemed disposed to +question the boy still further, probably owing to the fact that he had +nothing better to do. + +"Who is this Uncle Daniel you say you live with--is he a farmer?" + +"No; he's a deacon, an' he raps me over the head with the hymn-book +whenever I go to sleep in meetin', an' he says I eat four times as much +as I earn. I blame him for hittin' so hard when I go to sleep, but I +s'pose he's right about my eatin'. You see," and here his tone grew both +confidential and mournful, "I am an awful eater, an' I can't seem to +help it. Somehow I'm hungry all the time. I don't seem ever to get +enough till carrot-time comes, an' then I can get all I want without +troubling anybody." + +"Didn't you ever have enough to eat?" + +"I s'pose I did; but you see Uncle Dan'l he found me one mornin' on his +hay, an' he says I was cryin' for something to eat then, an' I've kept +it up ever since. I tried to get him go give me money enough to go into +the circus with; but he said a cent was all he could spare these hard +times, an' I'd better take that an' buy something to eat with it, for +the show wasn't very good anyway. I wish pea-nuts wasn't but a cent a +bushel." + +"Then you would make yourself sick eating them." + +"Yes, I s'pose I should; Uncle Dan'l says I'd eat till I was sick, if I +got the chance; but I'd like to try it once." + +He was a very small boy, with a round head covered with short, +red hair a face as speckled as any turkey's egg, but thoroughly +good-natured-looking; and as he sat there on the rather sharp point of +the rock, swaying his body to and fro as he hugged his knees with his +hands, and kept his eyes fastened on the tempting display of good things +before him, it would have been a very hard-hearted man who would not +have given him something. But Mr. Job Lord, the proprietor of the booth, +was a hard-hearted man, and he did not make the slightest advance toward +offering the little fellow anything. + +Toby rocked himself silently for a moment, and then he said, +hesitatingly, "I don't suppose you'd like to sell me some things, an' +let me pay you when I get older, would you?" + +Mr. Lord shook his head decidedly at this proposition. + +"I didn't s'pose you would," said Toby, quickly; "but you didn't seem to +be selling anything, an' I thought I'd just see what you'd say about +it." And then he appeared suddenly to see something wonderfully +interesting behind him, which served as an excuse to turn his reddening +face away. + +"I suppose your uncle Daniel makes you work for your living, don't he?" +asked Mr. Lord, after he had rearranged his stock of candy, and had +added a couple of slices of lemon-peel to what was popularly supposed to +be lemonade. + +"That's what I think; but he says that all the work I do wouldn't pay +for the meal that one chicken would eat, an' I s'pose it's so, for I +don't like to work as well as a feller without any father and mother +ought to. I don't know why it is, but I guess it's because I take up so +much time eatin' that it kinder tires me out. I s'pose you go into the +circus whenever you want to, don't you?" + +"Oh yes; I'm there at every performance, for I keep the stand under the +big canvas as well as this one out here." + +There was a great big sigh from out Toby's little round stomach, as he +thought what bliss it must be to own all those good things, and to see +the circus wherever it went. "It must be nice," he said, as he faced the +booth and its hard-visaged proprietor once more. + +"How would you like it?" asked Mr. Lord, patronizingly, as he looked +Toby over in a business way, very much as if he contemplated purchasing +him. + +"Like it!" echoed Toby; "why, I'd grow fat on it." + +"I don't know as that would be any advantage," continued Mr. Lord, +reflectively, "for it strikes me that you're about as fat now as a boy +of your age ought to be. But I've a great mind to give you a chance." + +"What!" cried Toby, in amazement, and his eyes opened to their widest +extent, as this possible opportunity of leading a delightful life +presented itself. + +"Yes, I've a great mind to give you the chance. You see," and now it was +Mr. Lord's turn to grow confidential, "I've had a boy with me this +season, but he cleared out at the last town, and I'm running the +business alone now." + +Toby's face expressed all the contempt he felt for the boy who would run +away from such a glorious life as Mr. Lord's assistant must lead; but he +said not a word, waiting in breathless expectation for the offer which +he now felt certain would be made him. + +"Now I ain't hard on a boy," continued Mr. Lord, still confidentially, +"and yet that one seemed to think that he was treated worse and made to +work harder than any boy in the world." + +"He ought to live with Uncle Dan'l a week," said Toby, eagerly. + +"Here I was just like a father to him," said Mr. Lord, paying no +attention to the interruption, "and I gave him his board and lodging, +and a dollar a week besides." + +"Could he do what he wanted to with the dollar?" + +"Of course he could. I never checked him, no matter how extravagant he +was, an' yet I've seen him spend his whole week's wages at this very +stand in one afternoon. And even after his money had all gone that way, +I've paid for peppermint and ginger out of my own pocket just to cure +his stomach-ache." + +Toby shook his head mournfully, as if deploring that depravity which +could cause a boy to run away from such a tender-hearted employer, and +from such a desirable position. But even as he shook his head so sadly +he looked wistfully at the pea-nuts, and Mr. Lord observed the look. + +It may have been that Mr. Job Lord was the tender-hearted man he prided +himself upon being, or it may have been that he wished to purchase +Toby's sympathy; but, at all events, he gave him a large handful of +nuts, and Toby never bothered his little round head as to what motive +prompted the gift. Now he could listen to the story of the boy's +treachery and eat at the same time; therefore he was an attentive +listener. + +"All in the world that boy had to do," continued Mr. Lord, in the same +injured tone he had previously used, "was to help me set things to +rights when we struck a town in the morning, and then tend to the +counter till we left the town at night, and all the rest of the time he +had to himself. Yet that boy was ungrateful enough to run away." + +Mr. Lord paused, as if expecting some expression of sympathy from his +listener; but Toby was so busily engaged with his unexpected feast, and +his mouth was so full, that it did not seem even possible for him to +shake his head. + +"Now what should you say if I told you that you looked to me like a boy +that was made especially to help run a candy counter at a circus, and if +I offered the place to you?" + +Toby made one frantic effort to swallow the very large mouthful, and in +a choking voice he answered, quickly, "I should say I'd go with you, an' +be mighty glad of the chance." + +"Then it's a bargain, my boy, and you shall leave town with me +to-night." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +TOBY RUNS AWAY FROM HOME. + + +Toby could scarcely restrain himself at the prospect of this golden +future that had so suddenly opened before him. He tried to express his +gratitude, but could only do so by evincing his willingness to commence +work at once. + +"No, no, that won't do," said Mr. Lord, cautiously. "If your uncle +Daniel should see you working here, he might mistrust something, and +then you couldn't get away." + +"I don't believe he'd try to stop me," said Toby, confidently; "for he's +told me lots of times that it was a sorry day for him when he found me." + +"We won't take any chances, my son," was the reply, in a very benevolent +tone, as he patted Toby on the head, and at the same time handed him a +piece of pasteboard. "There's a ticket for the circus, and you come +around to see me about ten o'clock to-night. I'll put you on one of the +wagons, and by to-morrow morning your uncle Daniel will have hard work +to find you." + +If Toby had followed his inclinations, the chances are that he would +have fallen on his knees, and kissed Mr. Lord's hands in the excess of +his gratitude. But not knowing exactly how such a show of thankfulness +might be received, he contented himself by repeatedly promising that he +would be punctual to the time and place appointed. + +He would have loitered in the vicinity of the candy stand in order that +he might gain some insight into the business; but Mr. Lord advised that +he remain away, lest his uncle Daniel should see him, and suspect where +he had gone when he was missed in the morning. + +As Toby walked around the circus grounds, whereon was so much to attract +his attention, he could not prevent himself from assuming an air of +proprietorship. His interest in all that was going on was redoubled, and +in his anxiety that everything should be done correctly and in the +proper order he actually, and perhaps for the first time in his life, +forgot that he was hungry. He was really to travel with a circus, to +become a part, as it were, of the whole, and to be able to see its many +wonderful and beautiful attractions every day. + +Even the very tent ropes had acquired a new interest for him, and the +faces of the men at work seemed suddenly to have become those of +friends. How hard it was for him to walk around unconcernedly: and how +especially hard to prevent his feet from straying toward that tempting +display of dainties which he was to sell to those who came to see and +enjoy, and who would look at him with wonder and curiosity! It was very +hard not to be allowed to tell his playmates of his wonderfully good +fortune; but silence meant success, and he locked his secret in his +bosom, not even daring to talk with any one he knew, lest he should +betray himself by some incautious word. + +He did not go home to dinner that day, and once or twice he felt +impelled to walk past the candy stand, giving a mysterious shake of the +head at the proprietor as he did so. The afternoon performance passed +off as usual to all of the spectators save Toby. He imagined that each +one of the performers knew that he was about to join them; and even as +he passed the cage containing the monkeys he fancied that one +particularly old one knew all about his intention of running away. + +Of course it was necessary for him to go home at the close of the +afternoon's performance, in order to get one or two valuable articles of +his own--such as a boat, a kite, and a pair of skates--and in order that +his actions might not seem suspicious. Before he left the grounds, +however, he stole slyly around to the candy stand, and informed Mr. Job +Lord, in a very hoarse whisper, that he would be on hand at the time +appointed. + +Mr. Lord patted him on the head, gave him two large sticks of candy, +and, what was more kind and surprising, considering the fact that he +wore glasses, and was cross-eyed, he winked at Toby. A wink from Mr. +Lord must have been intended to convey a great deal, because, owing to +the defect in his eyes, it required no little exertion, and even then +could not be considered as a really first-class wink. + +That wink, distorted as it was, gladdened Toby's heart immensely, and +took away nearly all the sting of the scolding with which Uncle Daniel +greeted him when he reached home. + +That night--despite the fact that he was going to travel with the +circus, despite the fact that his home was not a happy or cheerful +one--Toby was not in a pleasant frame of mind. He began to feel for the +first time that he was doing wrong; and as he gazed at Uncle Daniel's +stern, forbidding-looking face, it seemed to have changed somewhat from +its severity, and caused a great lump of something to come up in his +throat as he thought that perhaps he should never see it again. Just +then one or two kind words would have prevented him from running away, +bright as the prospect of circus life appeared. + +It was almost impossible for him to eat anything, and this very +surprising state of affairs attracted the attention of Uncle Daniel. + +"Bless my heart! what ails the boy?" asked the old man, as he peered +over his glasses at Toby's well-filled plate, which was usually emptied +so quickly. "Are ye sick, Toby, or what is the matter with ye?" + +"No, I hain't sick," said Toby, with a sigh; "but I've been to the +circus, an' I got a good deal to eat." + +"Oho, you spent that cent I give ye, eh, an' got so much that it made ye +sick?" + +Toby thought of the six pea-nuts which he had bought with the penny +Uncle Daniel had given him; and, amid all his homesickness, he could not +help wondering if Uncle Daniel ever made himself sick with only six +pea-nuts when he was a boy. + +As no one paid any further attention to Toby, he pushed back his plate, +arose from the table, and went with a heavy heart to attend to his +regular evening chores. The cow, the hens, and even the pigs, came in +for a share of his unusually kind attention; and as he fed them all the +big tears rolled down his cheeks, as he thought that perhaps never again +would he see any of them. These dumb animals had all been Toby's +confidants; he had poured out his griefs in their ears, and fancied, +when the world or Uncle Daniel had used him unusually hard, that they +sympathized with him. Now he was leaving them forever, and as he locked +the stable door he could hear the sounds of music coming from the +direction of the circus grounds, and he was angry at it, because it +represented that which was taking him away from his home, even though it +was not as pleasant as it might have been. + +Still, he had no thought of breaking the engagement which he had made. +He went to his room, made a bundle of his worldly possessions, and crept +out of the back door, down the road to the circus. + +Mr. Lord saw him as soon as he arrived on the grounds, and as he passed +another ticket to Toby he took his bundle from him, saying, as he did +so, "I'll pack up your bundle with my things, and then you'll be sure +not to lose it. Don't you want some candy?" + +Toby shook his head; he had just discovered that there was possibly some +connection between his heart and his stomach, for his grief at leaving +home had taken from him all desire for good things. It is also more than +possible that Mr. Lord had had experience enough with boys to know that +they might be homesick on the eve of starting to travel with a circus; +and in order to make sure that Toby would keep to his engagement he was +unusually kind. + +That evening was the longest Toby ever knew. He wandered from one cage +of animals to another; then to see the performance in the ring, and back +again to the animals, in the vain hope of passing the time pleasantly. +But it was of no use; that lump in his throat would remain there, and +the thoughts of what he was about to do would trouble him severely. The +performance failed to interest him, and the animals did not attract +until he had visited the monkey-cage for the third or fourth time. Then +he fancied that the same venerable monkey who had looked so knowing in +the afternoon was gazing at him with a sadness which could only have +come from a thorough knowledge of all the grief and doubt that was in +his heart. + +There was no one around the cages, and Toby got just as near to the iron +bars as possible. No sooner had he flattened his little pug-nose against +the iron than the aged monkey came down from the ring in which he had +been swinging, and, seating himself directly in front of Toby's face, +looked at him most compassionately. + +It would not have surprised the boy just then if the animal had spoken; +but as he did not, Toby did the next best thing, and spoke to him. + +"I s'pose you remember that you saw me this afternoon, an' somebody told +you that I was goin' to join the circus, didn't they?" + +The monkey made no reply, though Toby fancied that he winked an +affirmative answer; and he looked so sympathetic that he continued, +confidentially, + +[Illustration: TOBY AND HIS NEW FRIEND.] + +"Well, I'm the same feller, an' I don't mind telling you that I'm +awfully sorry I promised that candy man I'd go with him. Do you know +that I came near crying at the supper table to-night; an' Uncle Dan'l +looked real good an' nice, though I never thought so before. I wish I +wasn't goin', after all, 'cause it don't seem a bit like a good time +now; but I s'pose I must, 'cause I promised to, an' 'cause the candy man +has got all my things." + +The big tears had begun to roll down Toby's cheeks, and as he ceased +speaking the monkey reached out one little paw, which Toby took as +earnestly as if it had been done purposely to console him. + +"You're real good, you are," continued Toby; "an' I hope I shall see you +real often, for it seems to me now, when there hain't any folks around, +as if you was the only friend I've got in this great big world. It's +awful when a feller feels the way I do, an' when he don't seem to want +anything to eat. Now if you'll stick to me, I'll stick to you, an' then +it won't be half so bad when we feel this way." + +During this speech Toby had still clung to the little brown paw, which +the monkey now withdrew, and continued to gaze into the boy's face. + +"The fellers all say I don't amount to anything," sobbed Toby, "an' +Uncle Dan'l says I don't, an' I s'pose they know; but I tell you I feel +just as bad, now that I'm goin' away from them all, as if I was as good +as any of them." + +At this moment Toby saw Mr. Lord enter the tent, and he knew that the +summons to start was about to be given. + +"Good-bye," he said to the monkey, as he vainly tried to take him by the +hand again; "remember what I've told you, an' don't forget that Toby +Tyler is feelin' worse to-night than if he was twice as big an' twice as +good." + +Mr. Lord had come to summon him away, and he now told Toby that he would +show him with which man he was to ride that night. + +Toby looked another good-bye at the venerable monkey, who was watching +him closely, and then followed his employer out of the tent, among the +ropes and poles and general confusion attendant upon the removal of a +circus from one place to another. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE NIGHT RIDE. + + +The wagon on which Mr. Lord was to send his new-found employé was, by +the most singular chance, the one containing the monkeys, and Toby +accepted this as a good omen. He would be near his venerable friend all +night, and there was some consolation in that. The driver instructed the +boy to watch his movements, and when he saw him leading his horses +around, "to look lively, and be on hand, for he never waited for any +one." + +Toby not only promised to do as ordered, but he followed the driver +around so closely that, had he desired, he could not have rid himself of +his little companion. + +The scene which presented itself to Toby's view was strange and weird in +the extreme. Shortly after he had attached himself to the man with whom +he was to ride, the performance was over, and the work of putting the +show and its belongings into such a shape as could be conveyed from one +town to another was soon in active operation. Toby forgot his grief, +forgot that he was running away from the only home he had ever known--in +fact, forgot everything concerning himself--so interested was he in that +which was going on about him. + +As soon as the audience had got out of the tent--and almost before--the +work of taking down the canvas was begun. + +Torches were stuck in the earth at regular intervals, the lights that +had shone so brilliantly in and around the ring had been extinguished, +the canvas sides had been taken off, and the boards that had formed the +seats were being packed into one of the carts with a rattling sound that +seemed as if a regular fusillade of musketry was being indulged in. Men +were shouting; horses were being driven hither and thither, harnessed to +the wagons, or drawing the huge carts away as soon as they were loaded; +and everything seemed in the greatest state of confusion, while really +the work was being done in the most systematic manner possible. + +Toby had not long to wait before the driver informed him that the time +for starting had arrived, and assisted him to climb up to the narrow +seat whereon he was to ride that night. + +[Illustration: TOBY'S FIRST NIGHT RIDE.] + +The scene was so exciting, and his efforts to stick to the narrow seat +so great, that he really had no time to attend to the homesick feeling +that had crept over him during the first part of the evening. + +The long procession of carts and wagons drove slowly out of the town, +and when the last familiar house had been passed the driver spoke to +Toby for the first time since they started. + +"Pretty hard work to keep on--eh, sonny?" + +"Yes," replied the boy, as the wagon jolted over a rock, bouncing him +high in air, and he, by strenuous efforts, barely succeeded in alighting +on the seat again, "it is pretty hard work; an' my name's Toby Tyler." + +Toby heard a queer sound that seemed to come from the man's throat, and +for a few moments he feared that his companion was choking. But he soon +understood that this was simply an attempt to laugh, and he at once +decided that it was a very poor style of laughing. + +"So you object to being called sonny, do you?" + +"Well, I'd rather be called Toby, for, you see, that's my name." + +"All right, my boy; we'll call you Toby. I suppose you thought it was a +mighty fine thing to run away an' jine a circus, didn't you?" + +Toby started in affright, looked around cautiously, and then tried to +peer down through the small square aperture, guarded by iron rods, that +opened into the cage just back of the seat they were sitting on. Then +he turned slowly around to the driver, and asked, in a voice sunk to a +whisper, "How did you know that I was runnin' away? Did he tell you?" +and Toby motioned with his thumb as if he were pointing out some one +behind him. + +It was the driver's turn now to look around in search of the "he" +referred to by Toby. + +"Who do you mean?" asked the man, impatiently. + +"Why, the old feller; the one in the cart there. I think he knew I was +runnin' away, though he didn't say anything about it; but he looked just +as if he did." + +The driver looked at Toby in perfect amazement for a moment, and then, +as if suddenly understanding the boy, relapsed into one of those +convulsive efforts that caused the blood to rush up into his face, and +gave him every appearance of having a fit. + +"You must mean one of the monkeys," said the driver, after he had +recovered his breath, which had been almost shaken out of his body by +the silent laughter. "So you thought a monkey had told me what any fool +could have seen if he had watched you for five minutes." + +"Well," said Toby, slowly, as if he feared he might provoke one of those +terrible laughing spells again, "I saw him to-night, an' he looked as if +he knew what I was doin'; so I up an' told him, an' I didn't know but +he'd told you, though he didn't look to me like a feller that would be +mean." + +There was another internal shaking on the part of the driver, which Toby +did not fear so much, since he was getting accustomed to it, and then +the man said, "Well, you are the queerest little cove I ever saw." + +"I s'pose I am," was the reply, accompanied by a long-drawn sigh. "I +don't seem to amount to so much as the other fellers do, an' I guess +it's because I'm always hungry; you see, I eat awful, Uncle Dan'l says." + +The only reply which the driver made to this plaintive confession was to +put his hand down into the deepest recesses of one of his deep pockets, +and to draw therefrom a huge doughnut, which he handed to his companion. + +Toby was so much at his ease by this time that the appetite which had +failed him at supper had now returned in full force, and he devoured the +doughnut in a most ravenous manner. + +"You're too small to eat so fast," said the man, in a warning tone, as +the last morsel of the greasy sweetness disappeared, and he fished up +another for the boy. "Some time you'll get hold of one of the +India-rubber doughnuts that they feed to circus people, an' choke +yourself to death." + +Toby shook his head, and devoured this second cake as quickly as he had +the first, craning his neck, and uttering a funny little squeak as the +last bit went down, just as a chicken does when he gets too large a +mouthful of dough. + +"I'll never choke," he said, confidently: "I'm used to it; and Uncle +Dan'l says I could eat a pair of boots an' never wink at 'em; but I +don't just believe that." + +As the driver made no reply to this remark Toby curled himself up on one +corner of the seat, and watched with no little interest all that was +passing on around him. Each of the wagons had a lantern fastened to the +hind axle, and these lights could be seen far ahead on the road, as if a +party of fire-flies had started in single file on an excursion. The +trees by the side of the road stood out weird and ghostly-looking in the +darkness, and the rumble of the carts ahead and behind formed a musical +accompaniment to the picture that sounded strangely doleful. + +Mile after mile was passed over in perfect silence, save now and then +when the driver would whistle a few bars of some very dismal tune that +would fairly make Toby shiver with its mournfulness. Eighteen miles was +the distance from Guilford to the town where the next performance of the +circus was to be given, and as Toby thought of the ride before them it +seemed as if the time would be almost interminable. He curled himself up +on one corner of the seat, and tried very hard to go to sleep; but just +as his eyes began to grow heavy the wagon would jolt over some rock or +sink deep in some rut, till Toby, the breath very nearly shaken out of +his body, and his neck almost dislocated, would sit bolt-upright, +clinging to the seat with both hands, as if he expected each moment to +be pitched out into the mud. + +The driver watched him closely, and each time that he saw him shaken up +and awakened so thoroughly he would indulge in one of his silent +laughing spells, until Toby would wonder whether he would ever recover +from it. Several times had Toby been awakened, and each time he had seen +the amusement his sufferings caused, until he finally resolved to put an +end to the sport by keeping awake. + +"What is your name?" he asked of the driver, thinking a conversation +would be the best way to rouse himself into wakefulness. + +"Waal," said the driver, as he gathered the reins carefully in one hand, +and seemed to be debating in his mind how he should answer the question, +"I don't know as I know myself, it's been so long since I've heard it." + +Toby was wide enough awake now, as this rather singular problem was +forced upon his mind. He revolved the matter silently for some moments, +and at last he asked, "What do folks call you when they want to speak to +you?" + +"They always call me Old Ben, an' I've got so used to the name that I +don't need any other." + +Toby wanted very much to ask more questions, but he wisely concluded +that it would not be agreeable to his companion. + +"I'll ask the old man about it," said Toby to himself, referring to the +aged monkey, whom he seemed to feel acquainted with; "he most likely +knows, if he'll say anything." After this the conversation ceased, until +Toby again ventured to suggest, "It's a pretty long drive, hain't it?" + +"You want to wait till you've been in this business a year or two," said +Ben, sagely, "an' then you won't think much of it. Why, I've known the +show towns to be thirty miles apart, an' them was the times when we had +lively work of it; riding all night and working all day kind of wears on +a fellow." + +"Yes, I s'pose so," said Toby, with a sigh, as he wondered whether he +had got to work as hard as that; "but I s'pose you get all you want to +eat, don't you?" + +"Now you've struck it!" said Ben, with the air of one about to impart a +world of wisdom, as he crossed one leg over the other, that his position +might be as comfortable as possible while he was initiating his young +companion into the mysteries of the life. "I've had all the boys ride +with me since I've been with this show, an' I've tried to start them +right; but they didn't seem to profit by it, an' always got sick of the +show an' run away, just because they didn't look out for themselves as +they ought to. Now listen to me, Toby, an' remember what I say. You see +they put us all in a hotel together, an' some of these places where we +go don't have any too much stuff on the table. Whenever we strike a new +town you find out at the hotel what time they have the grub ready, an' +you be on hand, so's to get in with the first. Eat all you can, an' fill +your pockets." + +"If that's all a feller has to do to travel with a circus," said Toby, +"I'm just the one, 'cause I always used to do just that when I hadn't +any idea of bein' a circus man." + +"Then you'll get along all right," said Ben, as he checked the speed of +his horses, and, looking carefully ahead, said, as he guided his team to +one side of the road, "This is as far as we're going to-night." + +Toby learned that they were within a couple of miles of the town, and +that the entire procession would remain by the roadside until time to +make the grand entrée into the village, when every wagon, horse, and man +would be decked out in the most gorgeous array, as they had been when +they entered Guilford. + +Under Ben's direction he wrapped himself in an old horse-blanket, and +lay down on the top of the wagon; and he was so tired from the +excitement of the day and night, that he had hardly stretched out at +full length before he was fast asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE FIRST DAY WITH THE CIRCUS. + + +When Toby awakened and looked around he could hardly realize where he +was or how he came there. As far ahead and behind on the road as he +could see the carts were drawn up on one side; men were hurrying to and +fro, orders were being shouted, and everything showed that the entry +into the town was about to be made. Directly opposite the wagon on which +he had been sleeping were the four elephants and two camels, and close +behind, contentedly munching their breakfasts, were a number of tiny +ponies. Troops of horses were being groomed and attended to; the road +was littered with saddles, flags, and general decorations, until it +seemed to Toby that there must have been a smash-up, and that he now +beheld ruins rather than systematic disorder. + +How different everything looked now, compared to the time when the +cavalcade marched into Guilford, dazzling every one with the gorgeous +display! Then the horses pranced gayly under their gaudy decorations, +the wagons were bright with glass, gilt, and flags, the lumbering +elephants and awkward camels were covered with fancifully embroidered +velvets, and even the drivers of the wagons were resplendent in their +uniforms of scarlet and gold. Now, in the gray light of the early +morning, everything was changed. The horses were tired and muddy, and +wore old and dirty harness; the gilded chariots were covered with +mud-bespattered canvas, which caused them to look like the most ordinary +of market wagons; the elephants and camels looked dingy, dirty, almost +repulsive; and the drivers were only a sleepy-looking set of men, who, +in their shirt-sleeves, were getting ready for the change which would +dazzle the eyes of the inhabitants of the town. + +Toby descended from his lofty bed, rubbed his eyes to thoroughly awaken +himself, and under the guidance of Ben went to a little brook near by +and washed his face. He had been with the circus not quite ten hours, +but now he could not realize that it had ever seemed bright and +beautiful. He missed his comfortable bed, the quiet and cleanliness, and +the well-spread table; even although he had felt the lack of parents' +care, Uncle Daniel's home seemed the very abode of love and friendly +feeling compared to this condition, where no one appeared to care even +enough for him to scold at him. He was thoroughly homesick, and heartily +wished that he was back in his old native town. + +While he was washing his face in the brook he saw some of the boys who +had come out from the town to catch the first glimpse of the circus, and +he saw at once that he was the object of their admiring gaze. He heard +one of the boys say, when they first discovered him, + +"There's one of them, an' he's only a little feller; so I'm going to +talk to him." + +The evident admiration which the boys had for Toby pleased him, and this +pleasure was the only drop of comfort he had had since he started. He +hoped they would come and talk with him; and, that they might have the +opportunity, he was purposely slow in making his toilet. + +The boys approached him shyly, as if they had their doubts whether he +was made of the same material as themselves, and when they got quite +near to him, and satisfied themselves that he was only washing his face +in much the same way that any well-regulated boy would do, the one who +had called attention to him said, half timidly, "Hello!" + +"Hello!" responded Toby, in a tone that was meant to invite confidence. + +"Do you belong to the circus?" + +"Yes," said Toby, a little doubtfully. + +Then the boys stared at him again as if he were one of the +strange-looking animals, and the one who had been the spokesman drew a +long breath of envy as he said, longingly, "My! what a nice time you +must have!" + +Toby remembered that only yesterday he himself had thought that boys +must have a nice time with a circus, and he now felt what a mistake that +thought was; but he concluded that he would not undeceive his new +acquaintance. + +"And do they give you frogs to eat, so's to make you limber?" + +This was the first time that Toby had thought of breakfast, and the very +mention of eating made him hungry. He was just at that moment so very +hungry that he did not think he was replying to the question when he +said, quickly, "Eat frogs! I could eat anything, if I only had the +chance." + +The boys took this as an answer to their question, and felt perfectly +convinced that the agility of circus riders and tumblers depended upon +the quantity of frogs eaten, and they looked upon Toby with no little +degree of awe. + +Toby might have undeceived them as to the kind of food he ate, but just +at that moment the harsh voice of Mr. Job Lord was heard calling him, +and he hurried away to commence his first day's work. + +Toby's employer was not the same pleasant, kindly-spoken man that he had +been during the time they were in Guilford, and before the boy was +absolutely under his control. He looked cross, he acted cross, and it +did not take the boy very long to find out that he was very cross. + +He scolded Toby roundly, and launched more oaths at his defenceless head +than Toby had ever heard in his life. He was angry that the boy had not +been on hand to help him, and also that he had been obliged to hunt for +him. + +Toby tried to explain that he had no idea of what he was expected to do, +and that he had been on the wagon to which he had been sent, only +leaving it to wash his face; but the angry man grew still more furious. + +"Went to wash your face, did yer? Want to set yourself up for a dandy, I +suppose, and think that you must souse that speckled face of yours into +every brook you come to? I'll soon break you of that; and the sooner you +understand that I can't afford to have you wasting your time in washing, +the better it will be for you." + +Toby now grew angry, and not realizing how wholly he was in the man's +power, he retorted, "If you think I'm going round with a dirty face, +even if it is speckled, for a dollar a week, you're mistaken, that's +all. How many folks would eat your candy if they knew you handled it +over before you washed your hands?" + +[Illustration: OLD BEN COMES TO THE RESCUE.] + +"Oho! I've picked up a preacher, have I? Now, I want you to understand, +my bantam, that I do all the preaching as well as the practising myself, +and this is about as quick a way as I know of to make you understand +it." + +As the man spoke he grasped the boy by the coat-collar with one hand, +and with the other plied a thin rubber cane with no gentle force to +every portion of Toby's body that he could reach. + +Every blow caused the poor boy the most intense pain; but he determined +that his tormentor should not have the satisfaction of forcing an outcry +from him, and he closed his lips so tightly that not a single sound +could escape from them. + +This very silence enraged the man so much that he redoubled the force +and rapidity of his blows, and it is impossible to say what might have +been the consequences had not Ben come that way just then, and changed +the aspect of affairs. + +"Up to your old tricks of whipping the boys, are you, Job?" he said, as +he wrested the cane from the man's hand and held him off at +arm's-length, to prevent him from doing Toby more mischief. + +Mr. Lord struggled to release himself, and insisted that, since the boy +was in his employ, he should do with him just as he saw fit. + +"Now look here, Mr. Lord," said Ben as gravely as if he was delivering +some profound piece of wisdom, "I've never interfered with you before; +but now I'm going to stop your game of thrashing your boy every morning +before breakfast. You just tell this youngster what you want him to do, +and if he don't do it you can discharge him. If I hear of your flogging +him, I shall attend to your case at once. You hear me?" + +Ben shook the now terrified candy vender much as if he had been a child, +and then released him, saying to Toby as he did so, "Now, my boy, you +attend to your business as you ought to, and I'll settle his account if +he tries the flogging game again." + +"You see, I don't know what there is for me to do," sobbed Toby, for the +kindly interference of Ben had made him show more feeling than Mr. +Lord's blows had done. + +"Tell him what he must do," said Ben, sternly. + +"I want him to go to work and wash the tumblers, and fix up the things +in that green box, so we can commence to sell as soon as we get into +town," snarled Mr. Lord, as he motioned toward a large green chest that +had been taken out of one of the carts, and which Toby saw was filled +with dirty glasses, spoons, knives, and other utensils such as were +necessary to carry on the business. + +Toby got a pail of water from the brook, hunted around and found towels +and soap, and devoted himself to his work with such industry that Mr. +Lord could not repress a grunt of satisfaction as he passed him, +however angry he felt because he could not administer the whipping which +would have smoothed his ruffled temper. + +By the time the procession was ready to start for the town Toby had as +much of his work done as he could find that it was necessary to do, and +his master, in his surly way, half acknowledged that this last boy of +his was better than any he had had before. + +Although Toby had done his work so well he was far from feeling happy; +he was both angry and sad as he thought of the cruel blows that had been +inflicted, and he had plenty of leisure to repent of the rash step he +had taken, although he could not see very clearly how he was to get away +from it. He thought that he could not go back to Guilford, for Uncle +Daniel would not allow him to come to his house again; and the hot +scalding tears ran down his cheeks as he realized that he was homeless +and friendless in this great big world. + +It was while he was in this frame of mind that the procession, all gaudy +with flags, streamers, and banners, entered the town. Under different +circumstances this would have been a most delightful day for him, for +the entrance of a circus into Guilford had always been a source of one +day's solid enjoyment; but now he was the most disconsolate and unhappy +boy in all that crowd. + +He did not ride throughout the entire route of the procession, for Mr. +Lord was anxious to begin business, and the moment the tenting ground +was reached the wagon containing Mr. Lord's goods was driven into the +enclosure, and Toby's day's work began. + +He was obliged to bring water, to cut up the lemons, fetch and carry +fruit from the booth in the big tent to the booth on the outside, until +he was ready to drop with fatigue, and having had no time for breakfast, +was nearly famished. + +It was quite noon before he was permitted to go to the hotel for +something to eat, and then Ben's advice to be one of the first to get to +the tables was not needed. + +In the eating line that day he astonished the servants, the members of +the company, and even himself, and by the time he arose from the table, +with both pockets and his stomach full to bursting, the tables had been +set and cleared away twice while he was making one meal. + +"Well, I guess you didn't hurry yourself much," said Mr. Lord, when Toby +returned to the circus ground. + +"Oh yes, I did," was Toby's innocent reply: "I ate just as fast as I +could;" and a satisfied smile stole over the boy's face as he thought of +the amount of solid food he had consumed. + +The answer was not one which was calculated to make Mr. Lord feel any +more agreeably disposed toward his new clerk, and he showed his +ill-temper very plainly as he said, "It must take a good deal to satisfy +you." + +"I s'pose it does," calmly replied Toby. "Sam Merrill used to say that I +took after Aunt Olive and Uncle Dan'l, one ate a good while, an' the +other ate awful fast." + +Toby could not understand what it was that Mr. Lord said in reply, but +he could understand that his employer was angry at somebody or +something, and he tried unusually hard to please him. He talked to the +boys who had gathered around, to induce them to buy, washed the glasses +as fast as they were used, tried to keep off the flies, and in every way +he could think of endeavored to please his master. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE COUNTERFEIT TEN-CENT PIECE. + + +When the doors of the big tent were opened, and the people began to +crowd in, just as Toby had seen them do at Guilford, Mr. Lord announced +to his young clerk that it was time for him to go into the tent to work. +Then it was that Toby learned for the first time that he had two masters +instead of one, and this knowledge caused him no little uneasiness. If +the other one was anything like Mr. Lord, his lot would be just twice as +bad, and he began to wonder whether he could even stand it one day +longer. + +As the boy passed through the tent on his way to the candy stand, where +he was really to enter upon the duties for which he had run away from +home, he wanted to stop for a moment and speak with the old monkey who +he thought had taken such an interest in him. But when he reached the +cage in which his friend was confined, there was such a crowd around it +that it was impossible for him to get near enough to speak without being +overheard. + +This was such a disappointment to the little fellow that the big tears +came into his eyes, and in another instant would have gone rolling down +his cheeks if his aged friend had not chanced to look toward him. Toby +fancied that the monkey looked at him in the most friendly way, and then +he was certain that he winked one eye. Toby felt that there was no +mistake about that wink, and it seemed as if it was intended to convey +comfort to him in his troubles. He winked back at the monkey in the most +emphatic and grave manner possible, and then went on his way, feeling +wonderfully comforted. + +The work inside the tent was far different and much harder than it was +outside. He was obliged to carry around among the audience trays of +candy, nuts, and lemonade for sale, and he was also expected to cry +aloud the description of that which he offered. The partner of Mr. Lord, +who had charge of the stand inside the tent, showed himself to be +neither better nor worse than Mr. Lord himself. When Toby first +presented himself for work he handed him a tray filled with glasses of +lemonade, and told him to go among the audience, crying, "Here's your +nice cold lemonade, only five cents a glass!" + +Toby started to do as he was bidden; but when he tried to repeat the +words in anything like a loud tone of voice they stuck in his throat, +and he found it next to impossible to utter a sound above a whisper. It +seemed to him that every one in the audience was looking only at him, +and the very sound of his own voice made him afraid. + +He went entirely around the tent once without making a sale, and when he +returned to the stand he was at once convinced that one of his masters +was quite as bad as the other. This one--and he knew that his name was +Jacobs, for he heard some one call him so--very kindly told him that he +would break every bone in his body if he didn't sell something, and Toby +confidently believed that he would carry out his threat. + +It was with a very heavy heart that he started around again in obedience +to Mr. Jacobs's angry command; but this time he did manage to cry out, +in a very thin and very squeaky voice, the words which he had been told +to repeat. + +This time--perhaps owing to his pitiful and imploring look, certainly +not because of the noise he made--he met with very good luck, and sold +every glass of the mixture which Messrs. Lord and Jacobs called +lemonade, and went back to the stand for more. + +He certainly thought he had earned a word of praise, and fully expected +it as he put the empty glasses and money on the stand in front of Mr. +Jacobs. But, instead of the kind words, he was greeted with a volley of +curses; and the reason for it was that he had taken in payment for two +of the glasses a lead ten-cent piece. Mr. Jacobs, after scolding poor +little Toby to his heart's content, vowed that the amount should be kept +from his first week's wages, and then handed back the coin, with orders +to give it to the first man who gave him money to change, under the +penalty of a severe flogging if he failed to do so. + +Poor Toby tried to explain matters by saying, "You see, I don't know +anything about money; I never had more'n a cent at a time, an' you +mustn't expect me to get posted all at once." + +"I'll post you with a stick if you do it again; an' it won't be well for +you if you bring that ten-cent piece back here!" + +Now, Toby was very well aware that to pass the coin, knowing it to be +bad, would be a crime, and he resolved to take the consequences of which +Mr. Jacobs had intimated, if he could not find the one who had given him +the counterfeit, and persuade him to give him good money in its stead. +He remembered very plainly where he had sold each glass of lemonade, and +he retraced his steps, glancing at each face carefully as he passed. At +last he was confident that he saw the man who had gotten him into such +trouble, and he climbed up the board seats, saying, as he stood in front +of him and held out the coin, "Mister, this money that you gave me is +bad. Won't you give me an other one for it?" + +The man was a rough-looking party who had taken his girl to the circus, +and who did not seem at all disposed to pay any heed to Toby's request. +Therefore he repeated it, and this time more loudly. + +"Get out the way!" said the man, angrily. "How can you expect me to see +the show if you stand right in front of me?" + +"You'll like it better," said Toby, earnestly, "if you give me another +ten-cent piece." + +"Get out, an' don't bother me!" was the angry rejoinder; and the little +fellow began to think that perhaps he would be obliged to "get out" +without getting his money. + +It was becoming a desperate case, for the man was growing angry very +fast, and if Toby did not succeed in getting good money for the bad, he +would have to take the consequences of which Mr. Jacobs had spoken. + +"Please, mister," he said, imploringly--for his heart began to grow very +heavy, and he was fearing that he should not succeed--"won't you please +give me the money back? You know you gave it to me, an' I'll have to pay +it if you don't." + +The boy's lip was quivering, and those around began to be interested in +the affair, while several in the immediate vicinity gave vent to their +indignation that a man should try to cheat a boy out of ten cents by +giving him counterfeit money. + +[Illustration: "WON'T YOU PLEASE GIVE ME THE MONEY BACK?"] + +The man whom Toby was speaking to was about to dismiss him with an angry +reply, when he saw that those about him were not only interested in the +matter, but were evidently taking sides with the boy against him; and +knowing well that he had given the counterfeit money, he took another +coin from his pocket, and handing it to Toby, said, "I didn't give you +the lead piece; but you're making such a fuss about it that here's ten +cents to make you keep quiet." + +"I'm sure you did give me the money," said Toby, as he took the extended +coin, "an' I'm much obliged to you for takin' it back. I didn't want to +tell you before, 'cause you'd thought I was beggin'; but if you hadn't +given me this, I 'xpect I'd have got an awful whippin', for Mr. Jacobs +said he'd fix me if I didn't get the money for it." + +The man looked sheepish enough as he put the bad money in his pocket, +and Toby's innocently told story caused such a feeling in his behalf +among those who sat near that he not only disposed of his entire stock +then and there, but received from one gentleman twenty-five cents for +himself. He was both proud and happy as he returned to Mr. Jacobs with +empty glasses, and with the money to refund the amount of loss which +would have been caused by the counterfeit. + +But the worthy partner of Mr. Lord's candy business had no words of +encouragement for the boy who was trying so hard to please. + +"Let that make you keep your eyes open," he growled out, sulkily; "an' +if you get caught in that trap again, you won't be let off so easy." + +Poor little Toby! his heart seemed ready to break; but his few hours' +previous experience had taught him that there was but one thing to do, +and that was to work just as hard as possible, trusting to some good +fortune to enable him to get out of the very disagreeable position in +which he had voluntarily placed himself. + +He took the basket of candy that Mr. Jacobs handed him, and trudged +around the circle of seats, selling far more because of the pitifulness +of his face than because of the excellence of his goods; and even this +worked to his disadvantage. Mr. Jacobs was keen enough to see why his +little clerk sold so many goods, and each time that he returned to the +stand he said something to him in an angry tone, which had the effect of +deepening the shadow on the boy's face and at the same time increasing +trade. + +By the time the performance was over Toby had in his pocket a dollar and +twenty-five cents which had been given him for himself by some of the +kind-hearted in the audience, and he kept his hand almost constantly +upon it, for the money seemed to him like some kind friend who would +help him out of his present difficulties. + +After the audience had dispersed, Mr. Jacobs set Toby at work washing +the glasses and clearing up generally, and then, the boy started toward +the other portion of the store--that watched over by Mr. Lord. Not a +person save the watchmen was in the tent, and as Toby went toward the +door he saw his friend the monkey sitting in one corner of the cage, and +apparently watching his every movement. + +It was as if he had suddenly seen one of the boys from home, and Toby, +uttering an exclamation of delight, ran up to the cage and put his hand +through the wires. + +The monkey, in the gravest possible manner, took one of the fingers in +his paw, and Toby shook hands with him very earnestly, + +"I was sorry that I couldn't speak to you when I went in this noon," +said Toby, as if making an apology; "but, you see, there were so many +around here to see you that I couldn't get the chance. Did you see me +wink at you?" + +The monkey made no reply, but he twisted his face into such a funny +little grimace that Toby was quite as well satisfied as if he had +spoken. + +"I wonder if you hain't some relation to Steve Stubbs?" Toby continued, +earnestly, "for you look just like him, only he don't have quite so many +whiskers. What I wanted to say was, that I'm awful sorry I run away. I +used to think that Uncle Dan'l was bad enough; but he was just a perfect +good Samarathon to what Mr. Lord an' Mr. Jacobs are; an' when Mr. Lord +looks at me with that crooked eye of his, I feel it 'way down in my +boots. Do you know"--and here Toby put his mouth nearer to the monkey's +head and whispered--"I'd run away from this circus if I could get the +chance; wouldn't you?" + +Just at this point, as if in answer to the question, the monkey stood up +on his hind-feet, and reached out his paw to the boy, who seemed to +think this was his way of being more emphatic in saying "Yes." + +Toby took the paw in his hand, shook it again earnestly, and said, as he +released it, "I was pretty sure you felt just about the same way I did, +Mr. Stubbs, when I passed you this noon. Look here"--and Toby took the +money from his pocket which had been given him--"I got all that this +afternoon, an' I'll try an' stick it out somehow till I get as much as +ten dollars, an' then we'll run away some night, an' go 'way off as far +as--as--as out West; an' we'll stay there too." + +The monkey, probably tired with remaining in one position so long, +started toward the top of the cage, chattering and screaming, joining +the other monkeys, who had gathered in a little group in one of the +swings. + +"Now see here, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, in alarm, "you mustn't go to +telling everybody about it, or Mr. Lord will know, an' then we'll be +dished, sure." + +The monkey sat quietly in the swing, as if he felt reproved by what the +boy had said; and Toby, considerably relieved by his silence, said, as +he started toward the door, "That's right--mum's the word; you keep +quiet, an' so will I, an' pretty soon we'll get away from the whole +crowd." + +All the monkeys chattered; and Toby, believing that everything which he +had said had been understood by the animals, went out of the door to +meet his other taskmaster. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A TENDER-HEARTED SKELETON. + + +"Now, then, lazy-bones," was Mr. Lord's warning cry as Toby came out of +the tent, "if you've fooled away enough of your time, you can come here +an' tend shop for me while I go to supper. You crammed yourself this +noon, an' it'll teach you a good lesson to make you go without anything +to eat to-night; it'll make you move round more lively in future." + +Instead of becoming accustomed to such treatment as he was receiving +from his employers, Toby's heart grew more tender with each brutal word, +and this last punishment--that of losing his supper--caused the poor boy +more sorrow than blows would. Mr. Lord started for the hotel as he +concluded his cruel speech; and poor little Toby, going behind the +counter, leaned his head upon the rough boards and cried as if his heart +would break. + +All the fancied brightness and pleasure of a circus life had vanished, +and in its place was the bitterness of remorse that he had repaid Uncle +Daniel's kindness by the ingratitude of running away. Toby thought that +if he could only nestle his little red head on the pillows of his little +bed in that rough room at Uncle Daniel's, he would be the happiest and +best boy, in the future, in all the great wide world. + +While he was still sobbing away at a most furious rate he heard a voice +close at his elbow, and, looking up, saw the thinnest man he had ever +seen in all his life. The man had flesh-colored tights on, and a +spangled red velvet garment--that was neither pants, because there were +no legs to it, nor a coat, because it did not come above his waist--made +up the remainder of his costume. Because he was so wonderfully thin, +because of the costume which he wore, and because of a highly colored +painting which was hanging in front of one of the small tents, Toby knew +that the Living Skeleton was before him, and his big brown eyes opened +all the wider as he gazed at him. + +"What is the matter, little fellow?" asked the man, in a kindly tone. +"What makes you cry so? Has Job been up to his old tricks again?" + +"I don't know what his old tricks are"--and Toby sobbed, the tears +coming again because of the sympathy which this man's voice expressed +for him--"but I know that he's a mean, ugly thing--that's what I know; +an' if I could only get back to Uncle Dan'l, there hain't elephants +enough in all the circuses in the world to pull me away again." + +"Oh, you run away from home, did you?" + +"Yes, I did," sobbed Toby, "an' there hain't any boy in any +Sunday-school book that ever I read that was half so sorry he'd been bad +as I am. It's awful; an' now I can't have any supper, 'cause I stopped +to talk with Mr. Stubbs." + +"Is Mr. Stubbs one of your friends?" asked the skeleton as he seated +himself in Mr. Lord's own private chair. + +"Yes, he is, an' he's the only one in this whole circus who 'pears to be +sorry for me. You'd better not let Mr. Lord see you sittin' in that +chair, or he'll raise a row." + +"Job won't raise any row with me," said the skeleton. "But who is this +Mr. Stubbs? I don't seem to know anybody by that name." + +"I don't think that is his name. I only call him so, 'cause he looks so +much like a feller I know who is named Stubbs." + +This satisfied the skeleton that this Mr. Stubbs must be some one +attached to the show, and he asked, + +"Has Job been whipping you?" + +"No; Ben, the driver on the wagon where I ride, told him not to do that +again; but he hain't going to let me have any supper, 'cause I was so +slow about my work--though I wasn't slow; I only talked to Mr. Stubbs +when there wasn't anybody round his cage." + +"Sam! Sam! Sam-u-el!" + +This name, which was shouted twice in a quick, loud voice, and the third +time in a slow manner, ending almost in a screech, did not come from +either Toby or the skeleton, but from an enormously large woman, dressed +in a gaudy red-and-black dress, cut very short, and with low neck and an +apology for sleeves, who had just come out from the tent whereon the +picture of the Living Skeleton hung. + +"Samuel," she screamed again, "come inside this minute, or you'll catch +your death o' cold, an' I shall have you wheezin' around with the +phthisic all night. Come in, Sam-u-el." + +"That's her," said the skeleton to Toby, as he pointed his thumb in the +direction of the fat woman, but paying no attention to the outcry she +was making--"that's my wife Lilly, an' she's the Fat Woman of the show. +She's always yellin' after me that way the minute I get out for a little +fresh air, an' she's always sayin' just the same thing. Bless you, I +never have the phthisic, but she does awful; an' I s'pose 'cause she's +so large she can't feel all over her, an' thinks it's me that has it." + +"Is--is all that--is that your wife?" stammered Toby, in astonishment, +as he looked at the enormously fat woman who stood in the tent door, and +then at the wonderfully thin man who sat beside him. + +"Yes, that's her," said the skeleton. "She weighs pretty nigh four +hundred, though of course the show cards says it's over six hundred, an' +she earns almost as much money as I do. Of course she can't get so much, +for skeletons is much scarcer than fat folks; but we make a pretty good +thing travellin' together." + +"Sam-u-el!" again came the cry from the fat woman, "are you never coming +in?" + +"Not yet, my angel," said the skeleton, placidly, as he crossed one thin +leg over the other and looked calmly at her. "Come here an' see Job's +new boy." + +"Your imprudence is wearin' me away so that I sha'n't be worth five +dollars a week to any circus," she said, impatiently, at the same time +coming toward the candy stand quite as rapidly as her very great size +would admit. + +"This is my wife Lilly--Mrs. Treat," said the skeleton, with a proud +wave of his hand, as he rose from his seat and gazed admiringly at her. +"This is my flower--my queen, Mr.--Mr.--" + +"Tyler," said Toby, supplying the name which the skeleton--or Mr. Treat, +as Toby now learned his name was--did not know; "Tyler is my name--Toby +Tyler." + +"Why, what a little chap you are!" said Mrs. Treat, paying no attention +to the awkward little bend of the head which Toby intended for a bow. +"How small he is, Samuel!" + +"Yes," said the skeleton, reflectively, as he looked Toby over from head +to foot, as if he were mentally trying to calculate exactly how many +inches high he was, "he is small; but he's got all the world before him +to grow in, an' if he only eats enough--There, that reminds me. Job +isn't going to give him any supper, because he didn't work hard enough." + +"He won't, won't he?" exclaimed the large lady, savagely. "Oh, he's a +precious one, he is; an' some day I shall just give him a good +shakin'-up, that's what I'll do. I get all out of patience with that +man's ugliness." + +"An' she'll do just what she says," said the skeleton to Toby, with an +admiring shake of the head. "That woman hain't afraid of anybody, an' I +wouldn't be a bit surprised if she did give Job a pretty rough time." + +Toby thought, as he looked at her, that she was large enough to give +'most any one a pretty rough time, but he did not venture to say so. +While he was looking first at her, and then at her very thin husband, +the skeleton told his wife the little that he had learned regarding the +boy's history; and when he had concluded she waddled away toward her +tent. + +"Great woman that," said the skeleton, as he saw her disappear within +the tent. + +"Yes," said Toby, "she's the greatest I ever saw." + +"I mean that she's got a great head. Now you'll see about how much she +cares for what Job says." + +"If I was as big as her," said Toby, with just a shade of envy in his +voice, "I wouldn't be afraid of anybody." + +"It hain't so much the size," said the skeleton, sagely--"it hain't so +much the size, my boy; for I can scare that woman almost to death when I +feel like it." + +Toby looked for a moment at Mr. Treat's thin legs and arms, and then he +said, warningly, "I wouldn't feel like it very often if I was you, Mr. +Treat, 'cause she might break some of your bones if you didn't happen to +scare her enough." + +"Don't fear for me, my boy--don't fear for me; you'll see how I manage +her if you stay with the circus long enough. Now, I often--" + +If Mr. Treat was about to confide a family secret to Toby, it was fated +that he should not hear it then, for Mrs. Treat had just come out of her +tent, carrying in her hands a large tin plate piled high with a +miscellaneous assortment of pie, cake, bread, and meat. + +She placed this in front of Toby, and as she did so she handed him two +pictures. + +[Illustration: TOBY GETS HIS SUPPER.] + +"There, little Toby Tyler," she said--"there's something for you to eat, +if Mr. Job Lord and his precious partner Jacobs did say you shouldn't +have any supper: an' I've brought you a picture of Samuel an' me. We +sell 'em for ten cents apiece, but I'm going to give them to you, +because I like the looks of you." + +Toby was quite overcome with the presents, and seemed at a loss how to +thank her for them. He attempted to speak, but could not get the words +out at first; and then he said, as he put the two photographs in the +same pocket with his money, "You're awful good to me, an' when I get to +be a man I'll give you lots of things. I wasn't so very hungry, if I am +such a big eater, but I did want something." + +"Bless your dear little heart, and you _shall_ have something to eat," +said the Fat Woman, as she seized Toby, squeezed him close up to her, +and kissed his freckled face as kindly as if it had been as fair and +white as possible. "You shall eat all you want to; an' if you get the +stomach-ache, as Samuel does sometimes when he's been eatin' too much, +I'll give you some catnip-tea out of the same dipper that I give him +his. He's a great eater, Samuel is," she added, in a burst of +confidence, "an' it's a wonder to me what he does with it all +sometimes." + +"Is he?" exclaimed Toby, quickly. "How funny that is! for I'm an awful +eater. Why, Uncle Dan'l used to say that I ate twice as much as I ought +to, an' it never made me any bigger. I wonder what's the reason?" + +"I declare I don't know," said the Fat Woman, thoughtfully, "an' I've +wondered at it time an' time again. Some folks is made that way, an' +some folks is made different. Now, I don't eat enough to keep a chicken +alive, an' yet I grow fatter an' fatter every day--don't I, Samuel?" + +"Indeed you do, my love," said the skeleton, with a world of pride in +his voice; "but you mustn't feel bad about it, for every pound you gain +makes you worth just so much more to the show." + +"Oh, I wasn't worryin', I was only wonderin'. But we must go, Samuel, +for the poor child won't eat a bit while we are here. After you've eaten +what there is there, bring the plate in to me," she said to Toby, as she +took her lean husband by the arm and walked him off toward their own +tent. + +Toby gazed after them a moment, and then he commenced a vigorous attack +upon the eatables which had been so kindly given him. Of the food which +he had taken from the dinner-table he had eaten some while he was in the +tent, and after that he had entirely forgotten that he had any in his +pocket; therefore, at the time that Mrs. Treat had brought him such a +liberal supply he was really very hungry. + +He succeeded in eating nearly all the food which had been brought to +him, and the very small quantity which remained he readily found room +for in his pockets. Then he washed the plate nicely; and seeing no one +in sight, he thought he could leave the booth long enough to return the +plate. + +He ran with it quickly into the tent occupied by the thin man and fat +woman, and handed it to her, with a profusion of thanks for her +kindness. + +"Did you eat it all?" she asked. + +"Well," hesitated Toby, "there was two doughnuts an' a piece of pie left +over, an' I put them in my pocket. If you don't care, I'll eat them some +time to-night." + +"You shall eat it whenever you want to; an' any time that you get hungry +again, you come right to me." + +"Thank you, marm. I must go now, for I left the store all alone." + +"Run, then; an' if Job Lord abuses you, just let me know it, an' I'll +keep him from cuttin' up any monkey shines." + +Toby hardly heard the end of her sentence, so great was his haste to get +back to the booth; and just as he emerged from the tent, on a quick run, +he received a blow on the ear which sent him sprawling in the dust, and +he heard Mr. Job Lord's angry voice as it said, "So, just the moment my +back is turned, you leave the stand to take care of itself, do you, an' +run around tryin' to plot some mischief against me, eh?" And the brute +kicked the prostrate boy twice with his heavy boot. + +"Please don't kick me again!" pleaded Toby. "I wasn't gone but a minute, +an' I wasn't doing anything bad." + +"You're lying now, an' you know it, you young cub!" exclaimed the angry +man as he advanced to kick the boy again. "I'll let you know who you've +got to deal with when you get hold of me!" + +"And I'll let you know who you've got to deal with when you get hold of +me!" said a woman's voice; and, just as Mr. Lord raised his foot to kick +the boy again, the Fat Woman seized him by the collar, jerked him back +over one of the tent ropes, and left him quite as prostrate as he had +left Toby. "Now, Job Lord," said the angry woman, as she towered above +the thoroughly enraged but thoroughly frightened man, "I want you to +understand that you can't knock and beat this boy while I'm around. I've +seen enough of your capers, an' I'm going to put a stop to them. That +boy wasn't in this tent more than two minutes, an' he attends to his +work better than any one you have ever had; so see that you treat him +decent. Get up," she said to Toby, who had not dared to rise from the +ground; "and if he offers to strike you again, come to me." + +Toby scrambled to his feet, and ran to the booth in time to attend to +one or two customers who had just come up. He could see from out the +corner of his eye that Mr. Lord had arisen to his feet also, and was +engaged in an angry conversation with Mrs. Treat, the result of which he +very much feared would be another and a worse whipping for him. + +[Illustration: JOB LORD LEARNS A LESSON.] + +But in this he was mistaken, for Mr. Lord, after the conversation was +ended, came toward the booth, and began to attend to his business +without speaking one word to Toby. When Mr. Jacobs returned from his +supper Mr. Lord took him by the arm and walked him out toward the rear +of the tents; and Toby was very positive that he was to be the subject +of their conversation, which made him not a little uneasy. + +It was not until nearly time for the performance to begin that Mr. Lord +returned, and he had nothing to say to Toby save to tell him to go into +the tent and begin his work there. The boy was only too glad to escape +so easily, and he went to his work with as much alacrity as if he were +about entering upon some pleasure. + +When he met Mr. Jacobs that gentleman spoke to him very sharply about +being late, and seemed to think it no excuse at all that he had just +been relieved from the outside work by Mr. Lord. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +AN ACCIDENT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. + + +Toby's experience in the evening was very similar to that of the +afternoon, save that he was so fortunate as not to take any more bad +money in payment for his goods. Mr. Jacobs scolded and swore +alternately, and the boy really surprised him by his way of selling +goods, though he was very careful not to say anything about it, but made +Toby believe that he was doing only about half as much work as he ought +to do. Toby's private hoard of money was increased that evening, by +presents, ninety cents, and he began to look upon himself as almost a +rich man. + +When the performance was nearly over Mr. Jacobs called to him to help in +packing up; and by the time the last spectator had left the tent the +worldly possessions of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs were ready for removal, +and Toby allowed to do as he had a mind to, so long as he was careful to +be on hand when Old Ben was ready to start. + +Toby thought that he would have time to pay a visit to his friends the +skeleton and the Fat Woman, and to that end started toward the place +where their tent had been standing; but to his sorrow he found that it +was already being taken down, and he had only time to thank Mrs. Treat +and to press the fleshless hand of her shadowy husband as they entered +their wagon to drive away. + +He was disappointed, for he had hoped to be able to speak with his +new-made friends a few moments before the weary night's ride commenced; +but, failing in that, he went hastily back to the monkeys' cage. Old Ben +was there, getting things ready for a start; but the wooden sides of the +cage had not been put up, and Toby had no difficulty in calling the aged +monkey up to the bars. He held one of the Fat Woman's doughnuts in his +hand, and said, as he passed it through to the animal, + +"I thought perhaps you might be hungry, Mr. Stubbs, and this is some of +what the skeleton's wife give me. I hain't got very much time to talk +with you now; but the first chance I can get away to-morrow, an' when +there hain't anybody 'round, I want to tell you something." + +The monkey had taken the doughnut in his hand-like paws, and was tearing +it to pieces, eating small portions of it very rapidly. + +"Don't hurry yourself," said Toby, warningly, "for Uncle Dan'l always +told me the worst thing a feller could do was to eat fast. If you want +any more, after we start, just put your hand through the little hole up +there near the seat, an' I'll give you all you want." + +From the look on his face Toby confidently believed the monkey was about +to make some reply; but just then Ben shut up the sides, separating Toby +and Mr. Stubbs, and the order was given to start. + +Toby clambered up on to the high seat, Ben followed him, and in another +instant the team was moving along slowly down the dusty road, preceded +and followed by the many wagons, with their tiny swinging lights. + +"Well," said Ben, when he had got his team well under way, and felt that +he could indulge in a little conversation, "how did you get along +to-day?" + +Toby related all of his movements, and gave the driver a faithful +account of all that had happened to him, concluding his story by saying, +"That was one of Mrs. Treat's doughnuts that I just gave to Mr. Stubbs." + +"To whom?" asked Ben, in surprise. + +"To Mr. Stubbs--the old fellow here in the cart, you know, that's been +so good to me." + +Toby heard a sort of gurgling sound, saw the driver's body sway back and +forth in a trembling way, and was just becoming thoroughly alarmed, when +he thought of the previous night, and understood that Ben was only +laughing in his own peculiar way. + +"How did you know his name was Stubbs?" asked Ben, after he had +recovered his breath. + +"Oh, I don't know that that is his real name," was the quick reply; "I +only call him that because he looks so much like a feller with that name +that I knew at home. He don't seem to mind because I call him Stubbs." + +Ben looked at Toby earnestly for a moment, acting all the time as if he +wanted to laugh again, but didn't dare to, for fear he might burst a +blood-vessel; and then he said, as he patted him on the shoulder, "Well, +you are the queerest little fish that I ever saw in all my travels. You +seem to think that that monkey knows all you say to him." + +"I'm sure he does," said Toby, positively. "He don't say anything right +out to me, but he knows everything I tell him. Do you suppose he could +talk if he tried to?" + +"Look here, Mr. Toby Tyler"--and Ben turned half around in his seat and +looked Toby full in the face, so as to give more emphasis to his +words--"are you heathen enough to think that that monkey could talk if +he wanted to?" + +"I know I hain't a heathen," said Toby, thoughtfully, "for if I had been +some of the missionaries would have found me out a good while ago; but I +never saw anybody like this old Mr. Stubbs before, an' I thought he +could talk if he wanted to, just as the Living Skeleton does, or his +wife. Anyhow, Mr. Stubbs winks at me; an' how could he do that if he +didn't know what I've been sayin' to him?" + +"Look here, my son," said Ben, in a most fatherly fashion, "monkeys +hain't anything but beasts, an' they don't know how to talk any more +than they know what you say to 'em." + +"Didn't you ever hear any of them speak a word?" + +"Never. I've been in a circus, man an' boy, nigh on to forty years, an' +I never seen nothin' in a monkey more'n any other beast, except their +awful mischiefness." + +"Well," said Toby, still unconvinced, "I believe Mr. Stubbs knows what I +say to him, anyway." + +"Now don't be foolish, Toby," pleaded Ben. "You can't show me one thing +that a monkey ever did because you told him to." + +Just at that moment Toby felt some one pulling at the back of his coat, +and looking round he saw it was a little brown hand, reaching through +the bars of the air-hole of the cage, that was tugging away at his coat. + +"There!" he said, triumphantly, to Ben. "Look there! I told Mr. Stubbs +if he wanted anything more to eat, to tell me, an' I would give it to +him. Now you can see for yourself that he's come for it." And Toby took +a doughnut from his pocket and put it into the tiny hand, which was +immediately withdrawn. "Now what do you think of Mr. Stubbs knowing what +I say to him?" + +"They often stick their paws up through there," said Ben, in a +matter-of-fact tone. "I've had 'em pull my coat in the night till they +made me as nervous as ever any old woman was. You see, Toby, my boy, +monkeys is monkeys; an' you mustn't go to gettin' the idea that they're +anything else, for it's a mistake. You think this old monkey in here +knows what you say? Why, that's just the cuteness of the old fellow: he +watches you to see if he can't do just as you do, an' that's all there +is about it." + +Toby was more than half convinced that Ben was putting the matter in its +proper light, and he would have believed all that had been said if, just +at that moment, he had not seen that brown hand reaching through the +hole to clutch him again by the coat. + +The action seemed so natural, so like a hungry boy who gropes in the +dark pantry for something to eat, that it would have taken more +arguments than Ben had at his disposal to persuade Toby that his Mr. +Stubbs could not understand all that was said to him. Toby put another +doughnut in the outstretched hand, and then sat silently, as if in a +brown-study over some difficult problem. + +For some time the ride was continued in silence. Ben was going through +all the motions of whistling without uttering a sound--a favorite +amusement of his--and Toby's thoughts were far away in the humble home +he had scorned, with Uncle Daniel, whose virtues had increased in his +esteem with every mile of distance which had been put between them, and +whose faults had decreased in a corresponding ratio. + +Toby's thoughtfulness had made him sleepy, and his eyes were almost +closed in slumber, when he was startled by a crashing sound, was +conscious of a feeling of being hurled from his seat by some great +force, and then he lay senseless by the side of the road, while the +wagon became a perfect wreck, from out of which a small army of monkeys +was escaping. Ben's experienced ear had told him at the first crash that +his wagon was breaking down, and, without having time to warn Toby of +his peril, he had leaped clear of the wreck, keeping his horses under +perfect control, and thus averting more trouble. It was the breaking of +one of the axles which Toby had heard just before he was thrown from his +seat, and when the body of the wagon came down upon the hard road. + +[Illustration: THE BREAK-DOWN, AND ESCAPE OF THE MONKEYS.] + +The monkeys, thus suddenly released from confinement, had scampered off +in every direction, and by a singular chance Toby's aged friend started +for the woods in such a direction as to bring him directly before the +boy's insensible form. The monkey, on coming up to Toby, stopped, urged +by the well-known curiosity of its race, and began to examine the boy's +person carefully, prying into pockets and trying to open the boy's +half-closed eyelids. Fortunately for Toby, he had fallen upon a +mud-bank, and was only stunned for the moment, having received no +serious bruises. The attentions bestowed upon him by the monkey served +the purpose of bringing him to his senses; and, after he had looked +around him in the gray light of the coming morning, it would have taken +far more of a philosopher than Old Ben was to persuade the boy that +monkeys did not possess reasoning faculties. + +The monkey was busy at Toby's ears, nose, and mouth, as monkeys will do +when they get an opportunity, and the expression of its face was as +grave as possible. Toby firmly believed that the monkey's face showed +sorrow at his fall, and he imagined that the attentions which were +bestowed upon him were for the purpose of learning whether he had been +injured or not. + +"Don't worry, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, anxious to reassure his friend, as +he sat upright and looked about him. "I didn't get hurt any; but I would +like to know how I got 'way over here." + +It really seemed as if the monkey was pleased to know that his little +friend was not hurt, for he seated himself on his haunches, and his face +expressed the liveliest pleasure that Toby was well again--or at least +that was how the boy interpreted the look. + +By this time the news of the accident had been shouted ahead from one +team to the other, and all hands were hurrying to the scene for the +purpose of rendering aid. As Toby saw them coming he also saw a number +of small forms, looking something like diminutive men, hurrying past +him, and for the first time he understood how it was that the aged +monkey was at liberty, and knew that those little dusky forms were the +other occupants of the cage escaping to the woods. + +"See there, Mr. Stubbs! see there!" he exclaimed, pointing toward the +fugitives; "they're all going off into the woods! What shall we do?" + +The sight of the runaways seemed to excite the old monkey quite as much +as it did the boy. He sprung to his feet, chattering in the most excited +way, screamed two or three times, as if he were calling them back, and +then started off in vigorous pursuit. + +"Now he's gone too!" said Toby, disconsolately, believing the old fellow +had run away from him. "I didn't think Mr. Stubbs would treat me this +way!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CAPTURE OF THE MONKEYS. + + +The boy tried to rise to his feet, but his head whirled so, and he felt +so dizzy and sick from the effects of his fall, that he was obliged to +sit down again until he should feel able to stand. Meanwhile the crowd +around the wagon paid no attention to him, and he lay there quietly +enough, until he heard the hateful voice of Mr. Lord, asking if his boy +were hurt. + +The sound of his voice affected Toby very much as the chills-and-fever +affect a sufferer, and he shook so with fear, and his heart beat so +loudly, that he thought Mr. Lord must know where he was by the sound. +Seeing, however, that his employer did not come directly toward him, the +thought flashed upon his mind that now would be a good chance to run +away, and he acted upon it at once. He rolled himself over in the mud +until he reached a low growth of fir-trees that skirted the road, and +when beneath their friendly shade he arose to his feet and walked +swiftly toward the woods, following the direction the monkeys had +taken. + +He no longer felt dizzy and sick: the fear of Mr. Lord had dispelled all +that, and he felt strong and active again. + +He had walked rapidly for some distance, and was nearly beyond the sound +of the voices in the road, when he was startled by seeing quite a +procession of figures emerge from the trees and come directly toward +him. + +He could not understand the meaning of this strange company, and it so +frightened him that he attempted to hide behind a tree, in the hope that +they might pass without seeing him. But no sooner had he secreted +himself than a strange, shrill chattering came from the foremost of the +group, and in an instant Toby emerged from his place of concealment. + +He had recognized the peculiar sound as that of the old monkey who had +left him a few moments before, and he knew now what he did not know +then, owing to the darkness. The new-comers were the monkeys that had +escaped from the cage, and had been overtaken and compelled to come back +by the old monkey, who seemed to have the most perfect control over +them. + +The old fellow was leading the band, and all were linked "hand-in-hand" +with each other, which gave the whole crowd a most comical appearance as +they came up to Toby, half hopping, half walking upright, and all +chattering and screaming, like a crowd of children out for a holiday. + +Toby stepped toward the noisy crowd, held out his hand gravely to the +old monkey, and said, in tones of heart-felt sorrow, + +"I felt awful bad because I thought you had gone off an' left me, when +you only went off to find the other fellows. You're awful good, Mr. +Stubbs; an' now, instead of runnin' away, as I was goin' to do, we'll +all go back together." + +The old monkey grasped Toby's extended hand with his disengaged paw, +and, clinging firmly to it, the whole crowd followed in unbroken line, +chattering and scolding at the most furious rate, while every now and +then Mr. Stubbs would look back and scream out something, which would +cause the confusion to cease for an instant. + +It was really a comical sight, but Toby seemed to think it the most +natural thing in the world that they should follow him in this manner, +and he chattered to the old monkey quite as fast as any of the others +were doing. He told him very gravely all that he knew about the +accident, explained why it was that he conceived the idea of running +away, and really believed that Mr. Stubbs understood every word he was +saying. + +Very shortly after Toby had started to run away the proprietor of the +circus drove up to the scene of disaster; and, after seeing that the +wagon was being rapidly fixed up so that it could be hauled to the next +town, he ordered that search should be made for the monkeys. It was +very important that they should be captured at once, and he appeared to +think more of the loss of the animals than of the damage done to the +wagon. + +While the men were forming a plan for a search for the truants, so that +in case of a capture they could let each other know, the noise made by +Toby and his party was heard, and the men stood still to learn what it +meant. + +The entire party burst into shouts of laughter as Toby and his +companions walked into the circle of light formed by the glare of the +lanterns, and the merriment was by no means abated at Toby's serious +demeanor. The wagon was now standing upright, with the door open, and +Toby therefore led his companions directly to it, gravely motioning them +to enter. + +The old monkey, instead of obeying, stepped back to Toby's side, and +screamed to the others in such a manner that they all entered the cage, +leaving him on the outside with the boy. + +Toby motioned him to get in too, but he clung to his hand, and scolded +so furiously, that it was apparent he had no idea of leaving his boy +companion. One of the men stepped up, and was about to force him into +the wagon, when the proprietor ordered him to stop. + +"What boy is that?" he asked. + +[Illustration: BRINGING BACK THE RUNAWAYS.] + +"Job Lord's new boy," said some one in the crowd. + +The man asked Toby how it was that he had succeeded in capturing all the +runaways; and he answered, gravely, + +"Mr. Stubbs an' I are good friends, an' when he saw the others runnin' +away he just stopped 'em, an' brought 'em back to me. I wish you'd let +Mr. Stubbs ride with me; we like each other a good deal." + +"You can do just what you please with Mr. Stubbs, as you call him. I +expected to lose half the monkeys in that cage, and you have brought +back every one. That monkey shall be yours, and you may put him in the +cage whenever you want to, or take him with you, just as you choose, for +he belongs entirely to you." + +Toby's joy knew no bounds; he put his arm around the monkey's neck, and +the monkey clung firmly to him, until even Job Lord was touched at the +evidence of affection between the two. + +While the wagon was being repaired Toby and the monkey stood +hand-in-hand watching the work go on, while those in the cage scolded +and raved because they had been induced to return to captivity. After a +while the old monkey seated himself on Toby's arm and cuddled close up +to him, uttering now and then a contented sort of a little squeak as the +boy talked to him. + +That night Mr. Stubbs slept in Toby's arms, in the band wagon, and both +boy and monkey appeared very well contented with their lot, which a +short time previous had seemed so hard. + +When Toby awakened to his second day's work with the circus his monkey +friend was seated by his side, gravely exploring his pockets, and all +the boy's treasures were being spread out on the floor of the wagon by +his side. Toby remonstrated with him on this breach of confidence, but +Mr. Stubbs was more in the mood for sport than for grave conversation, +and the more Toby talked the more mischievous did he become, until at +length the boy gathered up his little store of treasures, took the +monkey by the paw, and walked him toward the cage from which he had +escaped on the previous night. + +"Now, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, speaking in an injured tone, "you must go +in here and stay till I have got more time to fool with you." + +He opened the door of the cage, but the monkey struggled as well as he +was able, and Toby was obliged to exert all his strength to put him in. + +When once the door was fastened upon him Toby tried to impress upon his +monkey friend's mind the importance of being more sedate, and he was +convinced that the words had sunk deep into Mr. Stubbs's heart, for, by +the time he had concluded, the old monkey was seated in the corner of +the cage, looking up from under his shaggy eyebrows in the most +reproachful manner possible. + +Toby felt sorry that he had spoken so harshly, and was about to make +amends for his severity, when Mr. Lord's gruff voice recalled him to the +fact that his time was not his own, and he therefore commenced his day's +work, but with a lighter heart than he had had since he stole away from +Uncle Daniel and Guilford. + +This day was not very much different from the preceding one so far as +the manner of Mr. Lord and his partner toward the boy was concerned; +they seemed to have an idea that he was doing only about half as much +work as he ought to, and both united in swearing at and abusing him as +much as possible. + +So far as his relations with other members of the company were +concerned, Toby now stood in a much better position than before. Those +who had witnessed the scene told the others how Toby had led in the +monkeys on the night previous, and nearly every member of the company +had a kind word for the little fellow whose head could hardly be seen +above the counter of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs's booth. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE DINNER-PARTY. + + +At noon Toby was thoroughly tired out, for whenever any one spoke kindly +to him Mr. Lord seemed to take a malicious pleasure in giving him extra +tasks to do, until Toby began to hope that no one else would pay any +attention to him. On this day he was permitted to go to dinner first, +and after he returned he was left in charge of the booth. Trade being +dull--as it usually was during the dinner hour--he had very little work +to do after he had cleaned the glasses and set things to rights +generally. + +When, therefore, he saw the gaunt form of the skeleton emerge from his +tent and come toward him he was particularly pleased, for he had begun +to think very kindly of the thin man and his fleshy wife. + +"Well, Toby," said the skeleton, as he came up to the booth, carefully +dusted Mr. Lord's private chair, and sat down very cautiously in it, as +if he expected that it would break down under his weight, "I hear you've +been making quite a hero of yourself by capturing the monkeys last +night." + +Toby's freckled face reddened with pleasure as he heard these words, and +he stammered out, with considerable difficulty, "I didn't do anything; +it was Mr. Stubbs that brought 'em back." + +"Mr. Stubbs!" And the skeleton laughed so heartily that Toby was afraid +he would dislocate some of his thinly-covered joints. "When you was +tellin' about Mr. Stubbs yesterday I thought you meant some one +belonging to the company. You ought to have seen my wife Lilly shake +with laughing when I told her who Mr. Stubbs was!" + +"Yes," said Toby, at a loss to know just what to say, "I should think +she _would_ shake when she laughs." + +"She does," replied the skeleton. "If you could see her when something +funny strikes her you'd think she was one of those big plates of jelly +that they have in the bake-shop windows." And Mr. Treat looked proudly +at the gaudy picture which represented his wife in all her monstrosity +of flesh. "She's a great woman, Toby, an' she's got a great head." + +Toby nodded his head in assent. He would have liked to have said +something nice regarding Mrs. Treat, but he really did not know what to +say, so he simply contented himself and the fond husband by nodding. + +"She thinks a good deal of you, Toby," continued the skeleton, as he +moved his chair to a position more favorable for him to elevate his feet +on the edge of the counter, and placed his handkerchief under him as a +cushion; "she's talking of you all the time, and if you wasn't such a +little fellow I should begin to be jealous of you--I should, upon my +word." + +"You're--both--very--good," stammered Toby, so weighted down by a sense +of the honor heaped upon him as to be at a loss for words. + +"An' she wants to see more of you. She made me come out here now, when +she knew Mr. Lord would be away, to tell you that we're goin' to have a +little kind of a friendly dinner in our tent to-morrow--she's cooked it +all herself, or she's going to--and we want you to come in an' have some +with us." + +Toby's eyes glistened at the thought of the unexpected pleasure, and +then his face grew sad as he replied, "I'd like to come first-rate, Mr. +Treat, but I don't s'pose Mr. Lord would let me stay away from the shop +long enough." + +"Why, you won't have any work to do to-morrow, Toby--it's Sunday." + +"So it is!" said the boy, with a pleased smile, as he thought of the day +of rest which was so near. And then he added, quickly, "An' this is +Saturday afternoon. What fun the boys at home are havin'! You see there +hain't any school Saturday afternoon, an' all the fellers go out in the +woods." + +"And you wish you were there to go with them, don't you?" asked the +skeleton, sympathetically. + +"Indeed I do!" exclaimed Toby, quickly. "It's twice as good as any +circus that ever was." + +"But you didn't think so before you came with us, did you?" + +"I didn't know so much about circuses then as I do now," replied the +boy, sadly. + +Mr. Treat saw that he was touching on a sore subject, and one which was +arousing sad thoughts in his little companion's mind, and he hastened to +change it at once. + +"Then I can tell Lilly that you'll come, can I?" + +"Oh yes, I'll be sure to be there; an' I want you to know just how good +I think you both are to me." + +"That's all right, Toby," said Mr. Treat, with a pleased expression on +his face; "an' you may bring Mr. Stubbs with you, if you want to." + +"Thank you," said Toby; "I'm sure Mr. Stubbs will be just as glad to +come as I shall. But where will we be to-morrow?" + +"Right here. We always stay over Sunday at the place where we show +Saturday. But I must be going, or Lilly will worry her life out of her +for fear I'm somewhere getting cold. She's awful careful of me, that +woman is. You'll be on hand to-morrow at one o'clock, won't you?" + +"Indeed I will," said Toby, emphatically, "an' I'll bring Mr. Stubbs +with me too." + +With a friendly nod of the head, the skeleton hurried away to reassure +his wife that he was safe and well; and before he had hardly disappeared +within the tent Toby had another caller, who was none other than his +friend Old Ben, the driver. + +"Well, my boy," shouted Ben, in his cheery, hearty tones, "I haven't +seen you since you left the wagon so sudden last night. Did you get +shook up much?" + +"Oh no," replied Toby: "you see I hain't very big; an' then I struck in +the mud; so I got off pretty easy." + +"That's a fact; an' you can thank your lucky stars for it, too, for I've +seen grown-up men get pitched off a wagon in that way an' break their +necks doin' it. But has Job told you where you was going to sleep +to-night? You know we stay over here till to-morrow." + +"I didn't think anything about that; but I s'pose I'll sleep in the +wagon, won't I?" + +"You can sleep at the hotel, if you want to; but the beds will likely be +dirty; an' if you take my advice you'll crawl into some of the wagons in +the tent." + +Ben then explained to him that, after his work was done that night, he +would not be expected to report for duty until the time for starting on +Sunday night, and concluded his remarks by saying, + +"Now you know what your rights are, an' don't you let Job impose on you +in any way. I'll be round here after you get through work, an' we'll +bunk in somewhere together." + +The arrival of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs put a stop to the conversation, +and was the signal for Toby's time of trial. It seemed to him, and with +good reason, that the chief delight these men had in life was to torment +him, for neither ever spoke a pleasant word to him; and when one was not +giving him some difficult work to do, or finding fault in some way, the +other would be sure to do so; and Toby had very little comfort from the +time he began work in the morning until he stopped at night. + +It was not until after the evening performance was over that Toby had a +chance to speak with Mr. Stubbs, and then he was so tired that he simply +took the old monkey from the cage, nestled him under his jacket, and lay +down with him to sleep in the place which Old Ben had selected. + +When the morning came Mr. Stubbs aroused his young master at a much +earlier hour than he would have awakened had he been left to himself, +and the two went out for a short walk before breakfast. They went +instinctively toward the woods; and when the shade of the trees was once +reached, how the two revelled in their freedom! Mr. Stubbs climbed into +the trees, swung himself from one to the other by means of his tail, +gathered half-ripe nuts, which he threw at his master, tried to catch +the birds, and had a good time generally. + +Toby, stretched at full length on the mossy bank, watched the antics of +his pet, laughing boisterously at times as Mr. Stubbs would do some one +thing more comical than usual, and forgot there was in this world such a +thing as a circus, or such a man as Job Lord. It was to Toby a morning +without a flaw, and he took no heed of the time, until the sound of the +church bells warned him of the lateness of the hour, reminding him at +the same time of where he should be--where he would be, if he were at +home with Uncle Daniel. + +In the mean time the old monkey had been trying to attract his young +master's attention, and, failing in his efforts, he came down from the +tree, crept softly up to Toby, and nestled his head under the boy's arm. + +This little act of devotion seemed to cause Toby's grief to burst forth +afresh, and clasping the monkey around the neck, hugging him close to +his bosom, he sobbed, + +"Oh, Mr. Stubbs, Mr. Stubbs, how lonesome we are! If we was only at +Uncle Dan'l's we'd be the two happiest people in all this world. We +could play on the hay, or go up to the pasture, or go down to the +village; an' I'd work my fingers off if I could only be there just once +more. It was wicked for me to run away, an' now I'm gettin' paid for +it." + +He hugged the monkey closely, swaying his body to and fro, and +presenting a perfect picture of grief. The monkey, not knowing what to +make of this changed mood, cowered whimperingly in his arms, looking up +into his face, and licking the boy's hands whenever he had the +opportunity. + +It was some time before Toby's grief exhausted itself; and then, still +clasping the monkey, he hurried out of the woods toward the town and the +now thoroughly hated circus tents. + +The clocks were just striking one as Toby entered the enclosure used by +the show as a place of performance, and, remembering his engagement with +the skeleton and his wife, he went directly to their tent. From the +odors which assailed him as he entered, it was very evident that a feast +of no mean proportions was in course of preparation, and Toby's keen +appetite returned in full vigor. Even the monkey seemed affected by the +odor, for he danced about on his master's shoulder, and chattered so +that Toby was obliged to choke him a little in order to make him +present a respectable appearance. + +When Toby reached the interior of the tent he was astonished at the +extent of the preparations that were being made, and gazed around him in +surprise. The platform on which the lean man and fat woman were in the +habit of exhibiting themselves now bore a long table, loaded with +eatables; and, from the fact that eight or ten chairs were ranged around +it, Toby understood that he was not the only guest invited to the feast. +Some little attempt had also been made at decoration by festooning that +end of the tent where the platform was placed with two or three flags +and some streamers, and the tent-poles also were fringed with +tissue-paper of the brightest colors. + +Toby had only time enough to notice this when the skeleton advanced +toward him, and, with the liveliest appearance of pleasure, said, as he +took him by the hands with a grip that made him wince, + +"It gives me great joy, Mr. Tyler, to welcome you at one of our little +home reunions, if one can call a tent, that is moved every day in the +week, home." + +Toby hardly knew whom Mr. Treat referred to when he said "Mr. Tyler;" +but by the time his hands were released from the bony grasp he +understood that it was himself who was spoken to. + +[Illustration: TOBY IS INTRODUCED TO THE ALBINOS.] + +The skeleton then formally introduced him to the other guests present, +who were sitting at one end of the tent, and evidently anxiously +awaiting the coming feast. + +"These," said Mr. Treat, as he waved his hand toward two white-haired, +pink-eyed young ladies, who sat with their arms twined around each +other's waist, and had been eying the monkey with some appearance of +fear, "are the Miss Cushings, known to the world as the Albino Children; +they command a large salary, and form a very attractive feature of our +exhibition." + +The young ladies arose at the same time, as if they had been the Siamese +Twins and could not act independently of each other, and bowed. + +Toby made the best bow he was capable of; and the monkey made frantic +efforts to escape, as if he would enjoy twisting his paws in their +perpendicular hair. + +"And this," continued Mr. Treat, pointing to a sickly, sour-looking +individual, who was sitting apart from the others, with his arms folded, +and looking as if he was counting the very seconds before the dinner +should begin, "is the wonderful Signor Castro, whose sword-swallowing +feats you have doubtless heard of." + +Toby stepped back just one step, as if overwhelmed by awe at beholding +the signor in the guise of a humble individual; and the gentleman who +gained his livelihood by swallowing swords unbent his dignity so far as +to unfold his arms and present a very dirty-looking hand for Toby to +shake. The boy took hold of the outstretched hand, wondering why the +signor never used soap and water; and Mr. Stubbs, apparently afraid of +the sour-looking man, retreated to Toby's shoulder, where he sat +chattering and scolding about the introduction. + +Again the skeleton waved his hand, and this time he introduced +"Mademoiselle Spelletti, the wonderful snake-charmer, whose exploits in +this country, and before the crowned heads of Europe, had caused the +whole world to stand aghast at her daring." + +Mademoiselle Spelletti was a very ordinary-looking young lady of about +twenty-five years of age, who looked very much as if her name might +originally have been Murphy, and she too extended a hand for Toby to +grasp--only her hand was clean, and she appeared to be a very much more +pleasant acquaintance than the gentleman who swallowed swords. + +This ended the introductions; and Toby was just looking around for a +seat, when Mrs. Treat, the fat lady, and the giver of the feast which +was about to come, and which already smelled so invitingly, entered from +behind a curtain of canvas, where the cooking-stove was supposed to be +located. + +She had every appearance of being the cook for the occasion. Her sleeves +were rolled up, her hair tumbled and frowzy, and there were several +unmistakable marks of grease on the front of her calico dress. + +She waited for no ceremony, but rushed up to Toby, and taking him in her +arms, gave him such a squeeze that there seemed to be every possibility +that she would break all the bones in his body; and she kept him so long +in this bear-like embrace that Mr. Stubbs reached his little brown paws +over and got such a hold of her hair that all present, save Signor +Castro, rushed forward to release her from the monkey's grasp. + +"You dear little thing!" said Mrs. Treat, paying but slight attention to +the hair-pulling she had just undergone, and holding Toby at +arm's-length, so that she could look into his face, "you were so late +that I was afraid you wasn't coming; and my dinner wouldn't have tasted +half so good if you hadn't been here to eat some." + +Toby hardly knew what to say for this hearty welcome, but he managed to +tell the large and kind-hearted lady that he had had no idea of missing +the dinner, and that he was very glad she wanted him to come. + +"Want you to come, you dear little thing!" she exclaimed, as she gave +him another hug, but careful not to give Mr. Stubbs a chance of grasping +her hair again. "Of course I wanted you to come, for this dinner has +been got up so that you could meet these people here, and so that they +could see you." + +Toby was entirely at a loss to know what to say to this overwhelming +compliment, and for that reason did not say anything, only submitting +patiently to the third hug, which was all Mrs. Treat had time to give +him, as she was obliged to rush behind the canvas screen again, as there +were unmistakable sounds of something boiling over on the stove. + +"You'll excuse me," said the skeleton, with an air of dignity, waving +his hand once more toward the assembled company, "but, while introducing +you to Mr. Tyler, I had almost forgotten to introduce him to you. This, +ladies and gentlemen"--and here he touched Toby on the shoulder, as if +he were some living curiosity whose habits and mode of capture he was +about to explain to a party of spectators--"is Mr. Toby Tyler, of whom +you heard on the night when the monkey cage was smashed, and who now +carries with him the identical monkey which was presented to him by the +manager of this great show as a token of esteem for his skill and +bravery in capturing the entire lot of monkeys without a single blow." + +By the time that Mr. Treat got through with this long speech Toby felt +very much as if he were some wonderful creature whom the skeleton was +exhibiting; but he managed to rise to his feet and duck his little red +head in his best imitation of a bow. Then he sat down and hugged Mr. +Stubbs to cover his confusion. + +One of the Albino Children now came forward, and, while stroking Mr. +Stubbs's hair, looked so intently at Toby that for the life of him he +couldn't say which she regarded as the curiosity, himself or the monkey; +therefore he hastened to say, modestly, + +"I didn't do much toward catchin' the monkeys; Mr. Stubbs here did +almost all of it, an' I only led 'em in." + +"There, there, my boy," said the skeleton, in a fatherly tone, "I've +heard the whole story from Old Ben, an' I sha'n't let you get out of it +like that. We all know what you did, an' it's no use for you to deny any +part of it." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +MR. STUBBS AT A PARTY. + + +Toby was about to say that he did not intend to represent the matter +other than it really was, when a voice from behind the canvas screen +arrested further conversation. + +"Sam-u-el, come an' help me carry these things in." + +Something very like a smile of satisfaction passed over Signor Castro's +face as he heard this, which told him that the time for the feast was +near at hand; and the snake-charmer, as well as the Albino Children, +seemed quite as much pleased as did the sword-swallower. + +"You will excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," said the skeleton, in an +important tone; "I must help Lilly, and then I shall have the pleasure +of helping you to some of her cooking, which, if I do say it, that +oughtn't, is as good as can be found in this entire country." + +Then he too disappeared behind the canvas screen. + +Left alone, Toby looked at the ladies, and the ladies looked at him, in +perfect silence, while the sword-swallower grimly regarded them all, +until Mr. Treat reappeared, bearing on a platter an immense turkey, as +nicely browned as any Thanksgiving turkey Toby ever saw. Behind him came +his fat wife, carrying several dishes, each of which emitted a most +fragrant odor; and as these were placed upon the table the spirits of +the sword-swallower seemed to revive, and he smiled pleasantly; while +even the ladies appeared animated by the sight and odor of the good +things which they were to be called upon so soon to pass judgment. + +Several times did Mr. and Mrs. Treat bustle in and out from behind the +screen, and each time they made some addition to that which was upon the +table, until Toby began to fear that they would never finish, and the +sword-swallower seemed unable to restrain his impatience. + +At last the finishing touch had been put to the table, the last dish +placed in position, and then, with a certain kind of grace, which no one +but a man as thin as Mr. Treat could assume, he advanced to the edge of +the platform and said, + +"Ladies and gentlemen, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to invite +you all, including Mr. Tyler's friend Stubbs, to the bountiful repast +which my Lilly has prepared for--" + +At this point, Mr. Treat's speech--for it certainly seemed as if he had +commenced to make one--was broken off in a most summary manner. His wife +had come up behind him, and, with as much ease as if he had been a +child, lifted him from off the floor and placed him gently in the chair +at the head of the table. + +"Come right up and get dinner," she said to her guests. "If you had +waited until Samuel had finished his speech everything on the table +would have been stone-cold." + +The guests proceeded to obey her kindly command; and it is to be +regretted that the sword-swallower had no better manners than to jump on +to the platform with one bound and seat himself at the table with the +most unseemly haste. The others, and more especially Toby, proceeded in +a leisurely and more dignified manner. + +A seat had been placed by the side of the one intended for Toby for the +accommodation of Mr. Stubbs, who suffered a napkin to be tied under his +chin, and behaved generally in a manner that gladdened the heart of his +young master. + +Mr. Treat cut generous slices from the turkey for each guest, and Mrs. +Treat piled their plates high with all sorts of vegetables, complaining, +after the manner of housewives generally, that the food was not cooked +as she would like to have had it, and declaring that she had had poor +luck with everything that morning, when she firmly believed in her heart +that her table had never looked better. + +After the company had had the edge taken off their appetites--which +effect was produced on the sword-swallower only after he had been +helped three different times, the conversation began by the Fat Woman +asking Toby how he got along with Mr. Lord. + +Toby could not give a very good account of his employer, but he had the +good sense not to cast a damper on a party of pleasure by reciting his +own troubles; so he said, evasively, + +"I guess I shall get along pretty well, now that I have got so many +friends." + +Just as he had commenced to speak the skeleton had put into his mouth a +very large piece of turkey--very much larger in proportion than +himself--and when Toby had finished speaking he started to say something +evidently not very complimentary to Mr. Lord. But what it was the +company never knew; for just as he opened his mouth to speak, the food +went down the wrong way, his face became a bright purple, and it was +quite evident that he was choking. + +Toby was alarmed, and sprung from his chair to assist his friend, +upsetting Mr. Stubbs from his seat, causing him to scamper up the +tent-pole, with the napkin still tied around his neck, and to scold in +his most vehement manner. Before Toby could reach the skeleton, however, +the Fat Woman had darted toward her lean husband, caught him by the arm, +and was pounding his back, by the time Toby got there, so vigorously, +that the boy was afraid her enormous hand would go through his +tissue-paper-like frame. + +"I wouldn't," said Toby, in alarm; "you may break him." + +"Don't you get frightened," said Mrs. Treat, turning her husband +completely over, and still continuing the drumming process. "He's often +taken this way; he's such a glutton that he'd try to swallow the turkey +whole if he could get it in his mouth, an' he's so thin that 'most +anything sticks in his throat." + +"I should think you'd break him all up," said Toby, apologetically, as +he resumed his seat at the table; "he don't look as if he could stand +very much of that sort of thing." + +But apparently Mr. Treat could stand very much more than Toby gave him +credit for, because at this juncture he stopped coughing, and his face +fast assumed its natural hue. + +His attentive wife, seeing that he had ceased struggling, lifted him in +her arms, and sat him down in his chair with a force that threatened to +snap his very head off. + +"There!" she said, as he wheezed a little from the effects of the shock, +"now see if you can behave yourself, an' chew your meat as you ought to! +One of these days when you're alone you'll try that game, and that'll be +the last of you." + +"If he'd try to do one of my tricks long enough he'd get so that there +wouldn't hardly anything choke him," the sword-swallower ventured to +suggest, mildly, as he wiped a small stream of cranberry-sauce from his +chin and laid a well-polished turkey-bone by the side of his plate. + +"I'd like to see him try it!" said the fat lady, with just a shade of +anger in her voice. Then turning toward her husband, she said, +emphatically, "Samuel, don't you ever let me catch _you_ swallowing a +sword!" + +"I won't, my love, I won't; and I will try to chew my meat more," +replied the very thin glutton, in a feeble tone. + +Toby thought that perhaps the skeleton might keep the first part of that +promise, but he was not quite sure about the last. + +It required no little coaxing on the part of both Toby and Mrs. Treat to +induce Mr. Stubbs to come down from his lofty perch; but the task was +accomplished at last, and by the gift of a very large doughnut he was +induced to resume his seat at the table. + +The time had now come when the duties of a host, in his own peculiar way +of viewing them, devolved upon Mr. Treat, and he said, as he pushed his +chair back a short distance from the table, and tried to polish the +front of his vest with his napkin, + +"I don't want this fact lost sight of, because it is an important one: +every one must remember that we have gathered here to meet and become +better acquainted with the latest and best addition to this circus, Mr. +Toby Tyler." + +Poor Toby! As the company all looked directly at him, and Mrs. Treat +nodded her enormous head energetically, as if to say that she agreed +exactly with her husband, the poor boy's face grew very red and the +squash-pie lost its flavor. + +"Although Mr. Tyler may not be exactly one of us, owing to the fact that +he does not belong to the profession, but is only one of the adjuncts to +it, so to speak," continued the skeleton, in a voice which was fast +being raised to its highest pitch, "we feel proud, after his exploits at +the time of the accident, to have him with us, and gladly welcome him +now, through the medium of this little feast prepared by my Lilly." + +Here the Albino Children nodded their heads in approval, and the +sword-swallower gave a grunt of assent; and, thus encouraged, the +skeleton proceeded: + +"I feel, when I say that we like and admire Mr. Tyler, all present will +agree with me, and all would like to hear him say a word for himself." + +The skeleton seemed to have expressed the views of those present +remarkably well, judging from their expressions of pleasure and assent, +and all waited for the honored guest to speak. + +Toby knew that he must say something, but he couldn't think of a single +thing; he tried over and over again to call to his mind something which +he had read as to how people acted and what they said when they were +expected to speak at a dinner-table, but his thoughts refused to go back +for him, and the silence was actually becoming painful. Finally, and +with the greatest effort, he managed to say, with a very perceptible +stammer, and while his face was growing very red: + +"I know I ought to say something to pay for this big dinner that you +said was gotten up for me, but I don't know what to say, unless to thank +you for it. You see I hain't big enough to say much, an', as Uncle Dan'l +says, I don't amount to very much 'cept for eatin', an' I guess he's +right. You're all real good to me, an' when I get to be a man I'll try +to do as much for you." + +Toby had risen to his feet when he began to make his speech, and while +he was speaking Mr. Stubbs had crawled over into his chair. When he +finished he sat down again without looking behind him, and of course sat +plump on the monkey. There was a loud outcry from Mr. Stubbs, a little +frightened noise from Toby, an instant's scrambling, and then boy, +monkey, and chair tumbled off the platform, landing on the ground in an +indescribable mass, from which the monkey extricated himself more +quickly than Toby could, and again took refuge on the top of the +tent-pole. + +Of course all the guests ran to Toby's assistance; and while the Fat +Woman poked him all over to see that none of his bones were broken, the +skeleton brushed the dirt from his clothes. + +All this time the monkey screamed, yelled, and danced around on the +tent-pole and ropes as if his feelings had received a shock from which +he could never recover. + +"I didn't mean to end it up that way, but it was Mr. Stubbs's fault," +said Toby, as soon as quiet had been restored, and the guests, with the +exception of the monkey, were seated at the table once more. + +"Of course you didn't," said Mrs. Treat, in a kindly tone. "But don't +you feel bad about it one bit, for you ought to thank your lucky stars +that you didn't break any of your bones." + +"I s'pose I did," said Toby, soberly, as he looked back at the scene of +his disaster, and then up at the chattering monkey that had caused all +the trouble. + +Shortly after this, Mr. Stubbs having again been coaxed down from his +lofty position, Toby took his departure, promising to call as often +during the week as he could get away from his exacting employers. + +Just outside the tent he met Old Ben, who said, as he showed signs of +indulging in another of his internal laughing spells: + +[Illustration: TOBY SITS DOWN ON MR. STUBBS.] + +"Hello! has the skeleton an' his lily of a wife been givin' a blow-out +to you too?" + +"They invited me in there to dinner," said Toby, modestly. + +"Of course they did--of course they did," replied Ben, with a chuckle; +"they carries a cookin'-stove along with 'em, so's they can give these +little spreads whenever we stay over a day in a place. Oh, I've been +there!" + +"And did they ask you to make a speech?" + +"Of course. Did they try it on you?" + +"Yes," said Toby, mournfully, "an' I tumbled off the platform when I got +through." + +"I didn't do exactly that," replied Ben, thoughtfully; "but I s'pose you +got too much steam on, seein' 's how it was likely your first speech. +Now you'd better go into the tent an' try to get a little sleep, 'cause +we've got a long ride to-night over a rough road, an' you won't get +more'n a cat-nap all night." + +"But where are you going?" asked Toby, as he shifted Mr. Stubbs over to +his other shoulder, preparatory to following his friend's advice. + +"I'm goin' to church," said Ben, and then Toby noticed for the first +time that the old driver had made some attempt at dressing-up. "I've +been with the circus, man an' boy, for nigh to forty years, an' I allus +go to meetin' once on Sunday. It's somethin' I promised my old mother I +would do, an' I hain't broke my promise yet." + +"Why don't you take me with you?" asked Toby, wistfully, as he thought +of the little church on the hill at home, and wished--oh, so +earnestly!--that he was there then, even at the risk of being thumped on +the head with Uncle Daniel's book. + +"If I'd seen you this mornin' I would," said Ben; "but now you must try +to bottle up some sleep agin to-night, an' next Sunday I'll take you." + +With these words Old Ben started off, and Toby proceeded to carry out +his wishes, although he rather doubted the possibility of "bottling up" +any sleep that afternoon. + +He lay down on the top of the wagon, after having put Mr. Stubbs inside, +with the others of his tribe, and in a very few moments the boy was +sound asleep, dreaming of a dinner-party at which Mr. Stubbs made a +speech, and he himself scampered up and down the tent-pole. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A STORMY NIGHT. + + +When Toby awoke it was nearly dark, and the bustle around him told very +plainly that the time for departure was near at hand. He rubbed his eyes +just enough to make sure that he was thoroughly awake, and then jumped +down from his rather lofty bed, and ran around to the door of the cage +to assure himself that Mr. Stubbs was safe. This done, his preparations +for the journey were made. + +Now, Toby noticed that each one of the drivers was clad in rubber +clothing, and, after listening for a moment, he learned the cause of +their water-proof garments. It was raining very hard, and Toby thought +with dismay of the long ride that he would have to take on the top of +the monkeys' cage, with no protection whatever save that afforded by his +ordinary clothing. + +While he was standing by the side of the wagon, wondering how he should +get along, Old Ben came in. The water was pouring from his clothes in +little rivulets, and he afforded most unmistakable evidence of the damp +state of the weather. + +"It's a nasty night, my boy," said the old driver, in much the same +cheery tone that he would have used had he been informing Toby that it +was a beautiful moonlight evening. + +"I guess I'll get wet," said Toby, ruefully, as he looked up at the +lofty seat which he was to occupy. + +"Bless me!" said Ben, as if the thought had just come to him, "it won't +do for you to ride outside on a night like this. You wait here, an' I'll +see what I can do for you." + +The old man hurried off to the other end of the tent, and almost before +Toby thought he had time to go as far as the ring he returned. + +"It's all right," he said, and this time in a gruff voice, as if he were +announcing some misfortune; "you're to ride in the women's wagon. Come +with me." + +Toby followed without a question, though he was wholly at a loss to +understand what the "women's wagon" was, for he had never seen anything +which looked like one. + +He soon learned, however, when Old Ben stopped in front--or, rather, at +the end--of a long covered wagon that looked like an omnibus, except +that it was considerably longer, and the seats inside were divided by +arms, padded, to make them comfortable to lean against. + +"Here's the boy," said Ben, as he lifted Toby up on the step, gave him +a gentle push to intimate that he was to get inside, and then left him. + +As Toby stepped inside he saw that the wagon was nearly full of women +and children; and fearing lest he should take a seat that belonged to +some one else, he stood in the middle of the wagon, not knowing what to +do. + +"Why don't you sit down, little boy?" asked one of the ladies, after +Toby had remained standing nearly five minutes and the wagon was about +to start. + +"Well," said Toby, with some hesitation, as he looked around at the two +or three empty seats that remained, "I didn't want to get in anybody +else's place, an' I didn't know where to sit." + +"Come right here," said the lady, as she pointed to a seat by the side +of a little girl who did not look any older than Toby; "the lady who +usually occupies that seat will not be here to-night, and you can have +it." + +"Thank you, ma'am," said Toby, as he sat timidly down on the edge of the +seat, hardly daring to sit back comfortably, and feeling very awkward +meanwhile, but congratulating himself on being thus protected from the +pouring rain. + +The wagon started, and as each one talked with her neighbor, Toby felt a +most dismal sense of loneliness, and almost wished that he was riding on +the monkey-cart with Ben, where he could have some one to talk with. He +gradually pushed himself back into a more comfortable position, and had +then an opportunity of seeing more plainly the young girl who rode by +his side. + +She was quite as young as Toby, and small of her age; but there was an +old look about her face that made the boy think of her as being an old +woman cut down to fit children's clothes. Toby had looked at her so +earnestly that she observed him, and asked, "What is your name?" + +"Toby Tyler." + +"What do you do in the circus?" + +"Sell candy for Mr. Lord." + +"Oh! I thought you was a new member of the company." + +Toby knew by the tone of her voice that he had fallen considerably in +her estimation by not being one of the performers, and it was some +little time before he ventured to speak; and then he asked, timidly, +"What do you do?" + +"I ride one of the horses with mother." + +"Are you the little girl that comes out with the lady an' four horses?" +asked Toby, in awe that he should be conversing with so famous a person. + +"Yes, I am. Don't I do it nicely?" + +"Why, you're a perfect little--little--fairy!" exclaimed Toby, after +hesitating a moment to find some word which would exactly express his +idea. + +[Illustration: TOBY IN THE "WOMEN'S WAGON."] + +This praise seemed to please the young lady, and in a short time the two +became very good friends, even if Toby did not occupy a more exalted +position than that of candy-seller. She had learned from him all about +the accident to the monkey-cage, and about Mr. Stubbs, and in return had +told him that her name was Ella Mason, though on the bills she was +called "Mademoiselle Jeannette." + +For a long time the two children sat talking together, and then +Mademoiselle Jeannette curled herself up on the seat, with her head in +her mother's lap, and went to sleep. + +Toby had resolved to keep awake and watch her, for he was struck with +admiration at her face; but sleep got the better of him in less than +five minutes after he had made the resolution, and he sat bolt-upright, +with his little round head nodding and bobbing until it seemed almost +certain that he would shake it off. + +When Toby awoke the wagon was drawn up by the side of the road, the sun +was shining brightly, preparations were being made for the entrée into +town, and the harsh voice of Mr. Job Lord was shouting his name in a +tone that boded no good for poor Toby when he should make his +appearance. + +Toby would have hesitated before meeting his angry employer but that he +knew it would only make matters worse for him when he did show himself, +and he mentally braced himself for the trouble which he knew was +coming. The little girl whose acquaintance he had made the night +previous was still sleeping; and, wishing to say good-bye to her in some +way without awakening her, he stooped down and gently kissed the skirt +of her dress. Then he went out to meet his master. + +Mr. Lord was thoroughly enraged when Toby left the wagon, and saw the +boy just as he stepped to the ground. The angry man gave a quick glance +around, to make sure that none of Toby's friends were in sight, and then +caught him by the coat-collar and commenced to whip him severely with +the small rubber cane that he usually carried. + +Mr. Job Lord lifted the poor boy entirely clear of the ground, and each +blow that he struck could be heard almost the entire length of the +circus train. + +"You've been makin' so many acquaintances here that you hain't willin' +to do any work," he said, savagely, as he redoubled the force of his +blows. + +"Oh, please stop! please stop!" shrieked the poor boy in his agony. +"I'll do everything you tell me to, if you won't strike me again!" + +This piteous appeal seemed to have no effect upon the cruel man, and he +continued to whip the boy, despite his cries and entreaties, until his +arm fairly ached from the exertion, and Toby's body was crossed and +recrossed with the livid marks of the cane. + +"Now, let's see whether you'll 'tend to your work or not!" said the man +as he flung Toby from him with such force that the boy staggered, +reeled, and nearly fell into the little brook that flowed by the +roadside. "I'll make you understand that all the friends you've whined +around in this show can't save you from a lickin' when I get ready to +give you one! Now go an' do your work that ought to have been done an +hour ago!" + +Mr. Lord walked away with the proud consciousness of a man who has +achieved a great victory, and Toby was limping painfully along toward +the cart that was used in conveying Mr. Lord's stock-in-trade, when he +felt a tiny hand slip into his, and heard a childish voice say, + +"Don't cry, Toby. Some time, when I get big enough, I'll make Mr. Lord +sorry that he whipped you as he did; and I'm big enough now to tell him +just what kind of a man I think he is." + +Looking around, Toby saw his little acquaintance of the evening +previous, and he tried to force back the big tears that were rolling +down his cheeks as he said, in a voice choked with grief, "You're awful +good, an' I don't mind the lickin' when you say you're sorry for me. I +s'pose I deserve it for runnin' away from Uncle Dan'l." + +"Did it hurt you much?" she asked, feelingly. + +"It did when he was doin' it," replied Toby, manfully, "but it don't a +bit now that you've come." + +"Then I'll go and talk to that Mr. Lord, and I'll come and see you again +after we get into town," said the little miss, as she hurried away to +tell the candy vender what she thought of him. + +That day, as on all others since he had been with the circus, Toby went +to his work with a heavy heart, and time and time again did he count the +money which had been given him by kind-hearted strangers, to see whether +he had enough to warrant his attempting to run away. Three dollars and +twenty-five cents was the total amount of his treasure, and, large as +that sum appeared to him, he could not satisfy himself that he had +sufficient to enable him to get back to the home which he had so +wickedly left. Whenever he thought of this home, of the Uncle Daniel who +had in charity cared for him--a motherless, fatherless boy--and of +returning to it, with not even as much right as the Prodigal Son, of +whom he had heard Uncle Daniel tell, his heart sunk within him, and he +doubted whether he would be allowed to remain even if he should be so +fortunate as ever to reach Guilford again. + +This day passed, so far as Toby was concerned, very much as had the +others: he could not satisfy either of his employers, try as hard as he +might; but, as usual, he met with two or three kindly-disposed people, +who added to the fund that he was accumulating for his second venture of +running away by little gifts of money, each one of which gladdened his +heart and made his trouble a trifle less hard to bear. + +During the entire week he was thus equally fortunate. Each day added +something to his fund, and each night it seemed to Toby that he was one +day nearer the freedom for which he so ardently longed. + +The skeleton, the fat lady, Old Ben, the Albino Children, little Ella, +and even the sword-swallower, all gave him a kindly word as they passed +him while he was at his work, or saw him as the preparations for the +grand entrée were being made. + +The time had passed slowly to Toby, and yet Sunday came again--as +Sundays always come; and on this day Old Ben hunted him up, made him +wash his face and hands until they fairly shone from very cleanliness, +and then took him to church. Toby was surprised to find that it was +really a pleasant thing to be able to go to church after being deprived +of it, and was more light-hearted than he had yet been since he left +Guilford when he returned to the tent at noon. + +The skeleton had invited him to another dinner-party; but Toby had +declined the invitation, agreeing to present himself in time for supper +instead. He hardly cared to go through the ordeal of another state +dinner; and besides, he wanted to go off to the woods with the old +monkey, where he could enjoy the silence of the forest, which seemed +like a friend to him, because it reminded him of home. + +Taking the monkey with him as usual, he inquired the nearest way to a +grove, and, without waiting for dinner, started off for an afternoon's +quiet enjoyment. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +TOBY'S GREAT MISFORTUNE. + + +The town in which the circus remained over Sunday was a small one, and a +brisk walk of ten minutes sufficed to take Toby into a secluded portion +of a very thickly-grown wood, where he could lie upon the mossy ground +and fairly revel in freedom. + +As he lay upon his back, his hands under his head, and his eyes directed +to the branches of the trees above, where the birds twittered and sung, +and the squirrels played in fearless sport, the monkey enjoyed himself, +in his way, by playing all the monkey antics he knew of. He scrambled +from tree to tree, swung himself from one branch to the other by the aid +of his tail, and amused both himself and his master, until, tired by his +exertions, he crept down by Toby's side and lay there in quiet, restful +content. + +One of Toby's reasons for wishing to be by himself that afternoon was, +that he wanted to think over some plan of escape, for he believed that +he had nearly money enough to enable him to make a bold stroke for +freedom and Uncle Daniel's. Therefore, when the monkey nestled down by +his side he was all ready to confide in him that which had been +occupying his busy little brain for the past three days. + +"Mr. Stubbs," he said to the monkey, in a solemn tone, "we're goin' to +run away in a day or two." + +Mr. Stubbs did not seem to be moved in the least at this very startling +piece of intelligence, but winked his bright eyes in unconcern; and +Toby, seeming to think that everything which he said had been understood +by the monkey, continued: "I've got a good deal of money now, an' I +guess there's enough for us to start out on. We'll get away some night, +an' stay in the woods till they get through hunting for us, an' then +we'll go back to Guilford, an' tell Uncle Dan'l if he'll only take us +back we'll never go to sleep in meetin' any more, an' we'll be just as +good as we know how. Now let's see how much money we've got." + +Toby drew from a pocket, which he had been at a great deal of trouble to +make in his shirt, a small bag of silver, and spread it upon the ground, +where he could count it at his leisure. + +The glittering coin instantly attracted the monkey's attention, and he +tried by every means to thrust his little black paw into the pile; but +Toby would allow nothing of that sort, and pushed him away quite +roughly. Then he grew excited, and danced and scolded around Toby's +treasure, until the boy had hard work to count it. + +He did succeed, however, and as he carefully replaced it in the bag he +said to the monkey, "There's seven dollars an' thirty cents in that bag, +an' every cent of it is mine. That ought to take care of us for a good +while, Mr. Stubbs; an' by the time we get home we shall be rich men." + +The monkey showed his pleasure at this intelligence by putting his hand +inside Toby's clothes to find the bag of treasure that he had seen +secreted there, and two or three times, to the great delight of both +himself and the boy, he drew forth the bag, which was immediately taken +away from him. + +The shadows were beginning to lengthen in the woods, and, heeding this +warning of the coming night, Toby took the monkey on his arm and started +for home, or for the tent, which was the only place he could call home. + +As he walked along he tried to talk to his pet in a serious manner, but +the monkey, remembering where he had seen the bright coins secreted, +tried so hard to get at them that finally Toby lost all patience, and +gave him quite a hard cuff on the ear, which had the effect of keeping +him quiet for a time. + +That night Toby took supper with the skeleton and his wife, and he +enjoyed the meal, even though it was made from what had been left of +the turkey that served as the noonday feast, more than he did the state +dinner, where he was obliged to pay for what he ate by the torture of +making a speech. + +There were no guests but Toby present; and Mr. and Mrs. Treat were not +only very kind, but so attentive that he was actually afraid he should +eat so much as to stand in need of some of the catnip-tea which Mrs. +Treat had said she gave to her husband when he had been equally foolish. +The skeleton would pile his plate high with turkey-bones from one side, +and the fat lady would heap it up, whenever she could find a chance, +with all sorts of food from the other, until Toby pushed back his chair, +his appetite completely satisfied, if it never had been so before. + +Toby had discussed the temper of his employer with his host and hostess, +and, after some considerable conversation, confided in them his +determination to run away. + +"I'd hate awfully to have you go," said Mrs. Treat, reflectively; "but +it's a good deal better for you to get away from that Job Lord if you +can. It wouldn't do to let him know that you had any idea of goin', for +he'd watch you as a cat watches a mouse, an' never let you go so long as +he saw a chance to keep you. I heard him tellin' one of the drivers the +other day that you sold more goods than any other boy he ever had, an' +he was going to keep you with him all summer." + +"Be careful in what you do, my boy," said the skeleton, sagely, as he +arranged a large cushion in an arm-chair, and proceeded to make ready +for his after-dinner nap; "be sure that you're all ready before you +start, an', when you do go, get a good ways ahead of him; for if he +should ever catch you the trouncin' you'd get would be awful." + +Toby assured his friends that he would use every endeavor to make his +escape successful when he did start; and Mrs. Treat, with an eye to the +boy's comfort, said, "Let me know the night you're goin', an' I'll fix +you up something to eat, so's you won't be hungry before you come to a +place where you can buy something." + +As these kind-hearted people talked with him, and were ready thus to aid +him in every way that lay in their power, Toby thought that he had been +very fortunate in thus having made so many kind friends in a place where +he was having so much trouble. + +It was not until he heard the sounds of preparation for departure that +he left the skeleton's tent, and then, with Mr. Stubbs clasped tightly +to his breast, he hurried over to the wagon where Old Ben was nearly +ready to start. + +"All right, Toby," said the old driver, as the boy came in sight; "I was +afraid you was going to keep me waitin' for the first time. Jump right +up on the box, for there hain't no time to lose, an' I guess you'll have +to carry the monkey in your arms, for I don't want to stop to open the +cage now." + +"I'd just as soon carry him, an' a little rather," said Toby, as he +clambered up on the high seat and arranged a comfortable place in his +lap for his pet to sit. + +In another moment the heavy team had started, and nearly the entire +circus was on the move. "Now tell me what you've been doin' since I left +you," said Old Ben, after they were well clear of the town, and he could +trust his horses to follow the team ahead. "I s'pose you've been to see +the skeleton an' his mountain of a wife?" + +Toby gave a clear account of where he had been and what he had done, and +when he concluded he told Old Ben of his determination to run away, and +asked his advice on the matter. + +"My advice," said Ben, after he had waited some time, to give due weight +to his words, "is that you clear out from this show just as soon as you +can. This hain't no fit place for a boy of your age to be in, an' the +sooner you get back where you started from, an' get to school, the +better. But Job Lord will do all he can to keep you from goin', if he +thinks you have any idea of leavin' him." + +Toby assured Ben, as he had assured the skeleton and his wife, that he +would be very careful in all he did, and lay his plans with the utmost +secrecy; and then he asked whether Ben thought the amount of money +which he had would be sufficient to carry him home. + +"Waal, that depends," said the driver, slowly. "If you go to spreadin' +yourself all over creation, as boys are very apt to do, your money won't +go very far; but if you look at your money two or three times afore you +spend it, you ought to get back and have a dollar or two left." + +The two talked, and Old Ben offered advice, until Toby could hardly keep +his eyes open, and almost before the driver concluded his sage remarks +the boy had stretched himself on the top of the wagon, where he had +learned to sleep without being shaken off, and was soon in dream-land. + +The monkey, nestled down snug in Toby's bosom, did not appear to be as +sleepy as was his master, but popped his head in and out from under the +coat, as if watching whether the boy was asleep or not. + +Toby was awakened by a scratching on his face, as if the monkey was +dancing a hornpipe on that portion of his body, and by a shrill, quick +chattering, which caused him to assume an upright position instantly. + +He was frightened, although he knew not at what, and looked around +quickly to discover the cause of the monkey's excitement. + +Old Ben was asleep on his box, while the horses jogged along behind the +other teams, and Toby failed to see anything whatever which should have +caused his pet to become so excited. + +"Lie down an' behave yourself," said Toby, as sternly as possible, and +as he spoke he took his pet by the collar, to oblige him to obey his +command. + +The moment that he did this he saw the monkey throw something out into +the road, and the next instant he also saw that he held something +tightly clutched in his other paw. + +It required some little exertion and active movement on Toby's part to +enable him to get hold of that paw, in order to discover what it was +which Mr. Stubbs had captured; but the instant he did succeed, there +went up from his heart such a cry of sorrow as caused Old Ben to start +up in alarm, and the monkey to cower and whimper like a whipped dog. + +"What is it, Toby? What's the matter?" asked the old driver, as he +peered out into the darkness ahead, as if he feared some danger +threatened them from that quarter. "I don't see anything. What is it?" + +"Mr. Stubbs has thrown all my money away," cried Toby, holding up the +almost empty bag, which a short time previous had been so well filled +with silver. + +"Stubbs--thrown--the--money--away?" repeated Ben, with a pause between +each word, as if he could not understand that which he himself was +saying. + +[Illustration: MR. STUBBS AND TOBY'S MONEY] + +"Yes," sobbed Toby, as he shook out the remaining contents of the bag, +"there's only half a dollar, an' all the rest is gone." + +"The rest gone!" again repeated Ben. "But how come the monkey to have +the money?" + +"He tried to get at it out in the woods, an' I s'pose the moment I got +asleep he felt for it in my pockets. This is all there is left, an' he +threw away some just as I woke up." + +Again Toby held the bag up where Ben could see it, and again his grief +broke out anew. + +Ben could say nothing; he realized the whole situation: that the monkey +had got at the money-bag while Toby was sleeping; that in his play he +had thrown it away piece by piece; and he knew that that small amount of +silver represented liberty in the boy's eyes. He felt that there was +nothing he could say which would assuage Toby's grief, and he remained +silent. + +"Don't you s'pose we could go back an' get it?" asked the boy, after the +intensity of his grief had somewhat subsided. + +"No, Toby, it's gone," replied Ben, sorrowfully. "You couldn't find it +if it was daylight, an' you don't stand a ghost of a chance now in the +dark. Don't take on so, my boy. I'll see if we can't make it up to you +in some way." + +Toby gave no heed to this last remark of Ben's. He hugged the monkey +convulsively to his breast, as if he would seek consolation from the +very one who had wrought the ruin, and, rocking himself to and fro, he +said, in a voice full of tears and sorrow, + +"Oh, Mr. Stubbs, why did you do it?--why did you do it? That money would +have got us away from this hateful place, an' we'd gone back to Uncle +Dan'l's, where we'd have been _so_ happy, you an' me. An' now it's all +gone--all gone. What made you, Mr. Stubbs--what made you do such a bad, +cruel thing? Oh! what made you?" + +"Don't, Toby--don't take on so," said Ben, soothingly. "There wasn't so +very much money there, after all, an' you'll soon get as much more." + +"But it won't be for a good while, an' we could have been in the good +old home long before I can get so much again." + +"That's true, my boy; but you must kinder brace up, an' not give way so +about it. Perhaps I can fix it so the fellers will make it up to you. +Give Stubbs a good poundin', an' perhaps that'll make you feel better." + +"That won't bring back my money, an' I don't want to whip him," cried +Toby, hugging his pet the closer because of this suggestion. "I know +what it is to get a whippin', an' I wouldn't whip a dog, much less Mr. +Stubbs, who didn't know any better." + +"Then you must try to take it like a man," said Ben, who could think of +no other plan by which the boy might soothe his feelings. "It hain't +half so bad as it might be, an' you must try to keep a stiff upper lip, +even if it does seem hard at first." + +This keeping a stiff upper lip in the face of all the trouble he was +having was all very well to talk about, but Toby could not reduce it to +practice, or, at least, not so soon after he knew of his loss, and he +continued to rock the monkey back and forth, to whisper in his ear now +and then, and to cry as if his heart was breaking, for nearly an hour. + +Ben tried, in his rough, honest way, to comfort him, but without +success; and it was not until the boy's grief had spent itself that he +would listen to any reasoning. + +All this time the monkey had remained perfectly quiet, submitting to +Toby's squeezing without making any effort to get away, and behaving as +if he knew he had done wrong, and was trying to atone for it. He looked +up into the boy's face every now and then with such a penitent +expression, that Toby finally assured him of forgiveness, and begged him +not to feel so badly. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +TOBY ATTEMPTS TO RESIGN HIS SITUATION. + + +At last it was possible for Toby to speak of his loss with some degree +of calmness, and then he immediately began to reckon up what he could +have done with the money if he had not lost it. + +"Now see here, Toby," said Ben, earnestly: "don't go to doin' anything +of that kind. The money's lost, an' you can't get it back by talkin'; so +the very best thing for you is to stop thinkin' what you could do if you +had it, an' just to look at it as a goner." + +"But--" persisted Toby. + +"I tell you there's no buts about it," said Ben, rather sharply. "Stop +talkin' about what's gone, an' just go to thinkin' how you'll get more. +Do what you've a mind to the monkey, but don't keep broodin' over what +you can't help." + +Toby knew that the advice was good, and he struggled manfully to carry +it into execution, but it was very hard work. At all events, there was +no sleep for his eyes that night; and when, just about daylight, the +train halted to wait a more seasonable hour in which to enter the town, +the thought of what he might have done with his lost money was still in +Toby's mind. + +Only once did he speak crossly to the monkey, and that was when he put +him into the cage preparatory to commencing his morning's work. Then he +said, + +"You wouldn't had to go into this place many times more if you hadn't +been so wicked, for by to-morrow night we'd been away from this circus, +an' on the way to home an' Uncle Dan'l. Now you've spoiled my chance an' +your own for a good while to come, an' I hope before the day is over +you'll feel as bad about it as I do." + +It seemed to Toby as if the monkey understood just what he said to him, +for he sneaked over into one corner, away from the other monkeys, and +sat there looking very penitent and very dejected. + +Then, with a heavy heart, Toby began his day's work. + +Hard as had been Toby's lot previous to losing his money, and difficult +as it had been to bear the cruelty of Mr. Job Lord and his precious +partner, Mr. Jacobs, it was doubly hard now while this sorrow was fresh +upon him. + +Previous to this, when he had been kicked or cursed by one or the other +of the partners, Toby thought exultantly that the time was not very far +distant when he should be beyond the reach of his brutal task-masters, +and that thought had given him strength to bear all that had been put +upon him. + +Now the time of his deliverance from this bondage seemed very far off, +and each cruel word or blow caused him the greater sorrow, because of +the thought that but for the monkey's wickedness he would have been +nearly free from that which made his life so very miserable. + +If he had looked sad and mournful before, he looked doubly so now, as he +went his dreary round of the tent, crying, "Here's your cold lemonade," +or "Fresh-baked pea-nuts, ten cents a quart;" and each day there were +some in the audience who pitied the boy because of the misery which +showed so plainly in his face, and they gave him a few cents more than +his price for what he was selling, or gave him money without buying +anything at all, thereby aiding him to lay up something again toward +making his escape. + +Those few belonging to the circus who knew of Toby's intention to escape +tried their best to console him for the loss of his money, and that +kind-hearted couple, the skeleton and his fat wife, tried to force him +to take a portion of their scanty earnings in the place of that which +the monkey had thrown away. But this Toby positively refused to do; and +to the arguments which they advanced as reasons why they should help +him along he only replied that until he could get the money by his own +exertions he would remain with Messrs. Lord and Jacobs, and get along as +best he could. + +Every hour in the day the thought of what might have been if he had not +lost his money so haunted his mind that finally he resolved to make one +bold stroke, and tell Mr. Job Lord that he did not want to travel with +the circus any longer. + +As yet he had not received the two dollars which had been promised him +for his two weeks' work, and another one was nearly due. If he could get +this money it might, with what he had saved again, suffice to pay his +railroad fare to Guilford; and if it would not, he resolved to accept +from the skeleton sufficient to make up the amount needed. + +He naturally shrunk from the task; but the hope that he might possibly +succeed gave him the necessary amount of courage, and when he had gotten +his work done, on the third morning after he had lost his money, and Mr. +Lord appeared to be in an unusually good temper, he resolved to try the +plan. + +It was just before the dinner hour. Trade had been unexceptionally good, +and Mr. Lord had even spoken in a pleasant tone to Toby when he told him +to fill up the lemonade pail with water, so that the stock might not be +disposed of too quickly and with too little profit. + +Toby poured in quite as much water as he thought the already weak +mixture could receive and retain any flavor of lemon; and then, as his +employer motioned him to add more, he mixed another quart in, secretly +wondering what it would taste like. + +"When you're mixin' lemonade for circus trade," said Mr. Lord, in such a +benign, fatherly tone that one would have found it difficult to believe +that he ever spoke harshly, "don't be afraid of water, for there's where +the profit comes in. Always have a piece of lemon-peel floatin' on the +top of every glass, an' it tastes just as good to people as if it cost +twice as much." + +Toby could not agree exactly with that opinion, neither did he think it +wise to disagree, more especially since he was going to ask the very +great favor of being discharged; therefore he nodded his head gravely, +and began to stir up what it pleased Mr. Lord to call lemonade, so that +the last addition might be more thoroughly mixed with the others. + +Two or three times he attempted to ask the favor which seemed such a +great one, and each time the words stuck in his throat, until it seemed +to him that he should never succeed in getting them out. + +Finally, in his despair, he stammered out, + +"Don't you think you could find another boy in this town, Mr. Lord?" + +Mr. Lord moved round sideways, in order to bring his crooked eye to bear +squarely on Toby, and then there was a long interval of silence, during +which time the boy's color rapidly came and went, and his heart beat +very fast with suspense and fear. + +"Well, what if I could?" he said at length. "Do you think that trade is +so good I could afford to keep two boys, when there isn't half work +enough for one?" + +Toby stirred the lemonade with renewed activity, as if by this process +he was making both it and his courage stronger, and said, in a low +voice, which Mr. Lord could scarcely hear, + +"I didn't think that; but you see I ought to go home, for Uncle Dan'l +will worry about me; an', besides, I don't like a circus very well." + +Again there was silence on Mr. Lord's part, and again the crooked eye +glowered down on Toby. + +"So," he said--and Toby could see that his anger was rising very +fast--"you don't like a circus very well, an' you begin to think that +your uncle Daniel will worry about you, eh? Well, I want you to +understand that it don't make any difference to me whether you like a +circus or not, and I don't care how much your uncle Daniel worries. You +mean that you want to get away from me, after I've been to all the +trouble and expense of teaching you the business?" + +Toby bent his head over the pail, and stirred away as if for dear life. + +"If you think you're going to get away from here until you've paid me +for all you've eat, an' all the time I've spent on you, you're mistaken, +that's all. You've had an easy time with me--too easy, in fact--and +that's what ails you. Now, you just let me hear two words more out of +your head about going away--only two more--an' I'll show you what a +whipping is. I've only been playing with you before when you thought you +was getting a whipping; but you'll find out what it means if I so much +as see a thought in your eyes about goin' away. An' don't you dare to +try to give me the slip in the night an' run away; for if you do I'll +follow you, an' have you arrested. Now, you mind your eye in the +future." + +It is impossible to say how much longer Mr. Lord might have continued +this tirade, had not a member of the company--one of the principal +riders--called him one side to speak with him. + +Poor Toby was so much confused by the angry words which had followed his +very natural and certainly very reasonable suggestion that he paid no +attention to anything around him, until he heard his own name mentioned; +and then, fearing lest some new misfortune was about to befall him, he +listened intently. + +"I'm afraid you couldn't do much of anything with him," he heard Mr. +Lord say. "He's had enough of this kind of life already, so he says, an' +I expect the next thing he does will be to try to run away." + +"I'll risk his getting away from you, Job," he heard the other say; "but +of course I've got to take my chances. I'll take him in hand from eleven +to twelve each day--just your slack time of trade--and I'll not only +give you half of what he can earn in the next two years, but I'll pay +you for his time, if he gives us the slip before the season is out." + +Toby knew that they were speaking of him, but what it all meant he could +not imagine. + +"What are you going to do with him first?" Job asked. + +"Just put him right into the ring, and teach him what riding is. I tell +you, Job, the boy's smart enough, and before the season's over I'll have +him so that he can do some of the bare-back acts, and perhaps we'll get +some money out of him before we go into winter-quarters." + +Toby understood the meaning of their conversation only too well, and he +knew that his lot, which before seemed harder than he could bear, was +about to be intensified through this Mr. Castle, of whom he had +frequently heard, and who was said to be a rival of Mr. Lord's, so far +as brutality went. The two men now walked toward the large tent, and +Toby was left alone with his thoughts and the two or three little boy +customers, who looked at him wonderingly, and envied him because he +belonged to the circus. + +During the ride that night he told Old Ben what he had heard, +confidently expecting that that friend at least would console him; but +Ben was not the champion which he had expected. The old man, who had +been with a circus, "man and boy, nigh to forty years," did not seem to +think it any calamity that he was to be taught to ride. + +"That Mr. Castle is a little rough on boys," Old Ben said, thoughtfully; +"but it'll be a good thing for you, Toby. Just so long as you stay with +Job Lord you won't be nothin' more'n a candy-boy; but after you know how +to ride it'll be another thing, an' you can earn a good deal of money, +an' be your own boss." + +"But I don't want to stay with the circus," whined Toby; "I don't want +to learn to ride, an' I do want to get back to Uncle Dan'l." + +"That may all be true, an' I don't dispute it," said Ben; "but you see +you didn't stay with your uncle Daniel when you had the chance, an' you +did come with the circus. You've told Job you wanted to leave, an' he'll +be watchin' you all the time to see that you don't give him the slip. +Now, what's the consequence? Why, you can't get away for a while, +anyhow, an' you'd better try to amount to something while you are here. +Perhaps after you've got so you can ride you may want to stay; an' I'll +see to it that you get all of your wages, except enough to pay Castle +for learnin' of you." + +[Illustration: TOBY AND THE LITTLE BOY CUSTOMERS.] + +"I sha'n't want to stay," said Toby. "I wouldn't stay if I could ride +all the horses at once, an' was gettin' a hundred dollars a day." + +"But you can't ride one horse, an' you hain't gettin' but a dollar a +week, an' still I don't see any chance of your gettin' away yet awhile," +said Ben, in a matter-of-fact tone, as he devoted his attention again to +his horses, leaving Toby to his own sad reflections, and the positive +conviction that boys who run away from home do not have a good time, +except in stories. + +The next forenoon, while Toby was deep in the excitement of selling to a +boy no larger than himself, and with just as red hair, three cents' +worth of pea-nuts and two sticks of candy, and while the boy was trying +to induce him to "throw in" a piece of gum, because of the quantity +purchased, Job Lord called him aside, and Toby knew that his troubles +had begun. + +"I want you to go in an' see Mr. Castle; he's goin' to show you how to +ride," said Mr. Lord, in as kindly a tone as if he were conferring some +favor on the boy. + +If Toby had dared to, he would have rebelled then and there and refused +to go; but, as he hadn't the courage for such proceeding, he walked +meekly into the tent and toward the ring. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +MR. CASTLE TEACHES TOBY TO RIDE. + + +When Toby got within sight of the ring he was astonished at what he saw. +A horse, with a broad wooden saddle, was being led slowly around the +ring; Mr. Castle was standing on one side, with a long whip in his hand; +and on the tent-pole, which stood in the centre of the ring, was a long +arm, from which dangled a leathern belt attached to a long rope that was +carried through the end of the arm and run down to the base of the pole. + +Toby knew well enough why the horse, the whip, and the man were there, +but the wooden projection from the tent-pole, which looked so much like +a gallows, he could not understand at all. + +"Come, now," said Mr. Castle, cracking his whip ominously as Toby came +in sight, "why weren't you here before?" + +"Mr. Lord just sent me in," said Toby, not expecting that his excuse +would be received, for they never had been since he had arrived at the +height of his ambition by joining the circus. + +"Then I'll make Mr. Job understand that I am to have my full hour of +your time; and if I don't get it there'll be trouble between us." + +It would have pleased Toby very well to have had Mr. Castle go out with +his long whip just then and make trouble for Mr. Lord; but Mr. Castle +had not the time to spare, because of the trouble which he was about to +make for Toby, and that he commenced on at once. + +"Well, get in here, and don't waste any more time," he said, sharply. + +Toby looked around curiously for a moment, and, not understanding +exactly what he was expected to get in and do, asked, "What shall I do?" + +"Pull off your boots, coat, and vest." + +Since there was no other course than to learn to ride, Toby wisely +concluded that the best thing he could do would be to obey his new +master without question; so he began to take off his clothes with as +much alacrity as if learning to ride was the one thing upon which he had +long set his heart. + +Mr. Castle was evidently accustomed to prompt obedience, for he not only +took it as a matter of course but endeavored to hurry Toby in the work +of undressing. + +With his desire to please, and urged by Mr. Castle's words and the +ominous shaking of his whip, Toby's preparations were soon made, and he +stood before his instructor clad only in his shirt, trousers, and +stockings. + +The horse was led around to where he stood, and when Mr. Castle held out +his hand to help him to mount Toby jumped up quickly without aid, +thereby making a good impression at the start as a willing lad. + +"Now," said the instructor, as he pulled down the leathern belt which +hung from the rope, and fastened it around Toby's waist, "stand up in +the saddle, and try to keep there. You can't fall, because the rope will +hold you up, even if the horse goes out from under you; but it isn't +hard work to keep on, if you mind what you are about; and if you don't +this whip will help you. Now stand up." + +Toby did as he was bid; and as the horse was led at a walk, and as he +had the long bridle to aid him in keeping his footing, he had no +difficulty in standing during the time that the horse went once around +the ring; but that was all. + +Mr. Castle seemed to think that this was preparation enough for the boy +to be able to understand how to ride, and he started the horse into a +canter. As might have been expected, Toby lost his balance, the horse +went on ahead, and he was left dangling at the end of the rope, very +much like a crab that has just been caught by the means of a pole and +line. + +Toby kicked, waved his hands, and floundered about generally, but all to +no purpose, until the horse came round again, and then he made frantic +efforts to regain his footing, which efforts were aided--or perhaps it +would be more proper to say retarded--by the long lash of Mr. Castle's +whip, that played around his legs with merciless severity. + +"Stand up! stand up!" cried his instructor, as Toby reeled first to one +side and then to the other, now standing erect in the saddle, and now +dangling at the end of the rope, with the horse almost out from under +him. + +This command seemed needless, as it was exactly what Toby was trying to +do; but as it was given he struggled all the harder, until it seemed to +him that the more he tried the less did he succeed. + +And this first lesson progressed in about the same way until the hour +was over, save that now and then Mr. Castle would give him some good +advice, but oftener he would twist the long lash of the whip around the +boy's legs with such force that Toby believed the skin had been taken +entirely off. + +It may have been a relief to Mr. Castle when this first lesson was +concluded, and it certainly was to Toby, for he had had all the teaching +in horsemanship that he wanted, and he thought, with deepest sorrow, +that this would be of daily occurrence during all the time he remained +with the circus. + +[Illustration: THE FIRST LESSON.] + +As he went out of the tent he stopped to speak with his friend the old +monkey, and his troubles seemed to have increased when he stood in front +of the cage calling "Mr. Stubbs! Mr. Stubbs!" and the old fellow would +not even come down from off the lofty perch where he was engaged in +monkey gymnastics with several younger companions. It seemed to him, as +he afterward told Ben, "as if Mr. Stubbs had gone back on him because he +knew that he was in trouble." + +When he went toward the booth Mr. Lord looked at him around the corner +of the canvas--for it seemed to Toby that his employer could look around +a square corner with much greater ease than he could straight +ahead--with a disagreeable leer in his eye, as though he enjoyed the +misery which he knew his little clerk had just undergone. + +"Can you ride yet?" he asked, mockingly, as Toby stepped behind the +counter to attend to his regular line of business. + +Toby made no reply, for he knew that the question was only asked +sarcastically, and not through any desire for information. In a few +moments Mr. Lord left him to attend to the booth alone, and went into +the tent, where Toby rightly conjectured he had gone to question Mr. +Castle upon the result of the lesson just given. + +That night Old Ben asked him how he had got on while under the teaching +of Mr. Castle; and Toby, knowing that the question was asked because of +the real interest which Ben had in his welfare, replied, + +"If I was tryin' to learn how to swing round the ring, strapped to a +rope, I should say that I got along first-rate; but I don't know much +about the horse, for I was only on his back a little while at a time." + +"You'll get over that soon," said Old Ben, patronizingly, as he patted +him on the back. "You remember my words, now: I say that you've got it +in you, an' if you've a mind to take hold an' try to learn you'll come +out on the top of the heap yet, an' be one of the smartest riders +they've got in this show." + +"I don't want to be a rider," said Toby, sadly; "I only want to get back +home once more, an' then you'll see how much it'll take to get me away +again." + +"Well," said Ben, quietly, "be that as it may, while you're here the +best thing you can do is to take hold an' get ahead just as fast as you +can; it'll make it a mighty sight easier for you while you're with the +show, an' it won't spoil any of your chances for runnin' away whenever +the time comes." + +Toby fully appreciated the truth of this remark, and he assured Ben that +he should do all in his power to profit by the instruction given, and to +please this new master who had been placed over him. + +And with this promise he lay back on the seat and went to sleep, not to +awaken until the preparations were being made for the entrée into the +next town, and Mr. Lord's harsh voice had cried out his name, with no +gentle tone, several times. + +Toby's first lesson with Mr. Castle was the most pleasant one he had; +for after the boy had once been into the ring his master seemed to +expect that he could do everything which he was told to do, and when he +failed in any little particular the long lash of the whip would go +curling around his legs or arms, until the little fellow's body and +limbs were nearly covered with the blue-and-black stripes. + +For three lessons only was the wooden upright used to keep him from +falling; after that he was forced to ride standing erect on the broad +wooden saddle, or pad, as it is properly called; and whenever he lost +his balance and fell there was no question asked as to whether or not he +had hurt himself, but he was mercilessly cut with the whip. + +Messrs. Lord and Jacobs gained very much by comparison with Mr. Castle +in Toby's mind. He had thought that his lot could not be harder than it +was with them; but when he had experienced the pains of two or three of +Mr. Castle's lessons in horsemanship he thought that he would stay with +the candy venders all the season cheerfully rather than take six more +lessons of Mr. Castle. + +Night after night he fell asleep from the sheer exhaustion of crying, as +he had been pouring out his woes in the old monkey's ears and laying his +plans to run away. Now, more than ever, was he anxious to get away, and +yet each day was taking him farther from home, and consequently +necessitating a larger amount of money with which to start. As Old Ben +did not give him as much sympathy as Toby thought he ought to give--for +the old man, while he would not allow Mr. Job Lord to strike the boy if +he was near, thought it a necessary portion of the education for Mr. +Castle to lash him all he had a mind to--he poured out all his troubles +in the old monkey's ears, and kept him with him from the time he ceased +work at night until he was obliged to commence again in the morning. + +The skeleton and his wife thought Toby's lot a hard one, and tried by +every means in their power to cheer the poor boy. Neither one of them +could say to Mr. Castle what they had said to Mr. Lord, for the rider +was a far different sort of a person, and one whom they would not be +allowed to interfere with in any way. Therefore poor Toby was obliged to +bear his troubles and his whippings as best he might, with only the +thought to cheer him of the time when he could leave them all by running +away. + +But, despite all his troubles, Toby learned to ride faster than his +teacher had expected he would, and in three weeks he found little or no +difficulty in standing erect while his horse went around the ring at his +fastest gait. After that had been accomplished his progress was more +rapid, and he gave promise of becoming a very good rider--a fact which +pleased both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord very much, as they fancied that in +another year Toby would be the source of a very good income to them. + +The proprietor of the circus took considerable interest in Toby's +instruction, and promised Mr. Castle that Mademoiselle Jeannette and +Toby should do an act together in the performance just as soon as the +latter was sufficiently advanced. The boy's costume had been changed +after he could ride without falling off, and now while he was in the +ring he wore the same as that used by the regular performers. + +The little girl had, after it was announced that she and Toby were to +perform together, been an attentive observer during the hour that Toby +was under Mr. Castle's direction, and she gave him many suggestions that +were far more valuable, and quicker to be acted upon, than those given +by the teacher himself. + +"To-morrow you two will go through the exercise together," said Mr. +Castle to Toby and Ella, at the close of one of Toby's lessons, after he +had become so skilful that he could stand with ease on the pad, and even +advanced so far that he could jump through a hoop without falling more +than twice out of three times. + +The little girl appeared highly delighted by this information, and +expressed her joy. + +"It will be real nice," she said to Toby, after Mr. Castle had left them +alone. "I can help you lots, and it won't be very long before we can do +an act all by ourselves in the performance, and then won't the people +clap their hands when we come in!" + +"It'll be better for you to-morrow than it will for me," said Toby, +rubbing his legs sorrowfully, still feeling the sting of the whip. "You +see Mr. Castle won't dare to whip you, an' he'll make it all count on +me, 'cause he knows Mr. Lord likes to have him whip me." + +"But I sha'n't make any mistake," said Ella, confidently, "and so you +won't have to be whipped on my account; and while I am on the horse you +can't be whipped, for he couldn't do it without whipping me, so you see +you won't get only half as much." + +Toby brightened up a little under the influence of this argument; but +his countenance fell again as he thought that his chances for getting +away from the circus were growing less each day. + +"You see I want to get back to Uncle Dan'l an' Guilford," he said, +confidentially; "I don't want to stay here a single minute." + +Ella opened her eyes in wide astonishment as she cried, "Don't want to +stay here? Why don't you go home, then?" + +"'Cause Job Lord won't let me," said Toby, wondering if it was possible +that his little companion did not know exactly what sort of a man his +master was. + +Then he told her--after making her give him all kinds of promises, +including the ceremony of crossing her throat, that she would never tell +a single soul--that he had had many thoughts, and had formed all kinds +of plans for running away. He told her about losing his money, about his +friendship for the skeleton and the fat lady, and at last he confided in +her that he was intending to take the old monkey with him when he should +make the attempt. + +She listened with the closest attention, and when he told her that his +little hoard had now reached the sum of seven dollars and ten +cents--almost as much as he had before--she said, eagerly, "I've got +three little gold dollars in my trunk, an' you shall have them all; +they're my very own, for mamma gave them to me to do just what I wanted +to with them. But I don't see how you can take Mr. Stubbs with you, for +that would be stealing." + +"No, it wouldn't, neither," said Toby, stoutly. "Wasn't he give to me to +do just as I wanted to with? an' didn't the boss say he was all mine?" + +"Oh, I'd forgotten that," said Ella, thoughtfully. "I suppose you can +take him; but he'll be awfully in the way, won't he?" + +"No," said Toby, anxious to say a good word for his pet; "he always does +just as I want him to, an' when I tell him what I'm tryin' to do he'll +be as good as anything. But I can't take your dollars." + +"Why not?" + +"'Cause that wouldn't be right for a boy to let a girl littler than +himself help him; I'll wait till I get money enough of my own, an' then +I'll go." + +"But I want you to take my money too; I want you to have it." + +"No, I can't take it," said Toby, shaking his head resolutely as he put +the golden temptation from him; and then, as a happy thought occurred to +him, he said, quickly, "I tell you what to do with your dollars: you +keep them till you grow up to be a woman, an' when I'm a man I'll come, +an' then we'll buy a circus of our own. I think, perhaps, I'd like to be +with a circus if I owned one myself. We'll have lots of money then, an' +we can do just what we want to." + +This idea seemed to please the little girl, and the two began to lay all +sorts of plans for that time when they should be man and woman, have +lots of money, and be able to do just as they wanted to. + +They had been sitting on the edge of the newly-made ring while they were +talking, and before they had half-finished making plans for the future +one of the attendants came in to put things to order, and they were +obliged to leave their seats, she going to the hotel to get ready for +the afternoon's performance, and Toby to try to do such work as Mr. Job +Lord had laid out for him. + +Just ten weeks from the time Toby had first joined the circus Mr. Castle +informed him and Ella that they were to appear in public on the +following day. They had been practising daily, and Toby had become so +skilful that both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord saw that the time had come +when he could be made to earn some money for them. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +TOBY'S FRIENDS PRESENT HIM WITH A COSTUME. + + +During this time Toby's funds had accumulated rather slower than on the +first few days he was in the business, but he had saved eleven dollars, +and Mr. Lord had paid him five dollars of his salary, so that he had the +to him enormous sum of sixteen dollars; and he had about made up his +mind to make one effort for liberty, when the news came that he was to +ride in public. + +He had, in fact, been ready to run away any time within the past week; +but, as if they had divined his intentions, both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord +had kept a very strict watch over him, one or the other keeping him in +sight from the time he got through with his labors at night until they +saw him on the cart with Old Ben. + +"I was just gettin' ready to run away," said Toby to Ella, on the day +Mr. Castle gave his decision as to their taking part in the performance, +and while they were walking out of the tent, "an' I shouldn't wonder now +if I got away to-night." + +"Oh, Toby!" exclaimed the girl, as she looked reproachfully at him, +"after all the work we've had to get ready, you won't go off and leave +me before we've had a chance to see what the folks will say when they +see us together?" + +It was impossible for Toby to feel any delight at the idea of riding in +public, and he would have been willing to have taken one of Mr. Lord's +most severe whippings if he could have escaped from it; but he and Ella +had become such firm friends, and he had conceived such a boyish +admiration for her, that he felt as if he were willing to bear almost +anything for the sake of giving her pleasure. Therefore he said, after a +few moments' reflection, "Well, I won't go to-night, anyway, even if I +have the best chance that ever was. I'll stay one day more, anyhow, an' +perhaps I'll have to stay a good many." + +"That's a nice boy," said Ella, positively, as Toby thus gave his +decision, "and I'll kiss you for it." + +Before Toby fully realized what she was about, almost before he had +understood what she said, she had put her arms around his neck and given +him a good sound kiss right on his freckled face. + +Toby was surprised, astonished, and just a little bit ashamed. He had +never been kissed by a girl before--very seldom by any one, save the fat +lady--and he hardly knew what to do or say. He blushed until his face +was almost as red as his hair, and this color had the effect of making +his freckles stand out with startling distinctness. Then he looked +carefully around to see if any one had seen them. + +"I never had a girl kiss me before," said Toby, hesitatingly, "an' you +see it made me feel kinder queer to have you do it out here, where +everybody could see." + +"Well, I kissed you because I like you very much, and because you are +going to stay and ride with me to-morrow," she said, positively; and +then she added, slyly, "I may kiss you again, if you don't get a chance +to run away very soon." + +"I wish it wasn't for Uncle Dan'l an' the rest of the folks at home, an' +there wasn't any such men as Mr. Lord an' Mr. Castle, an' then I don't +know but I might want to stay with the circus, 'cause I like you awful +much." + +And as he spoke Toby's heart grew very tender toward the only +girl-friend he had ever known. + +By this time they had reached the door of the tent, and as they stepped +outside one of the drivers told them that Mr. Treat and his wife were +very anxious to see both of them in their tent. + +"I don't believe I can go," said Toby, doubtfully, as he glanced toward +the booth, where Mr. Lord was busy in attending to customers, and +evidently waiting for Toby to relieve him, so that he could go to his +dinner; "I don't believe Mr. Lord will let me." + +[Illustration: ELLA AND TOBY.] + +"Go and ask him," said Ella, eagerly. "We won't be gone but a minute." + +Toby approached his employer with fear and trembling. He had never +before asked leave to be away from his work, even for a moment, and he +had no doubt but that his request would be refused with blows. + +"Mr. Treat wants me to come in his tent for a minute; can I go?" he +asked, in a timid voice, and in such a low tone as to render it almost +inaudible. + +Mr. Lord looked at him for an instant, and Toby was sure that he was +making up his mind whether to kick him, or catch him by the collar and +use the rubber cane on him. But he had no such intention, evidently, for +he said, in a voice unusually mild, "Yes, an' you needn't come to work +again until it's time to go into the tent." + +Toby was almost alarmed at this unusual kindness, and it puzzled him so +much that he would have forgotten he had permission to go away if Ella +had not pulled him gently by the coat. + +If he had heard a conversation between Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle that very +morning he would have understood why it was that Mr. Lord had so +suddenly become kind. Mr. Castle had told Job that the boy had really +shown himself to be a good rider, and that in order to make him more +contented with his lot, and to keep him from running away, he must be +used more kindly, and perhaps be taken from the candy business +altogether, which latter advice Mr. Lord did not look upon with favor, +because of the large sales which the boy made. + +When they reached the skeleton's tent they found to their surprise that +no exhibition was being given at that hour, and Ella said, with some +concern, "How queer it is that the doors are not open! I do hope that +they are not sick." + +Toby felt a strange sinking at his heart as the possibility suggested +itself that one or both of his kind friends might be ill; for they had +both been so kind and attentive to him that he had learned to love them +very dearly. + +But the fears of both the children were dispelled when they tried to get +in at the door, and were met by the smiling skeleton himself, who said, +as he threw the canvas aside as far as if he were admitting his own +enormous Lilly, + +"Come in, my friends, come in. I have had the exhibition closed for one +hour, in order that I might show my appreciation of my friend Mr. +Tyler." + +Toby looked around in some alarm, fearing that Mr. Treat's friendship +was about to be displayed in one of his state dinners, which he had +learned to fear rather than enjoy. But, as he saw no preparations for +dinner, he breathed more freely, and wondered what all this ceremony +could possibly mean. + +Neither he nor Ella was long left in doubt, for as soon as they had +entered, Mrs. Treat waddled from behind the screen which served them as +a dressing-room, with a bundle in her arms, which she handed to her +husband. + +He took it, and, quickly mounting the platform, leaving Ella and Toby +below, he commenced to speak, with very many flourishes of his thin +arms. + +"My friends," he began, as he looked down upon his audience of three, +who were listening in the following attitudes: Ella and Toby were +standing upon the ground at the foot of the platform, looking up with +wide-open, staring eyes; and his fleshy wife was seated on a bench which +had evidently been placed in such a position below the speaker's stand +that she could hear and see all that was going on without the fatigue of +standing up, which, for one of her size, was really very hard work--"My +friends," repeated the skeleton, as he held his bundle in front of him +with one hand and gesticulated with the other, "we all of us know that +to-morrow our esteemed and worthy friend Mr. Toby Tyler makes his first +appearance in any ring, and we all of us believe that he will soon +become a bright and shining light in the profession which he is so soon +to enter." + +The speaker was here interrupted by loud applause from his wife, and he +profited by the opportunity to wipe a stray drop of perspiration from +his fleshless face. Then, as the fat lady ceased the exertion of +clapping her hands, he continued: + +"Knowing that our friend Mr. Tyler was being instructed, preparatory to +dazzling the public with his talents, my wife and I began to prepare for +him some slight testimonial of our esteem; and, being informed by Mr. +Castle some days ago of the day on which he was to make his first +appearance before the public, we were enabled to complete our little +gift in time for the great and important event." + +Here the skeleton paused to take a breath, and Toby began to grow most +uncomfortably red in the face. Such praise made him feel very awkward. + +"I hold in this bundle," continued Mr. Treat as he waved the package on +high, "a costume for our bold and worthy equestrian, and a sash to match +for his beautiful and accomplished companion. In presenting these little +tokens my wife (who has embroidered every inch of the velvet herself) +and I feel proud to know that, when the great and auspicious occasion +occurs to-morrow, the worthy Mr. Tyler will step into the ring in a +costume which we have prepared expressly for him; and thus, when he does +himself honor by his performance and earns the applause of the +multitude, he will be doing honor and earning applause for the work of +our hands--my wife Lilly and myself. Take them, my boy; and when you +array yourself in them to-morrow you will remember that the only Living +Skeleton, and the wonder of the nineteenth century in the shape of the +Mammoth Lady, are present in their works if not in their persons." + +As he finished speaking Mr. Treat handed the bundle to Toby, and then +joined in the applause which was being given by Mrs. Treat and Ella. + +Toby unrolled the package, and found that it contained a circus-rider's +costume of pink tights and blue velvet trunks, collar and cuffs, +embroidered in white and plentifully spangled with silver. In addition +was a wide blue sash for Ella, embroidered to correspond with Toby's +costume. + +The little fellow was both delighted with the gift and at a loss to know +what to say in response. He looked at the costume over and over again, +and the tears of gratitude that these friends should have been so good +to him came into his eyes. He saw, however, that they were expecting him +to say something in reply, and, laying the gift on the platform, he said +to the skeleton and his wife, + +"You've been so good to me ever since I've been with the circus that I +wish I was big enough to say somethin' more than that I'm much obliged, +but I can't. One of these days, when I'm a man, I'll show you how much I +like you, an' then you won't be sorry that you was good to such a poor +little runaway boy as I am." + +Here the skeleton broke in with such loud applause and so many cries of +"Hear! hear!" that Toby grew still more confused, and forgot entirely +what he was intending to say next. + +"I want you to know how much obliged I am," he said, after some +hesitation, "an' when I wear 'em I'll ride just the best I know how, +even if I don't want to, an' you sha'n't be sorry that you gave them to +me." + +As Toby concluded he made a funny little awkward bow, and then seemed to +be trying to hide himself behind a chair from the applause which was +given so generously. + +"Bless your dear little heart!" said the fat lady, after the confusion +had somewhat subsided. "I know you will do your best, anyway, and I'm +glad to know that you're going to make your first appearance in +something that Samuel and I made for you." + +Ella was quite as well pleased with her sash as Toby was with his +costume, and thanked Mr. and Mrs. Treat in a pretty little way that made +Toby wish he could say anything half so nicely. + +The hour which the skeleton had devoted for the purpose of the +presentation and accompanying speeches having elapsed, it was necessary +that Ella and Toby should go, and that the doors of the exhibition be +opened at once, in order to give any of the public an opportunity of +seeing what the placards announced as two of the greatest curiosities on +the face of the globe. + +That day, while Toby performed his arduous labors, his heart was very +light, for the evidences which the skeleton and his wife had given of +their regard for him were very gratifying. He determined that he would +do his very best to please so long as he was with the circus, and then, +when he got a chance to run away, he would do so, but not until he had +said good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Treat, and thanked them again for their +interest in him. + +When he had finished his work in the tent that night Mr. Lord said to +him, as he patted him on the back in the most fatherly fashion, and as +if he had never spoken a harsh word to him, "You can't come in here to +sell candy now that you are one of the performers, my boy; an' if I can +find another boy to-morrow you won't have to work in the booth any +longer, an' your salary of a dollar a week will go on just the same, +even if you don't have anything to do but to ride." + +This was a bit of news that was as welcome to Toby as it was unexpected, +and he felt more happy then than he had for the ten weeks that he had +been travelling under Mr. Lord's cruel mastership. + +But there was one thing that night that rather damped his joy, and that +was that he noticed that Mr. Lord was unusually careful to watch him, +not even allowing him to go outside the tent without following. He saw +at once that, if he was to have a more easy time, his chances for +running away were greatly diminished, and no number of beautiful +costumes would have made him content to stay with the circus one moment +longer than was absolutely necessary. + +That night he told Old Ben of the events of the day, and expressed the +hope that he might acquit himself creditably when he made his first +appearance on the following day. + +Ben sat thoughtfully for some time, and then, making all the +preparations which Toby knew so well signified a long bit of advice, he +said, "Toby, my boy, I've been with a circus, man an' boy, nigh to forty +years, an' I've seen lots of youngsters start in just as you're goin' to +start in to-morrow; but the most of them petered out, because they got +to knowin' more'n them that learned 'em did. Now, you remember what I +say, an' you'll find it good advice: whatever business you get into, +don't think you know all about it before you've begun. Remember that you +can always learn somethin', no matter how old you are, an' keep your +eyes an' ears open, an' your tongue between your teeth, an' you'll +amount to somethin', or my name hain't Ben." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +TOBY'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE RING. + + +When the circus entered the town which had been selected as the place +where Toby was to make his _début_ as a circus rider the boy noticed a +new poster among the many glaring and gaudy bills which set forth the +varied and numerous attractions that were to be found under one canvas +for a trifling admission fee, and he noticed it with some degree of +interest, not thinking for a moment that it had any reference to him. + +It was printed very much as follows: + + MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE + AND + MONSIEUR AJAX, + +two of the youngest equestrians in the world, will perform their +graceful, dashing, and daring act entitled + + THE TRIUMPH OF THE INNOCENTS! + +This is the first appearance of these daring young riders together +since their separation in Europe last season, and their performance +in this town will have a new and novel interest. See + + MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE + AND + MONSIEUR AJAX. + +"Look there!" said Toby to Ben, as he pointed out the poster, which was +printed in very large letters, with gorgeous coloring, and surmounted by +a picture of two very small people performing all kinds of impossible +feats on horseback. "They've got some one else to ride with Ella to-day. +I wonder who it can be?" + +Ben looked at Toby for a moment, as if to assure himself that the boy +was in earnest in asking the question, and then he relapsed into the +worst fit of silent laughing that Toby had ever seen. After he had quite +recovered he asked, "Don't you know who Monsieur Ajax is? Hain't you +never seen him?" + +"No," replied Toby, at a loss to understand what there was so very funny +in his very natural question. "I thought that I was goin' to ride with +Ella." + +"Why, that's you!" almost screamed Ben, in delight. "Monsieur Ajax means +you--didn't you know it? You don't suppose they would go to put 'Toby +Tyler' on the bills, do you? How it would look!--'Mademoiselle Jeannette +an' Monsieur Toby Tyler!'" + +Ben was off in one of his laughing spells again; and Toby sat there, +stiff and straight, hardly knowing whether to join in the mirth or to +get angry at the sport which had been made of his name. + +"I don't care," he said at length. "I'm sure I think Toby Tyler sounds +just as well as Monsieur Ajax, an' I'm sure it fits me a good deal +better." + +"That may be," said Ben, soothingly; "but you see it wouldn't go down so +well with the public. They want furrin riders, an' they must have 'em, +even if it does spoil your name." + +Despite the fact that he did not like the new name that had been given +him, Toby could not but feel pleased at the glowing terms in which his +performance was set off; but he did not at all relish the lie that was +told about his having been with Ella in Europe, and he would have been +very much better pleased if that portion of it had been left off. + +During the forenoon he did not go near Mr. Lord nor his candy stand, for +Mr. Castle kept him and Ella busily engaged in practising the feat which +they were to perform in the afternoon, and it was almost time for the +performance to begin before they were allowed even to go to their +dinner. + +Ella, who had performed several years, was very much more excited over +the coming _début_ than Toby was, and the reason why he did not show +more interest was, probably, because of his great desire to leave the +circus as soon as possible, and during that forenoon he thought very +much more of how he should get back to Guilford and Uncle Daniel than he +did of how he should get along when he stood before the audience. + +Mr. Castle assisted his pupil to dress, and when that was done to his +entire satisfaction he said, in a stern voice, "Now, you can do this act +all right, and if you slip up on it, and don't do it as you ought to, +I'll give you such a whipping when you come out of the ring that you'll +think Job was only fooling with you when he tried to whip you." + +Toby had been feeling reasonably cheerful before this, but these words +dispelled all his cheerful thoughts, and he was looking most +disconsolate when Old Ben came into the dressing-tent. + +"All ready are you, my boy?" said the old man, in his cheeriest voice. +"Well, that's good, an' you look as nice as possible. Now, remember what +I told you last night, Toby, an' go in there to do your level best an' +make a name for yourself. Come out here with me an' wait for the young +lady." + +These cheering words of Ben's did Toby as much good as Mr. Castle's had +the reverse, and as he stepped out of the dressing-room to the place +where the horses were being saddled Toby resolved that he would do his +very best that afternoon, if for no other reason than to please his old +friend. + +Toby was not naturally what might be called a pretty boy, for his short +red hair and his freckled face prevented any great display of beauty; +but he was a good, honest-looking boy, and in his tasteful costume +looked very nice indeed--so nice that, could Mrs. Treat have seen him +just then, she would have been very proud of her handiwork and hugged +him harder than ever. + +He had been waiting but a few moments when Ella came from her +dressing-room, and Toby was very much pleased when he saw by the +expression of her face that she was perfectly satisfied with his +appearance. + +"We'll both do just as well as we can," she whispered to him, "and I +know the people will like us, and make us come back after we get +through. And if they do mamma says she'll give each one of us a gold +dollar." + +She had taken hold of Toby's hand as she spoke, and her manner was so +earnest and anxious that Toby was more excited than he ever had been +about his _début;_ and, had he gone into the ring just at that moment, +the chances are that he would have surprised even his teacher by his +riding. + +"I'll do just as well as I can," said Toby, in reply to his little +companion, "an' if we earn the dollars I'll have a hole bored in mine, +an' you shall wear it around your neck to remember me by." + +"I'll remember you without that," she whispered; "and I'll give you +mine, so that you shall have so much the more when you go to your home." + +There was no time for further conversation, for Mr. Castle entered just +then to tell them that they must go in in another moment. The horses +were all ready--a black one for Toby, and a white one for Ella--and they +stood champing their bits and pawing the earth in their impatience until +the silver bells with which they were decorated rung out quick, nervous +little chimes that accorded very well with Toby's feelings. + +Ella squeezed Toby's hand as they stood waiting for the curtain to be +raised that they might enter, and he had just time to return it when the +signal was given, and almost before he was aware of it they were +standing in the ring, kissing their hands to the crowds that packed the +enormous tent to its utmost capacity. + +Thanks to the false announcement about the separation of the children in +Europe and their reunion in this particular town, the applause was long +and loud, and before it had died away Toby had time to recover a little +from the queer feeling which this sea of heads gave him. + +He had never seen such a crowd before, except as he had seen them as he +walked around at the foot of the seats, and then they had simply looked +like so many human beings; but as he saw them now from the ring they +appeared like strange rows of heads without bodies, and he had hard work +to keep from running back behind the curtain from whence he had come. + +Mr. Castle acted as the ring-master this time, and after he had +introduced them--very much after the fashion of the posters--and the +clown had repeated some funny joke, the horses were led in, and they +were assisted to mount. + +"Don't mind the people at all," said Mr. Castle, in a low voice, "but +ride just as if you were alone here with me." + +The music struck up, the horses cantered around the ring, and Toby had +really started as a circus rider. + +"Remember," said Ella to him, in a low tone, just as the horses started, +"you told me that you would ride just as well as you could, and we must +earn the dollars mamma promised." + +It seemed to Toby at first as if he could not stand up; but by the time +they had ridden around the ring once, and Ella had again cautioned him +against making any mistake, for the sake of the money which they were +going to earn, he was calm and collected enough to carry out his part of +the "act" as well as if he had been simply taking a lesson. + +The act consisted in their riding side by side, jumping over banners and +through hoops covered with paper, and then the most difficult portion +began. + +The saddles were taken off the horses, and they were to ride first on +one horse and then on the other, until they concluded their performance +by riding twice around the ring side by side, standing on their horses, +each one with a hand on the other's shoulder. + +All this was successfully accomplished without a single error, and when +they rode out of the ring the applause was so great as to leave no doubt +but that they would be recalled, and thus earn the promised money. + +In fact, they had hardly got inside the curtain when one of the +attendants called to them, and before they had time even to speak to +each other they were in the ring again, repeating the last portion of +their act. + +When they came out of the ring for the second time they found Old Ben, +the skeleton, the fat lady, and Mr. Jacob Lord waiting to welcome them; +but before any one could say a word Ella had stood on tiptoe again and +given Toby just such another kiss as she did when he told her that he +would surely stay long enough to appear in the ring with her once. + +[Illustration: MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE AND MONSIEUR AJAX.] + +"That's because you rode so well and helped me so much," she said, as +she saw Toby's cheeks growing a fiery red; and then she turned to those +who were waiting to greet her. + +Mrs. Treat took her in her enormous arms, and having kissed her, put her +down quickly, and clasped Toby as if he had been a very small walnut and +her arms a very large pair of nut-crackers. + +"Bless the boy!" she exclaimed, as she kissed him again and again with +an energy and force that made her kisses sound like the crack of the +whip, and caused the horses to stamp in affright. "I knew he'd amount to +something one of these days, an' Samuel an' I had to come out, when +business was dull, just to see how he got along." + +It was some time before she would unloose him from her motherly embrace, +and when she did the skeleton grasped him by the hand, and said, in the +most pompous and affected manner, + +"Mr. Tyler, we're proud of you, and when we saw that costume of yours, +that my Lilly embroidered with her own hands, we was both proud of it +and what it contained. You're a great rider, my boy, a great rider, and +you'll stand at the head of the profession some day, if you only stick +to it." + +"Thank you, sir," was all Toby had time to say before Old Ben had him by +the hand, and the skeleton was pouring out his congratulations in little +Miss Ella's ear. + +"Toby, my boy, you did well, an' now you'll amount to something, if you +only remember what I told you last night," said Ben, as he looked upon +the boy whom he had come to think of as his _protégé_, with pride. "I +never seen anybody of your age do any better; an' now, instead of bein' +only a candy peddler, you're one of the stars of the show." + +"Thank you, Ben," was all that Toby could say, for he knew that his old +friend meant every word that he said, and it pleased him so much that he +could say no more than "Thank you" in reply. + +"I feel as if your triumph was mine," said Mr. Lord, looking benignly at +Toby from out his crooked eye, and assuming the most fatherly tone at +his command; "I have learned to look upon you almost as my own son, and +your success is very gratifying to me." + +Toby was not at all flattered by this last praise. If he had never seen +Mr. Lord before, he might, and probably would, have been deceived by his +words; but he had seen him too often, and under too many painful +circumstances, to be at all swindled by his words. + +Toby was very much pleased with his success and by the praise he +received from all, and when the proprietor of the circus came along, +patted him on the head, and told him that he rode very nicely, he was +quite happy, until he chanced to see the greedy twinkle in Mr. Lord's +eye, and then he knew that all this success and all this praise were +only binding him faster to the show which he was so anxious to escape +from; his pleasure vanished very quickly, and in its stead came a +bitter, homesick feeling which no amount of praise could banish. + +It was Old Ben who helped him to undress after the skeleton and the fat +lady had gone back to their tent, and Ella had gone to dress for her +appearance with her mother, for now she was obliged to ride twice at +each performance. When Toby was in his ordinary clothes again Ben said, + +"Now that you're one of the performers, Toby, you won't have to sell +candy any more, an' you'll have the most of your time to yourself, so +let's you an' I go out an' see the town." + +"Don't you s'pose Mr. Lord expects me to go to work for him again +to-day?" + +"An' s'posin' he does?" said Ben, with a chuckle. "You don't s'pose the +boss would let any one that rides in the ring stand behind Job Lord's +counter, do you? You can do just as you have a mind to, my boy, an' I +say to you, let's go out an' see the town. What do you say to it?" + +"I'd like to go first-rate, if I dared to," replied Toby, thinking of +the many whippings he had received for far less than that which Ben now +proposed he should do. + +"Oh, I'll take care that Job don't bother you, so come along;" and Ben +started out of the tent, and Toby followed, feeling considerably +frightened at this first act of disobedience against his old master. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +OFF FOR HOME! + + +During this walk Toby learned many things that were of importance to +him, so far as his plan for running away was concerned. In the first +place, he gleaned from the railroad posters that were stuck up in the +hotel to which they went that he could buy a ticket for Guilford for +seven dollars, and also that, by going back to the town from which they +had just come, he could go to Guilford by steamer for five dollars. + +By returning to this last town--and Toby calculated that the fare on the +stage back there could not be more than a dollar--he would have ten +dollars left, and that surely ought to be sufficient to buy food enough +for two days for the most hungry boy that ever lived. + +When they returned to the circus grounds the performance was over, and +Mr. Lord in the midst of the brisk trade which he usually had after the +afternoon performance, and yet, so far from scolding Toby for going +away, he actually smiled and bowed at him as he saw him go by with Ben. + +"See there, Toby," said the old driver to the boy, as he gave him a +vigorous poke in the ribs and then went off into one of his dreadful +laughing spells--"see what it is to be a performer, an' not workin' for +such an old fossil as Job is! He'll be so sweet to you now that sugar +won't melt in his mouth, an' there's no chance of his ever attemptin' to +whip you again." + +Toby made no reply, for he was too busily engaged thinking of something +which had just come into his mind to know that his friend had spoken. + +But as Old Ben hardly knew whether the boy had answered him or not, +owing to his being obliged to struggle with his breath lest he should +lose it in the second laughing spell that attacked him, the boy's +thoughtfulness was not particularly noticed. + +Toby walked around the show-grounds for a little while with his old +friend, and then the two went to supper, where Toby performed quite as +great wonders in the way of eating as he had in the afternoon by riding. + +As soon as the supper was over he quietly slipped away from Old Ben, and +at once paid a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Treat, whom he found cosily engaged +with their supper behind the screen. + +They welcomed Toby most cordially, and, despite his assertions that he +had just finished a very hearty meal, the fat lady made him sit down to +the box which served as table, and insisted on his trying some of her +doughnuts. + +Under all these pressing attentions it was some time before Toby found a +chance to say that which he had come to say, and when he did he was +almost at a loss how to proceed; but at last he commenced by starting +abruptly on his subject with the words, "I've made up my mind to leave +to-night." + +"Leave to-night?" repeated the skeleton, inquiringly, not for a moment +believing that Toby could think of running away after the brilliant +success he had just made. "What do you mean, Toby?" + +"Why, you know that I've been wantin' to get away from the circus," said +Toby, a little impatient that his friend should be so wonderfully +stupid, "an' I think that I'll have as good a chance now as ever I +shall, so I'm goin' to try it." + +"Bless us!" exclaimed the fat lady, in a gasping way. "You don't mean to +say that you're goin' off just when you've started in the business so +well? I thought you'd want to stay after you'd been so well received +this afternoon." + +"No," said Toby--and one quick little sob popped right up from his heart +and out before he was aware of it--"I learned to ride because I had to, +but I never give up runnin' away. I must see Uncle Dan'l, an' tell him +how sorry I am for what I did; an' if he won't have anything to say to +me then I'll come back; but if he'll let me I'll stay there, an' I'll be +_so_ good that by-'n'-by he'll forget that I run off an' left him +without sayin' a word." + +There was such a touch of sorrow in his tones, so much pathos in his way +of speaking, that good Mrs. Treat's heart was touched at once; and +putting her arms around the little fellow, as if to shield him from some +harm, she said, tenderly, "And so you shall go, Toby, my boy; but if you +ever want a home or anybody to love you come right here to us, and +you'll never be sorry. So long as Sam keeps thin and I fat enough to +draw the public, you never need say that you're homeless, for nothing +would please us better than to have you come to live with us." + +For reply Toby raised his head and kissed her on the cheek, a proceeding +which caused her to squeeze him harder than ever. + +During this conversation the skeleton had remained very thoughtful. +After a moment or two he got up from his seat, went outside the tent, +and presently returned with a quantity of silver ten-cent pieces in his +hand. + +"Here, Toby," he said--and it was to be seen that he was really too much +affected even to attempt one of his speeches--"it's right that you +should go, for I've known what it is to feel just as you do. What Lilly +said about your having a home with us I say, an' here's five dollars +that I want you to take to help you along." + +At first Toby stoutly refused to take the money; but they both insisted +to such a degree that he was actually forced to, and then he stood up to +go. + +"I'm goin' to try to slip off after Job packs up the outside booth if I +can," he said, "an' it was to say good-bye that I come around here." + +Again Mrs. Treat took the boy in her arms, as if it were one of her own +children who was leaving her, and as she stroked his hair back from his +forehead she said, "Don't forget us, Toby, even if you never do see us +again; try an' remember how much we cared for you, an' how much comfort +you're taking away from us when you go; for it was a comfort to see you +around, even if you wasn't with us very much. Don't forget us, Toby, an' +if you ever get the chance come an' see us. Good-bye, Toby, good-bye." +And the kind-hearted woman kissed him again and again, and then turned +her back resolutely upon him, lest it should be bad luck to him if she +again saw him after saying good-bye. + +The skeleton's parting was not quite so demonstrative. He clasped Toby's +hand with one set of his fleshless fingers, while with the other he +wiped one or two suspicious-looking drops of moisture from his eyes, as +he said, "I hope you'll get along all right, my boy, and I believe you +will. You will get home to Uncle Daniel, and be happier than ever, for +now you know what it is to be entirely without a home. Be a good boy, +mind your uncle, go to school, and one of these days you'll make a good +man. Good-bye, my boy." + +The tears were now streaming down Toby's face very rapidly; he had not +known, in his anxiety to get home, how very much he cared for this +strangely assorted couple, and now it made him feel very miserable and +wretched that he was going to leave them. He tried to say something +more, but the tears choked his utterance, and he left the tent quickly +to prevent himself from breaking down entirely. + +In order that his grief might not be noticed, and the cause of it +suspected, Toby went out behind the tent, and, sitting there on a stone, +he gave way to the tears which he could no longer control. + +While he was thus engaged, heeding nothing which passed around him, he +was startled by a cheery voice which cried, "Halloo! down in the dumps +again? What is the matter now, my bold equestrian?" + +Looking up, he saw Ben standing before him, and he wiped his eyes +hastily, for here was another from whom he must part, and to whom a +good-bye must be spoken. + +Looking around to make sure that no one was within hearing, he went up +very close to the old driver, and said, in almost a whisper, "I was +feelin' bad 'cause I just come from Mr. and Mrs. Treat, an' I've been +say in' good-bye to them. I'm goin' to run away to-night." + +Ben looked at him for a moment, as if he doubted whether the boy knew +exactly what he was talking about, and then said, "So you still want to +go home, do you?" + +"Oh yes, Ben, _so_ much," was the reply, in a tone which expressed how +dear to him was the thought of being in his old home once more. + +"All right, my boy; I won't say one word agin it, though it do seem too +bad, after you've turned out to be such a good rider," said the old man, +thoughtfully. "It's better for you, I know; for a circus hain't no place +for a boy, even if he wants to stay, an' I can't say but I'm glad you're +still determined to go." + +Toby felt relieved at the tone of this leave-taking. He had feared that +Old Ben, who thought a circus-rider was almost on the topmost round of +Fortune's ladder, would have urged him to stay, since he had made his +_début_ in the ring, and he was almost afraid that he might take some +steps to prevent his going. + +"I wanted to say good-bye now," said Toby, in a choking voice, "'cause +perhaps I sha'n't see you again." + +"Good-bye, my boy," said Ben as he took the boy's hand in his. "Don't +forget this experience you've had in runnin' away; an' if ever the time +comes that you feel as if you wanted to know that you had a friend, +think of Old Ben, an' remember that his heart beats just as warm for you +as if he was your father. Good-bye, my boy, good-bye, an' may the good +God bless you!" + +"Good-bye, Ben," said Toby; and then, as the old driver turned and +walked away, wiping something from his eye with the cuff of his sleeve, +Toby gave full vent to his tears, and wondered why it was that he was +such a miserable little wretch. + +There was one more good-bye to be said, and that Toby dreaded more than +all the others. It was to Ella. He knew that she would feel badly to +have him go, because she liked to ride the act with him that gave them +such applause, and he felt certain that she would urge him to stay. + +Just then the thought of another of his friends--one who had not yet +been warned of what very important matter was to occur--came into his +mind, and he hastened toward the old monkey's cage. His pet was busily +engaged in playing with some of the younger members of his family, and +for some moments could not be induced to come to the bars of the cage. + +At last, however, Toby did succeed in coaxing him forward, and then, +taking him by the paw, and drawing him as near as possible, Toby +whispered, "We're goin' to run away to night, Mr. Stubbs, an' I want +you to be all ready to go the minute I come for you." + +The old monkey winked both eyes violently, and then showed his teeth to +such an extent that Toby thought he was laughing at the prospect, and he +said, a little severely, "If you had as many friends as I have got in +this circus you wouldn't laugh when you was goin' to leave them. Of +course I've got to go, an' I want to go; but it makes me feel bad to +leave the skeleton, an' the fat woman, an' Old Ben, an' little Ella. But +I mustn't stand here. You be ready when I come for you, an' by mornin' +we'll be so far off that Mr. Lord nor Mr. Castle can't catch us." + +The old monkey went toward his companions, as if he were in high glee at +the trip before him, and Toby went into the dressing tent to prepare for +the evening's performance--which was about to commence. + +It appeared to the boy as if every one was unusually kind to him that +night, and, feeling sad at leaving those in the circus who had +befriended him, Toby was unusually attentive to every one around him. He +ran on some trifling errand for one, helped another in his dressing, and +in a dozen kind ways seemed as if trying to atone for leaving them +secretly. + +When the time came for him to go into the ring and he met Ella, bright +and happy at the thought of riding with him and repeating her triumphs +of the afternoon, nothing save the thought of how wicked he had been to +run away from good old Uncle Daniel, and a desire to right that wrong in +some way, prevented him from giving up his plan of going back. + +The little girl observed his sadness, and she whispered, "Has any one +been whipping you, Toby?" + +Toby shook his head. He had thought that he would tell her what he was +about to do just before they went into the ring, but her kind words +seemed to make that impossible, and he had said nothing, when the blare +of the trumpets, the noisy demonstrations of the audience, and the +announcement of the clown that the wonderful children riders were now +about to appear, ushered them into the ring. + +If Toby had performed well in the afternoon, he accomplished wonders on +this evening, and they were called back into the ring, not once, but +twice; and when finally they were allowed to retire, every one behind +the curtain overwhelmed them with praise. + +Ella was so profuse with her kind words, her admiration for what Toby +had done, and so delighted at the idea that they were to ride together, +that even then the boy could not tell her what he was going to do, but +went into his dressing-room, resolving that he would tell her all when +they both had finished dressing. + +Toby made as small a parcel as possible of the costume which Mr. and +Mrs. Treat had given him--for he determined that he would take it with +him--and, putting it under his coat, went out to wait for Ella. As she +did not come out as soon as he expected he asked some one to tell her +that he wanted to see her, and he thought to himself that when she did +come she would be in a hurry, and could not stop long enough to make any +very lengthy objections to his leaving. + +But she did not come at all--her mother sent out word that Toby could +not see her until after the performance was over, owing to the fact that +it was now nearly time for her to go into the ring, and she was not +dressed yet. + +Toby was terribly disappointed. He knew that it would not be safe for +him to wait until the close of the performance if he were intending to +run away that night, and he felt that he could not go until he had said +a few last words to her. + +He was in a great perplexity, until the thought came to him that he +could write a good-bye to her, and by this means any unpleasant +discussion would be avoided. + +After some little difficulty he procured a small piece of not very clean +paper and a very short bit of lead-pencil, and using the top of one of +the wagons, as he sat on the seat, for a desk, he indited the following +epistle: + + "deaR ella I Am goin to Run away two night, & i want two say + good by to yu & your mother. i am Small & unkle Danil says i + dont mount two much, but i am old enuf two know that you + have bin good two me, & when i Am a man i will buy you a + whole cirkus, and we Will ride together. dont forgit me & I + wont yu in haste TOBY TYLER." + +Toby had no envelope in which to seal this precious letter, but he felt +that it would not be seen by prying eyes, and would safely reach its +destination, if he intrusted it to Old Ben. + +It did not take him many moments to find the old driver, and he said, as +he handed him the letter, "I didn't see Ella to tell her I was goin', so +I wrote this letter, an' I want to know if you will give it to her?" + +"Of course I will. But see here, Toby"--and Ben caught him by the sleeve +and led him aside where he would not be overheard--"have you got money +enough to take you home? for if you haven't I can let you have some." +And Ben plunged his hand into his capacious pocket, as if he was about +to withdraw from there the entire United States Treasury. + +Toby assured him that he had sufficient for all his wants; but the old +man would not be satisfied until he had seen for himself, and then, +taking Toby's hand again, he said, "Now, my boy, it won't do for you to +stay around here any longer. Buy something to eat before you start, an' +go into the woods for a day or two before you take the train or +steamboat. You're too big a prize for Job or Castle to let you go +without a word, an' they'll try their level best to find you. Be +careful, now, for if they should catch you, good-bye any more chances to +get away. There"--and here Ben suddenly lifted him high from the ground +and kissed him--"now get away as fast as you can." + +Toby pressed the old man's hand affectionately, and then, without +trusting himself to speak, walked swiftly out toward the entrance. + +He resolved to take Ben's advice and go into the woods for a short time, +and therefore he must buy some provisions before he started. + +As he passed the monkeys' cage he saw his pet sitting near the bars, and +he stopped long enough to whisper, "I'll be back in ten minutes, Mr. +Stubbs, an' you be all ready then." + +Then he went on, and just as he got near the entrance one of the men +told him that Mrs. Treat wished to see him. + +Toby could hardly afford to spare the time just then, but he would +probably have obeyed the summons, if he had known that by so doing he +would be caught, and he ran as fast as his little legs would carry him +toward the skeleton's tent. + +The exhibition was open, and both the skeleton and his wife were on the +platform when Toby entered; but he crept around at the back and up +behind Mrs. Treat's chair, telling her as he did so that he had just +received her message, and that he must hurry right back, for every +moment was important then to him. + +"I put up a nice lunch for you," she said as she kissed him, "and you'll +find it on the top of the biggest trunk. Now go; and if my wishes are of +any good to you, you will get to your uncle Daniel's house without any +trouble. Good-bye again, little one." + +Toby did not dare to trust himself any longer where every one was so +kind to him. He slipped down from the platform as quickly as possible, +found the bundle--and a good-sized one it was too--without any +difficulty, and went back to the monkeys' cage. + +As orders had been given by the proprietor of the circus that the boy +should do as he had a mind to with the monkey, he called Mr. Stubbs; and +as he was in the custom of taking him with him at night, no one thought +that it was anything strange that he should take him from the cage now. + +[Illustration: THE RUNAWAYS.] + +Mr. Lord or Mr. Castle might possibly have thought it queer had either +of them seen the two bundles which Toby carried, but, fortunately for +the boy's scheme, they both believed that he was in the dressing-tent, +and consequently thought that he was perfectly safe. + +Toby's hand shook so that he could hardly undo the fastening of the +cage, and when he attempted to call the monkey to him his voice sounded +so strange and husky that it startled him. + +The old monkey seemed to prefer sleeping with Toby rather than with +those of his kind in the cage; and as the boy took him with him almost +every night, he came on this particular occasion as soon as Toby called, +regardless of the strange sound of his master's voice. + +With his bundles under his arm, and the monkey on his shoulder, with +both paws tightly clasped around his neck, Toby made his way out of the +tent with beating heart and bated breath. + +Neither Mr. Lord, Castle, nor Jacobs were in sight, and everything +seemed favorable for his flight. During the afternoon he had carefully +noted the direction of the woods, and he started swiftly toward them +now, stopping only long enough, as he was well clear of the tents, to +say, in a whisper, + +"Good-bye, Mr. Treat, an' Mrs. Treat, an' Ella, an' Ben. Some time, when +I'm a man, I'll come back, an' bring you lots of nice things, an' I'll +never forget you--never. When I have a chance to be good to some little +boy that felt as bad as I did I'll do it, an' tell him that it was you +did it. Good-bye." + +Then, turning around, he ran toward the woods as swiftly as if his +escape had been discovered and the entire company were in pursuit. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +A DAY OF FREEDOM. + + +Toby ran at the top of his speed over the rough road; and the monkey, +jolted from one side to the other, clutched his paws more tightly around +the boy's neck, looking around into his face as if to ask what was the +meaning of this very singular proceeding. + +When he was so very nearly breathless as to be able to run no more, but +was forced to walk, Toby looked behind him, and there he could see the +bright lights of the circus, and hear the strains of the music as he had +heard them on the night when he was getting ready to run away from Uncle +Daniel; and those very sounds, which reminded him forcibly of how +ungrateful he had been to the old man who had cared for him when there +was no one else in the world who would do so, made it more easy for him +to leave those behind who had been so kind to him when he stood so much +in need of kindness. + +"We are goin' home, Mr. Stubbs!" he said, exultantly, to the +monkey--"home to Uncle Dan'l an' the boys; an' won't you have a good +time when we get there! You can run all over the barn, an' up in the +trees, an' do just what you want to, an' there'll be plenty of fellows +to play with you. You don't know half how good a place Guilford is, Mr. +Stubbs." + +The monkey chattered away as if he were anticipating lots of fun on his +arrival at Toby's home, and the boy chattered back, his spirits rising +at every step which took him farther away from the collection of tents +where he had spent so many wretched hours. + +A brisk walk of half an hour sufficed to take Toby to the woods, and +after some little search he found a thick clump of bushes in which he +concluded he could sleep without the risk of being seen by any one who +might pass that way before he should be awake in the morning. + +He had not much choice in the way of a bed, for it was so dark in the +woods that it was impossible to collect moss or leaves to make a soft +resting-place, and the few leaves and pine-boughs which he did gather +made his place for sleeping but very little softer. + +But during the ten weeks that Toby had been with the circus his bed had +seldom been anything softer than the seat of the wagon, and it troubled +him very little that he was to sleep with nothing but a few leaves +between himself and the earth. + +Using the bundle in which was his riding costume for a pillow, and +placing the lunch Mrs. Treat had given him near by, where the monkey +could not get at it conveniently, he cuddled Mr. Stubbs up in his bosom +and lay down to sleep. + +"Mr. Lord won't wake us up in the mornin' an' swear at us for not +washin' the tumblers," said Toby, in a tone of satisfaction, to the +monkey; "an' we won't have to go into the tent to-morrow an' sell sick +lemonade an' poor pea-nuts. But"--and here his tone changed to one of +sorrow--"there'll be some there that 'll be sorry not to see us in the +mornin', Mr. Stubbs, though they'll be glad to know that we got away all +right. But won't Mr. Lord swear, an' won't Mr. Castle crack his whip, +when they come to look round for us in the mornin' an' find that we +hain't there!" + +The only reply which the monkey made to this was to nestle his head +closer under Toby's coat, and to show, in the most decided manner, that +he was ready to go to sleep. + +And Toby was quite as ready to go to sleep as he was. He had worked hard +that day, but the excitement of escaping had prevented him from +realizing his fatigue until after he had lain down; and almost before he +had got through congratulating himself upon the ease with which he had +gotten free, both he and the monkey were as sound asleep as if they had +been tucked up in the softest bed that was ever made. + +Toby's very weariness was a friend to him that night, for it prevented +him from waking; which, if he had done so, might have been unpleasant +when he fully realized that he was all alone in the forest, and the +sounds that are always heard in the woods might have frightened him just +the least bit. + +The sun was shining directly in his face when Toby awoke on the +following morning, and the old monkey was still snugly nestled under his +coat. He sat up rather dazed at first, and then, as he fully realized +that he was actually free from all that had made his life such a sad and +hard one for so many weeks, he shouted aloud, revelling in his freedom. + +The monkey, awakened by Toby's cries, started from his sleep in affright +and jumped into the nearest tree, only to chatter, jump, and swing from +the boughs when he saw that there was nothing very unusual going on, +save that he and Toby were out in the woods again, where they could have +no end of a good time and do just as they liked. + +After a few moments spent in a short jubilee at their escape Toby took +the monkey on his shoulder and the bundles under his arm again, and went +cautiously out to the edge of the thicket, where he could form some idea +as to whether or no they were pursued. + +He had entered the woods at the brow of a small hill when he had fled +so hastily on the previous evening, and looking down, he could see the +spot whereon the tents of the circus had been pitched, but not a sign of +them was now visible. He could see a number of people walking around, +and he fancied that they looked up every now and then to where he stood +concealed by the foliage. + +This gave him no little uneasiness, for he feared that Mr. Lord or Mr. +Castle might be among the number, and he believed that they would begin +a search for him at once, and that the spot where their attention would +first be drawn was exactly where he was then standing. + +"This won't do, Mr. Stubbs," he said, as he pushed the monkey higher up +on his shoulder and started into the thickest part of the woods; "we +must get out of this place, an' go farther down, where we can hide till +to-morrow mornin'. Besides, we must find some water where we can wash +our faces." + +The old monkey would hardly have been troubled if they had not their +faces washed for the next month to come; but he grinned and talked as +Toby trudged along, attempting to catch hold of the leaves as they were +passed, and in various other ways impeding his master's progress, until +Toby was obliged to give him a most severe scolding in order to make him +behave himself in anything like a decent manner. + +At last, after fully half an hour's rapid walking, Toby found just the +place he wanted in which to pass the time he concluded it would be +necessary to spend before he dare venture out to start for home. + +It was a little valley entirely filled by trees, which grew so thickly, +save in one little spot, as to make it almost impossible to walk +through. The one clear spot was not more than ten feet square, but it +was just at the edge of a swiftly running brook; and a more beautiful or +convenient place for a boy and a monkey to stop who had no tent, nor +means to build one, could not well be imagined. + +Toby's first act was to wash his face, and he tried to make the monkey +do the same; but Mr. Stubbs had no idea of doing any such foolish thing. +He would come down close to the edge of the water and look in; but the +moment that Toby tried to make him go in he would rush back among the +trees, climb out on some slender bough, and then swing himself down by +the tail, and chatter away as if making sport of his young master for +thinking that he would be so foolish as to soil his face with water. + +After Toby had made his toilet he unfastened the bundle which the fat +lady had given him, for the purpose of having breakfast. As much of an +eater as Toby was, he could not but be surprised at the quantity of food +which Mrs. Treat called a lunch. There were two whole pies and half of +another, as many as two dozen doughnuts, several large pieces of cheese, +six sandwiches, with a plentiful amount of meat, half a dozen biscuits, +nicely buttered, and a large piece of cake. + +The monkey had come down from the tree as soon as he saw Toby untying +the bundle, and there was quite as much pleasure depicted on his face, +when he saw the good things that were spread out before him, as there +was on Toby's; and he showed his thankfulness at Mrs. Treat's foresight +by suddenly snatching one of the doughnuts and running with it up the +tree, where he knew Toby could not follow. + +"Now look here, Mr. Stubbs!" said Toby, sternly, "you can have all you +want to eat, but you must take it in a decent way, an' not go to cuttin' +up any such shines as that." + +And after giving this command--which, by-the-way, was obeyed just about +as well as it was understood--Toby devoted his time to his breakfast, +and he reduced the amount of eatables very considerably before he had +finished. + +Toby cleared off his table by gathering the food together and putting it +back into the paper as well as possible, and then he sat down to think +over the situation, and to decide what he had better do. + +He felt rather nervous about venturing out when it was possible for Mr. +Lord or Mr. Castle to get hold of him again; and as the weather was yet +warm during the night, his camping-place everything that could be +desired, and the stock of food likely to hold out, he concluded that he +had better remain there for two days at least, and then he would be +reasonably sure that if either of the men whom he so dreaded to see had +remained behind for the purpose of catching him, he would have got tired +out and gone on. + +This point decided upon, the next was to try to fix up something soft +for a bed. He had his pocket-knife with him, and in his little valley +were pine and hemlock trees in abundance. From the tips of their +branches he knew that he could make a bed as soft and fragrant as any +that could be thought of, and he set to work at once, while Mr. Stubbs +continued his antics above his head. + +After about two hours' steady work he had cut enough of the tender +branches to make himself a bed into which he and the monkey could burrow +and sleep as comfortably as if they were in the softest bed in Uncle +Daniel's house. + +When Toby first began to cut the boughs he had an idea that he might +possibly make some sort of a hut; but the two hours' work had blistered +his hands, and he was perfectly ready to sit down and rest, without the +slightest desire for any other kind of a hut than that formed by the +trees themselves. + +Toby imagined that in that beautiful place he could, with the monkey, +stay contented for any number of days; but after he had rested a time, +played with his pet a little, and eaten just a trifle more of the lunch, +the time passed so slowly that he soon made up his mind to run the risk +of meeting Mr. Lord or Mr. Castle again by going out of the woods the +first thing the next morning. + +Very many times before the sun set that day was Toby tempted to run the +risk that night, for the sake of the change, if no more; but as he +thought the matter over he saw how dangerous such a course would be, and +he forced himself to wait. + +That night he did not sleep as soundly as on the previous one, for the +very good reason that he was not as tired. He awoke several times; and +the noise of the night-birds alarmed him to such an extent that he was +obliged to awaken the old monkey for company. + +But the night passed despite his fears, as all nights will, whether a +boy is out in the woods alone or tucked up in his own little bed at +home. In the morning Toby made all possible haste to get away, for each +moment that he stayed now made him more impatient to be moving toward +home. + +He washed himself as quickly as possible, ate his breakfast with the +most unseemly haste, and, taking up his bundles and the monkey, once +more started, as he supposed, in the direction from which he had entered +the woods. + +Toby walked briskly along, in the best possible spirits, for his +running away was now an accomplished fact, and he was going toward Uncle +Daniel and home just as fast as possible. He sung "Old Hundred" through +five or six times by way of showing his happiness. It is quite likely +that he would have sung something a little more lively had he known +anything else; but "Old Hundred" was the extent of his musical +education, and he kept repeating that, which was quite as satisfactory +as if he had been able to go through with every opera that was ever +written. + +The monkey would jump from his shoulder into the branches above, run +along on the trees for a short distance, and then wait until Toby came +along, when he would drop down on his shoulder suddenly, and in every +other way of displaying monkey delight he showed that he was just as +happy as it was possible. + +Toby trudged on in this contented way for nearly an hour, and every +moment expected to step out to the edge of the woods, where he could see +houses and men once more. But instead of doing so the forest seemed to +grow more dense, and nothing betokened his approach to the village. +There was a great fear came into Toby's heart just then, and for a +moment he halted in helpless perplexity. His lips began to quiver, his +face grew white, and his hand trembled so that the old monkey took hold +of one of his fingers and looked at it wonderingly. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +MR. STUBBS'S MISCHIEF, AND HIS SAD FATE. + + +Toby had begun to realize that he was lost in the woods, and the thought +was sufficient to cause alarm in the mind of one much older than the +boy. He said to himself that he would keep on in the direction he was +then travelling for fifteen minutes; and as he had no means of computing +the time he sat down on a log, took out the bit of pencil with which he +had written the letter to Ella, and multiplied sixty by fifteen. He knew +that there were sixty seconds to the minute, and that he could +ordinarily count one to each second; therefore, when he learned that +there were nine hundred seconds in fifteen minutes, he resolved to walk +as nearly straight ahead as possible until he should have counted that +number. + +He walked on, counting as regularly as he could, and thought to himself +that he never before realized how long fifteen minutes were. It really +seemed to him that an hour had passed before he finished counting, and +then when he stopped there were no more signs that he was near a +clearing than there had been before he started. + +"Ah, Mr. Stubbs, we're lost! we're lost!" he cried, as he laid his cheek +on the monkey's head and gave way to the lonesome grief that came over +him. "What shall we do? Perhaps we won't ever find our way out, but will +die here, an' then Uncle Dan'l won't ever know how sorry I was that I +run away." + +Then Toby lay right down on the ground and cried so hard that the monkey +acted as if it were frightened, and tried to turn the boy's face over, +and finally leaned down and licked Toby's ear. + +This little act, which seemed so much like a kiss, caused Toby to feel +no small amount of comfort, and he sat up again, took the monkey in his +arms, and began seriously to discuss some definite plan of action. + +"It won't do to keep on the way we've been goin', Mr. Stubbs," said +Toby, as he looked full in his pet's face--and the old monkey sat as +still and looked as grave as it was possible for him to look and +sit--"for we must be goin' into the woods deeper. Let's start off this +way"--and Toby pointed at right angles with the course they had been +pursuing--"an' keep right on that way till we come to something, or till +we drop right down an' die." + +It is fair to presume that the old monkey agreed to Toby's plan; for +although he said nothing in favor of it he certainly made no objections +to it, which to Toby was the same as if his companion had assented to it +in the plainest English. + +Both the bundles and the monkey were rather a heavy load for a small boy +like Toby to carry; but he clung manfully to them, walked resolutely on, +without looking to the right or to the left, glad when the old monkey +would take a run among the trees, for then he would be relieved of his +weight, and glad when he returned, for then he had his company, and that +repaid him for any labor which he might have to perform. + +Toby was in a hard plight as it was; but without the old monkey for a +companion he would have thought his condition was a hundred times worse, +and would hardly have had the courage to go on as he was going. + +On and on he walked, until it seemed to him that he could really go no +farther, and yet he could see no signs which indicated the end of the +woods, and at last he sunk upon the ground, too tired to walk another +step, saying to the monkey--who was looking as if he would like to know +the reason of this pause--"It's no use, Mr. Stubbs, I've got to sit down +here an' rest awhile, anyhow; besides, I'm awfully hungry." + +Then Toby commenced to eat his dinner, and to give the monkey his, +until the thought came to him that he neither had any water nor did he +know where to find it, and then, of course, he immediately became so +thirsty that it was impossible for him to eat any more. + +"We can't stand this," moaned Toby to the monkey; "we've got to have +something to drink, or else we can't eat all these sweet things, an' I'm +so tired that I can't go any farther. Don't let's eat dinner now, but +let's stay here an' rest, an' then we can keep on an' look for water." + +Toby's resting spell was a long one, for as soon as he stretched himself +out on the ground he was asleep from actual exhaustion, and did not +awaken until the sun was just setting, and then he saw that, hard as his +troubles had been before, they were about to become, or in fact had +become, worse. + +He had paid no attention to his bundles when he lay down, and when he +awoke he was puzzled to make out what it was that was strewn around the +ground so thickly. + +He had looked at it but a very short time when he saw that it was what +had been the lunch he had carried so far. After having had the sad +experience of losing his money he understood very readily that the old +monkey had taken the lunch while he slept, and had amused himself by +picking it apart into the smallest particles possible, and then strewn +them around on the ground where he now saw them. + +Toby looked at them in almost speechless surprise, and then he turned to +where the old monkey lay, apparently asleep; but as the boy watched him +intently, he could see that the cunning animal was really watching him +out of one half-closed eye. + +"Now you have killed us, Mr. Stubbs," wailed Toby. "We never can find +our way out of here; an' now we hain't got anything to eat, and by +to-morrow we shall be starved to death. Oh dear! wasn't you bad enough +when you threw all the money away, so you had to go an' do this just +when we was in awful trouble?" + +Mr. Stubbs now looked up as if he had just been awakened by Toby's +grief, looked around him leisurely as if to see what could be the +matter, and then, apparently seeing for the first time the crumbs that +were lying around on the ground, took up some and examined them +intently. + +"Now don't go to makin' believe that you don't know how they come +there," said Toby, showing anger toward his pet for the first time. "You +know it was you who did it, for there wasn't any one else here, an' you +can't fool me by lookin' so surprised." + +It seemed as if the monkey had come to the conclusion that his little +plan of ignorance wasn't the most perfect success, for he walked meekly +toward his young master, climbed up on his shoulder, and sat there +kissing his ear, or looking down into his eyes, until the boy could +resist the mute appeal no longer, but took him into his arms and hugged +him closely as he said, + +"It can't be helped now, I s'pose, an' we shall have to get along the +best way we can; but it was awful wicked of you, Mr. Stubbs, an' I don't +know what we're going to do for something to eat." + +While the destructive fit was on him the old monkey had not spared the +smallest bit of food, but had picked everything into such minute shreds +that none of it could be gathered up, and everything was surely wasted. + +While Toby sat bemoaning his fate, and trying to make out what was to be +done for food, the darkness, which had just begun to gather when he +first awoke, now commenced to settle around, and he was obliged to seek +for some convenient place in which to spend the night before it became +so dark as to make the search impossible. + +Owing to the fact that he had slept nearly the entire afternoon, and +also rendered wakeful by the loss he had just sustained, Toby lay awake +on the hard ground, with the monkey on his arm, hour after hour, until +all kinds of fancies came to him, and in every sound feared he heard +some one from the circus coming to capture him, or some wild beast +intent on picking his bones. + +The cold sweat of fear stood out on his brow, and he hardly dared to +breathe, much more to speak, lest the sound of his voice should betray +his whereabouts, and thus bring his enemies down upon him. The minutes +seemed like hours, and the hours like days, as he lay there, listening +fearfully to every one of the night-sounds of the forest; and it seemed +to him that he had been there very many hours when at last he fell +asleep, and was thus freed from his fears. + +Bright and early on the following morning Toby was awake, and as he came +to a realizing sense of all the dangers and trouble that surrounded him +he was disposed to give way again to his sorrow; but he said resolutely +to himself, "It might be a good deal worse than it is, an' Mr. Stubbs +an' I can get along one day without anything to eat; an' perhaps by +night we shall be out of the woods, an' then what we get will taste good +to us." + +He began his walk--which possibly might not end that day--manfully, and +his courage was rewarded by soon reaching a number of bushes that were +literally loaded down with blackberries. From these he made a hearty +meal, and the old monkey fairly revelled in them, for he ate all he +possibly could, and then stowed away enough in his cheeks to make a +good-sized luncheon when he should be hungry again. + +Refreshed very much by his breakfast of fruit, Toby again started on his +journey with renewed vigor, and the world began to look very bright to +him. He had not thought that he might find berries when the thoughts of +starvation came into his mind, and now that his hunger was satisfied he +began to believe that he might possibly be able to live, perhaps for +weeks, in the woods solely upon what he might find growing there. + +Shortly after he had had breakfast he came upon a brook, which he +thought was the same upon whose banks he had encamped the first night he +spent in the woods, and, pulling off his clothes, he waded into the +deepest part, and had a most refreshing bath, although the water was +rather cold. + +Not having any towels with which to dry himself, he was obliged to sit +in the sun until the moisture had been dried from his skin and he could +put his clothes on once more. Then he started out on his walk again, +feeling that sooner or later he would come out all right. + +All this time he had been travelling without any guide to tell him +whether he was going straight ahead or around in a circle, and he now +concluded to follow the course of the brook, believing that that would +lead him out of the forest some time. + +During the forenoon he walked steadily, but not so fast that he would +get exhausted quickly, and when by the position of the sun he judged +that it was noon he lay down on a mossy bank to rest. + +He was beginning to feel sad again. He had found no more berries, and +the elation which had been caused by his breakfast and his bath was +quickly passing away. The old monkey was in a tree almost directly above +his head, stretched out on one of the limbs in the most contented manner +possible; and as Toby watched him, and thought of all the trouble he had +caused by wasting the food, thoughts of starvation again came into his +mind, and he believed that he should not live to see Uncle Daniel again. + +Just when he was feeling the most sad and lonely, and when thoughts of +death from starvation were most vivid in his mind, he heard the barking +of a dog, which sounded close at hand. + +His first thought was that at last he was saved, and he was just +starting to his feet to shout for help, when he heard the sharp report +of a gun and an agonizing cry from the branches above, and the old +monkey fell to the ground with a thud that told he had received his +death-wound. + +All this had taken place so quickly that Toby did not at first +comprehend the extent of the misfortune which had overtaken him; but a +groan from the poor monkey, as he placed one little brown paw to his +breast, from which the blood was flowing freely, and looked up into his +master's face with a most piteous expression, showed the poor little boy +what a great trouble it was which had now come. + +Poor Toby uttered a loud cry of agony, which could not have been more +full of anguish had he received the ball in his own breast, and, +flinging himself by the side of the dying monkey, he gathered him close +to his breast, regardless of the blood that poured over him, and +stroking tenderly the little head that had nestled so often in his +bosom, said, over and over again, as the monkey uttered short moans of +agony, "Who could have been so cruel?--who could have been so cruel?" + +Toby's tears ran like rain down his face, and he kissed his dying pet +again and again, as if he would take all the pain to himself. + +"Oh, if you could only speak to me!" he cried, as he took one of the +poor monkey's paws in his hand, and, finding that it was growing cold +with the chill of death, put it on his neck to warm it. "How I love you, +Mr. Stubbs! An' now you're goin' to die an' leave me! Oh, if I hadn't +spoken cross to you yesterday, an' if I hadn't a'most choked you the day +that we went to the skeleton's to dinner! Forgive me for ever bein' bad +to you, won't you, Mr. Stubbs?" + +[Illustration: "HOW I LOVE YOU, MR. STUBBS!"] + +As the monkey's groans increased in number but diminished in force Toby +ran to the brook, filled his hands with water, and held it to the poor +animal's mouth. + +He lapped the water quickly, and looked up with a human look of +gratitude in his eyes, as if thanking his master for that much relief. +Then Toby tried to wash the blood from his breast; but it flowed quite +as fast as he could wash it away, and he ceased his efforts in that +direction, and paid every attention to making his friend and pet more +comfortable. He took off his jacket and laid it on the ground for the +monkey to lie upon; picked a quantity of large green leaves as a cooling +rest for his head, and then sat by his side, holding his paws, and +talking to him with the most tender words his lips--quivering with +sorrow as they were--could fashion. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +HOME AND UNCLE DANIEL. + + +Meanwhile the author of all this misery had come upon the scene. He was +a young man, whose rifle and well-filled game-bag showed that he had +been hunting, and his face expressed the liveliest sorrow for what he +had so unwittingly done. + +"I didn't know I was firing at your pet," he said to Toby as he laid his +hand on his shoulder and endeavored to make him look up. "I only saw a +little patch of fur through the trees, and, thinking it was some wild +animal, I fired. Forgive me, won't you, and let me put the poor brute +out of his misery?" + +Toby looked up fiercely at the murderer of his pet and asked, savagely, +"Why don't you go away? Don't you see that you have killed Mr. Stubbs, +an' you'll be hung for murder?" + +"I wouldn't have done it under any circumstances," said the young man, +pitying Toby's grief most sincerely. "Come away, and let me put the poor +thing out of its agony." + +"How can you do it?" asked Toby, bitterly. "He's dying already." + +"I know it, and it will be a kindness to put a bullet through his head." + +If Toby had been big enough perhaps there might really have been a +murder committed, for he looked up at the man who so coolly proposed to +kill the poor monkey after he had already received his death-wound that +the young man stepped back quickly, as if really afraid that in his +desperation the boy might do him some injury. + +"Go 'way off," said Toby, passionately, "an' don't ever come here again. +You've killed all I ever had in this world of my own to love me, an' I +hate you--I hate you!" + +Then, turning again to the monkey, he put his hands on each side of his +head, and, leaning down, kissed the little brown lips as tenderly as a +mother would kiss her child. + +The monkey was growing more and more feeble, and when Toby had shown +this act of affection he reached up his tiny paws, grasped Toby's +finger, half-raised himself from the ground, and then with a convulsive +struggle fell back dead, while the tiny fingers slowly relaxed their +hold of the boy's hand. + +Toby feared that it was death, and yet hoped that he was mistaken; he +looked into the half-open, fast-glazing eyes, put his hand over his +heart, to learn if it were still beating; and getting no responsive look +from the dead eyes, feeling no heart-throbs from under that gory breast, +he knew that his pet was really dead, and flung himself by his side in +all the childish abandonment of grief. + +He called the monkey by name, implored him to look at him, and finally +bewailed that he had ever left the circus, where at least his pet's life +was safe, even if his own back received its daily flogging. + +The young man, who stood a silent spectator of this painful scene, +understood everything from Toby's mourning. He knew that a boy had run +away from the circus, for Messrs. Lord and Castle had stayed behind one +day, in the hope of capturing the fugitive, and they had told their own +version of Toby's flight. + +For nearly an hour Toby lay by the dead monkey's side, crying as if his +heart would break, and the young man waited until his grief should have +somewhat exhausted itself, and then approached the boy again. + +"Won't you believe that I didn't mean to do this cruel thing?" he asked, +in a kindly voice. "And won't you believe that I would do anything in my +power to bring your pet back to life?" + +Toby looked at him a moment earnestly, and then said, slowly, "Yes, I'll +try to." + +"Now will you come with me, and let me talk to you? for I know who you +are, and why you are here." + +"How do you know that?" + +"Two men stayed behind after the circus had left, and they hunted +everywhere for you." + +"I wish they had caught me," moaned Toby; "I wish they had caught me, +for then Mr. Stubbs wouldn't be here dead." + +And Toby's grief broke out afresh as he again looked at the poor little +stiff form that had been a source of so much comfort and joy to him. + +"Try not to think of that now, but think of yourself, and of what you +will do," said the man, soothingly, anxious to divert Toby's mind from +the monkey's death as much as possible. + +"I don't want to think of myself, and I don't care what I'll do," sobbed +the boy, passionately. + +"But you must; you can't stay here always, and I will try to help you to +get home, or wherever it is you want to go, if you will tell me all +about it." + +It was some time before Toby could be persuaded to speak or think of +anything but the death of his pet; but the young man finally succeeded +in drawing his story from him, and then tried to induce him to leave +that place and accompany him to the town. + +"I can't leave Mr. Stubbs," said the boy, firmly; "he never left me the +night I got thrown out of the wagon an' he thought I was hurt." + +Then came another struggle to induce him to bury his pet; and finally +Toby, after realizing the fact that he could not carry a dead monkey +anywhere with him, agreed to it; but he would not allow the young man to +help him in any way, or even to touch the monkey's body. + +He dug a grave under a little fir-tree near by, and lined it with wild +flowers and leaves, and even then hesitated to cover the body with the +earth. At last he bethought himself of the fanciful costume which the +skeleton and his wife had given him, and in this he carefully wrapped +his dead pet. He had not one regret at leaving the bespangled suit, for +it was the best he could command, and surely nothing could be too good +for Mr. Stubbs. + +Tenderly he laid him in the little grave, and, covering the body with +flowers, said, pausing a moment before he covered it over with earth, +and while his voice was choked with emotion, "Good-bye, Mr. Stubbs, +good-bye! I wish it had been me instead of you that died, for I'm an +awful sorry little boy now that you're dead!" + +Even after the grave had been filled, and a little mound made over it, +the young man had the greatest difficulty to persuade Toby to go with +him; and when the boy did consent to go at last he walked very slowly +away, and kept turning his head to look back just so long as the little +grave could be seen. + +Then, when the trees shut it completely out from sight, the tears +commenced again to roll down Toby's cheeks, and he sobbed out, "I wish I +hadn't left him. Oh, why didn't I make him lie down by me? an' then he'd +be alive now; an' how glad he'd be to know that we was getting out of +the woods at last!" + +But the man who had caused Toby this sorrow talked to him about other +matters, thus taking his mind from the monkey's death as much as +possible, and by the time the boy reached the village he had told his +story exactly as it was, without casting any reproaches on Mr. Lord, and +giving himself the full share of censure for leaving his home as he did. + +Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle had remained in the town but one day, for they +were told that a boy had taken the night train that passed through the +town about two hours after Toby had escaped, and they had set off at +once to act on that information. + +Therefore Toby need have no fears of meeting either of them just then, +and he could start on his homeward journey in peace. + +The young man who had caused the monkey's death tried first to persuade +Toby to remain a day or two with him, and, failing in that, he did all +he could toward getting the boy home as quickly and safely as possible. +He insisted on paying for his ticket on the steamboat, although Toby did +all he could to prevent him, and he even accompanied Toby to the next +town, where he was to take the steamer. + +He had not only paid for Toby's ticket, but he had paid for a state-room +for him; and when the boy said that he could sleep anywhere, and that +there was no need of such expense, the man replied, "Those men who were +hunting for you have gone down the river, and will be very likely to +search the boat, when they discover that they started on the wrong +scent. They will never suspect that you have got a state-room; and if +you are careful to remain in it during the trip, you will get through +safely." + +Then, when the time came for the steamer to start, the young man said to +Toby, "Now, my boy, you won't feel hard at me for shooting the monkey, +will you? I would have done anything to have brought him to life; but, +as I could not do that, helping you to get home was the next best thing +I could do." + +"I know you didn't mean to shoot Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, with moistening +eyes as he spoke of his pet, "an' I'm sorry I said what I did to you in +the woods." + +Before there was time to say any more the warning whistle was sounded, +the plank pulled in, the great wheels commenced to revolve, and Toby was +really on his way to Uncle Daniel and Guilford. + +It was then but five o'clock in the afternoon, and he could not expect +to reach home until two or three o'clock in the afternoon of the next +day; but he was in a tremor of excitement as he thought that he should +walk through the streets of Guilford once more, see all the boys, and go +home to Uncle Daniel. + +And yet, whenever he thought of that home, of meeting those boys, of +going once more to all those old familiar places, the memory of all that +he had planned when he should take the monkey with him would come into +his mind and damp even his joy, great as it was. + +That night he had considerable difficulty in falling asleep, but did +finally succeed in doing so; and when he awoke the steamer was going up +the river, whose waters seemed like an old friend, because they had +flowed right down past Guilford on their way to the sea. + +At each town where a landing was made Toby looked eagerly out on the +pier, thinking that by chance some one from his home might be there and +he would see a familiar face again. But all this time he heeded the +advice given him and remained in his room, where he could see and not +be seen; and it was well for him that he did so, for at one of the +landings he saw both Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle come on board the boat. + +Toby's heart beat fast and furious, and he expected every moment to hear +them at the door demanding admittance, for it seemed to him that they +must know exactly where he was secreted. + +But no such misfortune occurred. The men had evidently only boarded the +boat to search for the boy, for they landed again before the steamer +started, and Toby had the satisfaction of seeing their backs as they +walked away from the pier. It was some time before he recovered from the +fright which the sight of them gave him; but when he did his thoughts +and hopes far outstripped the steamer which, it seemed, was going so +slowly, and he longed to see Guilford with an impatience that could +hardly be restrained. + +At last he could see the spire of the little church on the hill, and +when the steamer rounded the point, affording a full view of the town, +and sounded her whistle as a signal for those on the shore to come to +the pier, Toby could hardly restrain himself from jumping up and down +and shouting in his delight. + +He was at the gang-plank ready to land fully five minutes before the +steamer was anywhere near the wharf, and when he recognized the first +face on the pier what a happy boy he was! + +He was at home! The dream of the past ten weeks was at length realized, +and neither Mr. Lord nor Mr. Castle had any terrors for him now. + +He ran down the gang-plank before it was ready and clasped every boy he +saw there round the neck, and would have kissed them, if they had shown +an inclination to let him do so. + +Of course he was overwhelmed with questions, but before he would answer +any he asked for Uncle Daniel and the others at home. + +Some of the boys ventured to predict that Toby would get a jolly good +whipping for running away, and the only reply which the happy Toby made +to that was, + +"I hope I will, an' then I'll feel as if I had kinder paid for runnin' +away. If Uncle Dan'l will only let me stay with him again he may whip me +every mornin', an' I won't open my mouth to holler." + +The boys were impatient to hear the story of Toby's travels, but he +refused to tell it them, saying, + +"I'll go home; an' if Uncle Dan'l forgives me for bein' so wicked I'll +sit down this afternoon an' tell you all you want to know about the +circus." + +Then, far more rapidly than he had run away from it, Toby ran toward +the home which he had called his ever since he could remember, and his +heart was full almost to bursting as he thought that perhaps he would be +told that he had forfeited all claim to it, and that he could never more +call it "home" again. + +When he entered the old familiar sitting-room Uncle Daniel was seated +near the window, alone, looking out wistfully--as Toby thought--across +the fields of yellow waving grain. + +Toby crept softly in, and, going up to the old man, knelt down and said, +very humbly, and with his whole soul in the words, "Oh, Uncle Dan'l! if +you'll only forgive me for bein' so wicked an' runnin' away, an' let me +stay here again--for it's all the home I ever had--I'll do everything +you tell me to, an' never whisper in meetin' or do anything bad." + +And then he waited for the words which would seal his fate. They were +not long in coming. + +"My poor boy," said Uncle Daniel, softly, as he stroked Toby's +refractory red hair, "my love for you was greater than I knew, and when +you left me I cried aloud to the Lord as if it had been my own flesh and +blood that had gone afar from me. Stay here, Toby, my son, and help to +support this poor old body as it goes down into the dark valley of the +shadow of death; and then, in the bright light of that glorious future, +Uncle Daniel will wait to go with you into the presence of Him who is +ever a father to the fatherless." + +[Illustration: UNCLE DANIEL'S BLESSING.] + +And in Uncle Daniel's kindly care we may safely leave Toby Tyler. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOBY TYLER*** + + +******* This file should be named 32393-8.txt or 32393-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/3/9/32393 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Toby Tyler</p> +<p> Ten Weeks with a Circus</p> +<p>Author: James Otis</p> +<p>Release Date: May 15, 2010 [eBook #32393]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOBY TYLER***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net/c/">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> + from page images generously made available by<br /> + Internet Archive<br /> + (<a href="http://www.archive.org/">http://www.archive.org</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/tobytylerortenwe00kalerich"> + http://www.archive.org/details/tobytylerortenwe00kalerich</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<p><a name="front" id="front"></a></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 499px;"> +<img src="images/i001.jpg" width="499" height="650" alt="BREAKFAST IN THE WOODS. See p. 235." title="" /> +<span class="caption">BREAKFAST IN THE WOODS. <i>See p. 235.</i></span> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h1>Toby Tyler</h1> + +<h4>or</h4> + +<h2>Ten Weeks with a Circus</h2> + +<h2>By JAMES OTIS</h2> + +<h3>ILLUSTRATED</h3> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 157px;"> +<img src="images/i002.jpg" width="157" height="175" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="center"> +NEW YORK AND LONDON<br /> +HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS<br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE SERIES</h2> + +<h4>EACH, SIXTY CENTS</h4> + + +<h3><i>FRANCONIA STORIES</i></h3> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Jacob Abbott</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Malleville<br /> +Mary Bell<br /> +Ellen Linn<br /> +Wallace<br /> +Beechnut<br /> +Stuyvesant<br /> +Agnes<br /> +Mary Erskine<br /> +Rodolphus<br /> +Caroline<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By W. L. Alden</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +The Moral Pirates<br /> +The Cruise of the "Ghost"<br /> +The Cruise of the Canoe Club<br /> +The Adventures of Jimmy Brown<br /> +Jimmy Brown Trying to Find Europe<br /> +A New Robinson Crusoe<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By James Barnes</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +The Blockaders<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By William Black</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +The Four Macnicols<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Lewis Carroll</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Alice's Adventures in Wonderland<br /> +Through the Looking-Glass<br /> +The Hunting of the Snark<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Col. W. F. Cody</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +The Adventures of Buffalo Bill<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By George C. Eggleston</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Strange Stories from History<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By John Habberton</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Who Was Paul Grayson?<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Mrs. W. J. Hays</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Prince Lazybones<br /> +The Princess Idleways<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By George A. Henty</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +In the Hands of the Cave-Dwellers<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By W. J. Henderson</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Sea Yarns for Boys<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Ernest Ingersoll</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +The Ice Queen<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By David Ker</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +The Lost City<br /> +Into Unknown Seas<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Lucy C. Lillie</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Mildred's Bargain<br /> +Nan<br /> +Jo's Opportunity<br /> +Phil and the Baby<br /> +False Witness<br /> +Rolf House<br /> +Music and Musicians<br /> +The Colonel's Money<br /> +The Household of Glen Holly<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Livingston B. Morse</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +The Road to Nowhere<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Miss Mulock</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +The Little Lame Prince<br /> +The Adventures of a Brownie<br /> +Little Sunshine's Holiday<br /> +The Cousin from India<br /> +Twenty Years Ago<br /> +Is It True?<br /> +Miss Moore<br /> +An Only Sister<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Kirk Munroe</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Wakulla<br /> +The Flamingo Feather<br /> +Derrick Sterling<br /> +Chrystal Jack & Co. etc.<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By James Otis</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Mr. Stubbs's Brother<br /> +Tim and Tip<br /> +Toby Tyler, or, Ten Weeks with a Circus<br /> +Raising the "Pearl"<br /> +Silent Pete, or, the Stowaways<br /> +Left Behind, or, Ten Days a Newsboy<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By G. B. Perry</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Uncle Peter's Trust<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By L. C. Pyrnelle</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Diddie, Dumps, and Tot<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Margaret E. Sangster</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Little Knights and Ladies—Poems<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By W. O. Stoddard</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Two Arrows<br /> +The Red Mustang<br /> +The Talking Leaves<br /> +</p> + +<h4><span class="smcap">By Sophie Swett</span></h4> + +<p class="center"> +Captain Polly<br /> +</p> + +<h3><i>STRANGE STORIES FROM AMERICAN HISTORY</i></h3> + +<p class="center"> +Strange Stories of Colonial Days<br /> +Strange Stories of the Revolution<br /> +Strange Stories of 1812<br /> +Strange Stories of the Civil War<br /> +</p> + +<h3><i>ADVENTURE SERIES</i></h3> + +<p class="center"> +Adventures of Uncle Sam's Sailors<br /> +Adventures of Uncle Sam's Soldiers<br /> +Adventures with Indians<br /> +Adventures of Pirates and Sea-Rovers<br /> +</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Illustrated. Price, per volume, 60 cents</i></p> + +<p class="center">HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK</p> + +<p class="center">COPYRIGHT, 1880, 1881, 1909, BY HARPER & BROTHERS</p> + +<p class="center">COPYRIGHT, 1908, 1909, BY JAMES OTIS KALER</p> + +<p class="center">PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<p> +<span class="smcap">Chap.</span> <span class="tocnum"><span class="smcap">Page</span></span><br /> +<br /> +I. <span class="smcap">Toby's Introduction to the Circus</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_9'>9</a></span><br /> +<br /> +II. <span class="smcap">Toby Runs Away from Home</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_20'>20</a></span><br /> +<br /> +III. <span class="smcap">The Night Ride</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_31'>31</a></span><br /> +<br /> +IV. <span class="smcap">The First Day with the Circus</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_42'>42</a></span><br /> +<br /> +V. <span class="smcap">The Counterfeit Ten-Cent Piece</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_54'>54</a></span><br /> +<br /> +VI. <span class="smcap">A Tender-hearted Skeleton</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_66'>66</a></span><br /> +<br /> +VII. <span class="smcap">An Accident and its Consequences</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_82'>82</a></span><br /> +<br /> +VIII. <span class="smcap">Capture of the Monkeys</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_93'>93</a></span><br /> +<br /> +IX. <span class="smcap">The Dinner-Party</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_102'>102</a></span><br /> +<br /> +X. <span class="smcap">Mr. Stubbs at a Party</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_118'>118</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XI. <span class="smcap">A Stormy Night</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_131'>131</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XII. <span class="smcap">Toby's Great Misfortune</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_143'>143</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XIII. <span class="smcap">Toby Attempts to Resign his Situation</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_156'>156</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XIV. <span class="smcap">Mr. Castle Teaches Toby to Ride</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_169'>169</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XV. <span class="smcap">Toby's Friends Present him with a Costume</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_184'>184</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XVI. <span class="smcap">Toby's First Appearance in the Ring</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_197'>197</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XVII. <span class="smcap">Off for Home!</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_211'>211</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XVIII. <span class="smcap">A Day of Freedom</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_229'>229</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XIX. <span class="smcap">Mr. Stubbs's Mischief, and his Sad Fate</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_239'>239</a></span><br /> +<br /> +XX. <span class="smcap">Home and Uncle Daniel</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_252'>252</a></span><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + + +<p> +<span class="tocnum"><span class="smcap">Page</span></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Breakfast in the Woods</span> <span class="tocnum"><i><a href="#front">Frontispiece</a></i></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Toby Strikes a Bargain</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_11'>11</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Toby and his New Friend</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_27'>27</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Toby's First Night Ride</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_33'>33</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Old Ben Comes to the Rescue</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_47'>47</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">"Won't you Please Give me the Money Back?"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_59'>59</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Toby Gets his Supper</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_73'>73</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Job Lord Learns a Lesson</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_79'>79</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Break-down, and Escape of the Monkeys</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_89'>89</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Bringing Back the Runaways</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_97'>97</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Toby is Introduced to the Albinos</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_111'>111</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Toby Sits Down on Mr. Stubbs</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_127'>127</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Toby in the "Women's Wagon"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_135'>135</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Mr. Stubbs and Toby's Money</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_151'>151</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Toby and the Little Boy Customers</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_166'>165</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The First Lesson</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_173'>173</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Ella and Toby</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_187'>187</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Mademoiselle Jeannette and Monsieur Ajax</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_205'>205</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Runaways</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_225'>225</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">"How I Love you, Mr. Stubbs!"</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_249'>249</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Uncle Daniel's Blessing</span> <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_263'>263</a></span><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> +<h2>TOBY TYLER;</h2> + +<h4>OR,</h4> + +<h3>TEN WEEKS WITH A CIRCUS.</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter I.</span></h2> + +<h3>TOBY'S INTRODUCTION TO THE CIRCUS.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> + +<img src="images/c.jpg" width="138" height="150" alt="C" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">"Couldn't you give more'n six pea-nuts for a cent?" was a question asked +by a very small boy, with big, staring eyes, of a candy vender at a +circus booth. And as he spoke he looked wistfully at the quantity of +nuts piled high up on the basket, and then at the six, each of which now +looked so small as he held them in his hand.</p></div> + +<p>"Couldn't do it," was the reply of the proprietor of the booth, as he +put the boy's penny carefully away in the drawer.</p> + +<p>The little fellow looked for another moment at his purchase, and then +carefully cracked the largest one.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + +<p>A shade—and a very deep shade it was—of disappointment passed over his +face, and then, looking up anxiously, he asked, "Don't you swap 'em when +they're bad?"</p> + +<p>The man's face looked as if a smile had been a stranger to it for a long +time; but one did pay it a visit just then, and he tossed the boy two +nuts, and asked him a question at the same time. "What is your name?"</p> + +<p>The big brown eyes looked up for an instant, as if to learn whether the +question was asked in good faith, and then their owner said, as he +carefully picked apart another nut, "Toby Tyler."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's a queer name."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I s'pose so, myself; but, you see, I don't expect that's the name +that belongs to me. But the fellers call me so, an' so does Uncle +Dan'l."</p> + +<p>"Who is Uncle Daniel?" was the next question. In the absence of other +customers the man seemed disposed to get as much amusement out of the +boy as possible.</p> + +<p>"He hain't my uncle at all; I only call him so because all the boys do, +an' I live with him."</p> + +<p>"Where's your father and mother?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," said Toby, rather carelessly. "I don't know much about +'em, an' Uncle Dan'l says they don't know much about me. Here's another +bad nut; goin' to give me two more?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 518px;"> +<img src="images/i004.jpg" width="518" height="650" alt="TOBY STRIKES A BARGAIN." title="" /> +<span class="caption">TOBY STRIKES A BARGAIN.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<p>The two nuts were given him, and he said, as he put them in his pocket, +and turned over and over again those which he held in his hand, "I +shouldn't wonder if all of these was bad. Sposen you give me two for +each one of 'em before I crack 'em, an' then they won't be spoiled so +you can't sell 'em again."</p> + +<p>As this offer of barter was made, the man looked amused, and he asked, +as he counted out the number which Toby desired, "If I give you these, I +suppose you'll want me to give you two more for each one, and you'll +keep that kind of a trade going until you get my whole stock?"</p> + +<p>"I won't open my head if every one of 'em's bad."</p> + +<p>"All right; you can keep what you've got, and I'll give you these +besides; but I don't want you to buy any more, for I don't want to do +that kind of business."</p> + +<p>Toby took the nuts offered, not in the least abashed, and seated himself +on a convenient stone to eat them, and at the same time to see all that +was going on around him. The coming of a circus to the little town of +Guilford was an event, and Toby had hardly thought of anything else +since the highly colored posters had first been put up. It was yet quite +early in the morning, and the tents were just being erected by the men. +Toby had followed, with eager eyes, everything that looked as if it +belonged to the circus, from the time the first wagon had entered the +town until the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> street parade had been made, and everything was being +prepared for the afternoon's performance.</p> + +<p>The man who had made the losing trade in pea-nuts seemed disposed to +question the boy still further, probably owing to the fact that he had +nothing better to do.</p> + +<p>"Who is this Uncle Daniel you say you live with—is he a farmer?"</p> + +<p>"No; he's a deacon, an' he raps me over the head with the hymn-book +whenever I go to sleep in meetin', an' he says I eat four times as much +as I earn. I blame him for hittin' so hard when I go to sleep, but I +s'pose he's right about my eatin'. You see," and here his tone grew both +confidential and mournful, "I am an awful eater, an' I can't seem to +help it. Somehow I'm hungry all the time. I don't seem ever to get +enough till carrot-time comes, an' then I can get all I want without +troubling anybody."</p> + +<p>"Didn't you ever have enough to eat?"</p> + +<p>"I s'pose I did; but you see Uncle Dan'l he found me one mornin' on his +hay, an' he says I was cryin' for something to eat then, an' I've kept +it up ever since. I tried to get him go give me money enough to go into +the circus with; but he said a cent was all he could spare these hard +times, an' I'd better take that an' buy something to eat with it, for +the show wasn't very good anyway. I wish pea-nuts wasn't but a cent a +bushel."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then you would make yourself sick eating them."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I s'pose I should; Uncle Dan'l says I'd eat till I was sick, if I +got the chance; but I'd like to try it once."</p> + +<p>He was a very small boy, with a round head covered with short, +red hair a face as speckled as any turkey's egg, but thoroughly +good-natured-looking; and as he sat there on the rather sharp point of +the rock, swaying his body to and fro as he hugged his knees with his +hands, and kept his eyes fastened on the tempting display of good things +before him, it would have been a very hard-hearted man who would not +have given him something. But Mr. Job Lord, the proprietor of the booth, +was a hard-hearted man, and he did not make the slightest advance toward +offering the little fellow anything.</p> + +<p>Toby rocked himself silently for a moment, and then he said, +hesitatingly, "I don't suppose you'd like to sell me some things, an' +let me pay you when I get older, would you?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord shook his head decidedly at this proposition.</p> + +<p>"I didn't s'pose you would," said Toby, quickly; "but you didn't seem to +be selling anything, an' I thought I'd just see what you'd say about +it." And then he appeared suddenly to see something wonderfully +interesting behind him, which served as an excuse to turn his reddening +face away.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I suppose your uncle Daniel makes you work for your living, don't he?" +asked Mr. Lord, after he had rearranged his stock of candy, and had +added a couple of slices of lemon-peel to what was popularly supposed to +be lemonade.</p> + +<p>"That's what I think; but he says that all the work I do wouldn't pay +for the meal that one chicken would eat, an' I s'pose it's so, for I +don't like to work as well as a feller without any father and mother +ought to. I don't know why it is, but I guess it's because I take up so +much time eatin' that it kinder tires me out. I s'pose you go into the +circus whenever you want to, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes; I'm there at every performance, for I keep the stand under the +big canvas as well as this one out here."</p> + +<p>There was a great big sigh from out Toby's little round stomach, as he +thought what bliss it must be to own all those good things, and to see +the circus wherever it went. "It must be nice," he said, as he faced the +booth and its hard-visaged proprietor once more.</p> + +<p>"How would you like it?" asked Mr. Lord, patronizingly, as he looked +Toby over in a business way, very much as if he contemplated purchasing +him.</p> + +<p>"Like it!" echoed Toby; "why, I'd grow fat on it."</p> + +<p>"I don't know as that would be any advantage," continued Mr. Lord, +reflectively, "for it strikes me that you're<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> about as fat now as a boy +of your age ought to be. But I've a great mind to give you a chance."</p> + +<p>"What!" cried Toby, in amazement, and his eyes opened to their widest +extent, as this possible opportunity of leading a delightful life +presented itself.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I've a great mind to give you the chance. You see," and now it was +Mr. Lord's turn to grow confidential, "I've had a boy with me this +season, but he cleared out at the last town, and I'm running the +business alone now."</p> + +<p>Toby's face expressed all the contempt he felt for the boy who would run +away from such a glorious life as Mr. Lord's assistant must lead; but he +said not a word, waiting in breathless expectation for the offer which +he now felt certain would be made him.</p> + +<p>"Now I ain't hard on a boy," continued Mr. Lord, still confidentially, +"and yet that one seemed to think that he was treated worse and made to +work harder than any boy in the world."</p> + +<p>"He ought to live with Uncle Dan'l a week," said Toby, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Here I was just like a father to him," said Mr. Lord, paying no +attention to the interruption, "and I gave him his board and lodging, +and a dollar a week besides."</p> + +<p>"Could he do what he wanted to with the dollar?"</p> + +<p>"Of course he could. I never checked him, no matter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> how extravagant he +was, an' yet I've seen him spend his whole week's wages at this very +stand in one afternoon. And even after his money had all gone that way, +I've paid for peppermint and ginger out of my own pocket just to cure +his stomach-ache."</p> + +<p>Toby shook his head mournfully, as if deploring that depravity which +could cause a boy to run away from such a tender-hearted employer, and +from such a desirable position. But even as he shook his head so sadly +he looked wistfully at the pea-nuts, and Mr. Lord observed the look.</p> + +<p>It may have been that Mr. Job Lord was the tender-hearted man he prided +himself upon being, or it may have been that he wished to purchase +Toby's sympathy; but, at all events, he gave him a large handful of +nuts, and Toby never bothered his little round head as to what motive +prompted the gift. Now he could listen to the story of the boy's +treachery and eat at the same time; therefore he was an attentive +listener.</p> + +<p>"All in the world that boy had to do," continued Mr. Lord, in the same +injured tone he had previously used, "was to help me set things to +rights when we struck a town in the morning, and then tend to the +counter till we left the town at night, and all the rest of the time he +had to himself. Yet that boy was ungrateful enough to run away."</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord paused, as if expecting some expression of sympathy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> from his +listener; but Toby was so busily engaged with his unexpected feast, and +his mouth was so full, that it did not seem even possible for him to +shake his head.</p> + +<p>"Now what should you say if I told you that you looked to me like a boy +that was made especially to help run a candy counter at a circus, and if +I offered the place to you?"</p> + +<p>Toby made one frantic effort to swallow the very large mouthful, and in +a choking voice he answered, quickly, "I should say I'd go with you, an' +be mighty glad of the chance."</p> + +<p>"Then it's a bargain, my boy, and you shall leave town with me +to-night."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter II.</span></h2> + +<h3>TOBY RUNS AWAY FROM HOME.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/t.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="T" class="cap" /> + + +<p class="cap_3">Toby could scarcely restrain himself at the prospect of this golden +future that had so suddenly opened before him. He tried to express his +gratitude, but could only do so by evincing his willingness to commence +work at once.</p></div> + +<p>"No, no, that won't do," said Mr. Lord, cautiously. "If your uncle +Daniel should see you working here, he might mistrust something, and +then you couldn't get away."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe he'd try to stop me," said Toby, confidently; "for he's +told me lots of times that it was a sorry day for him when he found me."</p> + +<p>"We won't take any chances, my son," was the reply, in a very benevolent +tone, as he patted Toby on the head, and at the same time handed him a +piece of pasteboard. "There's a ticket for the circus, and you come +around to see me about ten o'clock to-night. I'll put you on one of the +wagons, and by to-morrow morning your uncle Daniel will have hard work +to find you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + +<p>If Toby had followed his inclinations, the chances are that he would +have fallen on his knees, and kissed Mr. Lord's hands in the excess of +his gratitude. But not knowing exactly how such a show of thankfulness +might be received, he contented himself by repeatedly promising that he +would be punctual to the time and place appointed.</p> + +<p>He would have loitered in the vicinity of the candy stand in order that +he might gain some insight into the business; but Mr. Lord advised that +he remain away, lest his uncle Daniel should see him, and suspect where +he had gone when he was missed in the morning.</p> + +<p>As Toby walked around the circus grounds, whereon was so much to attract +his attention, he could not prevent himself from assuming an air of +proprietorship. His interest in all that was going on was redoubled, and +in his anxiety that everything should be done correctly and in the +proper order he actually, and perhaps for the first time in his life, +forgot that he was hungry. He was really to travel with a circus, to +become a part, as it were, of the whole, and to be able to see its many +wonderful and beautiful attractions every day.</p> + +<p>Even the very tent ropes had acquired a new interest for him, and the +faces of the men at work seemed suddenly to have become those of +friends. How hard it was for him to walk around unconcernedly: and how +especially hard to prevent his feet from straying toward that tempting +display<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> of dainties which he was to sell to those who came to see and +enjoy, and who would look at him with wonder and curiosity! It was very +hard not to be allowed to tell his playmates of his wonderfully good +fortune; but silence meant success, and he locked his secret in his +bosom, not even daring to talk with any one he knew, lest he should +betray himself by some incautious word.</p> + +<p>He did not go home to dinner that day, and once or twice he felt +impelled to walk past the candy stand, giving a mysterious shake of the +head at the proprietor as he did so. The afternoon performance passed +off as usual to all of the spectators save Toby. He imagined that each +one of the performers knew that he was about to join them; and even as +he passed the cage containing the monkeys he fancied that one +particularly old one knew all about his intention of running away.</p> + +<p>Of course it was necessary for him to go home at the close of the +afternoon's performance, in order to get one or two valuable articles of +his own—such as a boat, a kite, and a pair of skates—and in order that +his actions might not seem suspicious. Before he left the grounds, +however, he stole slyly around to the candy stand, and informed Mr. Job +Lord, in a very hoarse whisper, that he would be on hand at the time +appointed.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord patted him on the head, gave him two large<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> sticks of candy, +and, what was more kind and surprising, considering the fact that he +wore glasses, and was cross-eyed, he winked at Toby. A wink from Mr. +Lord must have been intended to convey a great deal, because, owing to +the defect in his eyes, it required no little exertion, and even then +could not be considered as a really first-class wink.</p> + +<p>That wink, distorted as it was, gladdened Toby's heart immensely, and +took away nearly all the sting of the scolding with which Uncle Daniel +greeted him when he reached home.</p> + +<p>That night—despite the fact that he was going to travel with the +circus, despite the fact that his home was not a happy or cheerful +one—Toby was not in a pleasant frame of mind. He began to feel for the +first time that he was doing wrong; and as he gazed at Uncle Daniel's +stern, forbidding-looking face, it seemed to have changed somewhat from +its severity, and caused a great lump of something to come up in his +throat as he thought that perhaps he should never see it again. Just +then one or two kind words would have prevented him from running away, +bright as the prospect of circus life appeared.</p> + +<p>It was almost impossible for him to eat anything, and this very +surprising state of affairs attracted the attention of Uncle Daniel.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Bless my heart! what ails the boy?" asked the old man, as he peered +over his glasses at Toby's well-filled plate, which was usually emptied +so quickly. "Are ye sick, Toby, or what is the matter with ye?"</p> + +<p>"No, I hain't sick," said Toby, with a sigh; "but I've been to the +circus, an' I got a good deal to eat."</p> + +<p>"Oho, you spent that cent I give ye, eh, an' got so much that it made ye +sick?"</p> + +<p>Toby thought of the six pea-nuts which he had bought with the penny +Uncle Daniel had given him; and, amid all his homesickness, he could not +help wondering if Uncle Daniel ever made himself sick with only six +pea-nuts when he was a boy.</p> + +<p>As no one paid any further attention to Toby, he pushed back his plate, +arose from the table, and went with a heavy heart to attend to his +regular evening chores. The cow, the hens, and even the pigs, came in +for a share of his unusually kind attention; and as he fed them all the +big tears rolled down his cheeks, as he thought that perhaps never again +would he see any of them. These dumb animals had all been Toby's +confidants; he had poured out his griefs in their ears, and fancied, +when the world or Uncle Daniel had used him unusually hard, that they +sympathized with him. Now he was leaving them forever, and as he locked +the stable door he could hear the sounds of music coming from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> the +direction of the circus grounds, and he was angry at it, because it +represented that which was taking him away from his home, even though it +was not as pleasant as it might have been.</p> + +<p>Still, he had no thought of breaking the engagement which he had made. +He went to his room, made a bundle of his worldly possessions, and crept +out of the back door, down the road to the circus.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord saw him as soon as he arrived on the grounds, and as he passed +another ticket to Toby he took his bundle from him, saying, as he did +so, "I'll pack up your bundle with my things, and then you'll be sure +not to lose it. Don't you want some candy?"</p> + +<p>Toby shook his head; he had just discovered that there was possibly some +connection between his heart and his stomach, for his grief at leaving +home had taken from him all desire for good things. It is also more than +possible that Mr. Lord had had experience enough with boys to know that +they might be homesick on the eve of starting to travel with a circus; +and in order to make sure that Toby would keep to his engagement he was +unusually kind.</p> + +<p>That evening was the longest Toby ever knew. He wandered from one cage +of animals to another; then to see the performance in the ring, and back +again to the animals, in the vain hope of passing the time pleasantly. +But it was of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> no use; that lump in his throat would remain there, and +the thoughts of what he was about to do would trouble him severely. The +performance failed to interest him, and the animals did not attract +until he had visited the monkey-cage for the third or fourth time. Then +he fancied that the same venerable monkey who had looked so knowing in +the afternoon was gazing at him with a sadness which could only have +come from a thorough knowledge of all the grief and doubt that was in +his heart.</p> + +<p>There was no one around the cages, and Toby got just as near to the iron +bars as possible. No sooner had he flattened his little pug-nose against +the iron than the aged monkey came down from the ring in which he had +been swinging, and, seating himself directly in front of Toby's face, +looked at him most compassionately.</p> + +<p>It would not have surprised the boy just then if the animal had spoken; +but as he did not, Toby did the next best thing, and spoke to him.</p> + +<p>"I s'pose you remember that you saw me this afternoon, an' somebody told +you that I was goin' to join the circus, didn't they?"</p> + +<p>The monkey made no reply, though Toby fancied that he winked an +affirmative answer; and he looked so sympathetic that he continued, +confidentially,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 460px;"> +<img src="images/i006.jpg" width="460" height="650" alt="TOBY AND HIS NEW FRIEND." title="" /> +<span class="caption">TOBY AND HIS NEW FRIEND.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, I'm the same feller, an' I don't mind telling you that I'm +awfully sorry I promised that candy man I'd go with him. Do you know +that I came near crying at the supper table to-night; an' Uncle Dan'l +looked real good an' nice, though I never thought so before. I wish I +wasn't goin', after all, 'cause it don't seem a bit like a good time +now; but I s'pose I must, 'cause I promised to, an' 'cause the candy man +has got all my things."</p> + +<p>The big tears had begun to roll down Toby's cheeks, and as he ceased +speaking the monkey reached out one little paw, which Toby took as +earnestly as if it had been done purposely to console him.</p> + +<p>"You're real good, you are," continued Toby; "an' I hope I shall see you +real often, for it seems to me now, when there hain't any folks around, +as if you was the only friend I've got in this great big world. It's +awful when a feller feels the way I do, an' when he don't seem to want +anything to eat. Now if you'll stick to me, I'll stick to you, an' then +it won't be half so bad when we feel this way."</p> + +<p>During this speech Toby had still clung to the little brown paw, which +the monkey now withdrew, and continued to gaze into the boy's face.</p> + +<p>"The fellers all say I don't amount to anything," sobbed Toby, "an' +Uncle Dan'l says I don't, an' I s'pose they know; but I tell you I feel +just as bad, now that I'm goin' away from them all, as if I was as good +as any of them."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> + +<p>At this moment Toby saw Mr. Lord enter the tent, and he knew that the +summons to start was about to be given.</p> + +<p>"Good-bye," he said to the monkey, as he vainly tried to take him by the +hand again; "remember what I've told you, an' don't forget that Toby +Tyler is feelin' worse to-night than if he was twice as big an' twice as +good."</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord had come to summon him away, and he now told Toby that he would +show him with which man he was to ride that night.</p> + +<p>Toby looked another good-bye at the venerable monkey, who was watching +him closely, and then followed his employer out of the tent, among the +ropes and poles and general confusion attendant upon the removal of a +circus from one place to another.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter III.</span></h2> + +<h3>THE NIGHT RIDE.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/t.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="T" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_3">The wagon on which Mr. Lord was to send his new-found employé was, by +the most singular chance, the one containing the monkeys, and Toby +accepted this as a good omen. He would be near his venerable friend all +night, and there was some consolation in that. The driver instructed the +boy to watch his movements, and when he saw him leading his horses +around, "to look lively, and be on hand, for he never waited for any +one."</p></div> + +<p>Toby not only promised to do as ordered, but he followed the driver +around so closely that, had he desired, he could not have rid himself of +his little companion.</p> + +<p>The scene which presented itself to Toby's view was strange and weird in +the extreme. Shortly after he had attached himself to the man with whom +he was to ride, the performance was over, and the work of putting the +show and its belongings into such a shape as could be conveyed from one +town to another was soon in active operation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> Toby forgot his grief, +forgot that he was running away from the only home he had ever known—in +fact, forgot everything concerning himself—so interested was he in that +which was going on about him.</p> + +<p>As soon as the audience had got out of the tent—and almost before—the +work of taking down the canvas was begun.</p> + +<p>Torches were stuck in the earth at regular intervals, the lights that +had shone so brilliantly in and around the ring had been extinguished, +the canvas sides had been taken off, and the boards that had formed the +seats were being packed into one of the carts with a rattling sound that +seemed as if a regular fusillade of musketry was being indulged in. Men +were shouting; horses were being driven hither and thither, harnessed to +the wagons, or drawing the huge carts away as soon as they were loaded; +and everything seemed in the greatest state of confusion, while really +the work was being done in the most systematic manner possible.</p> + +<p>Toby had not long to wait before the driver informed him that the time +for starting had arrived, and assisted him to climb up to the narrow +seat whereon he was to ride that night.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 576px;"> +<img src="images/i008.jpg" width="576" height="650" alt="TOBY'S FIRST NIGHT RIDE." title="" /> +<span class="caption">TOBY'S FIRST NIGHT RIDE.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> + +<p>The scene was so exciting, and his efforts to stick to the narrow seat +so great, that he really had no time to attend to the homesick feeling +that had crept over him during the first part of the evening.</p> + +<p>The long procession of carts and wagons drove slowly out of the town, +and when the last familiar house had been passed the driver spoke to +Toby for the first time since they started.</p> + +<p>"Pretty hard work to keep on—eh, sonny?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the boy, as the wagon jolted over a rock, bouncing him +high in air, and he, by strenuous efforts, barely succeeded in alighting +on the seat again, "it is pretty hard work; an' my name's Toby Tyler."</p> + +<p>Toby heard a queer sound that seemed to come from the man's throat, and +for a few moments he feared that his companion was choking. But he soon +understood that this was simply an attempt to laugh, and he at once +decided that it was a very poor style of laughing.</p> + +<p>"So you object to being called sonny, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd rather be called Toby, for, you see, that's my name."</p> + +<p>"All right, my boy; we'll call you Toby. I suppose you thought it was a +mighty fine thing to run away an' jine a circus, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>Toby started in affright, looked around cautiously, and then tried to +peer down through the small square aperture, guarded by iron rods, that +opened into the cage just back<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> of the seat they were sitting on. Then +he turned slowly around to the driver, and asked, in a voice sunk to a +whisper, "How did you know that I was runnin' away? Did he tell you?" +and Toby motioned with his thumb as if he were pointing out some one +behind him.</p> + +<p>It was the driver's turn now to look around in search of the "he" +referred to by Toby.</p> + +<p>"Who do you mean?" asked the man, impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Why, the old feller; the one in the cart there. I think he knew I was +runnin' away, though he didn't say anything about it; but he looked just +as if he did."</p> + +<p>The driver looked at Toby in perfect amazement for a moment, and then, +as if suddenly understanding the boy, relapsed into one of those +convulsive efforts that caused the blood to rush up into his face, and +gave him every appearance of having a fit.</p> + +<p>"You must mean one of the monkeys," said the driver, after he had +recovered his breath, which had been almost shaken out of his body by +the silent laughter. "So you thought a monkey had told me what any fool +could have seen if he had watched you for five minutes."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Toby, slowly, as if he feared he might provoke one of those +terrible laughing spells again, "I saw him to-night, an' he looked as if +he knew what I was doin'; so I up an' told him, an' I didn't know but +he'd told<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> you, though he didn't look to me like a feller that would be +mean."</p> + +<p>There was another internal shaking on the part of the driver, which Toby +did not fear so much, since he was getting accustomed to it, and then +the man said, "Well, you are the queerest little cove I ever saw."</p> + +<p>"I s'pose I am," was the reply, accompanied by a long-drawn sigh. "I +don't seem to amount to so much as the other fellers do, an' I guess +it's because I'm always hungry; you see, I eat awful, Uncle Dan'l says."</p> + +<p>The only reply which the driver made to this plaintive confession was to +put his hand down into the deepest recesses of one of his deep pockets, +and to draw therefrom a huge doughnut, which he handed to his companion.</p> + +<p>Toby was so much at his ease by this time that the appetite which had +failed him at supper had now returned in full force, and he devoured the +doughnut in a most ravenous manner.</p> + +<p>"You're too small to eat so fast," said the man, in a warning tone, as +the last morsel of the greasy sweetness disappeared, and he fished up +another for the boy. "Some time you'll get hold of one of the +India-rubber doughnuts that they feed to circus people, an' choke +yourself to death."</p> + +<p>Toby shook his head, and devoured this second cake as quickly as he had +the first, craning his neck, and uttering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> a funny little squeak as the +last bit went down, just as a chicken does when he gets too large a +mouthful of dough.</p> + +<p>"I'll never choke," he said, confidently: "I'm used to it; and Uncle +Dan'l says I could eat a pair of boots an' never wink at 'em; but I +don't just believe that."</p> + +<p>As the driver made no reply to this remark Toby curled himself up on one +corner of the seat, and watched with no little interest all that was +passing on around him. Each of the wagons had a lantern fastened to the +hind axle, and these lights could be seen far ahead on the road, as if a +party of fire-flies had started in single file on an excursion. The +trees by the side of the road stood out weird and ghostly-looking in the +darkness, and the rumble of the carts ahead and behind formed a musical +accompaniment to the picture that sounded strangely doleful.</p> + +<p>Mile after mile was passed over in perfect silence, save now and then +when the driver would whistle a few bars of some very dismal tune that +would fairly make Toby shiver with its mournfulness. Eighteen miles was +the distance from Guilford to the town where the next performance of the +circus was to be given, and as Toby thought of the ride before them it +seemed as if the time would be almost interminable. He curled himself up +on one corner of the seat, and tried very hard to go to sleep; but just +as his eyes began to grow heavy the wagon would jolt over some rock or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +sink deep in some rut, till Toby, the breath very nearly shaken out of +his body, and his neck almost dislocated, would sit bolt-upright, +clinging to the seat with both hands, as if he expected each moment to +be pitched out into the mud.</p> + +<p>The driver watched him closely, and each time that he saw him shaken up +and awakened so thoroughly he would indulge in one of his silent +laughing spells, until Toby would wonder whether he would ever recover +from it. Several times had Toby been awakened, and each time he had seen +the amusement his sufferings caused, until he finally resolved to put an +end to the sport by keeping awake.</p> + +<p>"What is your name?" he asked of the driver, thinking a conversation +would be the best way to rouse himself into wakefulness.</p> + +<p>"Waal," said the driver, as he gathered the reins carefully in one hand, +and seemed to be debating in his mind how he should answer the question, +"I don't know as I know myself, it's been so long since I've heard it."</p> + +<p>Toby was wide enough awake now, as this rather singular problem was +forced upon his mind. He revolved the matter silently for some moments, +and at last he asked, "What do folks call you when they want to speak to +you?"</p> + +<p>"They always call me Old Ben, an' I've got so used to the name that I +don't need any other."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toby wanted very much to ask more questions, but he wisely concluded +that it would not be agreeable to his companion.</p> + +<p>"I'll ask the old man about it," said Toby to himself, referring to the +aged monkey, whom he seemed to feel acquainted with; "he most likely +knows, if he'll say anything." After this the conversation ceased, until +Toby again ventured to suggest, "It's a pretty long drive, hain't it?"</p> + +<p>"You want to wait till you've been in this business a year or two," said +Ben, sagely, "an' then you won't think much of it. Why, I've known the +show towns to be thirty miles apart, an' them was the times when we had +lively work of it; riding all night and working all day kind of wears on +a fellow."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I s'pose so," said Toby, with a sigh, as he wondered whether he +had got to work as hard as that; "but I s'pose you get all you want to +eat, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Now you've struck it!" said Ben, with the air of one about to impart a +world of wisdom, as he crossed one leg over the other, that his position +might be as comfortable as possible while he was initiating his young +companion into the mysteries of the life. "I've had all the boys ride +with me since I've been with this show, an' I've tried to start them +right; but they didn't seem to profit by it, an' always got sick of the +show an' run away, just because they didn't<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> look out for themselves as +they ought to. Now listen to me, Toby, an' remember what I say. You see +they put us all in a hotel together, an' some of these places where we +go don't have any too much stuff on the table. Whenever we strike a new +town you find out at the hotel what time they have the grub ready, an' +you be on hand, so's to get in with the first. Eat all you can, an' fill +your pockets."</p> + +<p>"If that's all a feller has to do to travel with a circus," said Toby, +"I'm just the one, 'cause I always used to do just that when I hadn't +any idea of bein' a circus man."</p> + +<p>"Then you'll get along all right," said Ben, as he checked the speed of +his horses, and, looking carefully ahead, said, as he guided his team to +one side of the road, "This is as far as we're going to-night."</p> + +<p>Toby learned that they were within a couple of miles of the town, and +that the entire procession would remain by the roadside until time to +make the grand entrée into the village, when every wagon, horse, and man +would be decked out in the most gorgeous array, as they had been when +they entered Guilford.</p> + +<p>Under Ben's direction he wrapped himself in an old horse-blanket, and +lay down on the top of the wagon; and he was so tired from the +excitement of the day and night, that he had hardly stretched out at +full length before he was fast asleep.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter IV</span>.</h2> + +<h3>THE FIRST DAY WITH THE CIRCUS.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/w.jpg" width="144" height="150" alt="W" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">When Toby awakened and looked around he could hardly realize where he +was or how he came there. As far ahead and behind on the road as he +could see the carts were drawn up on one side; men were hurrying to and +fro, orders were being shouted, and everything showed that the entry +into the town was about to be made. Directly opposite the wagon on which +he had been sleeping were the four elephants and two camels, and close +behind, contentedly munching their breakfasts, were a number of tiny +ponies. Troops of horses were being groomed and attended to; the road +was littered with saddles, flags, and general decorations, until it +seemed to Toby that there must have been a smash-up, and that he now +beheld ruins rather than systematic disorder.</p></div> + +<p>How different everything looked now, compared to the time when the +cavalcade marched into Guilford, dazzling every one with the gorgeous +display! Then the horses pranced gayly under their gaudy decorations, +the wagons<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> were bright with glass, gilt, and flags, the lumbering +elephants and awkward camels were covered with fancifully embroidered +velvets, and even the drivers of the wagons were resplendent in their +uniforms of scarlet and gold. Now, in the gray light of the early +morning, everything was changed. The horses were tired and muddy, and +wore old and dirty harness; the gilded chariots were covered with +mud-bespattered canvas, which caused them to look like the most ordinary +of market wagons; the elephants and camels looked dingy, dirty, almost +repulsive; and the drivers were only a sleepy-looking set of men, who, +in their shirt-sleeves, were getting ready for the change which would +dazzle the eyes of the inhabitants of the town.</p> + +<p>Toby descended from his lofty bed, rubbed his eyes to thoroughly awaken +himself, and under the guidance of Ben went to a little brook near by +and washed his face. He had been with the circus not quite ten hours, +but now he could not realize that it had ever seemed bright and +beautiful. He missed his comfortable bed, the quiet and cleanliness, and +the well-spread table; even although he had felt the lack of parents' +care, Uncle Daniel's home seemed the very abode of love and friendly +feeling compared to this condition, where no one appeared to care even +enough for him to scold at him. He was thoroughly homesick, and heartily +wished that he was back in his old native town.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> + +<p>While he was washing his face in the brook he saw some of the boys who +had come out from the town to catch the first glimpse of the circus, and +he saw at once that he was the object of their admiring gaze. He heard +one of the boys say, when they first discovered him,</p> + +<p>"There's one of them, an' he's only a little feller; so I'm going to +talk to him."</p> + +<p>The evident admiration which the boys had for Toby pleased him, and this +pleasure was the only drop of comfort he had had since he started. He +hoped they would come and talk with him; and, that they might have the +opportunity, he was purposely slow in making his toilet.</p> + +<p>The boys approached him shyly, as if they had their doubts whether he +was made of the same material as themselves, and when they got quite +near to him, and satisfied themselves that he was only washing his face +in much the same way that any well-regulated boy would do, the one who +had called attention to him said, half timidly, "Hello!"</p> + +<p>"Hello!" responded Toby, in a tone that was meant to invite confidence.</p> + +<p>"Do you belong to the circus?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Toby, a little doubtfully.</p> + +<p>Then the boys stared at him again as if he were one of the +strange-looking animals, and the one who had been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> the spokesman drew a +long breath of envy as he said, longingly, "My! what a nice time you +must have!"</p> + +<p>Toby remembered that only yesterday he himself had thought that boys +must have a nice time with a circus, and he now felt what a mistake that +thought was; but he concluded that he would not undeceive his new +acquaintance.</p> + +<p>"And do they give you frogs to eat, so's to make you limber?"</p> + +<p>This was the first time that Toby had thought of breakfast, and the very +mention of eating made him hungry. He was just at that moment so very +hungry that he did not think he was replying to the question when he +said, quickly, "Eat frogs! I could eat anything, if I only had the +chance."</p> + +<p>The boys took this as an answer to their question, and felt perfectly +convinced that the agility of circus riders and tumblers depended upon +the quantity of frogs eaten, and they looked upon Toby with no little +degree of awe.</p> + +<p>Toby might have undeceived them as to the kind of food he ate, but just +at that moment the harsh voice of Mr. Job Lord was heard calling him, +and he hurried away to commence his first day's work.</p> + +<p>Toby's employer was not the same pleasant, kindly-spoken man that he had +been during the time they were in Guilford, and before the boy was +absolutely under his control.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> He looked cross, he acted cross, and it +did not take the boy very long to find out that he was very cross.</p> + +<p>He scolded Toby roundly, and launched more oaths at his defenceless head +than Toby had ever heard in his life. He was angry that the boy had not +been on hand to help him, and also that he had been obliged to hunt for +him.</p> + +<p>Toby tried to explain that he had no idea of what he was expected to do, +and that he had been on the wagon to which he had been sent, only +leaving it to wash his face; but the angry man grew still more furious.</p> + +<p>"Went to wash your face, did yer? Want to set yourself up for a dandy, I +suppose, and think that you must souse that speckled face of yours into +every brook you come to? I'll soon break you of that; and the sooner you +understand that I can't afford to have you wasting your time in washing, +the better it will be for you."</p> + +<p>Toby now grew angry, and not realizing how wholly he was in the man's +power, he retorted, "If you think I'm going round with a dirty face, +even if it is speckled, for a dollar a week, you're mistaken, that's +all. How many folks would eat your candy if they knew you handled it +over before you washed your hands?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 511px;"> +<img src="images/i010.jpg" width="511" height="650" alt="OLD BEN COMES TO THE RESCUE." title="" /> +<span class="caption">OLD BEN COMES TO THE RESCUE.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oho! I've picked up a preacher, have I? Now, I want you to understand, +my bantam, that I do all the preaching as well as the practising myself, +and this is about as quick a way as I know of to make you understand +it."</p> + +<p>As the man spoke he grasped the boy by the coat-collar with one hand, +and with the other plied a thin rubber cane with no gentle force to +every portion of Toby's body that he could reach.</p> + +<p>Every blow caused the poor boy the most intense pain; but he determined +that his tormentor should not have the satisfaction of forcing an outcry +from him, and he closed his lips so tightly that not a single sound +could escape from them.</p> + +<p>This very silence enraged the man so much that he redoubled the force +and rapidity of his blows, and it is impossible to say what might have +been the consequences had not Ben come that way just then, and changed +the aspect of affairs.</p> + +<p>"Up to your old tricks of whipping the boys, are you, Job?" he said, as +he wrested the cane from the man's hand and held him off at +arm's-length, to prevent him from doing Toby more mischief.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord struggled to release himself, and insisted that, since the boy +was in his employ, he should do with him just as he saw fit.</p> + +<p>"Now look here, Mr. Lord," said Ben as gravely as if he was delivering +some profound piece of wisdom, "I've never<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> interfered with you before; +but now I'm going to stop your game of thrashing your boy every morning +before breakfast. You just tell this youngster what you want him to do, +and if he don't do it you can discharge him. If I hear of your flogging +him, I shall attend to your case at once. You hear me?"</p> + +<p>Ben shook the now terrified candy vender much as if he had been a child, +and then released him, saying to Toby as he did so, "Now, my boy, you +attend to your business as you ought to, and I'll settle his account if +he tries the flogging game again."</p> + +<p>"You see, I don't know what there is for me to do," sobbed Toby, for the +kindly interference of Ben had made him show more feeling than Mr. +Lord's blows had done.</p> + +<p>"Tell him what he must do," said Ben, sternly.</p> + +<p>"I want him to go to work and wash the tumblers, and fix up the things +in that green box, so we can commence to sell as soon as we get into +town," snarled Mr. Lord, as he motioned toward a large green chest that +had been taken out of one of the carts, and which Toby saw was filled +with dirty glasses, spoons, knives, and other utensils such as were +necessary to carry on the business.</p> + +<p>Toby got a pail of water from the brook, hunted around and found towels +and soap, and devoted himself to his work with such industry that Mr. +Lord could not repress a grunt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> of satisfaction as he passed him, +however angry he felt because he could not administer the whipping which +would have smoothed his ruffled temper.</p> + +<p>By the time the procession was ready to start for the town Toby had as +much of his work done as he could find that it was necessary to do, and +his master, in his surly way, half acknowledged that this last boy of +his was better than any he had had before.</p> + +<p>Although Toby had done his work so well he was far from feeling happy; +he was both angry and sad as he thought of the cruel blows that had been +inflicted, and he had plenty of leisure to repent of the rash step he +had taken, although he could not see very clearly how he was to get away +from it. He thought that he could not go back to Guilford, for Uncle +Daniel would not allow him to come to his house again; and the hot +scalding tears ran down his cheeks as he realized that he was homeless +and friendless in this great big world.</p> + +<p>It was while he was in this frame of mind that the procession, all gaudy +with flags, streamers, and banners, entered the town. Under different +circumstances this would have been a most delightful day for him, for +the entrance of a circus into Guilford had always been a source of one +day's solid enjoyment; but now he was the most disconsolate and unhappy +boy in all that crowd.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p> + +<p>He did not ride throughout the entire route of the procession, for Mr. +Lord was anxious to begin business, and the moment the tenting ground +was reached the wagon containing Mr. Lord's goods was driven into the +enclosure, and Toby's day's work began.</p> + +<p>He was obliged to bring water, to cut up the lemons, fetch and carry +fruit from the booth in the big tent to the booth on the outside, until +he was ready to drop with fatigue, and having had no time for breakfast, +was nearly famished.</p> + +<p>It was quite noon before he was permitted to go to the hotel for +something to eat, and then Ben's advice to be one of the first to get to +the tables was not needed.</p> + +<p>In the eating line that day he astonished the servants, the members of +the company, and even himself, and by the time he arose from the table, +with both pockets and his stomach full to bursting, the tables had been +set and cleared away twice while he was making one meal.</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess you didn't hurry yourself much," said Mr. Lord, when Toby +returned to the circus ground.</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, I did," was Toby's innocent reply: "I ate just as fast as I +could;" and a satisfied smile stole over the boy's face as he thought of +the amount of solid food he had consumed.</p> + +<p>The answer was not one which was calculated to make Mr. Lord feel any +more agreeably disposed toward his new<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> clerk, and he showed his +ill-temper very plainly as he said, "It must take a good deal to satisfy +you."</p> + +<p>"I s'pose it does," calmly replied Toby. "Sam Merrill used to say that I +took after Aunt Olive and Uncle Dan'l, one ate a good while, an' the +other ate awful fast."</p> + +<p>Toby could not understand what it was that Mr. Lord said in reply, but +he could understand that his employer was angry at somebody or +something, and he tried unusually hard to please him. He talked to the +boys who had gathered around, to induce them to buy, washed the glasses +as fast as they were used, tried to keep off the flies, and in every way +he could think of endeavored to please his master.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter V.</span></h2> + +<h3>THE COUNTERFEIT TEN-CENT PIECE.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/w.jpg" width="144" height="150" alt="W" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">When the doors of the big tent were opened, and the people began to +crowd in, just as Toby had seen them do at Guilford, Mr. Lord announced +to his young clerk that it was time for him to go into the tent to work. +Then it was that Toby learned for the first time that he had two masters +instead of one, and this knowledge caused him no little uneasiness. If +the other one was anything like Mr. Lord, his lot would be just twice as +bad, and he began to wonder whether he could even stand it one day +longer.</p></div> + +<p>As the boy passed through the tent on his way to the candy stand, where +he was really to enter upon the duties for which he had run away from +home, he wanted to stop for a moment and speak with the old monkey who +he thought had taken such an interest in him. But when he reached the +cage in which his friend was confined, there was such a crowd around it +that it was impossible for him to get near enough to speak without being +overheard.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p> + +<p>This was such a disappointment to the little fellow that the big tears +came into his eyes, and in another instant would have gone rolling down +his cheeks if his aged friend had not chanced to look toward him. Toby +fancied that the monkey looked at him in the most friendly way, and then +he was certain that he winked one eye. Toby felt that there was no +mistake about that wink, and it seemed as if it was intended to convey +comfort to him in his troubles. He winked back at the monkey in the most +emphatic and grave manner possible, and then went on his way, feeling +wonderfully comforted.</p> + +<p>The work inside the tent was far different and much harder than it was +outside. He was obliged to carry around among the audience trays of +candy, nuts, and lemonade for sale, and he was also expected to cry +aloud the description of that which he offered. The partner of Mr. Lord, +who had charge of the stand inside the tent, showed himself to be +neither better nor worse than Mr. Lord himself. When Toby first +presented himself for work he handed him a tray filled with glasses of +lemonade, and told him to go among the audience, crying, "Here's your +nice cold lemonade, only five cents a glass!"</p> + +<p>Toby started to do as he was bidden; but when he tried to repeat the +words in anything like a loud tone of voice they stuck in his throat, +and he found it next to impossible<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> to utter a sound above a whisper. It +seemed to him that every one in the audience was looking only at him, +and the very sound of his own voice made him afraid.</p> + +<p>He went entirely around the tent once without making a sale, and when he +returned to the stand he was at once convinced that one of his masters +was quite as bad as the other. This one—and he knew that his name was +Jacobs, for he heard some one call him so—very kindly told him that he +would break every bone in his body if he didn't sell something, and Toby +confidently believed that he would carry out his threat.</p> + +<p>It was with a very heavy heart that he started around again in obedience +to Mr. Jacobs's angry command; but this time he did manage to cry out, +in a very thin and very squeaky voice, the words which he had been told +to repeat.</p> + +<p>This time—perhaps owing to his pitiful and imploring look, certainly +not because of the noise he made—he met with very good luck, and sold +every glass of the mixture which Messrs. Lord and Jacobs called +lemonade, and went back to the stand for more.</p> + +<p>He certainly thought he had earned a word of praise, and fully expected +it as he put the empty glasses and money on the stand in front of Mr. +Jacobs. But, instead of the kind words, he was greeted with a volley of +curses; and the reason for it was that he had taken in payment for two +of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> glasses a lead ten-cent piece. Mr. Jacobs, after scolding poor +little Toby to his heart's content, vowed that the amount should be kept +from his first week's wages, and then handed back the coin, with orders +to give it to the first man who gave him money to change, under the +penalty of a severe flogging if he failed to do so.</p> + +<p>Poor Toby tried to explain matters by saying, "You see, I don't know +anything about money; I never had more'n a cent at a time, an' you +mustn't expect me to get posted all at once."</p> + +<p>"I'll post you with a stick if you do it again; an' it won't be well for +you if you bring that ten-cent piece back here!"</p> + +<p>Now, Toby was very well aware that to pass the coin, knowing it to be +bad, would be a crime, and he resolved to take the consequences of which +Mr. Jacobs had intimated, if he could not find the one who had given him +the counterfeit, and persuade him to give him good money in its stead. +He remembered very plainly where he had sold each glass of lemonade, and +he retraced his steps, glancing at each face carefully as he passed. At +last he was confident that he saw the man who had gotten him into such +trouble, and he climbed up the board seats, saying, as he stood in front +of him and held out the coin, "Mister, this money that you gave me is +bad. Won't you give me an other one for it?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> + +<p>The man was a rough-looking party who had taken his girl to the circus, +and who did not seem at all disposed to pay any heed to Toby's request. +Therefore he repeated it, and this time more loudly.</p> + +<p>"Get out the way!" said the man, angrily. "How can you expect me to see +the show if you stand right in front of me?"</p> + +<p>"You'll like it better," said Toby, earnestly, "if you give me another +ten-cent piece."</p> + +<p>"Get out, an' don't bother me!" was the angry rejoinder; and the little +fellow began to think that perhaps he would be obliged to "get out" +without getting his money.</p> + +<p>It was becoming a desperate case, for the man was growing angry very +fast, and if Toby did not succeed in getting good money for the bad, he +would have to take the consequences of which Mr. Jacobs had spoken.</p> + +<p>"Please, mister," he said, imploringly—for his heart began to grow very +heavy, and he was fearing that he should not succeed—"won't you please +give me the money back? You know you gave it to me, an' I'll have to pay +it if you don't."</p> + +<p>The boy's lip was quivering, and those around began to be interested in +the affair, while several in the immediate vicinity gave vent to their +indignation that a man should try to cheat a boy out of ten cents by +giving him counterfeit money.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 537px;"> +<img src="images/i012.jpg" width="537" height="650" alt=""WON'T YOU PLEASE GIVE ME THE MONEY BACK?"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"WON'T YOU PLEASE GIVE ME THE MONEY BACK?"</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p> + +<p>The man whom Toby was speaking to was about to dismiss him with an angry +reply, when he saw that those about him were not only interested in the +matter, but were evidently taking sides with the boy against him; and +knowing well that he had given the counterfeit money, he took another +coin from his pocket, and handing it to Toby, said, "I didn't give you +the lead piece; but you're making such a fuss about it that here's ten +cents to make you keep quiet."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure you did give me the money," said Toby, as he took the extended +coin, "an' I'm much obliged to you for takin' it back. I didn't want to +tell you before, 'cause you'd thought I was beggin'; but if you hadn't +given me this, I 'xpect I'd have got an awful whippin', for Mr. Jacobs +said he'd fix me if I didn't get the money for it."</p> + +<p>The man looked sheepish enough as he put the bad money in his pocket, +and Toby's innocently told story caused such a feeling in his behalf +among those who sat near that he not only disposed of his entire stock +then and there, but received from one gentleman twenty-five cents for +himself. He was both proud and happy as he returned to Mr. Jacobs with +empty glasses, and with the money to refund the amount of loss which +would have been caused by the counterfeit.</p> + +<p>But the worthy partner of Mr. Lord's candy business had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> no words of +encouragement for the boy who was trying so hard to please.</p> + +<p>"Let that make you keep your eyes open," he growled out, sulkily; "an' +if you get caught in that trap again, you won't be let off so easy."</p> + +<p>Poor little Toby! his heart seemed ready to break; but his few hours' +previous experience had taught him that there was but one thing to do, +and that was to work just as hard as possible, trusting to some good +fortune to enable him to get out of the very disagreeable position in +which he had voluntarily placed himself.</p> + +<p>He took the basket of candy that Mr. Jacobs handed him, and trudged +around the circle of seats, selling far more because of the pitifulness +of his face than because of the excellence of his goods; and even this +worked to his disadvantage. Mr. Jacobs was keen enough to see why his +little clerk sold so many goods, and each time that he returned to the +stand he said something to him in an angry tone, which had the effect of +deepening the shadow on the boy's face and at the same time increasing +trade.</p> + +<p>By the time the performance was over Toby had in his pocket a dollar and +twenty-five cents which had been given him for himself by some of the +kind-hearted in the audience, and he kept his hand almost constantly +upon it, for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> the money seemed to him like some kind friend who would +help him out of his present difficulties.</p> + +<p>After the audience had dispersed, Mr. Jacobs set Toby at work washing +the glasses and clearing up generally, and then, the boy started toward +the other portion of the store—that watched over by Mr. Lord. Not a +person save the watchmen was in the tent, and as Toby went toward the +door he saw his friend the monkey sitting in one corner of the cage, and +apparently watching his every movement.</p> + +<p>It was as if he had suddenly seen one of the boys from home, and Toby, +uttering an exclamation of delight, ran up to the cage and put his hand +through the wires.</p> + +<p>The monkey, in the gravest possible manner, took one of the fingers in +his paw, and Toby shook hands with him very earnestly,</p> + +<p>"I was sorry that I couldn't speak to you when I went in this noon," +said Toby, as if making an apology; "but, you see, there were so many +around here to see you that I couldn't get the chance. Did you see me +wink at you?"</p> + +<p>The monkey made no reply, but he twisted his face into such a funny +little grimace that Toby was quite as well satisfied as if he had +spoken.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if you hain't some relation to Steve Stubbs?" Toby continued, +earnestly, "for you look just like him, only he don't have quite so many +whiskers. What I wanted to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> say was, that I'm awful sorry I run away. I +used to think that Uncle Dan'l was bad enough; but he was just a perfect +good Samarathon to what Mr. Lord an' Mr. Jacobs are; an' when Mr. Lord +looks at me with that crooked eye of his, I feel it 'way down in my +boots. Do you know"—and here Toby put his mouth nearer to the monkey's +head and whispered—"I'd run away from this circus if I could get the +chance; wouldn't you?"</p> + +<p>Just at this point, as if in answer to the question, the monkey stood up +on his hind-feet, and reached out his paw to the boy, who seemed to +think this was his way of being more emphatic in saying "Yes."</p> + +<p>Toby took the paw in his hand, shook it again earnestly, and said, as he +released it, "I was pretty sure you felt just about the same way I did, +Mr. Stubbs, when I passed you this noon. Look here"—and Toby took the +money from his pocket which had been given him—"I got all that this +afternoon, an' I'll try an' stick it out somehow till I get as much as +ten dollars, an' then we'll run away some night, an' go 'way off as far +as—as—as out West; an' we'll stay there too."</p> + +<p>The monkey, probably tired with remaining in one position so long, +started toward the top of the cage, chattering and screaming, joining +the other monkeys, who had gathered in a little group in one of the +swings.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now see here, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, in alarm, "you mustn't go to +telling everybody about it, or Mr. Lord will know, an' then we'll be +dished, sure."</p> + +<p>The monkey sat quietly in the swing, as if he felt reproved by what the +boy had said; and Toby, considerably relieved by his silence, said, as +he started toward the door, "That's right—mum's the word; you keep +quiet, an' so will I, an' pretty soon we'll get away from the whole +crowd."</p> + +<p>All the monkeys chattered; and Toby, believing that everything which he +had said had been understood by the animals, went out of the door to +meet his other taskmaster<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter VI.</span></h2> + +<h3>A TENDER-HEARTED SKELETON.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> + +<img src="images/n.jpg" width="135" height="150" alt="N" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">"Now, then, lazy-bones," was Mr. Lord's warning cry as Toby came out of +the tent, "if you've fooled away enough of your time, you can come here +an' tend shop for me while I go to supper. You crammed yourself this +noon, an' it'll teach you a good lesson to make you go without anything +to eat to-night; it'll make you move round more lively in future."</p></div> + +<p>Instead of becoming accustomed to such treatment as he was receiving +from his employers, Toby's heart grew more tender with each brutal word, +and this last punishment—that of losing his supper—caused the poor boy +more sorrow than blows would. Mr. Lord started for the hotel as he +concluded his cruel speech; and poor little Toby, going behind the +counter, leaned his head upon the rough boards and cried as if his heart +would break.</p> + +<p>All the fancied brightness and pleasure of a circus life had vanished, +and in its place was the bitterness of remorse that he had repaid Uncle +Daniel's kindness by the ingratitude<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> of running away. Toby thought that +if he could only nestle his little red head on the pillows of his little +bed in that rough room at Uncle Daniel's, he would be the happiest and +best boy, in the future, in all the great wide world.</p> + +<p>While he was still sobbing away at a most furious rate he heard a voice +close at his elbow, and, looking up, saw the thinnest man he had ever +seen in all his life. The man had flesh-colored tights on, and a +spangled red velvet garment—that was neither pants, because there were +no legs to it, nor a coat, because it did not come above his waist—made +up the remainder of his costume. Because he was so wonderfully thin, +because of the costume which he wore, and because of a highly colored +painting which was hanging in front of one of the small tents, Toby knew +that the Living Skeleton was before him, and his big brown eyes opened +all the wider as he gazed at him.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter, little fellow?" asked the man, in a kindly tone. +"What makes you cry so? Has Job been up to his old tricks again?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know what his old tricks are"—and Toby sobbed, the tears +coming again because of the sympathy which this man's voice expressed +for him—"but I know that he's a mean, ugly thing—that's what I know; +an' if I could only get back to Uncle Dan'l, there hain't elephants +enough in all the circuses in the world to pull me away again."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, you run away from home, did you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I did," sobbed Toby, "an' there hain't any boy in any +Sunday-school book that ever I read that was half so sorry he'd been bad +as I am. It's awful; an' now I can't have any supper, 'cause I stopped +to talk with Mr. Stubbs."</p> + +<p>"Is Mr. Stubbs one of your friends?" asked the skeleton as he seated +himself in Mr. Lord's own private chair.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he is, an' he's the only one in this whole circus who 'pears to be +sorry for me. You'd better not let Mr. Lord see you sittin' in that +chair, or he'll raise a row."</p> + +<p>"Job won't raise any row with me," said the skeleton. "But who is this +Mr. Stubbs? I don't seem to know anybody by that name."</p> + +<p>"I don't think that is his name. I only call him so, 'cause he looks so +much like a feller I know who is named Stubbs."</p> + +<p>This satisfied the skeleton that this Mr. Stubbs must be some one +attached to the show, and he asked,</p> + +<p>"Has Job been whipping you?"</p> + +<p>"No; Ben, the driver on the wagon where I ride, told him not to do that +again; but he hain't going to let me have any supper, 'cause I was so +slow about my work—though I wasn't slow; I only talked to Mr. Stubbs +when there wasn't anybody round his cage."</p> + +<p>"Sam! Sam! Sam-u-el!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + +<p>This name, which was shouted twice in a quick, loud voice, and the third +time in a slow manner, ending almost in a screech, did not come from +either Toby or the skeleton, but from an enormously large woman, dressed +in a gaudy red-and-black dress, cut very short, and with low neck and an +apology for sleeves, who had just come out from the tent whereon the +picture of the Living Skeleton hung.</p> + +<p>"Samuel," she screamed again, "come inside this minute, or you'll catch +your death o' cold, an' I shall have you wheezin' around with the +phthisic all night. Come in, Sam-u-el."</p> + +<p>"That's her," said the skeleton to Toby, as he pointed his thumb in the +direction of the fat woman, but paying no attention to the outcry she +was making—"that's my wife Lilly, an' she's the Fat Woman of the show. +She's always yellin' after me that way the minute I get out for a little +fresh air, an' she's always sayin' just the same thing. Bless you, I +never have the phthisic, but she does awful; an' I s'pose 'cause she's +so large she can't feel all over her, an' thinks it's me that has it."</p> + +<p>"Is—is all that—is that your wife?" stammered Toby, in astonishment, +as he looked at the enormously fat woman who stood in the tent door, and +then at the wonderfully thin man who sat beside him.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's her," said the skeleton. "She weighs pretty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> nigh four +hundred, though of course the show cards says it's over six hundred, an' +she earns almost as much money as I do. Of course she can't get so much, +for skeletons is much scarcer than fat folks; but we make a pretty good +thing travellin' together."</p> + +<p>"Sam-u-el!" again came the cry from the fat woman, "are you never coming +in?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet, my angel," said the skeleton, placidly, as he crossed one thin +leg over the other and looked calmly at her. "Come here an' see Job's +new boy."</p> + +<p>"Your imprudence is wearin' me away so that I sha'n't be worth five +dollars a week to any circus," she said, impatiently, at the same time +coming toward the candy stand quite as rapidly as her very great size +would admit.</p> + +<p>"This is my wife Lilly—Mrs. Treat," said the skeleton, with a proud +wave of his hand, as he rose from his seat and gazed admiringly at her. +"This is my flower—my queen, Mr.—Mr.—"</p> + +<p>"Tyler," said Toby, supplying the name which the skeleton—or Mr. Treat, +as Toby now learned his name was—did not know; "Tyler is my name—Toby +Tyler."</p> + +<p>"Why, what a little chap you are!" said Mrs. Treat, paying no attention +to the awkward little bend of the head which Toby intended for a bow. +"How small he is, Samuel!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes," said the skeleton, reflectively, as he looked Toby over from head +to foot, as if he were mentally trying to calculate exactly how many +inches high he was, "he is small; but he's got all the world before him +to grow in, an' if he only eats enough—There, that reminds me. Job +isn't going to give him any supper, because he didn't work hard enough."</p> + +<p>"He won't, won't he?" exclaimed the large lady, savagely. "Oh, he's a +precious one, he is; an' some day I shall just give him a good +shakin'-up, that's what I'll do. I get all out of patience with that +man's ugliness."</p> + +<p>"An' she'll do just what she says," said the skeleton to Toby, with an +admiring shake of the head. "That woman hain't afraid of anybody, an' I +wouldn't be a bit surprised if she did give Job a pretty rough time."</p> + +<p>Toby thought, as he looked at her, that she was large enough to give +'most any one a pretty rough time, but he did not venture to say so. +While he was looking first at her, and then at her very thin husband, +the skeleton told his wife the little that he had learned regarding the +boy's history; and when he had concluded she waddled away toward her +tent.</p> + +<p>"Great woman that," said the skeleton, as he saw her disappear within +the tent.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Toby, "she's the greatest I ever saw."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I mean that she's got a great head. Now you'll see about how much she +cares for what Job says."</p> + +<p>"If I was as big as her," said Toby, with just a shade of envy in his +voice, "I wouldn't be afraid of anybody."</p> + +<p>"It hain't so much the size," said the skeleton, sagely—"it hain't so +much the size, my boy; for I can scare that woman almost to death when I +feel like it."</p> + +<p>Toby looked for a moment at Mr. Treat's thin legs and arms, and then he +said, warningly, "I wouldn't feel like it very often if I was you, Mr. +Treat, 'cause she might break some of your bones if you didn't happen to +scare her enough."</p> + +<p>"Don't fear for me, my boy—don't fear for me; you'll see how I manage +her if you stay with the circus long enough. Now, I often—"</p> + +<p>If Mr. Treat was about to confide a family secret to Toby, it was fated +that he should not hear it then, for Mrs. Treat had just come out of her +tent, carrying in her hands a large tin plate piled high with a +miscellaneous assortment of pie, cake, bread, and meat.</p> + +<p>She placed this in front of Toby, and as she did so she handed him two +pictures.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 525px;"> +<img src="images/i014.jpg" width="525" height="650" alt="TOBY GETS HIS SUPPER." title="" /> +<span class="caption">TOBY GETS HIS SUPPER.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p> + +<p>"There, little Toby Tyler," she said—"there's something for you to eat, +if Mr. Job Lord and his precious partner Jacobs did say you shouldn't +have any supper: an' I've brought you a picture of Samuel an' me. We +sell 'em for ten cents apiece, but I'm going to give them to you, +because I like the looks of you."</p> + +<p>Toby was quite overcome with the presents, and seemed at a loss how to +thank her for them. He attempted to speak, but could not get the words +out at first; and then he said, as he put the two photographs in the +same pocket with his money, "You're awful good to me, an' when I get to +be a man I'll give you lots of things. I wasn't so very hungry, if I am +such a big eater, but I did want something."</p> + +<p>"Bless your dear little heart, and you <i>shall</i> have something to eat," +said the Fat Woman, as she seized Toby, squeezed him close up to her, +and kissed his freckled face as kindly as if it had been as fair and +white as possible. "You shall eat all you want to; an' if you get the +stomach-ache, as Samuel does sometimes when he's been eatin' too much, +I'll give you some catnip-tea out of the same dipper that I give him +his. He's a great eater, Samuel is," she added, in a burst of +confidence, "an' it's a wonder to me what he does with it all +sometimes."</p> + +<p>"Is he?" exclaimed Toby, quickly. "How funny that is! for I'm an awful +eater. Why, Uncle Dan'l used to say that I ate twice as much as I ought +to, an' it never made me any bigger. I wonder what's the reason?"</p> + +<p>"I declare I don't know," said the Fat Woman, thoughtfully,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> "an' I've +wondered at it time an' time again. Some folks is made that way, an' +some folks is made different. Now, I don't eat enough to keep a chicken +alive, an' yet I grow fatter an' fatter every day—don't I, Samuel?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed you do, my love," said the skeleton, with a world of pride in +his voice; "but you mustn't feel bad about it, for every pound you gain +makes you worth just so much more to the show."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I wasn't worryin', I was only wonderin'. But we must go, Samuel, +for the poor child won't eat a bit while we are here. After you've eaten +what there is there, bring the plate in to me," she said to Toby, as she +took her lean husband by the arm and walked him off toward their own +tent.</p> + +<p>Toby gazed after them a moment, and then he commenced a vigorous attack +upon the eatables which had been so kindly given him. Of the food which +he had taken from the dinner-table he had eaten some while he was in the +tent, and after that he had entirely forgotten that he had any in his +pocket; therefore, at the time that Mrs. Treat had brought him such a +liberal supply he was really very hungry.</p> + +<p>He succeeded in eating nearly all the food which had been brought to +him, and the very small quantity which remained he readily found room +for in his pockets. Then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> he washed the plate nicely; and seeing no one +in sight, he thought he could leave the booth long enough to return the +plate.</p> + +<p>He ran with it quickly into the tent occupied by the thin man and fat +woman, and handed it to her, with a profusion of thanks for her +kindness.</p> + +<p>"Did you eat it all?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Well," hesitated Toby, "there was two doughnuts an' a piece of pie left +over, an' I put them in my pocket. If you don't care, I'll eat them some +time to-night."</p> + +<p>"You shall eat it whenever you want to; an' any time that you get hungry +again, you come right to me."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, marm. I must go now, for I left the store all alone."</p> + +<p>"Run, then; an' if Job Lord abuses you, just let me know it, an' I'll +keep him from cuttin' up any monkey shines."</p> + +<p>Toby hardly heard the end of her sentence, so great was his haste to get +back to the booth; and just as he emerged from the tent, on a quick run, +he received a blow on the ear which sent him sprawling in the dust, and +he heard Mr. Job Lord's angry voice as it said, "So, just the moment my +back is turned, you leave the stand to take care of itself, do you, an' +run around tryin' to plot some mischief against me, eh?" And the brute +kicked the prostrate boy twice with his heavy boot.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Please don't kick me again!" pleaded Toby. "I wasn't gone but a minute, +an' I wasn't doing anything bad."</p> + +<p>"You're lying now, an' you know it, you young cub!" exclaimed the angry +man as he advanced to kick the boy again. "I'll let you know who you've +got to deal with when you get hold of me!"</p> + +<p>"And I'll let you know who you've got to deal with when you get hold of +me!" said a woman's voice; and, just as Mr. Lord raised his foot to kick +the boy again, the Fat Woman seized him by the collar, jerked him back +over one of the tent ropes, and left him quite as prostrate as he had +left Toby. "Now, Job Lord," said the angry woman, as she towered above +the thoroughly enraged but thoroughly frightened man, "I want you to +understand that you can't knock and beat this boy while I'm around. I've +seen enough of your capers, an' I'm going to put a stop to them. That +boy wasn't in this tent more than two minutes, an' he attends to his +work better than any one you have ever had; so see that you treat him +decent. Get up," she said to Toby, who had not dared to rise from the +ground; "and if he offers to strike you again, come to me."</p> + +<p>Toby scrambled to his feet, and ran to the booth in time to attend to +one or two customers who had just come up. He could see from out the +corner of his eye that Mr. Lord had arisen to his feet also, and was +engaged in an angry conversation with Mrs. Treat, the result of which he +very much feared would be another and a worse whipping for him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 540px;"> +<img src="images/i015.jpg" width="540" height="650" alt="JOB LORD LEARNS A LESSON." title="" /> +<span class="caption">JOB LORD LEARNS A LESSON.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + +<p>But in this he was mistaken, for Mr. Lord, after the conversation was +ended, came toward the booth, and began to attend to his business +without speaking one word to Toby. When Mr. Jacobs returned from his +supper Mr. Lord took him by the arm and walked him out toward the rear +of the tents; and Toby was very positive that he was to be the subject +of their conversation, which made him not a little uneasy.</p> + +<p>It was not until nearly time for the performance to begin that Mr. Lord +returned, and he had nothing to say to Toby save to tell him to go into +the tent and begin his work there. The boy was only too glad to escape +so easily, and he went to his work with as much alacrity as if he were +about entering upon some pleasure.</p> + +<p>When he met Mr. Jacobs that gentleman spoke to him very sharply about +being late, and seemed to think it no excuse at all that he had just +been relieved from the outside work by Mr. Lord.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter VII.</span></h2> + +<h3>AN ACCIDENT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.</h3> +<div class="drop"> + +<img src="images/t.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="T" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_3">Toby's experience in the evening was very similar to that of the +afternoon, save that he was so fortunate as not to take any more bad +money in payment for his goods. Mr. Jacobs scolded and swore +alternately, and the boy really surprised him by his way of selling +goods, though he was very careful not to say anything about it, but made +Toby believe that he was doing only about half as much work as he ought +to do. Toby's private hoard of money was increased that evening, by +presents, ninety cents, and he began to look upon himself as almost a +rich man.</p></div> + +<p>When the performance was nearly over Mr. Jacobs called to him to help in +packing up; and by the time the last spectator had left the tent the +worldly possessions of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs were ready for removal, +and Toby allowed to do as he had a mind to, so long as he was careful to +be on hand when Old Ben was ready to start.</p> + +<p>Toby thought that he would have time to pay a visit to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> his friends the +skeleton and the Fat Woman, and to that end started toward the place +where their tent had been standing; but to his sorrow he found that it +was already being taken down, and he had only time to thank Mrs. Treat +and to press the fleshless hand of her shadowy husband as they entered +their wagon to drive away.</p> + +<p>He was disappointed, for he had hoped to be able to speak with his +new-made friends a few moments before the weary night's ride commenced; +but, failing in that, he went hastily back to the monkeys' cage. Old Ben +was there, getting things ready for a start; but the wooden sides of the +cage had not been put up, and Toby had no difficulty in calling the aged +monkey up to the bars. He held one of the Fat Woman's doughnuts in his +hand, and said, as he passed it through to the animal,</p> + +<p>"I thought perhaps you might be hungry, Mr. Stubbs, and this is some of +what the skeleton's wife give me. I hain't got very much time to talk +with you now; but the first chance I can get away to-morrow, an' when +there hain't anybody 'round, I want to tell you something."</p> + +<p>The monkey had taken the doughnut in his hand-like paws, and was tearing +it to pieces, eating small portions of it very rapidly.</p> + +<p>"Don't hurry yourself," said Toby, warningly, "for Uncle Dan'l always +told me the worst thing a feller could do<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> was to eat fast. If you want +any more, after we start, just put your hand through the little hole up +there near the seat, an' I'll give you all you want."</p> + +<p>From the look on his face Toby confidently believed the monkey was about +to make some reply; but just then Ben shut up the sides, separating Toby +and Mr. Stubbs, and the order was given to start.</p> + +<p>Toby clambered up on to the high seat, Ben followed him, and in another +instant the team was moving along slowly down the dusty road, preceded +and followed by the many wagons, with their tiny swinging lights.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Ben, when he had got his team well under way, and felt that +he could indulge in a little conversation, "how did you get along +to-day?"</p> + +<p>Toby related all of his movements, and gave the driver a faithful +account of all that had happened to him, concluding his story by saying, +"That was one of Mrs. Treat's doughnuts that I just gave to Mr. Stubbs."</p> + +<p>"To whom?" asked Ben, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"To Mr. Stubbs—the old fellow here in the cart, you know, that's been +so good to me."</p> + +<p>Toby heard a sort of gurgling sound, saw the driver's body sway back and +forth in a trembling way, and was just becoming thoroughly alarmed, when +he thought of the previous night, and understood that Ben was only +laughing in his own peculiar way.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<p>"How did you know his name was Stubbs?" asked Ben, after he had +recovered his breath.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know that that is his real name," was the quick reply; "I +only call him that because he looks so much like a feller with that name +that I knew at home. He don't seem to mind because I call him Stubbs."</p> + +<p>Ben looked at Toby earnestly for a moment, acting all the time as if he +wanted to laugh again, but didn't dare to, for fear he might burst a +blood-vessel; and then he said, as he patted him on the shoulder, "Well, +you are the queerest little fish that I ever saw in all my travels. You +seem to think that that monkey knows all you say to him."</p> + +<p>"I'm sure he does," said Toby, positively. "He don't say anything right +out to me, but he knows everything I tell him. Do you suppose he could +talk if he tried to?"</p> + +<p>"Look here, Mr. Toby Tyler"—and Ben turned half around in his seat and +looked Toby full in the face, so as to give more emphasis to his +words—"are you heathen enough to think that that monkey could talk if +he wanted to?"</p> + +<p>"I know I hain't a heathen," said Toby, thoughtfully, "for if I had been +some of the missionaries would have found me out a good while ago; but I +never saw anybody like this old Mr. Stubbs before, an' I thought he +could talk if he wanted to, just as the Living Skeleton does, or his +wife. Anyhow, Mr. Stubbs winks at me; an' how<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> could he do that if he +didn't know what I've been sayin' to him?"</p> + +<p>"Look here, my son," said Ben, in a most fatherly fashion, "monkeys +hain't anything but beasts, an' they don't know how to talk any more +than they know what you say to 'em."</p> + +<p>"Didn't you ever hear any of them speak a word?"</p> + +<p>"Never. I've been in a circus, man an' boy, nigh on to forty years, an' +I never seen nothin' in a monkey more'n any other beast, except their +awful mischiefness."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Toby, still unconvinced, "I believe Mr. Stubbs knows what I +say to him, anyway."</p> + +<p>"Now don't be foolish, Toby," pleaded Ben. "You can't show me one thing +that a monkey ever did because you told him to."</p> + +<p>Just at that moment Toby felt some one pulling at the back of his coat, +and looking round he saw it was a little brown hand, reaching through +the bars of the air-hole of the cage, that was tugging away at his coat.</p> + +<p>"There!" he said, triumphantly, to Ben. "Look there! I told Mr. Stubbs +if he wanted anything more to eat, to tell me, an' I would give it to +him. Now you can see for yourself that he's come for it." And Toby took +a doughnut from his pocket and put it into the tiny hand, which was +immediately withdrawn. "Now what do you think of Mr. Stubbs knowing what +I say to him?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + +<p>"They often stick their paws up through there," said Ben, in a +matter-of-fact tone. "I've had 'em pull my coat in the night till they +made me as nervous as ever any old woman was. You see, Toby, my boy, +monkeys is monkeys; an' you mustn't go to gettin' the idea that they're +anything else, for it's a mistake. You think this old monkey in here +knows what you say? Why, that's just the cuteness of the old fellow: he +watches you to see if he can't do just as you do, an' that's all there +is about it."</p> + +<p>Toby was more than half convinced that Ben was putting the matter in its +proper light, and he would have believed all that had been said if, just +at that moment, he had not seen that brown hand reaching through the +hole to clutch him again by the coat.</p> + +<p>The action seemed so natural, so like a hungry boy who gropes in the +dark pantry for something to eat, that it would have taken more +arguments than Ben had at his disposal to persuade Toby that his Mr. +Stubbs could not understand all that was said to him. Toby put another +doughnut in the outstretched hand, and then sat silently, as if in a +brown-study over some difficult problem.</p> + +<p>For some time the ride was continued in silence. Ben was going through +all the motions of whistling without uttering a sound—a favorite +amusement of his—and Toby's thoughts were far away in the humble home +he had scorned,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> with Uncle Daniel, whose virtues had increased in his +esteem with every mile of distance which had been put between them, and +whose faults had decreased in a corresponding ratio.</p> + +<p>Toby's thoughtfulness had made him sleepy, and his eyes were almost +closed in slumber, when he was startled by a crashing sound, was +conscious of a feeling of being hurled from his seat by some great +force, and then he lay senseless by the side of the road, while the +wagon became a perfect wreck, from out of which a small army of monkeys +was escaping. Ben's experienced ear had told him at the first crash that +his wagon was breaking down, and, without having time to warn Toby of +his peril, he had leaped clear of the wreck, keeping his horses under +perfect control, and thus averting more trouble. It was the breaking of +one of the axles which Toby had heard just before he was thrown from his +seat, and when the body of the wagon came down upon the hard road.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 497px;"> +<img src="images/i017.jpg" width="497" height="500" alt="THE BREAK-DOWN, AND ESCAPE OF THE MONKEYS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE BREAK-DOWN, AND ESCAPE OF THE MONKEYS.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> + +<p>The monkeys, thus suddenly released from confinement, had scampered off +in every direction, and by a singular chance Toby's aged friend started +for the woods in such a direction as to bring him directly before the +boy's insensible form. The monkey, on coming up to Toby, stopped, urged +by the well-known curiosity of its race, and began to examine the boy's +person carefully, prying into pockets and trying to open the boy's +half-closed eyelids. Fortunately for Toby, he had fallen upon a +mud-bank, and was only stunned for the moment, having received no +serious bruises. The attentions bestowed upon him by the monkey served +the purpose of bringing him to his senses; and, after he had looked +around him in the gray light of the coming morning, it would have taken +far more of a philosopher than Old Ben was to persuade the boy that +monkeys did not possess reasoning faculties.</p> + +<p>The monkey was busy at Toby's ears, nose, and mouth, as monkeys will do +when they get an opportunity, and the expression of its face was as +grave as possible. Toby firmly believed that the monkey's face showed +sorrow at his fall, and he imagined that the attentions which were +bestowed upon him were for the purpose of learning whether he had been +injured or not.</p> + +<p>"Don't worry, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, anxious to reassure his friend, as +he sat upright and looked about him. "I didn't get hurt any; but I would +like to know how I got 'way over here."</p> + +<p>It really seemed as if the monkey was pleased to know that his little +friend was not hurt, for he seated himself on his haunches, and his face +expressed the liveliest pleasure that Toby was well again—or at least +that was how the boy interpreted the look.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> + +<p>By this time the news of the accident had been shouted ahead from one +team to the other, and all hands were hurrying to the scene for the +purpose of rendering aid. As Toby saw them coming he also saw a number +of small forms, looking something like diminutive men, hurrying past +him, and for the first time he understood how it was that the aged +monkey was at liberty, and knew that those little dusky forms were the +other occupants of the cage escaping to the woods.</p> + +<p>"See there, Mr. Stubbs! see there!" he exclaimed, pointing toward the +fugitives; "they're all going off into the woods! What shall we do?"</p> + +<p>The sight of the runaways seemed to excite the old monkey quite as much +as it did the boy. He sprung to his feet, chattering in the most excited +way, screamed two or three times, as if he were calling them back, and +then started off in vigorous pursuit.</p> + +<p>"Now he's gone too!" said Toby, disconsolately, believing the old fellow +had run away from him. "I didn't think Mr. Stubbs would treat me this +way!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter VIII.</span></h2> + +<h3>CAPTURE OF THE MONKEYS.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> + +<img src="images/t.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="T" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_3">The boy tried to rise to his feet, but his head whirled so, and he felt +so dizzy and sick from the effects of his fall, that he was obliged to +sit down again until he should feel able to stand. Meanwhile the crowd +around the wagon paid no attention to him, and he lay there quietly +enough, until he heard the hateful voice of Mr. Lord, asking if his boy +were hurt.</p></div> + +<p>The sound of his voice affected Toby very much as the chills-and-fever +affect a sufferer, and he shook so with fear, and his heart beat so +loudly, that he thought Mr. Lord must know where he was by the sound. +Seeing, however, that his employer did not come directly toward him, the +thought flashed upon his mind that now would be a good chance to run +away, and he acted upon it at once. He rolled himself over in the mud +until he reached a low growth of fir-trees that skirted the road, and +when beneath their friendly shade he arose to his feet and walked +swiftly toward the woods, following the direction the monkeys had +taken.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p> + +<p>He no longer felt dizzy and sick: the fear of Mr. Lord had dispelled all +that, and he felt strong and active again.</p> + +<p>He had walked rapidly for some distance, and was nearly beyond the sound +of the voices in the road, when he was startled by seeing quite a +procession of figures emerge from the trees and come directly toward +him.</p> + +<p>He could not understand the meaning of this strange company, and it so +frightened him that he attempted to hide behind a tree, in the hope that +they might pass without seeing him. But no sooner had he secreted +himself than a strange, shrill chattering came from the foremost of the +group, and in an instant Toby emerged from his place of concealment.</p> + +<p>He had recognized the peculiar sound as that of the old monkey who had +left him a few moments before, and he knew now what he did not know +then, owing to the darkness. The new-comers were the monkeys that had +escaped from the cage, and had been overtaken and compelled to come back +by the old monkey, who seemed to have the most perfect control over +them.</p> + +<p>The old fellow was leading the band, and all were linked "hand-in-hand" +with each other, which gave the whole crowd a most comical appearance as +they came up to Toby, half hopping, half walking upright, and all +chattering and screaming, like a crowd of children out for a holiday.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toby stepped toward the noisy crowd, held out his hand gravely to the +old monkey, and said, in tones of heart-felt sorrow,</p> + +<p>"I felt awful bad because I thought you had gone off an' left me, when +you only went off to find the other fellows. You're awful good, Mr. +Stubbs; an' now, instead of runnin' away, as I was goin' to do, we'll +all go back together."</p> + +<p>The old monkey grasped Toby's extended hand with his disengaged paw, +and, clinging firmly to it, the whole crowd followed in unbroken line, +chattering and scolding at the most furious rate, while every now and +then Mr. Stubbs would look back and scream out something, which would +cause the confusion to cease for an instant.</p> + +<p>It was really a comical sight, but Toby seemed to think it the most +natural thing in the world that they should follow him in this manner, +and he chattered to the old monkey quite as fast as any of the others +were doing. He told him very gravely all that he knew about the +accident, explained why it was that he conceived the idea of running +away, and really believed that Mr. Stubbs understood every word he was +saying.</p> + +<p>Very shortly after Toby had started to run away the proprietor of the +circus drove up to the scene of disaster; and, after seeing that the +wagon was being rapidly fixed up so that it could be hauled to the next +town, he ordered that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> search should be made for the monkeys. It was +very important that they should be captured at once, and he appeared to +think more of the loss of the animals than of the damage done to the +wagon.</p> + +<p>While the men were forming a plan for a search for the truants, so that +in case of a capture they could let each other know, the noise made by +Toby and his party was heard, and the men stood still to learn what it +meant.</p> + +<p>The entire party burst into shouts of laughter as Toby and his +companions walked into the circle of light formed by the glare of the +lanterns, and the merriment was by no means abated at Toby's serious +demeanor. The wagon was now standing upright, with the door open, and +Toby therefore led his companions directly to it, gravely motioning them +to enter.</p> + +<p>The old monkey, instead of obeying, stepped back to Toby's side, and +screamed to the others in such a manner that they all entered the cage, +leaving him on the outside with the boy.</p> + +<p>Toby motioned him to get in too, but he clung to his hand, and scolded +so furiously, that it was apparent he had no idea of leaving his boy +companion. One of the men stepped up, and was about to force him into +the wagon, when the proprietor ordered him to stop.</p> + +<p>"What boy is that?" he asked.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 425px;"> +<img src="images/i019.jpg" width="425" height="650" alt="BRINGING BACK THE RUNAWAYS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">BRINGING BACK THE RUNAWAYS.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Job Lord's new boy," said some one in the crowd.</p> + +<p>The man asked Toby how it was that he had succeeded in capturing all the +runaways; and he answered, gravely,</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stubbs an' I are good friends, an' when he saw the others runnin' +away he just stopped 'em, an' brought 'em back to me. I wish you'd let +Mr. Stubbs ride with me; we like each other a good deal."</p> + +<p>"You can do just what you please with Mr. Stubbs, as you call him. I +expected to lose half the monkeys in that cage, and you have brought +back every one. That monkey shall be yours, and you may put him in the +cage whenever you want to, or take him with you, just as you choose, for +he belongs entirely to you."</p> + +<p>Toby's joy knew no bounds; he put his arm around the monkey's neck, and +the monkey clung firmly to him, until even Job Lord was touched at the +evidence of affection between the two.</p> + +<p>While the wagon was being repaired Toby and the monkey stood +hand-in-hand watching the work go on, while those in the cage scolded +and raved because they had been induced to return to captivity. After a +while the old monkey seated himself on Toby's arm and cuddled close up +to him, uttering now and then a contented sort of a little squeak as the +boy talked to him.</p> + +<p>That night Mr. Stubbs slept in Toby's arms, in the band<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> wagon, and both +boy and monkey appeared very well contented with their lot, which a +short time previous had seemed so hard.</p> + +<p>When Toby awakened to his second day's work with the circus his monkey +friend was seated by his side, gravely exploring his pockets, and all +the boy's treasures were being spread out on the floor of the wagon by +his side. Toby remonstrated with him on this breach of confidence, but +Mr. Stubbs was more in the mood for sport than for grave conversation, +and the more Toby talked the more mischievous did he become, until at +length the boy gathered up his little store of treasures, took the +monkey by the paw, and walked him toward the cage from which he had +escaped on the previous night.</p> + +<p>"Now, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, speaking in an injured tone, "you must go +in here and stay till I have got more time to fool with you."</p> + +<p>He opened the door of the cage, but the monkey struggled as well as he +was able, and Toby was obliged to exert all his strength to put him in.</p> + +<p>When once the door was fastened upon him Toby tried to impress upon his +monkey friend's mind the importance of being more sedate, and he was +convinced that the words had sunk deep into Mr. Stubbs's heart, for, by +the time he had concluded, the old monkey was seated in the corner of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +the cage, looking up from under his shaggy eyebrows in the most +reproachful manner possible.</p> + +<p>Toby felt sorry that he had spoken so harshly, and was about to make +amends for his severity, when Mr. Lord's gruff voice recalled him to the +fact that his time was not his own, and he therefore commenced his day's +work, but with a lighter heart than he had had since he stole away from +Uncle Daniel and Guilford.</p> + +<p>This day was not very much different from the preceding one so far as +the manner of Mr. Lord and his partner toward the boy was concerned; +they seemed to have an idea that he was doing only about half as much +work as he ought to, and both united in swearing at and abusing him as +much as possible.</p> + +<p>So far as his relations with other members of the company were +concerned, Toby now stood in a much better position than before. Those +who had witnessed the scene told the others how Toby had led in the +monkeys on the night previous, and nearly every member of the company +had a kind word for the little fellow whose head could hardly be seen +above the counter of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs's booth.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter IX.</span></h2> + +<h3>THE DINNER-PARTY.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/a.jpg" width="133" height="150" alt="A" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">At noon Toby was thoroughly tired out, for whenever any one spoke kindly +to him Mr. Lord seemed to take a malicious pleasure in giving him extra +tasks to do, until Toby began to hope that no one else would pay any +attention to him. On this day he was permitted to go to dinner first, +and after he returned he was left in charge of the booth. Trade being +dull—as it usually was during the dinner hour—he had very little work +to do after he had cleaned the glasses and set things to rights +generally.</p></div> + +<p>When, therefore, he saw the gaunt form of the skeleton emerge from his +tent and come toward him he was particularly pleased, for he had begun +to think very kindly of the thin man and his fleshy wife.</p> + +<p>"Well, Toby," said the skeleton, as he came up to the booth, carefully +dusted Mr. Lord's private chair, and sat down very cautiously in it, as +if he expected that it would break down under his weight, "I hear you've +been making<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> quite a hero of yourself by capturing the monkeys last +night."</p> + +<p>Toby's freckled face reddened with pleasure as he heard these words, and +he stammered out, with considerable difficulty, "I didn't do anything; +it was Mr. Stubbs that brought 'em back."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stubbs!" And the skeleton laughed so heartily that Toby was afraid +he would dislocate some of his thinly-covered joints. "When you was +tellin' about Mr. Stubbs yesterday I thought you meant some one +belonging to the company. You ought to have seen my wife Lilly shake +with laughing when I told her who Mr. Stubbs was!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Toby, at a loss to know just what to say, "I should think +she <i>would</i> shake when she laughs."</p> + +<p>"She does," replied the skeleton. "If you could see her when something +funny strikes her you'd think she was one of those big plates of jelly +that they have in the bake-shop windows." And Mr. Treat looked proudly +at the gaudy picture which represented his wife in all her monstrosity +of flesh. "She's a great woman, Toby, an' she's got a great head."</p> + +<p>Toby nodded his head in assent. He would have liked to have said +something nice regarding Mrs. Treat, but he really did not know what to +say, so he simply contented himself and the fond husband by nodding.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> + +<p>"She thinks a good deal of you, Toby," continued the skeleton, as he +moved his chair to a position more favorable for him to elevate his feet +on the edge of the counter, and placed his handkerchief under him as a +cushion; "she's talking of you all the time, and if you wasn't such a +little fellow I should begin to be jealous of you—I should, upon my +word."</p> + +<p>"You're—both—very—good," stammered Toby, so weighted down by a sense +of the honor heaped upon him as to be at a loss for words.</p> + +<p>"An' she wants to see more of you. She made me come out here now, when +she knew Mr. Lord would be away, to tell you that we're goin' to have a +little kind of a friendly dinner in our tent to-morrow—she's cooked it +all herself, or she's going to—and we want you to come in an' have some +with us."</p> + +<p>Toby's eyes glistened at the thought of the unexpected pleasure, and +then his face grew sad as he replied, "I'd like to come first-rate, Mr. +Treat, but I don't s'pose Mr. Lord would let me stay away from the shop +long enough."</p> + +<p>"Why, you won't have any work to do to-morrow, Toby—it's Sunday."</p> + +<p>"So it is!" said the boy, with a pleased smile, as he thought of the day +of rest which was so near. And then he added, quickly, "An' this is +Saturday afternoon. What<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> fun the boys at home are havin'! You see there +hain't any school Saturday afternoon, an' all the fellers go out in the +woods."</p> + +<p>"And you wish you were there to go with them, don't you?" asked the +skeleton, sympathetically.</p> + +<p>"Indeed I do!" exclaimed Toby, quickly. "It's twice as good as any +circus that ever was."</p> + +<p>"But you didn't think so before you came with us, did you?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't know so much about circuses then as I do now," replied the +boy, sadly.</p> + +<p>Mr. Treat saw that he was touching on a sore subject, and one which was +arousing sad thoughts in his little companion's mind, and he hastened to +change it at once.</p> + +<p>"Then I can tell Lilly that you'll come, can I?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, I'll be sure to be there; an' I want you to know just how good +I think you both are to me."</p> + +<p>"That's all right, Toby," said Mr. Treat, with a pleased expression on +his face; "an' you may bring Mr. Stubbs with you, if you want to."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Toby; "I'm sure Mr. Stubbs will be just as glad to +come as I shall. But where will we be to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"Right here. We always stay over Sunday at the place where we show +Saturday. But I must be going, or Lilly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> will worry her life out of her +for fear I'm somewhere getting cold. She's awful careful of me, that +woman is. You'll be on hand to-morrow at one o'clock, won't you?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I will," said Toby, emphatically, "an' I'll bring Mr. Stubbs +with me too."</p> + +<p>With a friendly nod of the head, the skeleton hurried away to reassure +his wife that he was safe and well; and before he had hardly disappeared +within the tent Toby had another caller, who was none other than his +friend Old Ben, the driver.</p> + +<p>"Well, my boy," shouted Ben, in his cheery, hearty tones, "I haven't +seen you since you left the wagon so sudden last night. Did you get +shook up much?"</p> + +<p>"Oh no," replied Toby: "you see I hain't very big; an' then I struck in +the mud; so I got off pretty easy."</p> + +<p>"That's a fact; an' you can thank your lucky stars for it, too, for I've +seen grown-up men get pitched off a wagon in that way an' break their +necks doin' it. But has Job told you where you was going to sleep +to-night? You know we stay over here till to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"I didn't think anything about that; but I s'pose I'll sleep in the +wagon, won't I?"</p> + +<p>"You can sleep at the hotel, if you want to; but the beds will likely be +dirty; an' if you take my advice you'll crawl into some of the wagons in +the tent."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> + +<p>Ben then explained to him that, after his work was done that night, he +would not be expected to report for duty until the time for starting on +Sunday night, and concluded his remarks by saying,</p> + +<p>"Now you know what your rights are, an' don't you let Job impose on you +in any way. I'll be round here after you get through work, an' we'll +bunk in somewhere together."</p> + +<p>The arrival of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs put a stop to the conversation, +and was the signal for Toby's time of trial. It seemed to him, and with +good reason, that the chief delight these men had in life was to torment +him, for neither ever spoke a pleasant word to him; and when one was not +giving him some difficult work to do, or finding fault in some way, the +other would be sure to do so; and Toby had very little comfort from the +time he began work in the morning until he stopped at night.</p> + +<p>It was not until after the evening performance was over that Toby had a +chance to speak with Mr. Stubbs, and then he was so tired that he simply +took the old monkey from the cage, nestled him under his jacket, and lay +down with him to sleep in the place which Old Ben had selected.</p> + +<p>When the morning came Mr. Stubbs aroused his young master at a much +earlier hour than he would have awakened had he been left to himself, +and the two went out for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> a short walk before breakfast. They went +instinctively toward the woods; and when the shade of the trees was once +reached, how the two revelled in their freedom! Mr. Stubbs climbed into +the trees, swung himself from one to the other by means of his tail, +gathered half-ripe nuts, which he threw at his master, tried to catch +the birds, and had a good time generally.</p> + +<p>Toby, stretched at full length on the mossy bank, watched the antics of +his pet, laughing boisterously at times as Mr. Stubbs would do some one +thing more comical than usual, and forgot there was in this world such a +thing as a circus, or such a man as Job Lord. It was to Toby a morning +without a flaw, and he took no heed of the time, until the sound of the +church bells warned him of the lateness of the hour, reminding him at +the same time of where he should be—where he would be, if he were at +home with Uncle Daniel.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the old monkey had been trying to attract his young +master's attention, and, failing in his efforts, he came down from the +tree, crept softly up to Toby, and nestled his head under the boy's arm.</p> + +<p>This little act of devotion seemed to cause Toby's grief to burst forth +afresh, and clasping the monkey around the neck, hugging him close to +his bosom, he sobbed,</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr. Stubbs, Mr. Stubbs, how lonesome we are! If<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> we was only at +Uncle Dan'l's we'd be the two happiest people in all this world. We +could play on the hay, or go up to the pasture, or go down to the +village; an' I'd work my fingers off if I could only be there just once +more. It was wicked for me to run away, an' now I'm gettin' paid for +it."</p> + +<p>He hugged the monkey closely, swaying his body to and fro, and +presenting a perfect picture of grief. The monkey, not knowing what to +make of this changed mood, cowered whimperingly in his arms, looking up +into his face, and licking the boy's hands whenever he had the +opportunity.</p> + +<p>It was some time before Toby's grief exhausted itself; and then, still +clasping the monkey, he hurried out of the woods toward the town and the +now thoroughly hated circus tents.</p> + +<p>The clocks were just striking one as Toby entered the enclosure used by +the show as a place of performance, and, remembering his engagement with +the skeleton and his wife, he went directly to their tent. From the +odors which assailed him as he entered, it was very evident that a feast +of no mean proportions was in course of preparation, and Toby's keen +appetite returned in full vigor. Even the monkey seemed affected by the +odor, for he danced about on his master's shoulder, and chattered so +that Toby was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> obliged to choke him a little in order to make him +present a respectable appearance.</p> + +<p>When Toby reached the interior of the tent he was astonished at the +extent of the preparations that were being made, and gazed around him in +surprise. The platform on which the lean man and fat woman were in the +habit of exhibiting themselves now bore a long table, loaded with +eatables; and, from the fact that eight or ten chairs were ranged around +it, Toby understood that he was not the only guest invited to the feast. +Some little attempt had also been made at decoration by festooning that +end of the tent where the platform was placed with two or three flags +and some streamers, and the tent-poles also were fringed with +tissue-paper of the brightest colors.</p> + +<p>Toby had only time enough to notice this when the skeleton advanced +toward him, and, with the liveliest appearance of pleasure, said, as he +took him by the hands with a grip that made him wince,</p> + +<p>"It gives me great joy, Mr. Tyler, to welcome you at one of our little +home reunions, if one can call a tent, that is moved every day in the +week, home."</p> + +<p>Toby hardly knew whom Mr. Treat referred to when he said "Mr. Tyler;" +but by the time his hands were released from the bony grasp he +understood that it was himself who was spoken to.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 417px;"> +<img src="images/i021.jpg" width="417" height="500" alt="TOBY IS INTRODUCED TO THE ALBINOS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">TOBY IS INTRODUCED TO THE ALBINOS.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span></p> + +<p>The skeleton then formally introduced him to the other guests present, +who were sitting at one end of the tent, and evidently anxiously +awaiting the coming feast.</p> + +<p>"These," said Mr. Treat, as he waved his hand toward two white-haired, +pink-eyed young ladies, who sat with their arms twined around each +other's waist, and had been eying the monkey with some appearance of +fear, "are the Miss Cushings, known to the world as the Albino Children; +they command a large salary, and form a very attractive feature of our +exhibition."</p> + +<p>The young ladies arose at the same time, as if they had been the Siamese +Twins and could not act independently of each other, and bowed.</p> + +<p>Toby made the best bow he was capable of; and the monkey made frantic +efforts to escape, as if he would enjoy twisting his paws in their +perpendicular hair.</p> + +<p>"And this," continued Mr. Treat, pointing to a sickly, sour-looking +individual, who was sitting apart from the others, with his arms folded, +and looking as if he was counting the very seconds before the dinner +should begin, "is the wonderful Signor Castro, whose sword-swallowing +feats you have doubtless heard of."</p> + +<p>Toby stepped back just one step, as if overwhelmed by awe at beholding +the signor in the guise of a humble individual; and the gentleman who +gained his livelihood by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> swallowing swords unbent his dignity so far as +to unfold his arms and present a very dirty-looking hand for Toby to +shake. The boy took hold of the outstretched hand, wondering why the +signor never used soap and water; and Mr. Stubbs, apparently afraid of +the sour-looking man, retreated to Toby's shoulder, where he sat +chattering and scolding about the introduction.</p> + +<p>Again the skeleton waved his hand, and this time he introduced +"Mademoiselle Spelletti, the wonderful snake-charmer, whose exploits in +this country, and before the crowned heads of Europe, had caused the +whole world to stand aghast at her daring."</p> + +<p>Mademoiselle Spelletti was a very ordinary-looking young lady of about +twenty-five years of age, who looked very much as if her name might +originally have been Murphy, and she too extended a hand for Toby to +grasp—only her hand was clean, and she appeared to be a very much more +pleasant acquaintance than the gentleman who swallowed swords.</p> + +<p>This ended the introductions; and Toby was just looking around for a +seat, when Mrs. Treat, the fat lady, and the giver of the feast which +was about to come, and which already smelled so invitingly, entered from +behind a curtain of canvas, where the cooking-stove was supposed to be +located.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + +<p>She had every appearance of being the cook for the occasion. Her sleeves +were rolled up, her hair tumbled and frowzy, and there were several +unmistakable marks of grease on the front of her calico dress.</p> + +<p>She waited for no ceremony, but rushed up to Toby, and taking him in her +arms, gave him such a squeeze that there seemed to be every possibility +that she would break all the bones in his body; and she kept him so long +in this bear-like embrace that Mr. Stubbs reached his little brown paws +over and got such a hold of her hair that all present, save Signor +Castro, rushed forward to release her from the monkey's grasp.</p> + +<p>"You dear little thing!" said Mrs. Treat, paying but slight attention to +the hair-pulling she had just undergone, and holding Toby at +arm's-length, so that she could look into his face, "you were so late +that I was afraid you wasn't coming; and my dinner wouldn't have tasted +half so good if you hadn't been here to eat some."</p> + +<p>Toby hardly knew what to say for this hearty welcome, but he managed to +tell the large and kind-hearted lady that he had had no idea of missing +the dinner, and that he was very glad she wanted him to come.</p> + +<p>"Want you to come, you dear little thing!" she exclaimed, as she gave +him another hug, but careful not to give Mr. Stubbs a chance of grasping +her hair again. "Of course I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> wanted you to come, for this dinner has +been got up so that you could meet these people here, and so that they +could see you."</p> + +<p>Toby was entirely at a loss to know what to say to this overwhelming +compliment, and for that reason did not say anything, only submitting +patiently to the third hug, which was all Mrs. Treat had time to give +him, as she was obliged to rush behind the canvas screen again, as there +were unmistakable sounds of something boiling over on the stove.</p> + +<p>"You'll excuse me," said the skeleton, with an air of dignity, waving +his hand once more toward the assembled company, "but, while introducing +you to Mr. Tyler, I had almost forgotten to introduce him to you. This, +ladies and gentlemen"—and here he touched Toby on the shoulder, as if +he were some living curiosity whose habits and mode of capture he was +about to explain to a party of spectators—"is Mr. Toby Tyler, of whom +you heard on the night when the monkey cage was smashed, and who now +carries with him the identical monkey which was presented to him by the +manager of this great show as a token of esteem for his skill and +bravery in capturing the entire lot of monkeys without a single blow."</p> + +<p>By the time that Mr. Treat got through with this long speech Toby felt +very much as if he were some wonderful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> creature whom the skeleton was +exhibiting; but he managed to rise to his feet and duck his little red +head in his best imitation of a bow. Then he sat down and hugged Mr. +Stubbs to cover his confusion.</p> + +<p>One of the Albino Children now came forward, and, while stroking Mr. +Stubbs's hair, looked so intently at Toby that for the life of him he +couldn't say which she regarded as the curiosity, himself or the monkey; +therefore he hastened to say, modestly,</p> + +<p>"I didn't do much toward catchin' the monkeys; Mr. Stubbs here did +almost all of it, an' I only led 'em in."</p> + +<p>"There, there, my boy," said the skeleton, in a fatherly tone, "I've +heard the whole story from Old Ben, an' I sha'n't let you get out of it +like that. We all know what you did, an' it's no use for you to deny any +part of it."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter X.</span></h2> + +<h3>MR. STUBBS AT A PARTY.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> + +<img src="images/t.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="T" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_3">Toby was about to say that he did not intend to represent the matter +other than it really was, when a voice from behind the canvas screen +arrested further conversation.</p></div> + +<p>"Sam-u-el, come an' help me carry these things in."</p> + +<p>Something very like a smile of satisfaction passed over Signor Castro's +face as he heard this, which told him that the time for the feast was +near at hand; and the snake-charmer, as well as the Albino Children, +seemed quite as much pleased as did the sword-swallower.</p> + +<p>"You will excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," said the skeleton, in an +important tone; "I must help Lilly, and then I shall have the pleasure +of helping you to some of her cooking, which, if I do say it, that +oughtn't, is as good as can be found in this entire country."</p> + +<p>Then he too disappeared behind the canvas screen.</p> + +<p>Left alone, Toby looked at the ladies, and the ladies looked at him, in +perfect silence, while the sword-swallower<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> grimly regarded them all, +until Mr. Treat reappeared, bearing on a platter an immense turkey, as +nicely browned as any Thanksgiving turkey Toby ever saw. Behind him came +his fat wife, carrying several dishes, each of which emitted a most +fragrant odor; and as these were placed upon the table the spirits of +the sword-swallower seemed to revive, and he smiled pleasantly; while +even the ladies appeared animated by the sight and odor of the good +things which they were to be called upon so soon to pass judgment.</p> + +<p>Several times did Mr. and Mrs. Treat bustle in and out from behind the +screen, and each time they made some addition to that which was upon the +table, until Toby began to fear that they would never finish, and the +sword-swallower seemed unable to restrain his impatience.</p> + +<p>At last the finishing touch had been put to the table, the last dish +placed in position, and then, with a certain kind of grace, which no one +but a man as thin as Mr. Treat could assume, he advanced to the edge of +the platform and said,</p> + +<p>"Ladies and gentlemen, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to invite +you all, including Mr. Tyler's friend Stubbs, to the bountiful repast +which my Lilly has prepared for—"</p> + +<p>At this point, Mr. Treat's speech—for it certainly seemed as if he had +commenced to make one—was broken off in a most summary manner. His wife +had come up behind him, and, with as much ease as if he had been a +child, lifted him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> from off the floor and placed him gently in the chair +at the head of the table.</p> + +<p>"Come right up and get dinner," she said to her guests. "If you had +waited until Samuel had finished his speech everything on the table +would have been stone-cold."</p> + +<p>The guests proceeded to obey her kindly command; and it is to be +regretted that the sword-swallower had no better manners than to jump on +to the platform with one bound and seat himself at the table with the +most unseemly haste. The others, and more especially Toby, proceeded in +a leisurely and more dignified manner.</p> + +<p>A seat had been placed by the side of the one intended for Toby for the +accommodation of Mr. Stubbs, who suffered a napkin to be tied under his +chin, and behaved generally in a manner that gladdened the heart of his +young master.</p> + +<p>Mr. Treat cut generous slices from the turkey for each guest, and Mrs. +Treat piled their plates high with all sorts of vegetables, complaining, +after the manner of housewives generally, that the food was not cooked +as she would like to have had it, and declaring that she had had poor +luck with everything that morning, when she firmly believed in her heart +that her table had never looked better.</p> + +<p>After the company had had the edge taken off their appetites—which +effect was produced on the sword-swallower only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> after he had been +helped three different times, the conversation began by the Fat Woman +asking Toby how he got along with Mr. Lord.</p> + +<p>Toby could not give a very good account of his employer, but he had the +good sense not to cast a damper on a party of pleasure by reciting his +own troubles; so he said, evasively,</p> + +<p>"I guess I shall get along pretty well, now that I have got so many +friends."</p> + +<p>Just as he had commenced to speak the skeleton had put into his mouth a +very large piece of turkey—very much larger in proportion than +himself—and when Toby had finished speaking he started to say something +evidently not very complimentary to Mr. Lord. But what it was the +company never knew; for just as he opened his mouth to speak, the food +went down the wrong way, his face became a bright purple, and it was +quite evident that he was choking.</p> + +<p>Toby was alarmed, and sprung from his chair to assist his friend, +upsetting Mr. Stubbs from his seat, causing him to scamper up the +tent-pole, with the napkin still tied around his neck, and to scold in +his most vehement manner. Before Toby could reach the skeleton, however, +the Fat Woman had darted toward her lean husband, caught him by the arm, +and was pounding his back, by the time Toby got there, so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> vigorously, +that the boy was afraid her enormous hand would go through his +tissue-paper-like frame.</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't," said Toby, in alarm; "you may break him."</p> + +<p>"Don't you get frightened," said Mrs. Treat, turning her husband +completely over, and still continuing the drumming process. "He's often +taken this way; he's such a glutton that he'd try to swallow the turkey +whole if he could get it in his mouth, an' he's so thin that 'most +anything sticks in his throat."</p> + +<p>"I should think you'd break him all up," said Toby, apologetically, as +he resumed his seat at the table; "he don't look as if he could stand +very much of that sort of thing."</p> + +<p>But apparently Mr. Treat could stand very much more than Toby gave him +credit for, because at this juncture he stopped coughing, and his face +fast assumed its natural hue.</p> + +<p>His attentive wife, seeing that he had ceased struggling, lifted him in +her arms, and sat him down in his chair with a force that threatened to +snap his very head off.</p> + +<p>"There!" she said, as he wheezed a little from the effects of the shock, +"now see if you can behave yourself, an' chew your meat as you ought to! +One of these days when you're alone you'll try that game, and that'll be +the last of you."</p> + +<p>"If he'd try to do one of my tricks long enough he'd get<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> so that there +wouldn't hardly anything choke him," the sword-swallower ventured to +suggest, mildly, as he wiped a small stream of cranberry-sauce from his +chin and laid a well-polished turkey-bone by the side of his plate.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to see him try it!" said the fat lady, with just a shade of +anger in her voice. Then turning toward her husband, she said, +emphatically, "Samuel, don't you ever let me catch <i>you</i> swallowing a +sword!"</p> + +<p>"I won't, my love, I won't; and I will try to chew my meat more," +replied the very thin glutton, in a feeble tone.</p> + +<p>Toby thought that perhaps the skeleton might keep the first part of that +promise, but he was not quite sure about the last.</p> + +<p>It required no little coaxing on the part of both Toby and Mrs. Treat to +induce Mr. Stubbs to come down from his lofty perch; but the task was +accomplished at last, and by the gift of a very large doughnut he was +induced to resume his seat at the table.</p> + +<p>The time had now come when the duties of a host, in his own peculiar way +of viewing them, devolved upon Mr. Treat, and he said, as he pushed his +chair back a short distance from the table, and tried to polish the +front of his vest with his napkin,</p> + +<p>"I don't want this fact lost sight of, because it is an important one: +every one must remember that we have gathered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> here to meet and become +better acquainted with the latest and best addition to this circus, Mr. +Toby Tyler."</p> + +<p>Poor Toby! As the company all looked directly at him, and Mrs. Treat +nodded her enormous head energetically, as if to say that she agreed +exactly with her husband, the poor boy's face grew very red and the +squash-pie lost its flavor.</p> + +<p>"Although Mr. Tyler may not be exactly one of us, owing to the fact that +he does not belong to the profession, but is only one of the adjuncts to +it, so to speak," continued the skeleton, in a voice which was fast +being raised to its highest pitch, "we feel proud, after his exploits at +the time of the accident, to have him with us, and gladly welcome him +now, through the medium of this little feast prepared by my Lilly."</p> + +<p>Here the Albino Children nodded their heads in approval, and the +sword-swallower gave a grunt of assent; and, thus encouraged, the +skeleton proceeded:</p> + +<p>"I feel, when I say that we like and admire Mr. Tyler, all present will +agree with me, and all would like to hear him say a word for himself."</p> + +<p>The skeleton seemed to have expressed the views of those present +remarkably well, judging from their expressions of pleasure and assent, +and all waited for the honored guest to speak.</p> + +<p>Toby knew that he must say something, but he couldn't<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> think of a single +thing; he tried over and over again to call to his mind something which +he had read as to how people acted and what they said when they were +expected to speak at a dinner-table, but his thoughts refused to go back +for him, and the silence was actually becoming painful. Finally, and +with the greatest effort, he managed to say, with a very perceptible +stammer, and while his face was growing very red:</p> + +<p>"I know I ought to say something to pay for this big dinner that you +said was gotten up for me, but I don't know what to say, unless to thank +you for it. You see I hain't big enough to say much, an', as Uncle Dan'l +says, I don't amount to very much 'cept for eatin', an' I guess he's +right. You're all real good to me, an' when I get to be a man I'll try +to do as much for you."</p> + +<p>Toby had risen to his feet when he began to make his speech, and while +he was speaking Mr. Stubbs had crawled over into his chair. When he +finished he sat down again without looking behind him, and of course sat +plump on the monkey. There was a loud outcry from Mr. Stubbs, a little +frightened noise from Toby, an instant's scrambling, and then boy, +monkey, and chair tumbled off the platform, landing on the ground in an +indescribable mass, from which the monkey extricated himself more +quickly than Toby could, and again took refuge on the top of the +tent-pole.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p> + +<p>Of course all the guests ran to Toby's assistance; and while the Fat +Woman poked him all over to see that none of his bones were broken, the +skeleton brushed the dirt from his clothes.</p> + +<p>All this time the monkey screamed, yelled, and danced around on the +tent-pole and ropes as if his feelings had received a shock from which +he could never recover.</p> + +<p>"I didn't mean to end it up that way, but it was Mr. Stubbs's fault," +said Toby, as soon as quiet had been restored, and the guests, with the +exception of the monkey, were seated at the table once more.</p> + +<p>"Of course you didn't," said Mrs. Treat, in a kindly tone. "But don't +you feel bad about it one bit, for you ought to thank your lucky stars +that you didn't break any of your bones."</p> + +<p>"I s'pose I did," said Toby, soberly, as he looked back at the scene of +his disaster, and then up at the chattering monkey that had caused all +the trouble.</p> + +<p>Shortly after this, Mr. Stubbs having again been coaxed down from his +lofty position, Toby took his departure, promising to call as often +during the week as he could get away from his exacting employers.</p> + +<p>Just outside the tent he met Old Ben, who said, as he showed signs of +indulging in another of his internal laughing spells:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 458px;"> +<img src="images/i023.jpg" width="458" height="500" alt="TOBY SITS DOWN ON MR. STUBBS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">TOBY SITS DOWN ON MR. STUBBS.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Hello! has the skeleton an' his lily of a wife been givin' a blow-out +to you too?"</p> + +<p>"They invited me in there to dinner," said Toby, modestly.</p> + +<p>"Of course they did—of course they did," replied Ben, with a chuckle; +"they carries a cookin'-stove along with 'em, so's they can give these +little spreads whenever we stay over a day in a place. Oh, I've been +there!"</p> + +<p>"And did they ask you to make a speech?"</p> + +<p>"Of course. Did they try it on you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Toby, mournfully, "an' I tumbled off the platform when I got +through."</p> + +<p>"I didn't do exactly that," replied Ben, thoughtfully; "but I s'pose you +got too much steam on, seein' 's how it was likely your first speech. +Now you'd better go into the tent an' try to get a little sleep, 'cause +we've got a long ride to-night over a rough road, an' you won't get +more'n a cat-nap all night."</p> + +<p>"But where are you going?" asked Toby, as he shifted Mr. Stubbs over to +his other shoulder, preparatory to following his friend's advice.</p> + +<p>"I'm goin' to church," said Ben, and then Toby noticed for the first +time that the old driver had made some attempt at dressing-up. "I've +been with the circus, man an' boy, for nigh to forty years, an' I allus +go to meetin' once on Sunday.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> It's somethin' I promised my old mother I +would do, an' I hain't broke my promise yet."</p> + +<p>"Why don't you take me with you?" asked Toby, wistfully, as he thought +of the little church on the hill at home, and wished—oh, so +earnestly!—that he was there then, even at the risk of being thumped on +the head with Uncle Daniel's book.</p> + +<p>"If I'd seen you this mornin' I would," said Ben; "but now you must try +to bottle up some sleep agin to-night, an' next Sunday I'll take you."</p> + +<p>With these words Old Ben started off, and Toby proceeded to carry out +his wishes, although he rather doubted the possibility of "bottling up" +any sleep that afternoon.</p> + +<p>He lay down on the top of the wagon, after having put Mr. Stubbs inside, +with the others of his tribe, and in a very few moments the boy was +sound asleep, dreaming of a dinner-party at which Mr. Stubbs made a +speech, and he himself scampered up and down the tent-pole.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XI.</span></h2> + +<h3>A STORMY NIGHT.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> + +<img src="images/w.jpg" width="144" height="150" alt="W" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">When Toby awoke it was nearly dark, and the bustle around him told very +plainly that the time for departure was near at hand. He rubbed his eyes +just enough to make sure that he was thoroughly awake, and then jumped +down from his rather lofty bed, and ran around to the door of the cage +to assure himself that Mr. Stubbs was safe. This done, his preparations +for the journey were made.</p></div> + +<p>Now, Toby noticed that each one of the drivers was clad in rubber +clothing, and, after listening for a moment, he learned the cause of +their water-proof garments. It was raining very hard, and Toby thought +with dismay of the long ride that he would have to take on the top of +the monkeys' cage, with no protection whatever save that afforded by his +ordinary clothing.</p> + +<p>While he was standing by the side of the wagon, wondering how he should +get along, Old Ben came in. The water was pouring from his clothes in +little rivulets, and he afforded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> most unmistakable evidence of the damp +state of the weather.</p> + +<p>"It's a nasty night, my boy," said the old driver, in much the same +cheery tone that he would have used had he been informing Toby that it +was a beautiful moonlight evening.</p> + +<p>"I guess I'll get wet," said Toby, ruefully, as he looked up at the +lofty seat which he was to occupy.</p> + +<p>"Bless me!" said Ben, as if the thought had just come to him, "it won't +do for you to ride outside on a night like this. You wait here, an' I'll +see what I can do for you."</p> + +<p>The old man hurried off to the other end of the tent, and almost before +Toby thought he had time to go as far as the ring he returned.</p> + +<p>"It's all right," he said, and this time in a gruff voice, as if he were +announcing some misfortune; "you're to ride in the women's wagon. Come +with me."</p> + +<p>Toby followed without a question, though he was wholly at a loss to +understand what the "women's wagon" was, for he had never seen anything +which looked like one.</p> + +<p>He soon learned, however, when Old Ben stopped in front—or, rather, at +the end—of a long covered wagon that looked like an omnibus, except +that it was considerably longer, and the seats inside were divided by +arms, padded, to make them comfortable to lean against.</p> + +<p>"Here's the boy," said Ben, as he lifted Toby up on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> step, gave him +a gentle push to intimate that he was to get inside, and then left him.</p> + +<p>As Toby stepped inside he saw that the wagon was nearly full of women +and children; and fearing lest he should take a seat that belonged to +some one else, he stood in the middle of the wagon, not knowing what to +do.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you sit down, little boy?" asked one of the ladies, after +Toby had remained standing nearly five minutes and the wagon was about +to start.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Toby, with some hesitation, as he looked around at the two +or three empty seats that remained, "I didn't want to get in anybody +else's place, an' I didn't know where to sit."</p> + +<p>"Come right here," said the lady, as she pointed to a seat by the side +of a little girl who did not look any older than Toby; "the lady who +usually occupies that seat will not be here to-night, and you can have +it."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, ma'am," said Toby, as he sat timidly down on the edge of the +seat, hardly daring to sit back comfortably, and feeling very awkward +meanwhile, but congratulating himself on being thus protected from the +pouring rain.</p> + +<p>The wagon started, and as each one talked with her neighbor, Toby felt a +most dismal sense of loneliness, and almost wished that he was riding on +the monkey-cart with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> Ben, where he could have some one to talk with. He +gradually pushed himself back into a more comfortable position, and had +then an opportunity of seeing more plainly the young girl who rode by +his side.</p> + +<p>She was quite as young as Toby, and small of her age; but there was an +old look about her face that made the boy think of her as being an old +woman cut down to fit children's clothes. Toby had looked at her so +earnestly that she observed him, and asked, "What is your name?"</p> + +<p>"Toby Tyler."</p> + +<p>"What do you do in the circus?"</p> + +<p>"Sell candy for Mr. Lord."</p> + +<p>"Oh! I thought you was a new member of the company."</p> + +<p>Toby knew by the tone of her voice that he had fallen considerably in +her estimation by not being one of the performers, and it was some +little time before he ventured to speak; and then he asked, timidly, +"What do you do?"</p> + +<p>"I ride one of the horses with mother."</p> + +<p>"Are you the little girl that comes out with the lady an' four horses?" +asked Toby, in awe that he should be conversing with so famous a person.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am. Don't I do it nicely?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you're a perfect little—little—fairy!" exclaimed Toby, after +hesitating a moment to find some word which would exactly express his +idea.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 468px;"> +<img src="images/i025.jpg" width="468" height="500" alt="TOBY IN THE "WOMEN'S WAGON."" title="" /> +<span class="caption">TOBY IN THE "WOMEN'S WAGON."</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p> + +<p>This praise seemed to please the young lady, and in a short time the two +became very good friends, even if Toby did not occupy a more exalted +position than that of candy-seller. She had learned from him all about +the accident to the monkey-cage, and about Mr. Stubbs, and in return had +told him that her name was Ella Mason, though on the bills she was +called "Mademoiselle Jeannette."</p> + +<p>For a long time the two children sat talking together, and then +Mademoiselle Jeannette curled herself up on the seat, with her head in +her mother's lap, and went to sleep.</p> + +<p>Toby had resolved to keep awake and watch her, for he was struck with +admiration at her face; but sleep got the better of him in less than +five minutes after he had made the resolution, and he sat bolt-upright, +with his little round head nodding and bobbing until it seemed almost +certain that he would shake it off.</p> + +<p>When Toby awoke the wagon was drawn up by the side of the road, the sun +was shining brightly, preparations were being made for the entrée into +town, and the harsh voice of Mr. Job Lord was shouting his name in a +tone that boded no good for poor Toby when he should make his +appearance.</p> + +<p>Toby would have hesitated before meeting his angry employer but that he +knew it would only make matters worse for him when he did show himself, +and he mentally braced<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> himself for the trouble which he knew was +coming. The little girl whose acquaintance he had made the night +previous was still sleeping; and, wishing to say good-bye to her in some +way without awakening her, he stooped down and gently kissed the skirt +of her dress. Then he went out to meet his master.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord was thoroughly enraged when Toby left the wagon, and saw the +boy just as he stepped to the ground. The angry man gave a quick glance +around, to make sure that none of Toby's friends were in sight, and then +caught him by the coat-collar and commenced to whip him severely with +the small rubber cane that he usually carried.</p> + +<p>Mr. Job Lord lifted the poor boy entirely clear of the ground, and each +blow that he struck could be heard almost the entire length of the +circus train.</p> + +<p>"You've been makin' so many acquaintances here that you hain't willin' +to do any work," he said, savagely, as he redoubled the force of his +blows.</p> + +<p>"Oh, please stop! please stop!" shrieked the poor boy in his agony. +"I'll do everything you tell me to, if you won't strike me again!"</p> + +<p>This piteous appeal seemed to have no effect upon the cruel man, and he +continued to whip the boy, despite his cries and entreaties, until his +arm fairly ached from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> exertion, and Toby's body was crossed and +recrossed with the livid marks of the cane.</p> + +<p>"Now, let's see whether you'll 'tend to your work or not!" said the man +as he flung Toby from him with such force that the boy staggered, +reeled, and nearly fell into the little brook that flowed by the +roadside. "I'll make you understand that all the friends you've whined +around in this show can't save you from a lickin' when I get ready to +give you one! Now go an' do your work that ought to have been done an +hour ago!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord walked away with the proud consciousness of a man who has +achieved a great victory, and Toby was limping painfully along toward +the cart that was used in conveying Mr. Lord's stock-in-trade, when he +felt a tiny hand slip into his, and heard a childish voice say,</p> + +<p>"Don't cry, Toby. Some time, when I get big enough, I'll make Mr. Lord +sorry that he whipped you as he did; and I'm big enough now to tell him +just what kind of a man I think he is."</p> + +<p>Looking around, Toby saw his little acquaintance of the evening +previous, and he tried to force back the big tears that were rolling +down his cheeks as he said, in a voice choked with grief, "You're awful +good, an' I don't mind the lickin' when you say you're sorry for me. I +s'pose I deserve it for runnin' away from Uncle Dan'l."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Did it hurt you much?" she asked, feelingly.</p> + +<p>"It did when he was doin' it," replied Toby, manfully, "but it don't a +bit now that you've come."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll go and talk to that Mr. Lord, and I'll come and see you again +after we get into town," said the little miss, as she hurried away to +tell the candy vender what she thought of him.</p> + +<p>That day, as on all others since he had been with the circus, Toby went +to his work with a heavy heart, and time and time again did he count the +money which had been given him by kind-hearted strangers, to see whether +he had enough to warrant his attempting to run away. Three dollars and +twenty-five cents was the total amount of his treasure, and, large as +that sum appeared to him, he could not satisfy himself that he had +sufficient to enable him to get back to the home which he had so +wickedly left. Whenever he thought of this home, of the Uncle Daniel who +had in charity cared for him—a motherless, fatherless boy—and of +returning to it, with not even as much right as the Prodigal Son, of +whom he had heard Uncle Daniel tell, his heart sunk within him, and he +doubted whether he would be allowed to remain even if he should be so +fortunate as ever to reach Guilford again.</p> + +<p>This day passed, so far as Toby was concerned, very much as had the +others: he could not satisfy either of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> employers, try as hard as he +might; but, as usual, he met with two or three kindly-disposed people, +who added to the fund that he was accumulating for his second venture of +running away by little gifts of money, each one of which gladdened his +heart and made his trouble a trifle less hard to bear.</p> + +<p>During the entire week he was thus equally fortunate. Each day added +something to his fund, and each night it seemed to Toby that he was one +day nearer the freedom for which he so ardently longed.</p> + +<p>The skeleton, the fat lady, Old Ben, the Albino Children, little Ella, +and even the sword-swallower, all gave him a kindly word as they passed +him while he was at his work, or saw him as the preparations for the +grand entrée were being made.</p> + +<p>The time had passed slowly to Toby, and yet Sunday came again—as +Sundays always come; and on this day Old Ben hunted him up, made him +wash his face and hands until they fairly shone from very cleanliness, +and then took him to church. Toby was surprised to find that it was +really a pleasant thing to be able to go to church after being deprived +of it, and was more light-hearted than he had yet been since he left +Guilford when he returned to the tent at noon.</p> + +<p>The skeleton had invited him to another dinner-party;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> but Toby had +declined the invitation, agreeing to present himself in time for supper +instead. He hardly cared to go through the ordeal of another state +dinner; and besides, he wanted to go off to the woods with the old +monkey, where he could enjoy the silence of the forest, which seemed +like a friend to him, because it reminded him of home.</p> + +<p>Taking the monkey with him as usual, he inquired the nearest way to a +grove, and, without waiting for dinner, started off for an afternoon's +quiet enjoyment.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XII.</span></h2> + +<h3>TOBY'S GREAT MISFORTUNE.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> + +<img src="images/t.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="T" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_3">The town in which the circus remained over Sunday was a small one, and a +brisk walk of ten minutes sufficed to take Toby into a secluded portion +of a very thickly-grown wood, where he could lie upon the mossy ground +and fairly revel in freedom.</p></div> + +<p>As he lay upon his back, his hands under his head, and his eyes directed +to the branches of the trees above, where the birds twittered and sung, +and the squirrels played in fearless sport, the monkey enjoyed himself, +in his way, by playing all the monkey antics he knew of. He scrambled +from tree to tree, swung himself from one branch to the other by the aid +of his tail, and amused both himself and his master, until, tired by his +exertions, he crept down by Toby's side and lay there in quiet, restful +content.</p> + +<p>One of Toby's reasons for wishing to be by himself that afternoon was, +that he wanted to think over some plan of escape, for he believed that +he had nearly money enough to enable him to make a bold stroke for +freedom and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> Uncle Daniel's. Therefore, when the monkey nestled down by +his side he was all ready to confide in him that which had been +occupying his busy little brain for the past three days.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stubbs," he said to the monkey, in a solemn tone, "we're goin' to +run away in a day or two."</p> + +<p>Mr. Stubbs did not seem to be moved in the least at this very startling +piece of intelligence, but winked his bright eyes in unconcern; and +Toby, seeming to think that everything which he said had been understood +by the monkey, continued: "I've got a good deal of money now, an' I +guess there's enough for us to start out on. We'll get away some night, +an' stay in the woods till they get through hunting for us, an' then +we'll go back to Guilford, an' tell Uncle Dan'l if he'll only take us +back we'll never go to sleep in meetin' any more, an' we'll be just as +good as we know how. Now let's see how much money we've got."</p> + +<p>Toby drew from a pocket, which he had been at a great deal of trouble to +make in his shirt, a small bag of silver, and spread it upon the ground, +where he could count it at his leisure.</p> + +<p>The glittering coin instantly attracted the monkey's attention, and he +tried by every means to thrust his little black paw into the pile; but +Toby would allow nothing of that sort, and pushed him away quite +roughly. Then he grew<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> excited, and danced and scolded around Toby's +treasure, until the boy had hard work to count it.</p> + +<p>He did succeed, however, and as he carefully replaced it in the bag he +said to the monkey, "There's seven dollars an' thirty cents in that bag, +an' every cent of it is mine. That ought to take care of us for a good +while, Mr. Stubbs; an' by the time we get home we shall be rich men."</p> + +<p>The monkey showed his pleasure at this intelligence by putting his hand +inside Toby's clothes to find the bag of treasure that he had seen +secreted there, and two or three times, to the great delight of both +himself and the boy, he drew forth the bag, which was immediately taken +away from him.</p> + +<p>The shadows were beginning to lengthen in the woods, and, heeding this +warning of the coming night, Toby took the monkey on his arm and started +for home, or for the tent, which was the only place he could call home.</p> + +<p>As he walked along he tried to talk to his pet in a serious manner, but +the monkey, remembering where he had seen the bright coins secreted, +tried so hard to get at them that finally Toby lost all patience, and +gave him quite a hard cuff on the ear, which had the effect of keeping +him quiet for a time.</p> + +<p>That night Toby took supper with the skeleton and his wife, and he +enjoyed the meal, even though it was made<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> from what had been left of +the turkey that served as the noonday feast, more than he did the state +dinner, where he was obliged to pay for what he ate by the torture of +making a speech.</p> + +<p>There were no guests but Toby present; and Mr. and Mrs. Treat were not +only very kind, but so attentive that he was actually afraid he should +eat so much as to stand in need of some of the catnip-tea which Mrs. +Treat had said she gave to her husband when he had been equally foolish. +The skeleton would pile his plate high with turkey-bones from one side, +and the fat lady would heap it up, whenever she could find a chance, +with all sorts of food from the other, until Toby pushed back his chair, +his appetite completely satisfied, if it never had been so before.</p> + +<p>Toby had discussed the temper of his employer with his host and hostess, +and, after some considerable conversation, confided in them his +determination to run away.</p> + +<p>"I'd hate awfully to have you go," said Mrs. Treat, reflectively; "but +it's a good deal better for you to get away from that Job Lord if you +can. It wouldn't do to let him know that you had any idea of goin', for +he'd watch you as a cat watches a mouse, an' never let you go so long as +he saw a chance to keep you. I heard him tellin' one of the drivers the +other day that you sold more goods than any other boy he ever had, an' +he was going to keep you with him all summer."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Be careful in what you do, my boy," said the skeleton, sagely, as he +arranged a large cushion in an arm-chair, and proceeded to make ready +for his after-dinner nap; "be sure that you're all ready before you +start, an', when you do go, get a good ways ahead of him; for if he +should ever catch you the trouncin' you'd get would be awful."</p> + +<p>Toby assured his friends that he would use every endeavor to make his +escape successful when he did start; and Mrs. Treat, with an eye to the +boy's comfort, said, "Let me know the night you're goin', an' I'll fix +you up something to eat, so's you won't be hungry before you come to a +place where you can buy something."</p> + +<p>As these kind-hearted people talked with him, and were ready thus to aid +him in every way that lay in their power, Toby thought that he had been +very fortunate in thus having made so many kind friends in a place where +he was having so much trouble.</p> + +<p>It was not until he heard the sounds of preparation for departure that +he left the skeleton's tent, and then, with Mr. Stubbs clasped tightly +to his breast, he hurried over to the wagon where Old Ben was nearly +ready to start.</p> + +<p>"All right, Toby," said the old driver, as the boy came in sight; "I was +afraid you was going to keep me waitin' for the first time. Jump right +up on the box, for there hain't no time to lose, an' I guess you'll have +to carry the monkey<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> in your arms, for I don't want to stop to open the +cage now."</p> + +<p>"I'd just as soon carry him, an' a little rather," said Toby, as he +clambered up on the high seat and arranged a comfortable place in his +lap for his pet to sit.</p> + +<p>In another moment the heavy team had started, and nearly the entire +circus was on the move. "Now tell me what you've been doin' since I left +you," said Old Ben, after they were well clear of the town, and he could +trust his horses to follow the team ahead. "I s'pose you've been to see +the skeleton an' his mountain of a wife?"</p> + +<p>Toby gave a clear account of where he had been and what he had done, and +when he concluded he told Old Ben of his determination to run away, and +asked his advice on the matter.</p> + +<p>"My advice," said Ben, after he had waited some time, to give due weight +to his words, "is that you clear out from this show just as soon as you +can. This hain't no fit place for a boy of your age to be in, an' the +sooner you get back where you started from, an' get to school, the +better. But Job Lord will do all he can to keep you from goin', if he +thinks you have any idea of leavin' him."</p> + +<p>Toby assured Ben, as he had assured the skeleton and his wife, that he +would be very careful in all he did, and lay his plans with the utmost +secrecy; and then he asked whether<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> Ben thought the amount of money +which he had would be sufficient to carry him home.</p> + +<p>"Waal, that depends," said the driver, slowly. "If you go to spreadin' +yourself all over creation, as boys are very apt to do, your money won't +go very far; but if you look at your money two or three times afore you +spend it, you ought to get back and have a dollar or two left."</p> + +<p>The two talked, and Old Ben offered advice, until Toby could hardly keep +his eyes open, and almost before the driver concluded his sage remarks +the boy had stretched himself on the top of the wagon, where he had +learned to sleep without being shaken off, and was soon in dream-land.</p> + +<p>The monkey, nestled down snug in Toby's bosom, did not appear to be as +sleepy as was his master, but popped his head in and out from under the +coat, as if watching whether the boy was asleep or not.</p> + +<p>Toby was awakened by a scratching on his face, as if the monkey was +dancing a hornpipe on that portion of his body, and by a shrill, quick +chattering, which caused him to assume an upright position instantly.</p> + +<p>He was frightened, although he knew not at what, and looked around +quickly to discover the cause of the monkey's excitement.</p> + +<p>Old Ben was asleep on his box, while the horses jogged along behind the +other teams, and Toby failed to see anything<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> whatever which should have +caused his pet to become so excited.</p> + +<p>"Lie down an' behave yourself," said Toby, as sternly as possible, and +as he spoke he took his pet by the collar, to oblige him to obey his +command.</p> + +<p>The moment that he did this he saw the monkey throw something out into +the road, and the next instant he also saw that he held something +tightly clutched in his other paw.</p> + +<p>It required some little exertion and active movement on Toby's part to +enable him to get hold of that paw, in order to discover what it was +which Mr. Stubbs had captured; but the instant he did succeed, there +went up from his heart such a cry of sorrow as caused Old Ben to start +up in alarm, and the monkey to cower and whimper like a whipped dog.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Toby? What's the matter?" asked the old driver, as he +peered out into the darkness ahead, as if he feared some danger +threatened them from that quarter. "I don't see anything. What is it?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stubbs has thrown all my money away," cried Toby, holding up the +almost empty bag, which a short time previous had been so well filled +with silver.</p> + +<p>"Stubbs—thrown—the—money—away?" repeated Ben, with a pause between +each word, as if he could not understand that which he himself was +saying.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 429px;"> +<img src="images/i027.jpg" width="429" height="500" alt="MR. STUBBS AND TOBY'S MONEY" title="" /> +<span class="caption">MR. STUBBS AND TOBY'S MONEY</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes," sobbed Toby, as he shook out the remaining contents of the bag, +"there's only half a dollar, an' all the rest is gone."</p> + +<p>"The rest gone!" again repeated Ben. "But how come the monkey to have +the money?"</p> + +<p>"He tried to get at it out in the woods, an' I s'pose the moment I got +asleep he felt for it in my pockets. This is all there is left, an' he +threw away some just as I woke up."</p> + +<p>Again Toby held the bag up where Ben could see it, and again his grief +broke out anew.</p> + +<p>Ben could say nothing; he realized the whole situation: that the monkey +had got at the money-bag while Toby was sleeping; that in his play he +had thrown it away piece by piece; and he knew that that small amount of +silver represented liberty in the boy's eyes. He felt that there was +nothing he could say which would assuage Toby's grief, and he remained +silent.</p> + +<p>"Don't you s'pose we could go back an' get it?" asked the boy, after the +intensity of his grief had somewhat subsided.</p> + +<p>"No, Toby, it's gone," replied Ben, sorrowfully. "You couldn't find it +if it was daylight, an' you don't stand a ghost of a chance now in the +dark. Don't take on so, my boy. I'll see if we can't make it up to you +in some way."</p> + +<p>Toby gave no heed to this last remark of Ben's. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> hugged the monkey +convulsively to his breast, as if he would seek consolation from the +very one who had wrought the ruin, and, rocking himself to and fro, he +said, in a voice full of tears and sorrow,</p> + +<p>"Oh, Mr. Stubbs, why did you do it?—why did you do it? That money would +have got us away from this hateful place, an' we'd gone back to Uncle +Dan'l's, where we'd have been <i>so</i> happy, you an' me. An' now it's all +gone—all gone. What made you, Mr. Stubbs—what made you do such a bad, +cruel thing? Oh! what made you?"</p> + +<p>"Don't, Toby—don't take on so," said Ben, soothingly. "There wasn't so +very much money there, after all, an' you'll soon get as much more."</p> + +<p>"But it won't be for a good while, an' we could have been in the good +old home long before I can get so much again."</p> + +<p>"That's true, my boy; but you must kinder brace up, an' not give way so +about it. Perhaps I can fix it so the fellers will make it up to you. +Give Stubbs a good poundin', an' perhaps that'll make you feel better."</p> + +<p>"That won't bring back my money, an' I don't want to whip him," cried +Toby, hugging his pet the closer because of this suggestion. "I know +what it is to get a whippin', an' I wouldn't whip a dog, much less Mr. +Stubbs, who didn't know any better."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Then you must try to take it like a man," said Ben, who could think of +no other plan by which the boy might soothe his feelings. "It hain't +half so bad as it might be, an' you must try to keep a stiff upper lip, +even if it does seem hard at first."</p> + +<p>This keeping a stiff upper lip in the face of all the trouble he was +having was all very well to talk about, but Toby could not reduce it to +practice, or, at least, not so soon after he knew of his loss, and he +continued to rock the monkey back and forth, to whisper in his ear now +and then, and to cry as if his heart was breaking, for nearly an hour.</p> + +<p>Ben tried, in his rough, honest way, to comfort him, but without +success; and it was not until the boy's grief had spent itself that he +would listen to any reasoning.</p> + +<p>All this time the monkey had remained perfectly quiet, submitting to +Toby's squeezing without making any effort to get away, and behaving as +if he knew he had done wrong, and was trying to atone for it. He looked +up into the boy's face every now and then with such a penitent +expression, that Toby finally assured him of forgiveness, and begged him +not to feel so badly.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XIII.</span></h2> + +<h3>TOBY ATTEMPTS TO RESIGN HIS SITUATION.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/a.jpg" width="133" height="150" alt="A" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">At last it was possible for Toby to speak of his loss with some degree +of calmness, and then he immediately began to reckon up what he could +have done with the money if he had not lost it.</p></div> + +<p>"Now see here, Toby," said Ben, earnestly: "don't go to doin' anything +of that kind. The money's lost, an' you can't get it back by talkin'; so +the very best thing for you is to stop thinkin' what you could do if you +had it, an' just to look at it as a goner."</p> + +<p>"But—" persisted Toby.</p> + +<p>"I tell you there's no buts about it," said Ben, rather sharply. "Stop +talkin' about what's gone, an' just go to thinkin' how you'll get more. +Do what you've a mind to the monkey, but don't keep broodin' over what +you can't help."</p> + +<p>Toby knew that the advice was good, and he struggled manfully to carry +it into execution, but it was very hard work. At all events, there was +no sleep for his eyes that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> night; and when, just about daylight, the +train halted to wait a more seasonable hour in which to enter the town, +the thought of what he might have done with his lost money was still in +Toby's mind.</p> + +<p>Only once did he speak crossly to the monkey, and that was when he put +him into the cage preparatory to commencing his morning's work. Then he +said,</p> + +<p>"You wouldn't had to go into this place many times more if you hadn't +been so wicked, for by to-morrow night we'd been away from this circus, +an' on the way to home an' Uncle Dan'l. Now you've spoiled my chance an' +your own for a good while to come, an' I hope before the day is over +you'll feel as bad about it as I do."</p> + +<p>It seemed to Toby as if the monkey understood just what he said to him, +for he sneaked over into one corner, away from the other monkeys, and +sat there looking very penitent and very dejected.</p> + +<p>Then, with a heavy heart, Toby began his day's work.</p> + +<p>Hard as had been Toby's lot previous to losing his money, and difficult +as it had been to bear the cruelty of Mr. Job Lord and his precious +partner, Mr. Jacobs, it was doubly hard now while this sorrow was fresh +upon him.</p> + +<p>Previous to this, when he had been kicked or cursed by one or the other +of the partners, Toby thought exultantly that the time was not very far +distant when he should be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> beyond the reach of his brutal task-masters, +and that thought had given him strength to bear all that had been put +upon him.</p> + +<p>Now the time of his deliverance from this bondage seemed very far off, +and each cruel word or blow caused him the greater sorrow, because of +the thought that but for the monkey's wickedness he would have been +nearly free from that which made his life so very miserable.</p> + +<p>If he had looked sad and mournful before, he looked doubly so now, as he +went his dreary round of the tent, crying, "Here's your cold lemonade," +or "Fresh-baked pea-nuts, ten cents a quart;" and each day there were +some in the audience who pitied the boy because of the misery which +showed so plainly in his face, and they gave him a few cents more than +his price for what he was selling, or gave him money without buying +anything at all, thereby aiding him to lay up something again toward +making his escape.</p> + +<p>Those few belonging to the circus who knew of Toby's intention to escape +tried their best to console him for the loss of his money, and that +kind-hearted couple, the skeleton and his fat wife, tried to force him +to take a portion of their scanty earnings in the place of that which +the monkey had thrown away. But this Toby positively refused to do; and +to the arguments which they advanced as reasons why they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> should help +him along he only replied that until he could get the money by his own +exertions he would remain with Messrs. Lord and Jacobs, and get along as +best he could.</p> + +<p>Every hour in the day the thought of what might have been if he had not +lost his money so haunted his mind that finally he resolved to make one +bold stroke, and tell Mr. Job Lord that he did not want to travel with +the circus any longer.</p> + +<p>As yet he had not received the two dollars which had been promised him +for his two weeks' work, and another one was nearly due. If he could get +this money it might, with what he had saved again, suffice to pay his +railroad fare to Guilford; and if it would not, he resolved to accept +from the skeleton sufficient to make up the amount needed.</p> + +<p>He naturally shrunk from the task; but the hope that he might possibly +succeed gave him the necessary amount of courage, and when he had gotten +his work done, on the third morning after he had lost his money, and Mr. +Lord appeared to be in an unusually good temper, he resolved to try the +plan.</p> + +<p>It was just before the dinner hour. Trade had been unexceptionally good, +and Mr. Lord had even spoken in a pleasant tone to Toby when he told him +to fill up the lemonade pail with water, so that the stock might not be +disposed of too quickly and with too little profit.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toby poured in quite as much water as he thought the already weak +mixture could receive and retain any flavor of lemon; and then, as his +employer motioned him to add more, he mixed another quart in, secretly +wondering what it would taste like.</p> + +<p>"When you're mixin' lemonade for circus trade," said Mr. Lord, in such a +benign, fatherly tone that one would have found it difficult to believe +that he ever spoke harshly, "don't be afraid of water, for there's where +the profit comes in. Always have a piece of lemon-peel floatin' on the +top of every glass, an' it tastes just as good to people as if it cost +twice as much."</p> + +<p>Toby could not agree exactly with that opinion, neither did he think it +wise to disagree, more especially since he was going to ask the very +great favor of being discharged; therefore he nodded his head gravely, +and began to stir up what it pleased Mr. Lord to call lemonade, so that +the last addition might be more thoroughly mixed with the others.</p> + +<p>Two or three times he attempted to ask the favor which seemed such a +great one, and each time the words stuck in his throat, until it seemed +to him that he should never succeed in getting them out.</p> + +<p>Finally, in his despair, he stammered out,</p> + +<p>"Don't you think you could find another boy in this town, Mr. Lord?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Lord moved round sideways, in order to bring his crooked eye to bear +squarely on Toby, and then there was a long interval of silence, during +which time the boy's color rapidly came and went, and his heart beat +very fast with suspense and fear.</p> + +<p>"Well, what if I could?" he said at length. "Do you think that trade is +so good I could afford to keep two boys, when there isn't half work +enough for one?"</p> + +<p>Toby stirred the lemonade with renewed activity, as if by this process +he was making both it and his courage stronger, and said, in a low +voice, which Mr. Lord could scarcely hear,</p> + +<p>"I didn't think that; but you see I ought to go home, for Uncle Dan'l +will worry about me; an', besides, I don't like a circus very well."</p> + +<p>Again there was silence on Mr. Lord's part, and again the crooked eye +glowered down on Toby.</p> + +<p>"So," he said—and Toby could see that his anger was rising very +fast—"you don't like a circus very well, an' you begin to think that +your uncle Daniel will worry about you, eh? Well, I want you to +understand that it don't make any difference to me whether you like a +circus or not, and I don't care how much your uncle Daniel worries. You +mean that you want to get away from me, after I've been to all the +trouble and expense of teaching you the business?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toby bent his head over the pail, and stirred away as if for dear life.</p> + +<p>"If you think you're going to get away from here until you've paid me +for all you've eat, an' all the time I've spent on you, you're mistaken, +that's all. You've had an easy time with me—too easy, in fact—and +that's what ails you. Now, you just let me hear two words more out of +your head about going away—only two more—an' I'll show you what a +whipping is. I've only been playing with you before when you thought you +was getting a whipping; but you'll find out what it means if I so much +as see a thought in your eyes about goin' away. An' don't you dare to +try to give me the slip in the night an' run away; for if you do I'll +follow you, an' have you arrested. Now, you mind your eye in the +future."</p> + +<p>It is impossible to say how much longer Mr. Lord might have continued +this tirade, had not a member of the company—one of the principal +riders—called him one side to speak with him.</p> + +<p>Poor Toby was so much confused by the angry words which had followed his +very natural and certainly very reasonable suggestion that he paid no +attention to anything around him, until he heard his own name mentioned; +and then, fearing lest some new misfortune was about to befall him, he +listened intently.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you couldn't do much of anything with him," he heard Mr. +Lord say. "He's had enough of this kind of life already, so he says, an' +I expect the next thing he does will be to try to run away."</p> + +<p>"I'll risk his getting away from you, Job," he heard the other say; "but +of course I've got to take my chances. I'll take him in hand from eleven +to twelve each day—just your slack time of trade—and I'll not only +give you half of what he can earn in the next two years, but I'll pay +you for his time, if he gives us the slip before the season is out."</p> + +<p>Toby knew that they were speaking of him, but what it all meant he could +not imagine.</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do with him first?" Job asked.</p> + +<p>"Just put him right into the ring, and teach him what riding is. I tell +you, Job, the boy's smart enough, and before the season's over I'll have +him so that he can do some of the bare-back acts, and perhaps we'll get +some money out of him before we go into winter-quarters."</p> + +<p>Toby understood the meaning of their conversation only too well, and he +knew that his lot, which before seemed harder than he could bear, was +about to be intensified through this Mr. Castle, of whom he had +frequently heard, and who was said to be a rival of Mr. Lord's, so far +as brutality went. The two men now walked toward the large<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> tent, and +Toby was left alone with his thoughts and the two or three little boy +customers, who looked at him wonderingly, and envied him because he +belonged to the circus.</p> + +<p>During the ride that night he told Old Ben what he had heard, +confidently expecting that that friend at least would console him; but +Ben was not the champion which he had expected. The old man, who had +been with a circus, "man and boy, nigh to forty years," did not seem to +think it any calamity that he was to be taught to ride.</p> + +<p>"That Mr. Castle is a little rough on boys," Old Ben said, thoughtfully; +"but it'll be a good thing for you, Toby. Just so long as you stay with +Job Lord you won't be nothin' more'n a candy-boy; but after you know how +to ride it'll be another thing, an' you can earn a good deal of money, +an' be your own boss."</p> + +<p>"But I don't want to stay with the circus," whined Toby; "I don't want +to learn to ride, an' I do want to get back to Uncle Dan'l."</p> + +<p>"That may all be true, an' I don't dispute it," said Ben; "but you see +you didn't stay with your uncle Daniel when you had the chance, an' you +did come with the circus. You've told Job you wanted to leave, an' he'll +be watchin' you all the time to see that you don't give him the slip. +Now, what's the consequence? Why, you can't get away for a while, +anyhow, an' you'd better try to amount to something while you are here. +Perhaps after you've got so you can ride you may want to stay; an' I'll +see to it that you get all of your wages, except enough to pay Castle +for learnin' of you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 426px;"> +<img src="images/i029.jpg" width="426" height="500" alt="TOBY AND THE LITTLE BOY CUSTOMERS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">TOBY AND THE LITTLE BOY CUSTOMERS.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I sha'n't want to stay," said Toby. "I wouldn't stay if I could ride +all the horses at once, an' was gettin' a hundred dollars a day."</p> + +<p>"But you can't ride one horse, an' you hain't gettin' but a dollar a +week, an' still I don't see any chance of your gettin' away yet awhile," +said Ben, in a matter-of-fact tone, as he devoted his attention again to +his horses, leaving Toby to his own sad reflections, and the positive +conviction that boys who run away from home do not have a good time, +except in stories.</p> + +<p>The next forenoon, while Toby was deep in the excitement of selling to a +boy no larger than himself, and with just as red hair, three cents' +worth of pea-nuts and two sticks of candy, and while the boy was trying +to induce him to "throw in" a piece of gum, because of the quantity +purchased, Job Lord called him aside, and Toby knew that his troubles +had begun.</p> + +<p>"I want you to go in an' see Mr. Castle; he's goin' to show you how to +ride," said Mr. Lord, in as kindly a tone as if he were conferring some +favor on the boy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span></p> + +<p>If Toby had dared to, he would have rebelled then and there and refused +to go; but, as he hadn't the courage for such proceeding, he walked +meekly into the tent and toward the ring.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XIV.</span></h2> + +<h3>MR. CASTLE TEACHES TOBY TO RIDE.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/w.jpg" width="144" height="150" alt="W" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">When Toby got within sight of the ring he was astonished at what he saw. +A horse, with a broad wooden saddle, was being led slowly around the +ring; Mr. Castle was standing on one side, with a long whip in his hand; +and on the tent-pole, which stood in the centre of the ring, was a long +arm, from which dangled a leathern belt attached to a long rope that was +carried through the end of the arm and run down to the base of the pole.</p></div> + +<p>Toby knew well enough why the horse, the whip, and the man were there, +but the wooden projection from the tent-pole, which looked so much like +a gallows, he could not understand at all.</p> + +<p>"Come, now," said Mr. Castle, cracking his whip ominously as Toby came +in sight, "why weren't you here before?"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Lord just sent me in," said Toby, not expecting that his excuse +would be received, for they never had been since<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> he had arrived at the +height of his ambition by joining the circus.</p> + +<p>"Then I'll make Mr. Job understand that I am to have my full hour of +your time; and if I don't get it there'll be trouble between us."</p> + +<p>It would have pleased Toby very well to have had Mr. Castle go out with +his long whip just then and make trouble for Mr. Lord; but Mr. Castle +had not the time to spare, because of the trouble which he was about to +make for Toby, and that he commenced on at once.</p> + +<p>"Well, get in here, and don't waste any more time," he said, sharply.</p> + +<p>Toby looked around curiously for a moment, and, not understanding +exactly what he was expected to get in and do, asked, "What shall I do?"</p> + +<p>"Pull off your boots, coat, and vest."</p> + +<p>Since there was no other course than to learn to ride, Toby wisely +concluded that the best thing he could do would be to obey his new +master without question; so he began to take off his clothes with as +much alacrity as if learning to ride was the one thing upon which he had +long set his heart.</p> + +<p>Mr. Castle was evidently accustomed to prompt obedience, for he not only +took it as a matter of course but endeavored to hurry Toby in the work +of undressing.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p> + +<p>With his desire to please, and urged by Mr. Castle's words and the +ominous shaking of his whip, Toby's preparations were soon made, and he +stood before his instructor clad only in his shirt, trousers, and +stockings.</p> + +<p>The horse was led around to where he stood, and when Mr. Castle held out +his hand to help him to mount Toby jumped up quickly without aid, +thereby making a good impression at the start as a willing lad.</p> + +<p>"Now," said the instructor, as he pulled down the leathern belt which +hung from the rope, and fastened it around Toby's waist, "stand up in +the saddle, and try to keep there. You can't fall, because the rope will +hold you up, even if the horse goes out from under you; but it isn't +hard work to keep on, if you mind what you are about; and if you don't +this whip will help you. Now stand up."</p> + +<p>Toby did as he was bid; and as the horse was led at a walk, and as he +had the long bridle to aid him in keeping his footing, he had no +difficulty in standing during the time that the horse went once around +the ring; but that was all.</p> + +<p>Mr. Castle seemed to think that this was preparation enough for the boy +to be able to understand how to ride, and he started the horse into a +canter. As might have been expected, Toby lost his balance, the horse +went on ahead, and he was left dangling at the end of the rope, very +much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> like a crab that has just been caught by the means of a pole and +line.</p> + +<p>Toby kicked, waved his hands, and floundered about generally, but all to +no purpose, until the horse came round again, and then he made frantic +efforts to regain his footing, which efforts were aided—or perhaps it +would be more proper to say retarded—by the long lash of Mr. Castle's +whip, that played around his legs with merciless severity.</p> + +<p>"Stand up! stand up!" cried his instructor, as Toby reeled first to one +side and then to the other, now standing erect in the saddle, and now +dangling at the end of the rope, with the horse almost out from under +him.</p> + +<p>This command seemed needless, as it was exactly what Toby was trying to +do; but as it was given he struggled all the harder, until it seemed to +him that the more he tried the less did he succeed.</p> + +<p>And this first lesson progressed in about the same way until the hour +was over, save that now and then Mr. Castle would give him some good +advice, but oftener he would twist the long lash of the whip around the +boy's legs with such force that Toby believed the skin had been taken +entirely off.</p> + +<p>It may have been a relief to Mr. Castle when this first lesson was +concluded, and it certainly was to Toby, for he had had all the teaching +in horsemanship that he wanted, and he thought, with deepest sorrow, +that this would be of daily occurrence during all the time he remained +with the circus.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 438px;"> +<img src="images/i031.jpg" width="438" height="500" alt="THE FIRST LESSON." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE FIRST LESSON.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> + +<p>As he went out of the tent he stopped to speak with his friend the old +monkey, and his troubles seemed to have increased when he stood in front +of the cage calling "Mr. Stubbs! Mr. Stubbs!" and the old fellow would +not even come down from off the lofty perch where he was engaged in +monkey gymnastics with several younger companions. It seemed to him, as +he afterward told Ben, "as if Mr. Stubbs had gone back on him because he +knew that he was in trouble."</p> + +<p>When he went toward the booth Mr. Lord looked at him around the corner +of the canvas—for it seemed to Toby that his employer could look around +a square corner with much greater ease than he could straight +ahead—with a disagreeable leer in his eye, as though he enjoyed the +misery which he knew his little clerk had just undergone.</p> + +<p>"Can you ride yet?" he asked, mockingly, as Toby stepped behind the +counter to attend to his regular line of business.</p> + +<p>Toby made no reply, for he knew that the question was only asked +sarcastically, and not through any desire for information. In a few +moments Mr. Lord left him to attend to the booth alone, and went into +the tent, where Toby<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> rightly conjectured he had gone to question Mr. +Castle upon the result of the lesson just given.</p> + +<p>That night Old Ben asked him how he had got on while under the teaching +of Mr. Castle; and Toby, knowing that the question was asked because of +the real interest which Ben had in his welfare, replied,</p> + +<p>"If I was tryin' to learn how to swing round the ring, strapped to a +rope, I should say that I got along first-rate; but I don't know much +about the horse, for I was only on his back a little while at a time."</p> + +<p>"You'll get over that soon," said Old Ben, patronizingly, as he patted +him on the back. "You remember my words, now: I say that you've got it +in you, an' if you've a mind to take hold an' try to learn you'll come +out on the top of the heap yet, an' be one of the smartest riders +they've got in this show."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to be a rider," said Toby, sadly; "I only want to get back +home once more, an' then you'll see how much it'll take to get me away +again."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Ben, quietly, "be that as it may, while you're here the +best thing you can do is to take hold an' get ahead just as fast as you +can; it'll make it a mighty sight easier for you while you're with the +show, an' it won't spoil any of your chances for runnin' away whenever +the time comes."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toby fully appreciated the truth of this remark, and he assured Ben that +he should do all in his power to profit by the instruction given, and to +please this new master who had been placed over him.</p> + +<p>And with this promise he lay back on the seat and went to sleep, not to +awaken until the preparations were being made for the entrée into the +next town, and Mr. Lord's harsh voice had cried out his name, with no +gentle tone, several times.</p> + +<p>Toby's first lesson with Mr. Castle was the most pleasant one he had; +for after the boy had once been into the ring his master seemed to +expect that he could do everything which he was told to do, and when he +failed in any little particular the long lash of the whip would go +curling around his legs or arms, until the little fellow's body and +limbs were nearly covered with the blue-and-black stripes.</p> + +<p>For three lessons only was the wooden upright used to keep him from +falling; after that he was forced to ride standing erect on the broad +wooden saddle, or pad, as it is properly called; and whenever he lost +his balance and fell there was no question asked as to whether or not he +had hurt himself, but he was mercilessly cut with the whip.</p> + +<p>Messrs. Lord and Jacobs gained very much by comparison with Mr. Castle +in Toby's mind. He had thought that his lot could not be harder than it +was with them; but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> when he had experienced the pains of two or three of +Mr. Castle's lessons in horsemanship he thought that he would stay with +the candy venders all the season cheerfully rather than take six more +lessons of Mr. Castle.</p> + +<p>Night after night he fell asleep from the sheer exhaustion of crying, as +he had been pouring out his woes in the old monkey's ears and laying his +plans to run away. Now, more than ever, was he anxious to get away, and +yet each day was taking him farther from home, and consequently +necessitating a larger amount of money with which to start. As Old Ben +did not give him as much sympathy as Toby thought he ought to give—for +the old man, while he would not allow Mr. Job Lord to strike the boy if +he was near, thought it a necessary portion of the education for Mr. +Castle to lash him all he had a mind to—he poured out all his troubles +in the old monkey's ears, and kept him with him from the time he ceased +work at night until he was obliged to commence again in the morning.</p> + +<p>The skeleton and his wife thought Toby's lot a hard one, and tried by +every means in their power to cheer the poor boy. Neither one of them +could say to Mr. Castle what they had said to Mr. Lord, for the rider +was a far different sort of a person, and one whom they would not be +allowed to interfere with in any way. Therefore poor Toby was obliged to +bear his troubles and his whippings as best he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> might, with only the +thought to cheer him of the time when he could leave them all by running +away.</p> + +<p>But, despite all his troubles, Toby learned to ride faster than his +teacher had expected he would, and in three weeks he found little or no +difficulty in standing erect while his horse went around the ring at his +fastest gait. After that had been accomplished his progress was more +rapid, and he gave promise of becoming a very good rider—a fact which +pleased both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord very much, as they fancied that in +another year Toby would be the source of a very good income to them.</p> + +<p>The proprietor of the circus took considerable interest in Toby's +instruction, and promised Mr. Castle that Mademoiselle Jeannette and +Toby should do an act together in the performance just as soon as the +latter was sufficiently advanced. The boy's costume had been changed +after he could ride without falling off, and now while he was in the +ring he wore the same as that used by the regular performers.</p> + +<p>The little girl had, after it was announced that she and Toby were to +perform together, been an attentive observer during the hour that Toby +was under Mr. Castle's direction, and she gave him many suggestions that +were far more valuable, and quicker to be acted upon, than those given +by the teacher himself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p> + +<p>"To-morrow you two will go through the exercise together," said Mr. +Castle to Toby and Ella, at the close of one of Toby's lessons, after he +had become so skilful that he could stand with ease on the pad, and even +advanced so far that he could jump through a hoop without falling more +than twice out of three times.</p> + +<p>The little girl appeared highly delighted by this information, and +expressed her joy.</p> + +<p>"It will be real nice," she said to Toby, after Mr. Castle had left them +alone. "I can help you lots, and it won't be very long before we can do +an act all by ourselves in the performance, and then won't the people +clap their hands when we come in!"</p> + +<p>"It'll be better for you to-morrow than it will for me," said Toby, +rubbing his legs sorrowfully, still feeling the sting of the whip. "You +see Mr. Castle won't dare to whip you, an' he'll make it all count on +me, 'cause he knows Mr. Lord likes to have him whip me."</p> + +<p>"But I sha'n't make any mistake," said Ella, confidently, "and so you +won't have to be whipped on my account; and while I am on the horse you +can't be whipped, for he couldn't do it without whipping me, so you see +you won't get only half as much."</p> + +<p>Toby brightened up a little under the influence of this argument; but +his countenance fell again as he thought<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> that his chances for getting +away from the circus were growing less each day.</p> + +<p>"You see I want to get back to Uncle Dan'l an' Guilford," he said, +confidentially; "I don't want to stay here a single minute."</p> + +<p>Ella opened her eyes in wide astonishment as she cried, "Don't want to +stay here? Why don't you go home, then?"</p> + +<p>"'Cause Job Lord won't let me," said Toby, wondering if it was possible +that his little companion did not know exactly what sort of a man his +master was.</p> + +<p>Then he told her—after making her give him all kinds of promises, +including the ceremony of crossing her throat, that she would never tell +a single soul—that he had had many thoughts, and had formed all kinds +of plans for running away. He told her about losing his money, about his +friendship for the skeleton and the fat lady, and at last he confided in +her that he was intending to take the old monkey with him when he should +make the attempt.</p> + +<p>She listened with the closest attention, and when he told her that his +little hoard had now reached the sum of seven dollars and ten +cents—almost as much as he had before—she said, eagerly, "I've got +three little gold dollars in my trunk, an' you shall have them all; +they're my very own, for mamma gave them to me to do just what I wanted +to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> with them. But I don't see how you can take Mr. Stubbs with you, for +that would be stealing."</p> + +<p>"No, it wouldn't, neither," said Toby, stoutly. "Wasn't he give to me to +do just as I wanted to with? an' didn't the boss say he was all mine?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'd forgotten that," said Ella, thoughtfully. "I suppose you can +take him; but he'll be awfully in the way, won't he?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Toby, anxious to say a good word for his pet; "he always does +just as I want him to, an' when I tell him what I'm tryin' to do he'll +be as good as anything. But I can't take your dollars."</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"'Cause that wouldn't be right for a boy to let a girl littler than +himself help him; I'll wait till I get money enough of my own, an' then +I'll go."</p> + +<p>"But I want you to take my money too; I want you to have it."</p> + +<p>"No, I can't take it," said Toby, shaking his head resolutely as he put +the golden temptation from him; and then, as a happy thought occurred to +him, he said, quickly, "I tell you what to do with your dollars: you +keep them till you grow up to be a woman, an' when I'm a man I'll come, +an' then we'll buy a circus of our own. I think, perhaps, I'd like to be +with a circus if I owned one myself. We'll<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> have lots of money then, an' +we can do just what we want to."</p> + +<p>This idea seemed to please the little girl, and the two began to lay all +sorts of plans for that time when they should be man and woman, have +lots of money, and be able to do just as they wanted to.</p> + +<p>They had been sitting on the edge of the newly-made ring while they were +talking, and before they had half-finished making plans for the future +one of the attendants came in to put things to order, and they were +obliged to leave their seats, she going to the hotel to get ready for +the afternoon's performance, and Toby to try to do such work as Mr. Job +Lord had laid out for him.</p> + +<p>Just ten weeks from the time Toby had first joined the circus Mr. Castle +informed him and Ella that they were to appear in public on the +following day. They had been practising daily, and Toby had become so +skilful that both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord saw that the time had come +when he could be made to earn some money for them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XV.</span></h2> + +<h3>TOBY'S FRIENDS PRESENT HIM WITH A COSTUME.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> + +<img src="images/d.jpg" width="145" height="150" alt="D" class="cap" /> + + +<p class="cap_2">During this time Toby's funds had accumulated rather slower than on the +first few days he was in the business, but he had saved eleven dollars, +and Mr. Lord had paid him five dollars of his salary, so that he had the +to him enormous sum of sixteen dollars; and he had about made up his +mind to make one effort for liberty, when the news came that he was to +ride in public.</p></div> + +<p>He had, in fact, been ready to run away any time within the past week; +but, as if they had divined his intentions, both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord +had kept a very strict watch over him, one or the other keeping him in +sight from the time he got through with his labors at night until they +saw him on the cart with Old Ben.</p> + +<p>"I was just gettin' ready to run away," said Toby to Ella, on the day +Mr. Castle gave his decision as to their taking part in the performance, +and while they were walking out of the tent, "an' I shouldn't wonder now +if I got away to-night."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, Toby!" exclaimed the girl, as she looked reproachfully at him, +"after all the work we've had to get ready, you won't go off and leave +me before we've had a chance to see what the folks will say when they +see us together?"</p> + +<p>It was impossible for Toby to feel any delight at the idea of riding in +public, and he would have been willing to have taken one of Mr. Lord's +most severe whippings if he could have escaped from it; but he and Ella +had become such firm friends, and he had conceived such a boyish +admiration for her, that he felt as if he were willing to bear almost +anything for the sake of giving her pleasure. Therefore he said, after a +few moments' reflection, "Well, I won't go to-night, anyway, even if I +have the best chance that ever was. I'll stay one day more, anyhow, an' +perhaps I'll have to stay a good many."</p> + +<p>"That's a nice boy," said Ella, positively, as Toby thus gave his +decision, "and I'll kiss you for it."</p> + +<p>Before Toby fully realized what she was about, almost before he had +understood what she said, she had put her arms around his neck and given +him a good sound kiss right on his freckled face.</p> + +<p>Toby was surprised, astonished, and just a little bit ashamed. He had +never been kissed by a girl before—very seldom by any one, save the fat +lady—and he hardly knew what to do or say. He blushed until his face +was almost as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> red as his hair, and this color had the effect of making +his freckles stand out with startling distinctness. Then he looked +carefully around to see if any one had seen them.</p> + +<p>"I never had a girl kiss me before," said Toby, hesitatingly, "an' you +see it made me feel kinder queer to have you do it out here, where +everybody could see."</p> + +<p>"Well, I kissed you because I like you very much, and because you are +going to stay and ride with me to-morrow," she said, positively; and +then she added, slyly, "I may kiss you again, if you don't get a chance +to run away very soon."</p> + +<p>"I wish it wasn't for Uncle Dan'l an' the rest of the folks at home, an' +there wasn't any such men as Mr. Lord an' Mr. Castle, an' then I don't +know but I might want to stay with the circus, 'cause I like you awful +much."</p> + +<p>And as he spoke Toby's heart grew very tender toward the only +girl-friend he had ever known.</p> + +<p>By this time they had reached the door of the tent, and as they stepped +outside one of the drivers told them that Mr. Treat and his wife were +very anxious to see both of them in their tent.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe I can go," said Toby, doubtfully, as he glanced toward +the booth, where Mr. Lord was busy in attending to customers, and +evidently waiting for Toby to relieve him, so that he could go to his +dinner; "I don't believe Mr. Lord will let me."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 483px;"> +<img src="images/i033.jpg" width="483" height="650" alt="ELLA AND TOBY." title="" /> +<span class="caption">ELLA AND TOBY.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Go and ask him," said Ella, eagerly. "We won't be gone but a minute."</p> + +<p>Toby approached his employer with fear and trembling. He had never +before asked leave to be away from his work, even for a moment, and he +had no doubt but that his request would be refused with blows.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Treat wants me to come in his tent for a minute; can I go?" he +asked, in a timid voice, and in such a low tone as to render it almost +inaudible.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord looked at him for an instant, and Toby was sure that he was +making up his mind whether to kick him, or catch him by the collar and +use the rubber cane on him. But he had no such intention, evidently, for +he said, in a voice unusually mild, "Yes, an' you needn't come to work +again until it's time to go into the tent."</p> + +<p>Toby was almost alarmed at this unusual kindness, and it puzzled him so +much that he would have forgotten he had permission to go away if Ella +had not pulled him gently by the coat.</p> + +<p>If he had heard a conversation between Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle that very +morning he would have understood why it was that Mr. Lord had so +suddenly become kind. Mr. Castle had told Job that the boy had really +shown himself to be a good rider, and that in order to make him more +contented with his lot, and to keep him from running away,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> he must be +used more kindly, and perhaps be taken from the candy business +altogether, which latter advice Mr. Lord did not look upon with favor, +because of the large sales which the boy made.</p> + +<p>When they reached the skeleton's tent they found to their surprise that +no exhibition was being given at that hour, and Ella said, with some +concern, "How queer it is that the doors are not open! I do hope that +they are not sick."</p> + +<p>Toby felt a strange sinking at his heart as the possibility suggested +itself that one or both of his kind friends might be ill; for they had +both been so kind and attentive to him that he had learned to love them +very dearly.</p> + +<p>But the fears of both the children were dispelled when they tried to get +in at the door, and were met by the smiling skeleton himself, who said, +as he threw the canvas aside as far as if he were admitting his own +enormous Lilly,</p> + +<p>"Come in, my friends, come in. I have had the exhibition closed for one +hour, in order that I might show my appreciation of my friend Mr. +Tyler."</p> + +<p>Toby looked around in some alarm, fearing that Mr. Treat's friendship +was about to be displayed in one of his state dinners, which he had +learned to fear rather than enjoy. But, as he saw no preparations for +dinner, he breathed more freely, and wondered what all this ceremony +could possibly mean.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span></p> + +<p>Neither he nor Ella was long left in doubt, for as soon as they had +entered, Mrs. Treat waddled from behind the screen which served them as +a dressing-room, with a bundle in her arms, which she handed to her +husband.</p> + +<p>He took it, and, quickly mounting the platform, leaving Ella and Toby +below, he commenced to speak, with very many flourishes of his thin +arms.</p> + +<p>"My friends," he began, as he looked down upon his audience of three, +who were listening in the following attitudes: Ella and Toby were +standing upon the ground at the foot of the platform, looking up with +wide-open, staring eyes; and his fleshy wife was seated on a bench which +had evidently been placed in such a position below the speaker's stand +that she could hear and see all that was going on without the fatigue of +standing up, which, for one of her size, was really very hard work—"My +friends," repeated the skeleton, as he held his bundle in front of him +with one hand and gesticulated with the other, "we all of us know that +to-morrow our esteemed and worthy friend Mr. Toby Tyler makes his first +appearance in any ring, and we all of us believe that he will soon +become a bright and shining light in the profession which he is so soon +to enter."</p> + +<p>The speaker was here interrupted by loud applause from his wife, and he +profited by the opportunity to wipe a stray drop of perspiration from +his fleshless face. Then, as the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> fat lady ceased the exertion of +clapping her hands, he continued:</p> + +<p>"Knowing that our friend Mr. Tyler was being instructed, preparatory to +dazzling the public with his talents, my wife and I began to prepare for +him some slight testimonial of our esteem; and, being informed by Mr. +Castle some days ago of the day on which he was to make his first +appearance before the public, we were enabled to complete our little +gift in time for the great and important event."</p> + +<p>Here the skeleton paused to take a breath, and Toby began to grow most +uncomfortably red in the face. Such praise made him feel very awkward.</p> + +<p>"I hold in this bundle," continued Mr. Treat as he waved the package on +high, "a costume for our bold and worthy equestrian, and a sash to match +for his beautiful and accomplished companion. In presenting these little +tokens my wife (who has embroidered every inch of the velvet herself) +and I feel proud to know that, when the great and auspicious occasion +occurs to-morrow, the worthy Mr. Tyler will step into the ring in a +costume which we have prepared expressly for him; and thus, when he does +himself honor by his performance and earns the applause of the +multitude, he will be doing honor and earning applause for the work of +our hands—my wife Lilly and myself. Take them, my boy; and when you +array yourself in them to-morrow you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> will remember that the only Living +Skeleton, and the wonder of the nineteenth century in the shape of the +Mammoth Lady, are present in their works if not in their persons."</p> + +<p>As he finished speaking Mr. Treat handed the bundle to Toby, and then +joined in the applause which was being given by Mrs. Treat and Ella.</p> + +<p>Toby unrolled the package, and found that it contained a circus-rider's +costume of pink tights and blue velvet trunks, collar and cuffs, +embroidered in white and plentifully spangled with silver. In addition +was a wide blue sash for Ella, embroidered to correspond with Toby's +costume.</p> + +<p>The little fellow was both delighted with the gift and at a loss to know +what to say in response. He looked at the costume over and over again, +and the tears of gratitude that these friends should have been so good +to him came into his eyes. He saw, however, that they were expecting him +to say something in reply, and, laying the gift on the platform, he said +to the skeleton and his wife,</p> + +<p>"You've been so good to me ever since I've been with the circus that I +wish I was big enough to say somethin' more than that I'm much obliged, +but I can't. One of these days, when I'm a man, I'll show you how much I +like you, an' then you won't be sorry that you was good to such a poor +little runaway boy as I am."</p> + +<p>Here the skeleton broke in with such loud applause and so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> many cries of +"Hear! hear!" that Toby grew still more confused, and forgot entirely +what he was intending to say next.</p> + +<p>"I want you to know how much obliged I am," he said, after some +hesitation, "an' when I wear 'em I'll ride just the best I know how, +even if I don't want to, an' you sha'n't be sorry that you gave them to +me."</p> + +<p>As Toby concluded he made a funny little awkward bow, and then seemed to +be trying to hide himself behind a chair from the applause which was +given so generously.</p> + +<p>"Bless your dear little heart!" said the fat lady, after the confusion +had somewhat subsided. "I know you will do your best, anyway, and I'm +glad to know that you're going to make your first appearance in +something that Samuel and I made for you."</p> + +<p>Ella was quite as well pleased with her sash as Toby was with his +costume, and thanked Mr. and Mrs. Treat in a pretty little way that made +Toby wish he could say anything half so nicely.</p> + +<p>The hour which the skeleton had devoted for the purpose of the +presentation and accompanying speeches having elapsed, it was necessary +that Ella and Toby should go, and that the doors of the exhibition be +opened at once, in order to give any of the public an opportunity of +seeing what the placards announced as two of the greatest curiosities on +the face of the globe.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span></p> + +<p>That day, while Toby performed his arduous labors, his heart was very +light, for the evidences which the skeleton and his wife had given of +their regard for him were very gratifying. He determined that he would +do his very best to please so long as he was with the circus, and then, +when he got a chance to run away, he would do so, but not until he had +said good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Treat, and thanked them again for their +interest in him.</p> + +<p>When he had finished his work in the tent that night Mr. Lord said to +him, as he patted him on the back in the most fatherly fashion, and as +if he had never spoken a harsh word to him, "You can't come in here to +sell candy now that you are one of the performers, my boy; an' if I can +find another boy to-morrow you won't have to work in the booth any +longer, an' your salary of a dollar a week will go on just the same, +even if you don't have anything to do but to ride."</p> + +<p>This was a bit of news that was as welcome to Toby as it was unexpected, +and he felt more happy then than he had for the ten weeks that he had +been travelling under Mr. Lord's cruel mastership.</p> + +<p>But there was one thing that night that rather damped his joy, and that +was that he noticed that Mr. Lord was unusually careful to watch him, +not even allowing him to go outside the tent without following. He saw +at once that, if he was to have a more easy time, his chances for +running<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> away were greatly diminished, and no number of beautiful +costumes would have made him content to stay with the circus one moment +longer than was absolutely necessary.</p> + +<p>That night he told Old Ben of the events of the day, and expressed the +hope that he might acquit himself creditably when he made his first +appearance on the following day.</p> + +<p>Ben sat thoughtfully for some time, and then, making all the +preparations which Toby knew so well signified a long bit of advice, he +said, "Toby, my boy, I've been with a circus, man an' boy, nigh to forty +years, an' I've seen lots of youngsters start in just as you're goin' to +start in to-morrow; but the most of them petered out, because they got +to knowin' more'n them that learned 'em did. Now, you remember what I +say, an' you'll find it good advice: whatever business you get into, +don't think you know all about it before you've begun. Remember that you +can always learn somethin', no matter how old you are, an' keep your +eyes an' ears open, an' your tongue between your teeth, an' you'll +amount to somethin', or my name hain't Ben."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter</span> XVI.</h2> + +<h3>TOBY'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE RING.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/w.jpg" width="144" height="150" alt="W" class="cap" /> + +<p class="cap_2">When the circus entered the town which had been selected as the place +where Toby was to make his <i>début</i> as a circus rider the boy noticed a +new poster among the many glaring and gaudy bills which set forth the +varied and numerous attractions that were to be found under one canvas +for a trifling admission fee, and he noticed it with some degree of +interest, not thinking for a moment that it had any reference to him.</p></div> + +<p>It was printed very much as follows:</p> + +<p class="center"> +MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE<br /> +AND<br /> +MONSIEUR AJAX,<br /> +<br /> +two of the youngest equestrians in the world, will perform their<br /> +graceful, dashing, and daring act entitled<br /> +<br /> +THE TRIUMPH OF THE INNOCENTS!<br /> +<br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>This is the first appearance of these daring young riders together<br /> +since their separation in Europe last season, and their performance<br /> +in this town will have a new and novel interest. See<br /> +<br /> +MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE<br /> +AND<br /> +MONSIEUR AJAX.<br /> +</p> + +<p>"Look there!" said Toby to Ben, as he pointed out the poster, which was +printed in very large letters, with gorgeous coloring, and surmounted by +a picture of two very small people performing all kinds of impossible +feats on horseback. "They've got some one else to ride with Ella to-day. +I wonder who it can be?"</p> + +<p>Ben looked at Toby for a moment, as if to assure himself that the boy +was in earnest in asking the question, and then he relapsed into the +worst fit of silent laughing that Toby had ever seen. After he had quite +recovered he asked, "Don't you know who Monsieur Ajax is? Hain't you +never seen him?"</p> + +<p>"No," replied Toby, at a loss to understand what there was so very funny +in his very natural question. "I thought that I was goin' to ride with +Ella."</p> + +<p>"Why, that's you!" almost screamed Ben, in delight. "Monsieur Ajax means +you—didn't you know it? You don't suppose they would go to put 'Toby +Tyler' on the bills, do you? How it would look!—'Mademoiselle Jeannette +an' Monsieur Toby Tyler!'"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span></p> + +<p>Ben was off in one of his laughing spells again; and Toby sat there, +stiff and straight, hardly knowing whether to join in the mirth or to +get angry at the sport which had been made of his name.</p> + +<p>"I don't care," he said at length. "I'm sure I think Toby Tyler sounds +just as well as Monsieur Ajax, an' I'm sure it fits me a good deal +better."</p> + +<p>"That may be," said Ben, soothingly; "but you see it wouldn't go down so +well with the public. They want furrin riders, an' they must have 'em, +even if it does spoil your name."</p> + +<p>Despite the fact that he did not like the new name that had been given +him, Toby could not but feel pleased at the glowing terms in which his +performance was set off; but he did not at all relish the lie that was +told about his having been with Ella in Europe, and he would have been +very much better pleased if that portion of it had been left off.</p> + +<p>During the forenoon he did not go near Mr. Lord nor his candy stand, for +Mr. Castle kept him and Ella busily engaged in practising the feat which +they were to perform in the afternoon, and it was almost time for the +performance to begin before they were allowed even to go to their +dinner.</p> + +<p>Ella, who had performed several years, was very much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> more excited over +the coming <i>début</i> than Toby was, and the reason why he did not show +more interest was, probably, because of his great desire to leave the +circus as soon as possible, and during that forenoon he thought very +much more of how he should get back to Guilford and Uncle Daniel than he +did of how he should get along when he stood before the audience.</p> + +<p>Mr. Castle assisted his pupil to dress, and when that was done to his +entire satisfaction he said, in a stern voice, "Now, you can do this act +all right, and if you slip up on it, and don't do it as you ought to, +I'll give you such a whipping when you come out of the ring that you'll +think Job was only fooling with you when he tried to whip you."</p> + +<p>Toby had been feeling reasonably cheerful before this, but these words +dispelled all his cheerful thoughts, and he was looking most +disconsolate when Old Ben came into the dressing-tent.</p> + +<p>"All ready are you, my boy?" said the old man, in his cheeriest voice. +"Well, that's good, an' you look as nice as possible. Now, remember what +I told you last night, Toby, an' go in there to do your level best an' +make a name for yourself. Come out here with me an' wait for the young +lady."</p> + +<p>These cheering words of Ben's did Toby as much good as Mr. Castle's had +the reverse, and as he stepped out of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> the dressing-room to the place +where the horses were being saddled Toby resolved that he would do his +very best that afternoon, if for no other reason than to please his old +friend.</p> + +<p>Toby was not naturally what might be called a pretty boy, for his short +red hair and his freckled face prevented any great display of beauty; +but he was a good, honest-looking boy, and in his tasteful costume +looked very nice indeed—so nice that, could Mrs. Treat have seen him +just then, she would have been very proud of her handiwork and hugged +him harder than ever.</p> + +<p>He had been waiting but a few moments when Ella came from her +dressing-room, and Toby was very much pleased when he saw by the +expression of her face that she was perfectly satisfied with his +appearance.</p> + +<p>"We'll both do just as well as we can," she whispered to him, "and I +know the people will like us, and make us come back after we get +through. And if they do mamma says she'll give each one of us a gold +dollar."</p> + +<p>She had taken hold of Toby's hand as she spoke, and her manner was so +earnest and anxious that Toby was more excited than he ever had been +about his <i>début;</i> and, had he gone into the ring just at that moment, +the chances are that he would have surprised even his teacher by his +riding.</p> + +<p>"I'll do just as well as I can," said Toby, in reply to his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> little +companion, "an' if we earn the dollars I'll have a hole bored in mine, +an' you shall wear it around your neck to remember me by."</p> + +<p>"I'll remember you without that," she whispered; "and I'll give you +mine, so that you shall have so much the more when you go to your home."</p> + +<p>There was no time for further conversation, for Mr. Castle entered just +then to tell them that they must go in in another moment. The horses +were all ready—a black one for Toby, and a white one for Ella—and they +stood champing their bits and pawing the earth in their impatience until +the silver bells with which they were decorated rung out quick, nervous +little chimes that accorded very well with Toby's feelings.</p> + +<p>Ella squeezed Toby's hand as they stood waiting for the curtain to be +raised that they might enter, and he had just time to return it when the +signal was given, and almost before he was aware of it they were +standing in the ring, kissing their hands to the crowds that packed the +enormous tent to its utmost capacity.</p> + +<p>Thanks to the false announcement about the separation of the children in +Europe and their reunion in this particular town, the applause was long +and loud, and before it had died away Toby had time to recover a little +from the queer feeling which this sea of heads gave him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span></p> + +<p>He had never seen such a crowd before, except as he had seen them as he +walked around at the foot of the seats, and then they had simply looked +like so many human beings; but as he saw them now from the ring they +appeared like strange rows of heads without bodies, and he had hard work +to keep from running back behind the curtain from whence he had come.</p> + +<p>Mr. Castle acted as the ring-master this time, and after he had +introduced them—very much after the fashion of the posters—and the +clown had repeated some funny joke, the horses were led in, and they +were assisted to mount.</p> + +<p>"Don't mind the people at all," said Mr. Castle, in a low voice, "but +ride just as if you were alone here with me."</p> + +<p>The music struck up, the horses cantered around the ring, and Toby had +really started as a circus rider.</p> + +<p>"Remember," said Ella to him, in a low tone, just as the horses started, +"you told me that you would ride just as well as you could, and we must +earn the dollars mamma promised."</p> + +<p>It seemed to Toby at first as if he could not stand up; but by the time +they had ridden around the ring once, and Ella had again cautioned him +against making any mistake, for the sake of the money which they were +going to earn, he was calm and collected enough to carry out his part of +the "act" as well as if he had been simply taking a lesson.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span></p> + +<p>The act consisted in their riding side by side, jumping over banners and +through hoops covered with paper, and then the most difficult portion +began.</p> + +<p>The saddles were taken off the horses, and they were to ride first on +one horse and then on the other, until they concluded their performance +by riding twice around the ring side by side, standing on their horses, +each one with a hand on the other's shoulder.</p> + +<p>All this was successfully accomplished without a single error, and when +they rode out of the ring the applause was so great as to leave no doubt +but that they would be recalled, and thus earn the promised money.</p> + +<p>In fact, they had hardly got inside the curtain when one of the +attendants called to them, and before they had time even to speak to +each other they were in the ring again, repeating the last portion of +their act.</p> + +<p>When they came out of the ring for the second time they found Old Ben, +the skeleton, the fat lady, and Mr. Jacob Lord waiting to welcome them; +but before any one could say a word Ella had stood on tiptoe again and +given Toby just such another kiss as she did when he told her that he +would surely stay long enough to appear in the ring with her once.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 562px;"> +<img src="images/i035.jpg" width="562" height="500" alt="MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE AND MONSIEUR AJAX." title="" /> +<span class="caption">MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE AND MONSIEUR AJAX.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span></p> + +<p>"That's because you rode so well and helped me so much," she said, as +she saw Toby's cheeks growing a fiery red; and then she turned to those +who were waiting to greet her.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Treat took her in her enormous arms, and having kissed her, put her +down quickly, and clasped Toby as if he had been a very small walnut and +her arms a very large pair of nut-crackers.</p> + +<p>"Bless the boy!" she exclaimed, as she kissed him again and again with +an energy and force that made her kisses sound like the crack of the +whip, and caused the horses to stamp in affright. "I knew he'd amount to +something one of these days, an' Samuel an' I had to come out, when +business was dull, just to see how he got along."</p> + +<p>It was some time before she would unloose him from her motherly embrace, +and when she did the skeleton grasped him by the hand, and said, in the +most pompous and affected manner,</p> + +<p>"Mr. Tyler, we're proud of you, and when we saw that costume of yours, +that my Lilly embroidered with her own hands, we was both proud of it +and what it contained. You're a great rider, my boy, a great rider, and +you'll stand at the head of the profession some day, if you only stick +to it."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, sir," was all Toby had time to say before Old Ben had him by +the hand, and the skeleton was pouring out his congratulations in little +Miss Ella's ear.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Toby, my boy, you did well, an' now you'll amount to something, if you +only remember what I told you last night," said Ben, as he looked upon +the boy whom he had come to think of as his <i>protégé</i>, with pride. "I +never seen anybody of your age do any better; an' now, instead of bein' +only a candy peddler, you're one of the stars of the show."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, Ben," was all that Toby could say, for he knew that his old +friend meant every word that he said, and it pleased him so much that he +could say no more than "Thank you" in reply.</p> + +<p>"I feel as if your triumph was mine," said Mr. Lord, looking benignly at +Toby from out his crooked eye, and assuming the most fatherly tone at +his command; "I have learned to look upon you almost as my own son, and +your success is very gratifying to me."</p> + +<p>Toby was not at all flattered by this last praise. If he had never seen +Mr. Lord before, he might, and probably would, have been deceived by his +words; but he had seen him too often, and under too many painful +circumstances, to be at all swindled by his words.</p> + +<p>Toby was very much pleased with his success and by the praise he +received from all, and when the proprietor of the circus came along, +patted him on the head, and told him that he rode very nicely, he was +quite happy, until he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> chanced to see the greedy twinkle in Mr. Lord's +eye, and then he knew that all this success and all this praise were +only binding him faster to the show which he was so anxious to escape +from; his pleasure vanished very quickly, and in its stead came a +bitter, homesick feeling which no amount of praise could banish.</p> + +<p>It was Old Ben who helped him to undress after the skeleton and the fat +lady had gone back to their tent, and Ella had gone to dress for her +appearance with her mother, for now she was obliged to ride twice at +each performance. When Toby was in his ordinary clothes again Ben said,</p> + +<p>"Now that you're one of the performers, Toby, you won't have to sell +candy any more, an' you'll have the most of your time to yourself, so +let's you an' I go out an' see the town."</p> + +<p>"Don't you s'pose Mr. Lord expects me to go to work for him again +to-day?"</p> + +<p>"An' s'posin' he does?" said Ben, with a chuckle. "You don't s'pose the +boss would let any one that rides in the ring stand behind Job Lord's +counter, do you? You can do just as you have a mind to, my boy, an' I +say to you, let's go out an' see the town. What do you say to it?"</p> + +<p>"I'd like to go first-rate, if I dared to," replied Toby, thinking of +the many whippings he had received for far less than that which Ben now +proposed he should do.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll take care that Job don't bother you, so come along;" and Ben +started out of the tent, and Toby followed, feeling considerably +frightened at this first act of disobedience against his old master.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XVII.</span></h2> + +<h3>OFF FOR HOME!</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/d.jpg" width="145" height="150" alt="D" class="cap" /> + + +<p class="cap_2">During this walk Toby learned many things that were of importance to +him, so far as his plan for running away was concerned. In the first +place, he gleaned from the railroad posters that were stuck up in the +hotel to which they went that he could buy a ticket for Guilford for +seven dollars, and also that, by going back to the town from which they +had just come, he could go to Guilford by steamer for five dollars.</p></div> + +<p>By returning to this last town—and Toby calculated that the fare on the +stage back there could not be more than a dollar—he would have ten +dollars left, and that surely ought to be sufficient to buy food enough +for two days for the most hungry boy that ever lived.</p> + +<p>When they returned to the circus grounds the performance was over, and +Mr. Lord in the midst of the brisk trade which he usually had after the +afternoon performance, and yet, so far from scolding Toby for going +away, he actually smiled and bowed at him as he saw him go by with Ben.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span></p> + +<p>"See there, Toby," said the old driver to the boy, as he gave him a +vigorous poke in the ribs and then went off into one of his dreadful +laughing spells—"see what it is to be a performer, an' not workin' for +such an old fossil as Job is! He'll be so sweet to you now that sugar +won't melt in his mouth, an' there's no chance of his ever attemptin' to +whip you again."</p> + +<p>Toby made no reply, for he was too busily engaged thinking of something +which had just come into his mind to know that his friend had spoken.</p> + +<p>But as Old Ben hardly knew whether the boy had answered him or not, +owing to his being obliged to struggle with his breath lest he should +lose it in the second laughing spell that attacked him, the boy's +thoughtfulness was not particularly noticed.</p> + +<p>Toby walked around the show-grounds for a little while with his old +friend, and then the two went to supper, where Toby performed quite as +great wonders in the way of eating as he had in the afternoon by riding.</p> + +<p>As soon as the supper was over he quietly slipped away from Old Ben, and +at once paid a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Treat, whom he found cosily engaged +with their supper behind the screen.</p> + +<p>They welcomed Toby most cordially, and, despite his assertions that he +had just finished a very hearty meal, the fat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> lady made him sit down to +the box which served as table, and insisted on his trying some of her +doughnuts.</p> + +<p>Under all these pressing attentions it was some time before Toby found a +chance to say that which he had come to say, and when he did he was +almost at a loss how to proceed; but at last he commenced by starting +abruptly on his subject with the words, "I've made up my mind to leave +to-night."</p> + +<p>"Leave to-night?" repeated the skeleton, inquiringly, not for a moment +believing that Toby could think of running away after the brilliant +success he had just made. "What do you mean, Toby?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you know that I've been wantin' to get away from the circus," said +Toby, a little impatient that his friend should be so wonderfully +stupid, "an' I think that I'll have as good a chance now as ever I +shall, so I'm goin' to try it."</p> + +<p>"Bless us!" exclaimed the fat lady, in a gasping way. "You don't mean to +say that you're goin' off just when you've started in the business so +well? I thought you'd want to stay after you'd been so well received +this afternoon."</p> + +<p>"No," said Toby—and one quick little sob popped right up from his heart +and out before he was aware of it—"I learned to ride because I had to, +but I never give up runnin' away. I must see Uncle Dan'l, an' tell him +how sorry<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> I am for what I did; an' if he won't have anything to say to +me then I'll come back; but if he'll let me I'll stay there, an' I'll be +<i>so</i> good that by-'n'-by he'll forget that I run off an' left him +without sayin' a word."</p> + +<p>There was such a touch of sorrow in his tones, so much pathos in his way +of speaking, that good Mrs. Treat's heart was touched at once; and +putting her arms around the little fellow, as if to shield him from some +harm, she said, tenderly, "And so you shall go, Toby, my boy; but if you +ever want a home or anybody to love you come right here to us, and +you'll never be sorry. So long as Sam keeps thin and I fat enough to +draw the public, you never need say that you're homeless, for nothing +would please us better than to have you come to live with us."</p> + +<p>For reply Toby raised his head and kissed her on the cheek, a proceeding +which caused her to squeeze him harder than ever.</p> + +<p>During this conversation the skeleton had remained very thoughtful. +After a moment or two he got up from his seat, went outside the tent, +and presently returned with a quantity of silver ten-cent pieces in his +hand.</p> + +<p>"Here, Toby," he said—and it was to be seen that he was really too much +affected even to attempt one of his speeches—"it's right that you +should go, for I've known what it is to feel just as you do. What Lilly +said about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span> your having a home with us I say, an' here's five dollars +that I want you to take to help you along."</p> + +<p>At first Toby stoutly refused to take the money; but they both insisted +to such a degree that he was actually forced to, and then he stood up to +go.</p> + +<p>"I'm goin' to try to slip off after Job packs up the outside booth if I +can," he said, "an' it was to say good-bye that I come around here."</p> + +<p>Again Mrs. Treat took the boy in her arms, as if it were one of her own +children who was leaving her, and as she stroked his hair back from his +forehead she said, "Don't forget us, Toby, even if you never do see us +again; try an' remember how much we cared for you, an' how much comfort +you're taking away from us when you go; for it was a comfort to see you +around, even if you wasn't with us very much. Don't forget us, Toby, an' +if you ever get the chance come an' see us. Good-bye, Toby, good-bye." +And the kind-hearted woman kissed him again and again, and then turned +her back resolutely upon him, lest it should be bad luck to him if she +again saw him after saying good-bye.</p> + +<p>The skeleton's parting was not quite so demonstrative. He clasped Toby's +hand with one set of his fleshless fingers, while with the other he +wiped one or two suspicious-looking drops of moisture from his eyes, as +he said, "I hope you'll get along all right, my boy, and I believe you +will. You<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> will get home to Uncle Daniel, and be happier than ever, for +now you know what it is to be entirely without a home. Be a good boy, +mind your uncle, go to school, and one of these days you'll make a good +man. Good-bye, my boy."</p> + +<p>The tears were now streaming down Toby's face very rapidly; he had not +known, in his anxiety to get home, how very much he cared for this +strangely assorted couple, and now it made him feel very miserable and +wretched that he was going to leave them. He tried to say something +more, but the tears choked his utterance, and he left the tent quickly +to prevent himself from breaking down entirely.</p> + +<p>In order that his grief might not be noticed, and the cause of it +suspected, Toby went out behind the tent, and, sitting there on a stone, +he gave way to the tears which he could no longer control.</p> + +<p>While he was thus engaged, heeding nothing which passed around him, he +was startled by a cheery voice which cried, "Halloo! down in the dumps +again? What is the matter now, my bold equestrian?"</p> + +<p>Looking up, he saw Ben standing before him, and he wiped his eyes +hastily, for here was another from whom he must part, and to whom a +good-bye must be spoken.</p> + +<p>Looking around to make sure that no one was within hearing, he went up +very close to the old driver, and said, in almost a whisper, "I was +feelin' bad 'cause I just come<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span> from Mr. and Mrs. Treat, an' I've been +say in' good-bye to them. I'm goin' to run away to-night."</p> + +<p>Ben looked at him for a moment, as if he doubted whether the boy knew +exactly what he was talking about, and then said, "So you still want to +go home, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, Ben, <i>so</i> much," was the reply, in a tone which expressed how +dear to him was the thought of being in his old home once more.</p> + +<p>"All right, my boy; I won't say one word agin it, though it do seem too +bad, after you've turned out to be such a good rider," said the old man, +thoughtfully. "It's better for you, I know; for a circus hain't no place +for a boy, even if he wants to stay, an' I can't say but I'm glad you're +still determined to go."</p> + +<p>Toby felt relieved at the tone of this leave-taking. He had feared that +Old Ben, who thought a circus-rider was almost on the topmost round of +Fortune's ladder, would have urged him to stay, since he had made his +<i>début</i> in the ring, and he was almost afraid that he might take some +steps to prevent his going.</p> + +<p>"I wanted to say good-bye now," said Toby, in a choking voice, "'cause +perhaps I sha'n't see you again."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, my boy," said Ben as he took the boy's hand in his. "Don't +forget this experience you've had in runnin' away; an' if ever the time +comes that you feel as if you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> wanted to know that you had a friend, +think of Old Ben, an' remember that his heart beats just as warm for you +as if he was your father. Good-bye, my boy, good-bye, an' may the good +God bless you!"</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Ben," said Toby; and then, as the old driver turned and +walked away, wiping something from his eye with the cuff of his sleeve, +Toby gave full vent to his tears, and wondered why it was that he was +such a miserable little wretch.</p> + +<p>There was one more good-bye to be said, and that Toby dreaded more than +all the others. It was to Ella. He knew that she would feel badly to +have him go, because she liked to ride the act with him that gave them +such applause, and he felt certain that she would urge him to stay.</p> + +<p>Just then the thought of another of his friends—one who had not yet +been warned of what very important matter was to occur—came into his +mind, and he hastened toward the old monkey's cage. His pet was busily +engaged in playing with some of the younger members of his family, and +for some moments could not be induced to come to the bars of the cage.</p> + +<p>At last, however, Toby did succeed in coaxing him forward, and then, +taking him by the paw, and drawing him as near as possible, Toby +whispered, "We're goin' to run<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> away to night, Mr. Stubbs, an' I want +you to be all ready to go the minute I come for you."</p> + +<p>The old monkey winked both eyes violently, and then showed his teeth to +such an extent that Toby thought he was laughing at the prospect, and he +said, a little severely, "If you had as many friends as I have got in +this circus you wouldn't laugh when you was goin' to leave them. Of +course I've got to go, an' I want to go; but it makes me feel bad to +leave the skeleton, an' the fat woman, an' Old Ben, an' little Ella. But +I mustn't stand here. You be ready when I come for you, an' by mornin' +we'll be so far off that Mr. Lord nor Mr. Castle can't catch us."</p> + +<p>The old monkey went toward his companions, as if he were in high glee at +the trip before him, and Toby went into the dressing tent to prepare for +the evening's performance—which was about to commence.</p> + +<p>It appeared to the boy as if every one was unusually kind to him that +night, and, feeling sad at leaving those in the circus who had +befriended him, Toby was unusually attentive to every one around him. He +ran on some trifling errand for one, helped another in his dressing, and +in a dozen kind ways seemed as if trying to atone for leaving them +secretly.</p> + +<p>When the time came for him to go into the ring and he met Ella, bright +and happy at the thought of riding with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> him and repeating her triumphs +of the afternoon, nothing save the thought of how wicked he had been to +run away from good old Uncle Daniel, and a desire to right that wrong in +some way, prevented him from giving up his plan of going back.</p> + +<p>The little girl observed his sadness, and she whispered, "Has any one +been whipping you, Toby?"</p> + +<p>Toby shook his head. He had thought that he would tell her what he was +about to do just before they went into the ring, but her kind words +seemed to make that impossible, and he had said nothing, when the blare +of the trumpets, the noisy demonstrations of the audience, and the +announcement of the clown that the wonderful children riders were now +about to appear, ushered them into the ring.</p> + +<p>If Toby had performed well in the afternoon, he accomplished wonders on +this evening, and they were called back into the ring, not once, but +twice; and when finally they were allowed to retire, every one behind +the curtain overwhelmed them with praise.</p> + +<p>Ella was so profuse with her kind words, her admiration for what Toby +had done, and so delighted at the idea that they were to ride together, +that even then the boy could not tell her what he was going to do, but +went into his dressing-room, resolving that he would tell her all when +they both had finished dressing.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toby made as small a parcel as possible of the costume which Mr. and +Mrs. Treat had given him—for he determined that he would take it with +him—and, putting it under his coat, went out to wait for Ella. As she +did not come out as soon as he expected he asked some one to tell her +that he wanted to see her, and he thought to himself that when she did +come she would be in a hurry, and could not stop long enough to make any +very lengthy objections to his leaving.</p> + +<p>But she did not come at all—her mother sent out word that Toby could +not see her until after the performance was over, owing to the fact that +it was now nearly time for her to go into the ring, and she was not +dressed yet.</p> + +<p>Toby was terribly disappointed. He knew that it would not be safe for +him to wait until the close of the performance if he were intending to +run away that night, and he felt that he could not go until he had said +a few last words to her.</p> + +<p>He was in a great perplexity, until the thought came to him that he +could write a good-bye to her, and by this means any unpleasant +discussion would be avoided.</p> + +<p>After some little difficulty he procured a small piece of not very clean +paper and a very short bit of lead-pencil, and using the top of one of +the wagons, as he sat on the seat, for a desk, he indited the following +epistle:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span></p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"deaR ella I Am goin to Run away two night, & i want two say +good by to yu & your mother. i am Small & unkle Danil says i +dont mount two much, but i am old enuf two know that you +have bin good two me, & when i Am a man i will buy you a +whole cirkus, and we Will ride together. dont forgit me & I +wont yu in haste <span class="smcap">Toby Tyler.</span>"</p></div> + +<p>Toby had no envelope in which to seal this precious letter, but he felt +that it would not be seen by prying eyes, and would safely reach its +destination, if he intrusted it to Old Ben.</p> + +<p>It did not take him many moments to find the old driver, and he said, as +he handed him the letter, "I didn't see Ella to tell her I was goin', so +I wrote this letter, an' I want to know if you will give it to her?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I will. But see here, Toby"—and Ben caught him by the sleeve +and led him aside where he would not be overheard—"have you got money +enough to take you home? for if you haven't I can let you have some." +And Ben plunged his hand into his capacious pocket, as if he was about +to withdraw from there the entire United States Treasury.</p> + +<p>Toby assured him that he had sufficient for all his wants; but the old +man would not be satisfied until he had seen for himself, and then, +taking Toby's hand again, he said, "Now, my boy, it won't do for you to +stay around here any longer. Buy something to eat before you start, an' +go into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> woods for a day or two before you take the train or +steamboat. You're too big a prize for Job or Castle to let you go +without a word, an' they'll try their level best to find you. Be +careful, now, for if they should catch you, good-bye any more chances to +get away. There"—and here Ben suddenly lifted him high from the ground +and kissed him—"now get away as fast as you can."</p> + +<p>Toby pressed the old man's hand affectionately, and then, without +trusting himself to speak, walked swiftly out toward the entrance.</p> + +<p>He resolved to take Ben's advice and go into the woods for a short time, +and therefore he must buy some provisions before he started.</p> + +<p>As he passed the monkeys' cage he saw his pet sitting near the bars, and +he stopped long enough to whisper, "I'll be back in ten minutes, Mr. +Stubbs, an' you be all ready then."</p> + +<p>Then he went on, and just as he got near the entrance one of the men +told him that Mrs. Treat wished to see him.</p> + +<p>Toby could hardly afford to spare the time just then, but he would +probably have obeyed the summons, if he had known that by so doing he +would be caught, and he ran as fast as his little legs would carry him +toward the skeleton's tent.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span></p> + +<p>The exhibition was open, and both the skeleton and his wife were on the +platform when Toby entered; but he crept around at the back and up +behind Mrs. Treat's chair, telling her as he did so that he had just +received her message, and that he must hurry right back, for every +moment was important then to him.</p> + +<p>"I put up a nice lunch for you," she said as she kissed him, "and you'll +find it on the top of the biggest trunk. Now go; and if my wishes are of +any good to you, you will get to your uncle Daniel's house without any +trouble. Good-bye again, little one."</p> + +<p>Toby did not dare to trust himself any longer where every one was so +kind to him. He slipped down from the platform as quickly as possible, +found the bundle—and a good-sized one it was too—without any +difficulty, and went back to the monkeys' cage.</p> + +<p>As orders had been given by the proprietor of the circus that the boy +should do as he had a mind to with the monkey, he called Mr. Stubbs; and +as he was in the custom of taking him with him at night, no one thought +that it was anything strange that he should take him from the cage now.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 406px;"> +<img src="images/i037.jpg" width="406" height="650" alt="THE RUNAWAYS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE RUNAWAYS.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Lord or Mr. Castle might possibly have thought it queer had either +of them seen the two bundles which Toby carried, but, fortunately for +the boy's scheme, they both believed that he was in the dressing-tent, +and consequently thought that he was perfectly safe.</p> + +<p>Toby's hand shook so that he could hardly undo the fastening of the +cage, and when he attempted to call the monkey to him his voice sounded +so strange and husky that it startled him.</p> + +<p>The old monkey seemed to prefer sleeping with Toby rather than with +those of his kind in the cage; and as the boy took him with him almost +every night, he came on this particular occasion as soon as Toby called, +regardless of the strange sound of his master's voice.</p> + +<p>With his bundles under his arm, and the monkey on his shoulder, with +both paws tightly clasped around his neck, Toby made his way out of the +tent with beating heart and bated breath.</p> + +<p>Neither Mr. Lord, Castle, nor Jacobs were in sight, and everything +seemed favorable for his flight. During the afternoon he had carefully +noted the direction of the woods, and he started swiftly toward them +now, stopping only long enough, as he was well clear of the tents, to +say, in a whisper,</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, Mr. Treat, an' Mrs. Treat, an' Ella, an' Ben. Some time, when +I'm a man, I'll come back, an' bring you lots of nice things, an' I'll +never forget you—never. When I have a chance to be good to some little +boy that felt as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> bad as I did I'll do it, an' tell him that it was you +did it. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>Then, turning around, he ran toward the woods as swiftly as if his +escape had been discovered and the entire company were in pursuit.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XVIII.</span></h2> + +<h3>A DAY OF FREEDOM.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/t.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="T" class="cap" /> + + +<p class="cap_3">Toby ran at the top of his speed over the rough road; and the monkey, +jolted from one side to the other, clutched his paws more tightly around +the boy's neck, looking around into his face as if to ask what was the +meaning of this very singular proceeding.</p></div> + +<p>When he was so very nearly breathless as to be able to run no more, but +was forced to walk, Toby looked behind him, and there he could see the +bright lights of the circus, and hear the strains of the music as he had +heard them on the night when he was getting ready to run away from Uncle +Daniel; and those very sounds, which reminded him forcibly of how +ungrateful he had been to the old man who had cared for him when there +was no one else in the world who would do so, made it more easy for him +to leave those behind who had been so kind to him when he stood so much +in need of kindness.</p> + +<p>"We are goin' home, Mr. Stubbs!" he said, exultantly, to the +monkey—"home to Uncle Dan'l an' the boys; an' won't<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> you have a good +time when we get there! You can run all over the barn, an' up in the +trees, an' do just what you want to, an' there'll be plenty of fellows +to play with you. You don't know half how good a place Guilford is, Mr. +Stubbs."</p> + +<p>The monkey chattered away as if he were anticipating lots of fun on his +arrival at Toby's home, and the boy chattered back, his spirits rising +at every step which took him farther away from the collection of tents +where he had spent so many wretched hours.</p> + +<p>A brisk walk of half an hour sufficed to take Toby to the woods, and +after some little search he found a thick clump of bushes in which he +concluded he could sleep without the risk of being seen by any one who +might pass that way before he should be awake in the morning.</p> + +<p>He had not much choice in the way of a bed, for it was so dark in the +woods that it was impossible to collect moss or leaves to make a soft +resting-place, and the few leaves and pine-boughs which he did gather +made his place for sleeping but very little softer.</p> + +<p>But during the ten weeks that Toby had been with the circus his bed had +seldom been anything softer than the seat of the wagon, and it troubled +him very little that he was to sleep with nothing but a few leaves +between himself and the earth.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span></p> + +<p>Using the bundle in which was his riding costume for a pillow, and +placing the lunch Mrs. Treat had given him near by, where the monkey +could not get at it conveniently, he cuddled Mr. Stubbs up in his bosom +and lay down to sleep.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Lord won't wake us up in the mornin' an' swear at us for not +washin' the tumblers," said Toby, in a tone of satisfaction, to the +monkey; "an' we won't have to go into the tent to-morrow an' sell sick +lemonade an' poor pea-nuts. But"—and here his tone changed to one of +sorrow—"there'll be some there that 'll be sorry not to see us in the +mornin', Mr. Stubbs, though they'll be glad to know that we got away all +right. But won't Mr. Lord swear, an' won't Mr. Castle crack his whip, +when they come to look round for us in the mornin' an' find that we +hain't there!"</p> + +<p>The only reply which the monkey made to this was to nestle his head +closer under Toby's coat, and to show, in the most decided manner, that +he was ready to go to sleep.</p> + +<p>And Toby was quite as ready to go to sleep as he was. He had worked hard +that day, but the excitement of escaping had prevented him from +realizing his fatigue until after he had lain down; and almost before he +had got through congratulating himself upon the ease with which he had +gotten free, both he and the monkey were as sound asleep as if they had +been tucked up in the softest bed that was ever made.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toby's very weariness was a friend to him that night, for it prevented +him from waking; which, if he had done so, might have been unpleasant +when he fully realized that he was all alone in the forest, and the +sounds that are always heard in the woods might have frightened him just +the least bit.</p> + +<p>The sun was shining directly in his face when Toby awoke on the +following morning, and the old monkey was still snugly nestled under his +coat. He sat up rather dazed at first, and then, as he fully realized +that he was actually free from all that had made his life such a sad and +hard one for so many weeks, he shouted aloud, revelling in his freedom.</p> + +<p>The monkey, awakened by Toby's cries, started from his sleep in affright +and jumped into the nearest tree, only to chatter, jump, and swing from +the boughs when he saw that there was nothing very unusual going on, +save that he and Toby were out in the woods again, where they could have +no end of a good time and do just as they liked.</p> + +<p>After a few moments spent in a short jubilee at their escape Toby took +the monkey on his shoulder and the bundles under his arm again, and went +cautiously out to the edge of the thicket, where he could form some idea +as to whether or no they were pursued.</p> + +<p>He had entered the woods at the brow of a small hill<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> when he had fled +so hastily on the previous evening, and looking down, he could see the +spot whereon the tents of the circus had been pitched, but not a sign of +them was now visible. He could see a number of people walking around, +and he fancied that they looked up every now and then to where he stood +concealed by the foliage.</p> + +<p>This gave him no little uneasiness, for he feared that Mr. Lord or Mr. +Castle might be among the number, and he believed that they would begin +a search for him at once, and that the spot where their attention would +first be drawn was exactly where he was then standing.</p> + +<p>"This won't do, Mr. Stubbs," he said, as he pushed the monkey higher up +on his shoulder and started into the thickest part of the woods; "we +must get out of this place, an' go farther down, where we can hide till +to-morrow mornin'. Besides, we must find some water where we can wash +our faces."</p> + +<p>The old monkey would hardly have been troubled if they had not their +faces washed for the next month to come; but he grinned and talked as +Toby trudged along, attempting to catch hold of the leaves as they were +passed, and in various other ways impeding his master's progress, until +Toby was obliged to give him a most severe scolding in order to make him +behave himself in anything like a decent manner.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span></p> + +<p>At last, after fully half an hour's rapid walking, Toby found just the +place he wanted in which to pass the time he concluded it would be +necessary to spend before he dare venture out to start for home.</p> + +<p>It was a little valley entirely filled by trees, which grew so thickly, +save in one little spot, as to make it almost impossible to walk +through. The one clear spot was not more than ten feet square, but it +was just at the edge of a swiftly running brook; and a more beautiful or +convenient place for a boy and a monkey to stop who had no tent, nor +means to build one, could not well be imagined.</p> + +<p>Toby's first act was to wash his face, and he tried to make the monkey +do the same; but Mr. Stubbs had no idea of doing any such foolish thing. +He would come down close to the edge of the water and look in; but the +moment that Toby tried to make him go in he would rush back among the +trees, climb out on some slender bough, and then swing himself down by +the tail, and chatter away as if making sport of his young master for +thinking that he would be so foolish as to soil his face with water.</p> + +<p>After Toby had made his toilet he unfastened the bundle which the fat +lady had given him, for the purpose of having breakfast. As much of an +eater as Toby was, he could not but be surprised at the quantity of food +which Mrs. Treat called a lunch. There were two whole pies and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span> half of +another, as many as two dozen doughnuts, several large pieces of cheese, +six sandwiches, with a plentiful amount of meat, half a dozen biscuits, +nicely buttered, and a large piece of cake.</p> + +<p>The monkey had come down from the tree as soon as he saw Toby untying +the bundle, and there was quite as much pleasure depicted on his face, +when he saw the good things that were spread out before him, as there +was on Toby's; and he showed his thankfulness at Mrs. Treat's foresight +by suddenly snatching one of the doughnuts and running with it up the +tree, where he knew Toby could not follow.</p> + +<p>"Now look here, Mr. Stubbs!" said Toby, sternly, "you can have all you +want to eat, but you must take it in a decent way, an' not go to cuttin' +up any such shines as that."</p> + +<p>And after giving this command—which, by-the-way, was obeyed just about +as well as it was understood—Toby devoted his time to his breakfast, +and he reduced the amount of eatables very considerably before he had +finished.</p> + +<p>Toby cleared off his table by gathering the food together and putting it +back into the paper as well as possible, and then he sat down to think +over the situation, and to decide what he had better do.</p> + +<p>He felt rather nervous about venturing out when it was possible for Mr. +Lord or Mr. Castle to get hold of him again; and as the weather was yet +warm during the night,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span> his camping-place everything that could be +desired, and the stock of food likely to hold out, he concluded that he +had better remain there for two days at least, and then he would be +reasonably sure that if either of the men whom he so dreaded to see had +remained behind for the purpose of catching him, he would have got tired +out and gone on.</p> + +<p>This point decided upon, the next was to try to fix up something soft +for a bed. He had his pocket-knife with him, and in his little valley +were pine and hemlock trees in abundance. From the tips of their +branches he knew that he could make a bed as soft and fragrant as any +that could be thought of, and he set to work at once, while Mr. Stubbs +continued his antics above his head.</p> + +<p>After about two hours' steady work he had cut enough of the tender +branches to make himself a bed into which he and the monkey could burrow +and sleep as comfortably as if they were in the softest bed in Uncle +Daniel's house.</p> + +<p>When Toby first began to cut the boughs he had an idea that he might +possibly make some sort of a hut; but the two hours' work had blistered +his hands, and he was perfectly ready to sit down and rest, without the +slightest desire for any other kind of a hut than that formed by the +trees themselves.</p> + +<p>Toby imagined that in that beautiful place he could, with the monkey, +stay contented for any number of days;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span> but after he had rested a time, +played with his pet a little, and eaten just a trifle more of the lunch, +the time passed so slowly that he soon made up his mind to run the risk +of meeting Mr. Lord or Mr. Castle again by going out of the woods the +first thing the next morning.</p> + +<p>Very many times before the sun set that day was Toby tempted to run the +risk that night, for the sake of the change, if no more; but as he +thought the matter over he saw how dangerous such a course would be, and +he forced himself to wait.</p> + +<p>That night he did not sleep as soundly as on the previous one, for the +very good reason that he was not as tired. He awoke several times; and +the noise of the night-birds alarmed him to such an extent that he was +obliged to awaken the old monkey for company.</p> + +<p>But the night passed despite his fears, as all nights will, whether a +boy is out in the woods alone or tucked up in his own little bed at +home. In the morning Toby made all possible haste to get away, for each +moment that he stayed now made him more impatient to be moving toward +home.</p> + +<p>He washed himself as quickly as possible, ate his breakfast with the +most unseemly haste, and, taking up his bundles and the monkey, once +more started, as he supposed, in the direction from which he had entered +the woods.</p> + +<p>Toby walked briskly along, in the best possible spirits,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> for his +running away was now an accomplished fact, and he was going toward Uncle +Daniel and home just as fast as possible. He sung "Old Hundred" through +five or six times by way of showing his happiness. It is quite likely +that he would have sung something a little more lively had he known +anything else; but "Old Hundred" was the extent of his musical +education, and he kept repeating that, which was quite as satisfactory +as if he had been able to go through with every opera that was ever +written.</p> + +<p>The monkey would jump from his shoulder into the branches above, run +along on the trees for a short distance, and then wait until Toby came +along, when he would drop down on his shoulder suddenly, and in every +other way of displaying monkey delight he showed that he was just as +happy as it was possible.</p> + +<p>Toby trudged on in this contented way for nearly an hour, and every +moment expected to step out to the edge of the woods, where he could see +houses and men once more. But instead of doing so the forest seemed to +grow more dense, and nothing betokened his approach to the village. +There was a great fear came into Toby's heart just then, and for a +moment he halted in helpless perplexity. His lips began to quiver, his +face grew white, and his hand trembled so that the old monkey took hold +of one of his fingers and looked at it wonderingly.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XIX.</span></h2> + +<h3>MR. STUBBS'S MISCHIEF, AND HIS SAD FATE.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/t.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="T" class="cap" /> + + +<p class="cap_3">Toby had begun to realize that he was lost in the woods, and the thought +was sufficient to cause alarm in the mind of one much older than the +boy. He said to himself that he would keep on in the direction he was +then travelling for fifteen minutes; and as he had no means of computing +the time he sat down on a log, took out the bit of pencil with which he +had written the letter to Ella, and multiplied sixty by fifteen. He knew +that there were sixty seconds to the minute, and that he could +ordinarily count one to each second; therefore, when he learned that +there were nine hundred seconds in fifteen minutes, he resolved to walk +as nearly straight ahead as possible until he should have counted that +number.</p></div> + +<p>He walked on, counting as regularly as he could, and thought to himself +that he never before realized how long fifteen minutes were. It really +seemed to him that an hour had passed before he finished counting, and +then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> when he stopped there were no more signs that he was near a +clearing than there had been before he started.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Mr. Stubbs, we're lost! we're lost!" he cried, as he laid his cheek +on the monkey's head and gave way to the lonesome grief that came over +him. "What shall we do? Perhaps we won't ever find our way out, but will +die here, an' then Uncle Dan'l won't ever know how sorry I was that I +run away."</p> + +<p>Then Toby lay right down on the ground and cried so hard that the monkey +acted as if it were frightened, and tried to turn the boy's face over, +and finally leaned down and licked Toby's ear.</p> + +<p>This little act, which seemed so much like a kiss, caused Toby to feel +no small amount of comfort, and he sat up again, took the monkey in his +arms, and began seriously to discuss some definite plan of action.</p> + +<p>"It won't do to keep on the way we've been goin', Mr. Stubbs," said +Toby, as he looked full in his pet's face—and the old monkey sat as +still and looked as grave as it was possible for him to look and +sit—"for we must be goin' into the woods deeper. Let's start off this +way"—and Toby pointed at right angles with the course they had been +pursuing—"an' keep right on that way till we come to something, or till +we drop right down an' die."</p> + +<p>It is fair to presume that the old monkey agreed to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span> Toby's plan; for +although he said nothing in favor of it he certainly made no objections +to it, which to Toby was the same as if his companion had assented to it +in the plainest English.</p> + +<p>Both the bundles and the monkey were rather a heavy load for a small boy +like Toby to carry; but he clung manfully to them, walked resolutely on, +without looking to the right or to the left, glad when the old monkey +would take a run among the trees, for then he would be relieved of his +weight, and glad when he returned, for then he had his company, and that +repaid him for any labor which he might have to perform.</p> + +<p>Toby was in a hard plight as it was; but without the old monkey for a +companion he would have thought his condition was a hundred times worse, +and would hardly have had the courage to go on as he was going.</p> + +<p>On and on he walked, until it seemed to him that he could really go no +farther, and yet he could see no signs which indicated the end of the +woods, and at last he sunk upon the ground, too tired to walk another +step, saying to the monkey—who was looking as if he would like to know +the reason of this pause—"It's no use, Mr. Stubbs, I've got to sit down +here an' rest awhile, anyhow; besides, I'm awfully hungry."</p> + +<p>Then Toby commenced to eat his dinner, and to give the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> monkey his, +until the thought came to him that he neither had any water nor did he +know where to find it, and then, of course, he immediately became so +thirsty that it was impossible for him to eat any more.</p> + +<p>"We can't stand this," moaned Toby to the monkey; "we've got to have +something to drink, or else we can't eat all these sweet things, an' I'm +so tired that I can't go any farther. Don't let's eat dinner now, but +let's stay here an' rest, an' then we can keep on an' look for water."</p> + +<p>Toby's resting spell was a long one, for as soon as he stretched himself +out on the ground he was asleep from actual exhaustion, and did not +awaken until the sun was just setting, and then he saw that, hard as his +troubles had been before, they were about to become, or in fact had +become, worse.</p> + +<p>He had paid no attention to his bundles when he lay down, and when he +awoke he was puzzled to make out what it was that was strewn around the +ground so thickly.</p> + +<p>He had looked at it but a very short time when he saw that it was what +had been the lunch he had carried so far. After having had the sad +experience of losing his money he understood very readily that the old +monkey had taken the lunch while he slept, and had amused himself by +picking it apart into the smallest particles possible, and then strewn +them around on the ground where he now saw them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span></p> + +<p>Toby looked at them in almost speechless surprise, and then he turned to +where the old monkey lay, apparently asleep; but as the boy watched him +intently, he could see that the cunning animal was really watching him +out of one half-closed eye.</p> + +<p>"Now you have killed us, Mr. Stubbs," wailed Toby. "We never can find +our way out of here; an' now we hain't got anything to eat, and by +to-morrow we shall be starved to death. Oh dear! wasn't you bad enough +when you threw all the money away, so you had to go an' do this just +when we was in awful trouble?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Stubbs now looked up as if he had just been awakened by Toby's +grief, looked around him leisurely as if to see what could be the +matter, and then, apparently seeing for the first time the crumbs that +were lying around on the ground, took up some and examined them +intently.</p> + +<p>"Now don't go to makin' believe that you don't know how they come +there," said Toby, showing anger toward his pet for the first time. "You +know it was you who did it, for there wasn't any one else here, an' you +can't fool me by lookin' so surprised."</p> + +<p>It seemed as if the monkey had come to the conclusion that his little +plan of ignorance wasn't the most perfect success, for he walked meekly +toward his young master, climbed up on his shoulder, and sat there +kissing his ear, or looking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> down into his eyes, until the boy could +resist the mute appeal no longer, but took him into his arms and hugged +him closely as he said,</p> + +<p>"It can't be helped now, I s'pose, an' we shall have to get along the +best way we can; but it was awful wicked of you, Mr. Stubbs, an' I don't +know what we're going to do for something to eat."</p> + +<p>While the destructive fit was on him the old monkey had not spared the +smallest bit of food, but had picked everything into such minute shreds +that none of it could be gathered up, and everything was surely wasted.</p> + +<p>While Toby sat bemoaning his fate, and trying to make out what was to be +done for food, the darkness, which had just begun to gather when he +first awoke, now commenced to settle around, and he was obliged to seek +for some convenient place in which to spend the night before it became +so dark as to make the search impossible.</p> + +<p>Owing to the fact that he had slept nearly the entire afternoon, and +also rendered wakeful by the loss he had just sustained, Toby lay awake +on the hard ground, with the monkey on his arm, hour after hour, until +all kinds of fancies came to him, and in every sound feared he heard +some one from the circus coming to capture him, or some wild beast +intent on picking his bones.</p> + +<p>The cold sweat of fear stood out on his brow, and he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> hardly dared to +breathe, much more to speak, lest the sound of his voice should betray +his whereabouts, and thus bring his enemies down upon him. The minutes +seemed like hours, and the hours like days, as he lay there, listening +fearfully to every one of the night-sounds of the forest; and it seemed +to him that he had been there very many hours when at last he fell +asleep, and was thus freed from his fears.</p> + +<p>Bright and early on the following morning Toby was awake, and as he came +to a realizing sense of all the dangers and trouble that surrounded him +he was disposed to give way again to his sorrow; but he said resolutely +to himself, "It might be a good deal worse than it is, an' Mr. Stubbs +an' I can get along one day without anything to eat; an' perhaps by +night we shall be out of the woods, an' then what we get will taste good +to us."</p> + +<p>He began his walk—which possibly might not end that day—manfully, and +his courage was rewarded by soon reaching a number of bushes that were +literally loaded down with blackberries. From these he made a hearty +meal, and the old monkey fairly revelled in them, for he ate all he +possibly could, and then stowed away enough in his cheeks to make a +good-sized luncheon when he should be hungry again.</p> + +<p>Refreshed very much by his breakfast of fruit, Toby again started on his +journey with renewed vigor, and the world began to look very bright to +him. He had not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> thought that he might find berries when the thoughts of +starvation came into his mind, and now that his hunger was satisfied he +began to believe that he might possibly be able to live, perhaps for +weeks, in the woods solely upon what he might find growing there.</p> + +<p>Shortly after he had had breakfast he came upon a brook, which he +thought was the same upon whose banks he had encamped the first night he +spent in the woods, and, pulling off his clothes, he waded into the +deepest part, and had a most refreshing bath, although the water was +rather cold.</p> + +<p>Not having any towels with which to dry himself, he was obliged to sit +in the sun until the moisture had been dried from his skin and he could +put his clothes on once more. Then he started out on his walk again, +feeling that sooner or later he would come out all right.</p> + +<p>All this time he had been travelling without any guide to tell him +whether he was going straight ahead or around in a circle, and he now +concluded to follow the course of the brook, believing that that would +lead him out of the forest some time.</p> + +<p>During the forenoon he walked steadily, but not so fast that he would +get exhausted quickly, and when by the position of the sun he judged +that it was noon he lay down on a mossy bank to rest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span></p> + +<p>He was beginning to feel sad again. He had found no more berries, and +the elation which had been caused by his breakfast and his bath was +quickly passing away. The old monkey was in a tree almost directly above +his head, stretched out on one of the limbs in the most contented manner +possible; and as Toby watched him, and thought of all the trouble he had +caused by wasting the food, thoughts of starvation again came into his +mind, and he believed that he should not live to see Uncle Daniel again.</p> + +<p>Just when he was feeling the most sad and lonely, and when thoughts of +death from starvation were most vivid in his mind, he heard the barking +of a dog, which sounded close at hand.</p> + +<p>His first thought was that at last he was saved, and he was just +starting to his feet to shout for help, when he heard the sharp report +of a gun and an agonizing cry from the branches above, and the old +monkey fell to the ground with a thud that told he had received his +death-wound.</p> + +<p>All this had taken place so quickly that Toby did not at first +comprehend the extent of the misfortune which had overtaken him; but a +groan from the poor monkey, as he placed one little brown paw to his +breast, from which the blood was flowing freely, and looked up into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span> his +master's face with a most piteous expression, showed the poor little boy +what a great trouble it was which had now come.</p> + +<p>Poor Toby uttered a loud cry of agony, which could not have been more +full of anguish had he received the ball in his own breast, and, +flinging himself by the side of the dying monkey, he gathered him close +to his breast, regardless of the blood that poured over him, and +stroking tenderly the little head that had nestled so often in his +bosom, said, over and over again, as the monkey uttered short moans of +agony, "Who could have been so cruel?—who could have been so cruel?"</p> + +<p>Toby's tears ran like rain down his face, and he kissed his dying pet +again and again, as if he would take all the pain to himself.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if you could only speak to me!" he cried, as he took one of the +poor monkey's paws in his hand, and, finding that it was growing cold +with the chill of death, put it on his neck to warm it. "How I love you, +Mr. Stubbs! An' now you're goin' to die an' leave me! Oh, if I hadn't +spoken cross to you yesterday, an' if I hadn't a'most choked you the day +that we went to the skeleton's to dinner! Forgive me for ever bein' bad +to you, won't you, Mr. Stubbs?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 463px;"> +<img src="images/i040.jpg" width="463" height="500" alt=""HOW I LOVE YOU, MR. STUBBS!"" title="" /> +<span class="caption">"HOW I LOVE YOU, MR. STUBBS!"</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span></p> + +<p>As the monkey's groans increased in number but diminished in force Toby +ran to the brook, filled his hands with water, and held it to the poor +animal's mouth.</p> + +<p>He lapped the water quickly, and looked up with a human look of +gratitude in his eyes, as if thanking his master for that much relief. +Then Toby tried to wash the blood from his breast; but it flowed quite +as fast as he could wash it away, and he ceased his efforts in that +direction, and paid every attention to making his friend and pet more +comfortable. He took off his jacket and laid it on the ground for the +monkey to lie upon; picked a quantity of large green leaves as a cooling +rest for his head, and then sat by his side, holding his paws, and +talking to him with the most tender words his lips—quivering with +sorrow as they were—could fashion.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span></p> +<h2><span class="smcap">Chapter XX.</span></h2> + +<h3>HOME AND UNCLE DANIEL.</h3> + +<div class="drop"> +<img src="images/m.jpg" width="136" height="150" alt="M" class="cap" /> + + +<p class="cap_2">Meanwhile the author of all this misery had come upon the scene. He was +a young man, whose rifle and well-filled game-bag showed that he had +been hunting, and his face expressed the liveliest sorrow for what he +had so unwittingly done.</p></div> + +<p>"I didn't know I was firing at your pet," he said to Toby as he laid his +hand on his shoulder and endeavored to make him look up. "I only saw a +little patch of fur through the trees, and, thinking it was some wild +animal, I fired. Forgive me, won't you, and let me put the poor brute +out of his misery?"</p> + +<p>Toby looked up fiercely at the murderer of his pet and asked, savagely, +"Why don't you go away? Don't you see that you have killed Mr. Stubbs, +an' you'll be hung for murder?"</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't have done it under any circumstances," said the young man, +pitying Toby's grief most sincerely. "Come away, and let me put the poor +thing out of its agony."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span></p> + +<p>"How can you do it?" asked Toby, bitterly. "He's dying already."</p> + +<p>"I know it, and it will be a kindness to put a bullet through his head."</p> + +<p>If Toby had been big enough perhaps there might really have been a +murder committed, for he looked up at the man who so coolly proposed to +kill the poor monkey after he had already received his death-wound that +the young man stepped back quickly, as if really afraid that in his +desperation the boy might do him some injury.</p> + +<p>"Go 'way off," said Toby, passionately, "an' don't ever come here again. +You've killed all I ever had in this world of my own to love me, an' I +hate you—I hate you!"</p> + +<p>Then, turning again to the monkey, he put his hands on each side of his +head, and, leaning down, kissed the little brown lips as tenderly as a +mother would kiss her child.</p> + +<p>The monkey was growing more and more feeble, and when Toby had shown +this act of affection he reached up his tiny paws, grasped Toby's +finger, half-raised himself from the ground, and then with a convulsive +struggle fell back dead, while the tiny fingers slowly relaxed their +hold of the boy's hand.</p> + +<p>Toby feared that it was death, and yet hoped that he was mistaken; he +looked into the half-open, fast-glazing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> eyes, put his hand over his +heart, to learn if it were still beating; and getting no responsive look +from the dead eyes, feeling no heart-throbs from under that gory breast, +he knew that his pet was really dead, and flung himself by his side in +all the childish abandonment of grief.</p> + +<p>He called the monkey by name, implored him to look at him, and finally +bewailed that he had ever left the circus, where at least his pet's life +was safe, even if his own back received its daily flogging.</p> + +<p>The young man, who stood a silent spectator of this painful scene, +understood everything from Toby's mourning. He knew that a boy had run +away from the circus, for Messrs. Lord and Castle had stayed behind one +day, in the hope of capturing the fugitive, and they had told their own +version of Toby's flight.</p> + +<p>For nearly an hour Toby lay by the dead monkey's side, crying as if his +heart would break, and the young man waited until his grief should have +somewhat exhausted itself, and then approached the boy again.</p> + +<p>"Won't you believe that I didn't mean to do this cruel thing?" he asked, +in a kindly voice. "And won't you believe that I would do anything in my +power to bring your pet back to life?"</p> + +<p>Toby looked at him a moment earnestly, and then said, slowly, "Yes, I'll +try to."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now will you come with me, and let me talk to you? for I know who you +are, and why you are here."</p> + +<p>"How do you know that?"</p> + +<p>"Two men stayed behind after the circus had left, and they hunted +everywhere for you."</p> + +<p>"I wish they had caught me," moaned Toby; "I wish they had caught me, +for then Mr. Stubbs wouldn't be here dead."</p> + +<p>And Toby's grief broke out afresh as he again looked at the poor little +stiff form that had been a source of so much comfort and joy to him.</p> + +<p>"Try not to think of that now, but think of yourself, and of what you +will do," said the man, soothingly, anxious to divert Toby's mind from +the monkey's death as much as possible.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to think of myself, and I don't care what I'll do," sobbed +the boy, passionately.</p> + +<p>"But you must; you can't stay here always, and I will try to help you to +get home, or wherever it is you want to go, if you will tell me all +about it."</p> + +<p>It was some time before Toby could be persuaded to speak or think of +anything but the death of his pet; but the young man finally succeeded +in drawing his story from him, and then tried to induce him to leave +that place and accompany him to the town.</p> + +<p>"I can't leave Mr. Stubbs," said the boy, firmly; "he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> never left me the +night I got thrown out of the wagon an' he thought I was hurt."</p> + +<p>Then came another struggle to induce him to bury his pet; and finally +Toby, after realizing the fact that he could not carry a dead monkey +anywhere with him, agreed to it; but he would not allow the young man to +help him in any way, or even to touch the monkey's body.</p> + +<p>He dug a grave under a little fir-tree near by, and lined it with wild +flowers and leaves, and even then hesitated to cover the body with the +earth. At last he bethought himself of the fanciful costume which the +skeleton and his wife had given him, and in this he carefully wrapped +his dead pet. He had not one regret at leaving the bespangled suit, for +it was the best he could command, and surely nothing could be too good +for Mr. Stubbs.</p> + +<p>Tenderly he laid him in the little grave, and, covering the body with +flowers, said, pausing a moment before he covered it over with earth, +and while his voice was choked with emotion, "Good-bye, Mr. Stubbs, +good-bye! I wish it had been me instead of you that died, for I'm an +awful sorry little boy now that you're dead!"</p> + +<p>Even after the grave had been filled, and a little mound made over it, +the young man had the greatest difficulty to persuade Toby to go with +him; and when the boy did consent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> to go at last he walked very slowly +away, and kept turning his head to look back just so long as the little +grave could be seen.</p> + +<p>Then, when the trees shut it completely out from sight, the tears +commenced again to roll down Toby's cheeks, and he sobbed out, "I wish I +hadn't left him. Oh, why didn't I make him lie down by me? an' then he'd +be alive now; an' how glad he'd be to know that we was getting out of +the woods at last!"</p> + +<p>But the man who had caused Toby this sorrow talked to him about other +matters, thus taking his mind from the monkey's death as much as +possible, and by the time the boy reached the village he had told his +story exactly as it was, without casting any reproaches on Mr. Lord, and +giving himself the full share of censure for leaving his home as he did.</p> + +<p>Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle had remained in the town but one day, for they +were told that a boy had taken the night train that passed through the +town about two hours after Toby had escaped, and they had set off at +once to act on that information.</p> + +<p>Therefore Toby need have no fears of meeting either of them just then, +and he could start on his homeward journey in peace.</p> + +<p>The young man who had caused the monkey's death<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span> tried first to persuade +Toby to remain a day or two with him, and, failing in that, he did all +he could toward getting the boy home as quickly and safely as possible. +He insisted on paying for his ticket on the steamboat, although Toby did +all he could to prevent him, and he even accompanied Toby to the next +town, where he was to take the steamer.</p> + +<p>He had not only paid for Toby's ticket, but he had paid for a state-room +for him; and when the boy said that he could sleep anywhere, and that +there was no need of such expense, the man replied, "Those men who were +hunting for you have gone down the river, and will be very likely to +search the boat, when they discover that they started on the wrong +scent. They will never suspect that you have got a state-room; and if +you are careful to remain in it during the trip, you will get through +safely."</p> + +<p>Then, when the time came for the steamer to start, the young man said to +Toby, "Now, my boy, you won't feel hard at me for shooting the monkey, +will you? I would have done anything to have brought him to life; but, +as I could not do that, helping you to get home was the next best thing +I could do."</p> + +<p>"I know you didn't mean to shoot Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, with moistening +eyes as he spoke of his pet, "an' I'm sorry I said what I did to you in +the woods."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span></p> + +<p>Before there was time to say any more the warning whistle was sounded, +the plank pulled in, the great wheels commenced to revolve, and Toby was +really on his way to Uncle Daniel and Guilford.</p> + +<p>It was then but five o'clock in the afternoon, and he could not expect +to reach home until two or three o'clock in the afternoon of the next +day; but he was in a tremor of excitement as he thought that he should +walk through the streets of Guilford once more, see all the boys, and go +home to Uncle Daniel.</p> + +<p>And yet, whenever he thought of that home, of meeting those boys, of +going once more to all those old familiar places, the memory of all that +he had planned when he should take the monkey with him would come into +his mind and damp even his joy, great as it was.</p> + +<p>That night he had considerable difficulty in falling asleep, but did +finally succeed in doing so; and when he awoke the steamer was going up +the river, whose waters seemed like an old friend, because they had +flowed right down past Guilford on their way to the sea.</p> + +<p>At each town where a landing was made Toby looked eagerly out on the +pier, thinking that by chance some one from his home might be there and +he would see a familiar face again. But all this time he heeded the +advice given him and remained in his room, where he could see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> and not +be seen; and it was well for him that he did so, for at one of the +landings he saw both Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle come on board the boat.</p> + +<p>Toby's heart beat fast and furious, and he expected every moment to hear +them at the door demanding admittance, for it seemed to him that they +must know exactly where he was secreted.</p> + +<p>But no such misfortune occurred. The men had evidently only boarded the +boat to search for the boy, for they landed again before the steamer +started, and Toby had the satisfaction of seeing their backs as they +walked away from the pier. It was some time before he recovered from the +fright which the sight of them gave him; but when he did his thoughts +and hopes far outstripped the steamer which, it seemed, was going so +slowly, and he longed to see Guilford with an impatience that could +hardly be restrained.</p> + +<p>At last he could see the spire of the little church on the hill, and +when the steamer rounded the point, affording a full view of the town, +and sounded her whistle as a signal for those on the shore to come to +the pier, Toby could hardly restrain himself from jumping up and down +and shouting in his delight.</p> + +<p>He was at the gang-plank ready to land fully five minutes before the +steamer was anywhere near the wharf, and when<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span> he recognized the first +face on the pier what a happy boy he was!</p> + +<p>He was at home! The dream of the past ten weeks was at length realized, +and neither Mr. Lord nor Mr. Castle had any terrors for him now.</p> + +<p>He ran down the gang-plank before it was ready and clasped every boy he +saw there round the neck, and would have kissed them, if they had shown +an inclination to let him do so.</p> + +<p>Of course he was overwhelmed with questions, but before he would answer +any he asked for Uncle Daniel and the others at home.</p> + +<p>Some of the boys ventured to predict that Toby would get a jolly good +whipping for running away, and the only reply which the happy Toby made +to that was,</p> + +<p>"I hope I will, an' then I'll feel as if I had kinder paid for runnin' +away. If Uncle Dan'l will only let me stay with him again he may whip me +every mornin', an' I won't open my mouth to holler."</p> + +<p>The boys were impatient to hear the story of Toby's travels, but he +refused to tell it them, saying,</p> + +<p>"I'll go home; an' if Uncle Dan'l forgives me for bein' so wicked I'll +sit down this afternoon an' tell you all you want to know about the +circus."</p> + +<p>Then, far more rapidly than he had run away from it,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span> Toby ran toward +the home which he had called his ever since he could remember, and his +heart was full almost to bursting as he thought that perhaps he would be +told that he had forfeited all claim to it, and that he could never more +call it "home" again.</p> + +<p>When he entered the old familiar sitting-room Uncle Daniel was seated +near the window, alone, looking out wistfully—as Toby thought—across +the fields of yellow waving grain.</p> + +<p>Toby crept softly in, and, going up to the old man, knelt down and said, +very humbly, and with his whole soul in the words, "Oh, Uncle Dan'l! if +you'll only forgive me for bein' so wicked an' runnin' away, an' let me +stay here again—for it's all the home I ever had—I'll do everything +you tell me to, an' never whisper in meetin' or do anything bad."</p> + +<p>And then he waited for the words which would seal his fate. They were +not long in coming.</p> + +<p>"My poor boy," said Uncle Daniel, softly, as he stroked Toby's +refractory red hair, "my love for you was greater than I knew, and when +you left me I cried aloud to the Lord as if it had been my own flesh and +blood that had gone afar from me. Stay here, Toby, my son, and help to +support this poor old body as it goes down into the dark valley of the +shadow of death; and then, in the bright light of that glorious future, +Uncle Daniel will wait to go with you into the presence of Him who is +ever a father to the fatherless."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 490px;"> +<img src="images/i042.jpg" width="490" height="650" alt="UNCLE DANIEL'S BLESSING." title="" /> +<span class="caption">UNCLE DANIEL'S BLESSING.</span> +</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span></p> + +<p>And in Uncle Daniel's kindly care we may safely leave Toby Tyler.</p> + + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOBY TYLER***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 32393-h.txt or 32393-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/3/9/32393">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/3/9/32393</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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b/32393-h/images/t.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e6e99c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/32393-h/images/t.jpg diff --git a/32393-h/images/w.jpg b/32393-h/images/w.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4abc04e --- /dev/null +++ b/32393-h/images/w.jpg diff --git a/32393.txt b/32393.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea0bdc8 --- /dev/null +++ b/32393.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6119 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Toby Tyler, by James Otis + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Toby Tyler + Ten Weeks with a Circus + + +Author: James Otis + + + +Release Date: May 15, 2010 [eBook #32393] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOBY TYLER*** + + +E-text prepared by David Edwards, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from +page images generously made available by Internet Archive +(http://www.archive.org) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 32393-h.htm or 32393-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32393/32393-h/32393-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32393/32393-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + http://www.archive.org/details/tobytylerortenwe00kalerich + + + + + +TOBY TYLER + +or + +Ten Weeks with a Circus + +by + +JAMES OTIS + +Illustrated + + + +[Illustration: BREAKFAST IN THE WOODS. _See p. 235._] + + + + + + +[Illustration] + +New York and London +Harper & Brothers Publishers + + * * * * * * + +HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE SERIES + +EACH, SIXTY CENTS + + +_FRANCONIA STORIES_ + +BY JACOB ABBOTT + +Malleville +Mary Bell +Ellen Linn +Wallace +Beechnut +Stuyvesant +Agnes +Mary Erskine +Rodolphus +Caroline + +BY W. L. ALDEN + +The Moral Pirates +The Cruise of the "Ghost" +The Cruise of the Canoe Club +The Adventures of Jimmy Brown +Jimmy Brown Trying to Find Europe +A New Robinson Crusoe + +BY JAMES BARNES + +The Blockaders + +BY WILLIAM BLACK + +The Four Macnicols + +BY LEWIS CARROLL + +Alice's Adventures in Wonderland +Through the Looking-Glass +The Hunting of the Snark + +BY COL. W. F. CODY + +The Adventures of Buffalo Bill + +BY GEORGE C. EGGLESTON + +Strange Stories from History + +BY JOHN HABBERTON + +Who Was Paul Grayson? + +BY MRS. W. J. HAYS + +Prince Lazybones +The Princess Idleways + +BY GEORGE A. HENTY + +In the Hands of the Cave-Dwellers + +BY W. J. HENDERSON + +Sea Yarns for Boys + +BY ERNEST INGERSOLL + +The Ice Queen + +BY DAVID KER + +The Lost City +Into Unknown Seas + +BY LUCY C. LILLIE + +Mildred's Bargain +Nan +Jo's Opportunity +Phil and the Baby +False Witness +Rolf House +Music and Musicians +The Colonel's Money +The Household of Glen Holly + +BY LIVINGSTON B. MORSE + +The Road to Nowhere + +BY MISS MULOCK + +The Little Lame Prince +The Adventures of a Brownie +Little Sunshine's Holiday +The Cousin from India +Twenty Years Ago +Is It True? +Miss Moore +An Only Sister + +BY KIRK MUNROE + +Wakulla +The Flamingo Feather +Derrick Sterling +Chrystal Jack & Co. etc. + +BY JAMES OTIS + +Mr. Stubbs's Brother +Tim and Tip +Toby Tyler, or, Ten Weeks with a Circus +Raising the "Pearl" +Silent Pete, or, the Stowaways +Left Behind, or, Ten Days a Newsboy + +BY G. B. PERRY + +Uncle Peter's Trust + +BY L. C. PYRNELLE + +Diddie, Dumps, and Tot + +BY MARGARET E. SANGSTER + +Little Knights and Ladies--Poems + +BY W. O. STODDARD + +Two Arrows +The Red Mustang +The Talking Leaves + +BY SOPHIE SWETT + +Captain Polly + +_STRANGE STORIES FROM AMERICAN HISTORY_ + +Strange Stories of Colonial Days +Strange Stories of the Revolution +Strange Stories of 1812 +Strange Stories of the Civil War + +_ADVENTURE SERIES_ + +Adventures of Uncle Sam's Sailors +Adventures of Uncle Sam's Soldiers +Adventures with Indians +Adventures of Pirates and Sea-Rovers + +_Illustrated. Price, per volume, 60 cents_ + +HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK + +COPYRIGHT, 1880, 1881, 1909, BY HARPER & BROTHERS + +COPYRIGHT, 1908, 1909, BY JAMES OTIS KALER + +PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + + * * * * * * + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAP. PAGE + + I. TOBY'S INTRODUCTION TO THE CIRCUS 9 + + II. TOBY RUNS AWAY FROM HOME 20 + + III. THE NIGHT RIDE 31 + + IV. THE FIRST DAY WITH THE CIRCUS 42 + + V. THE COUNTERFEIT TEN-CENT PIECE 54 + + VI. A TENDER-HEARTED SKELETON 66 + + VII. AN ACCIDENT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 82 + + VIII. CAPTURE OF THE MONKEYS 93 + + IX. THE DINNER-PARTY 102 + + X. MR. STUBBS AT A PARTY 118 + + XI. A STORMY NIGHT 131 + + XII. TOBY'S GREAT MISFORTUNE 143 + + XIII. TOBY ATTEMPTS TO RESIGN HIS SITUATION 156 + + XIV. MR. CASTLE TEACHES TOBY TO RIDE 169 + + XV. TOBY'S FRIENDS PRESENT HIM WITH A COSTUME 184 + + XVI. TOBY'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE RING 197 + + XVII. OFF FOR HOME! 211 + + XVIII. A DAY OF FREEDOM 229 + + XIX. MR. STUBBS'S MISCHIEF, AND HIS SAD FATE 239 + + XX. HOME AND UNCLE DANIEL 252 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + PAGE + + BREAKFAST IN THE WOODS _Frontispiece_ + + TOBY STRIKES A BARGAIN 11 + + TOBY AND HIS NEW FRIEND 27 + + TOBY'S FIRST NIGHT RIDE 33 + + OLD BEN COMES TO THE RESCUE 47 + + "WON'T YOU PLEASE GIVE ME THE MONEY BACK?" 59 + + TOBY GETS HIS SUPPER 73 + + JOB LORD LEARNS A LESSON 79 + + THE BREAK-DOWN, AND ESCAPE OF THE MONKEYS 89 + + BRINGING BACK THE RUNAWAYS 97 + + TOBY IS INTRODUCED TO THE ALBINOS 111 + + TOBY SITS DOWN ON MR. STUBBS 127 + + TOBY IN THE "WOMEN'S WAGON" 135 + + MR. STUBBS AND TOBY'S MONEY 151 + + TOBY AND THE LITTLE BOY CUSTOMERS 165 + + THE FIRST LESSON 173 + + ELLA AND TOBY 187 + + MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE AND MONSIEUR AJAX 205 + + THE RUNAWAYS 225 + + "HOW I LOVE YOU, MR. STUBBS!" 249 + + UNCLE DANIEL'S BLESSING 263 + + + + +TOBY TYLER; + +OR, + +TEN WEEKS WITH A CIRCUS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +TOBY'S INTRODUCTION TO THE CIRCUS. + + +"Couldn't you give more'n six pea-nuts for a cent?" was a question asked +by a very small boy, with big, staring eyes, of a candy vender at a +circus booth. And as he spoke he looked wistfully at the quantity of +nuts piled high up on the basket, and then at the six, each of which now +looked so small as he held them in his hand. + +"Couldn't do it," was the reply of the proprietor of the booth, as he +put the boy's penny carefully away in the drawer. + +The little fellow looked for another moment at his purchase, and then +carefully cracked the largest one. + +A shade--and a very deep shade it was--of disappointment passed over his +face, and then, looking up anxiously, he asked, "Don't you swap 'em when +they're bad?" + +The man's face looked as if a smile had been a stranger to it for a long +time; but one did pay it a visit just then, and he tossed the boy two +nuts, and asked him a question at the same time. "What is your name?" + +The big brown eyes looked up for an instant, as if to learn whether the +question was asked in good faith, and then their owner said, as he +carefully picked apart another nut, "Toby Tyler." + +"Well, that's a queer name." + +"Yes, I s'pose so, myself; but, you see, I don't expect that's the name +that belongs to me. But the fellers call me so, an' so does Uncle +Dan'l." + +"Who is Uncle Daniel?" was the next question. In the absence of other +customers the man seemed disposed to get as much amusement out of the +boy as possible. + +"He hain't my uncle at all; I only call him so because all the boys do, +an' I live with him." + +"Where's your father and mother?" + +"I don't know," said Toby, rather carelessly. "I don't know much about +'em, an' Uncle Dan'l says they don't know much about me. Here's another +bad nut; goin' to give me two more?" + +[Illustration: TOBY STRIKES A BARGAIN.] + +The two nuts were given him, and he said, as he put them in his pocket, +and turned over and over again those which he held in his hand, "I +shouldn't wonder if all of these was bad. Sposen you give me two for +each one of 'em before I crack 'em, an' then they won't be spoiled so +you can't sell 'em again." + +As this offer of barter was made, the man looked amused, and he asked, +as he counted out the number which Toby desired, "If I give you these, I +suppose you'll want me to give you two more for each one, and you'll +keep that kind of a trade going until you get my whole stock?" + +"I won't open my head if every one of 'em's bad." + +"All right; you can keep what you've got, and I'll give you these +besides; but I don't want you to buy any more, for I don't want to do +that kind of business." + +Toby took the nuts offered, not in the least abashed, and seated himself +on a convenient stone to eat them, and at the same time to see all that +was going on around him. The coming of a circus to the little town of +Guilford was an event, and Toby had hardly thought of anything else +since the highly colored posters had first been put up. It was yet quite +early in the morning, and the tents were just being erected by the men. +Toby had followed, with eager eyes, everything that looked as if it +belonged to the circus, from the time the first wagon had entered the +town until the street parade had been made, and everything was being +prepared for the afternoon's performance. + +The man who had made the losing trade in pea-nuts seemed disposed to +question the boy still further, probably owing to the fact that he had +nothing better to do. + +"Who is this Uncle Daniel you say you live with--is he a farmer?" + +"No; he's a deacon, an' he raps me over the head with the hymn-book +whenever I go to sleep in meetin', an' he says I eat four times as much +as I earn. I blame him for hittin' so hard when I go to sleep, but I +s'pose he's right about my eatin'. You see," and here his tone grew both +confidential and mournful, "I am an awful eater, an' I can't seem to +help it. Somehow I'm hungry all the time. I don't seem ever to get +enough till carrot-time comes, an' then I can get all I want without +troubling anybody." + +"Didn't you ever have enough to eat?" + +"I s'pose I did; but you see Uncle Dan'l he found me one mornin' on his +hay, an' he says I was cryin' for something to eat then, an' I've kept +it up ever since. I tried to get him go give me money enough to go into +the circus with; but he said a cent was all he could spare these hard +times, an' I'd better take that an' buy something to eat with it, for +the show wasn't very good anyway. I wish pea-nuts wasn't but a cent a +bushel." + +"Then you would make yourself sick eating them." + +"Yes, I s'pose I should; Uncle Dan'l says I'd eat till I was sick, if I +got the chance; but I'd like to try it once." + +He was a very small boy, with a round head covered with short, +red hair a face as speckled as any turkey's egg, but thoroughly +good-natured-looking; and as he sat there on the rather sharp point of +the rock, swaying his body to and fro as he hugged his knees with his +hands, and kept his eyes fastened on the tempting display of good things +before him, it would have been a very hard-hearted man who would not +have given him something. But Mr. Job Lord, the proprietor of the booth, +was a hard-hearted man, and he did not make the slightest advance toward +offering the little fellow anything. + +Toby rocked himself silently for a moment, and then he said, +hesitatingly, "I don't suppose you'd like to sell me some things, an' +let me pay you when I get older, would you?" + +Mr. Lord shook his head decidedly at this proposition. + +"I didn't s'pose you would," said Toby, quickly; "but you didn't seem to +be selling anything, an' I thought I'd just see what you'd say about +it." And then he appeared suddenly to see something wonderfully +interesting behind him, which served as an excuse to turn his reddening +face away. + +"I suppose your uncle Daniel makes you work for your living, don't he?" +asked Mr. Lord, after he had rearranged his stock of candy, and had +added a couple of slices of lemon-peel to what was popularly supposed to +be lemonade. + +"That's what I think; but he says that all the work I do wouldn't pay +for the meal that one chicken would eat, an' I s'pose it's so, for I +don't like to work as well as a feller without any father and mother +ought to. I don't know why it is, but I guess it's because I take up so +much time eatin' that it kinder tires me out. I s'pose you go into the +circus whenever you want to, don't you?" + +"Oh yes; I'm there at every performance, for I keep the stand under the +big canvas as well as this one out here." + +There was a great big sigh from out Toby's little round stomach, as he +thought what bliss it must be to own all those good things, and to see +the circus wherever it went. "It must be nice," he said, as he faced the +booth and its hard-visaged proprietor once more. + +"How would you like it?" asked Mr. Lord, patronizingly, as he looked +Toby over in a business way, very much as if he contemplated purchasing +him. + +"Like it!" echoed Toby; "why, I'd grow fat on it." + +"I don't know as that would be any advantage," continued Mr. Lord, +reflectively, "for it strikes me that you're about as fat now as a boy +of your age ought to be. But I've a great mind to give you a chance." + +"What!" cried Toby, in amazement, and his eyes opened to their widest +extent, as this possible opportunity of leading a delightful life +presented itself. + +"Yes, I've a great mind to give you the chance. You see," and now it was +Mr. Lord's turn to grow confidential, "I've had a boy with me this +season, but he cleared out at the last town, and I'm running the +business alone now." + +Toby's face expressed all the contempt he felt for the boy who would run +away from such a glorious life as Mr. Lord's assistant must lead; but he +said not a word, waiting in breathless expectation for the offer which +he now felt certain would be made him. + +"Now I ain't hard on a boy," continued Mr. Lord, still confidentially, +"and yet that one seemed to think that he was treated worse and made to +work harder than any boy in the world." + +"He ought to live with Uncle Dan'l a week," said Toby, eagerly. + +"Here I was just like a father to him," said Mr. Lord, paying no +attention to the interruption, "and I gave him his board and lodging, +and a dollar a week besides." + +"Could he do what he wanted to with the dollar?" + +"Of course he could. I never checked him, no matter how extravagant he +was, an' yet I've seen him spend his whole week's wages at this very +stand in one afternoon. And even after his money had all gone that way, +I've paid for peppermint and ginger out of my own pocket just to cure +his stomach-ache." + +Toby shook his head mournfully, as if deploring that depravity which +could cause a boy to run away from such a tender-hearted employer, and +from such a desirable position. But even as he shook his head so sadly +he looked wistfully at the pea-nuts, and Mr. Lord observed the look. + +It may have been that Mr. Job Lord was the tender-hearted man he prided +himself upon being, or it may have been that he wished to purchase +Toby's sympathy; but, at all events, he gave him a large handful of +nuts, and Toby never bothered his little round head as to what motive +prompted the gift. Now he could listen to the story of the boy's +treachery and eat at the same time; therefore he was an attentive +listener. + +"All in the world that boy had to do," continued Mr. Lord, in the same +injured tone he had previously used, "was to help me set things to +rights when we struck a town in the morning, and then tend to the +counter till we left the town at night, and all the rest of the time he +had to himself. Yet that boy was ungrateful enough to run away." + +Mr. Lord paused, as if expecting some expression of sympathy from his +listener; but Toby was so busily engaged with his unexpected feast, and +his mouth was so full, that it did not seem even possible for him to +shake his head. + +"Now what should you say if I told you that you looked to me like a boy +that was made especially to help run a candy counter at a circus, and if +I offered the place to you?" + +Toby made one frantic effort to swallow the very large mouthful, and in +a choking voice he answered, quickly, "I should say I'd go with you, an' +be mighty glad of the chance." + +"Then it's a bargain, my boy, and you shall leave town with me +to-night." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +TOBY RUNS AWAY FROM HOME. + + +Toby could scarcely restrain himself at the prospect of this golden +future that had so suddenly opened before him. He tried to express his +gratitude, but could only do so by evincing his willingness to commence +work at once. + +"No, no, that won't do," said Mr. Lord, cautiously. "If your uncle +Daniel should see you working here, he might mistrust something, and +then you couldn't get away." + +"I don't believe he'd try to stop me," said Toby, confidently; "for he's +told me lots of times that it was a sorry day for him when he found me." + +"We won't take any chances, my son," was the reply, in a very benevolent +tone, as he patted Toby on the head, and at the same time handed him a +piece of pasteboard. "There's a ticket for the circus, and you come +around to see me about ten o'clock to-night. I'll put you on one of the +wagons, and by to-morrow morning your uncle Daniel will have hard work +to find you." + +If Toby had followed his inclinations, the chances are that he would +have fallen on his knees, and kissed Mr. Lord's hands in the excess of +his gratitude. But not knowing exactly how such a show of thankfulness +might be received, he contented himself by repeatedly promising that he +would be punctual to the time and place appointed. + +He would have loitered in the vicinity of the candy stand in order that +he might gain some insight into the business; but Mr. Lord advised that +he remain away, lest his uncle Daniel should see him, and suspect where +he had gone when he was missed in the morning. + +As Toby walked around the circus grounds, whereon was so much to attract +his attention, he could not prevent himself from assuming an air of +proprietorship. His interest in all that was going on was redoubled, and +in his anxiety that everything should be done correctly and in the +proper order he actually, and perhaps for the first time in his life, +forgot that he was hungry. He was really to travel with a circus, to +become a part, as it were, of the whole, and to be able to see its many +wonderful and beautiful attractions every day. + +Even the very tent ropes had acquired a new interest for him, and the +faces of the men at work seemed suddenly to have become those of +friends. How hard it was for him to walk around unconcernedly: and how +especially hard to prevent his feet from straying toward that tempting +display of dainties which he was to sell to those who came to see and +enjoy, and who would look at him with wonder and curiosity! It was very +hard not to be allowed to tell his playmates of his wonderfully good +fortune; but silence meant success, and he locked his secret in his +bosom, not even daring to talk with any one he knew, lest he should +betray himself by some incautious word. + +He did not go home to dinner that day, and once or twice he felt +impelled to walk past the candy stand, giving a mysterious shake of the +head at the proprietor as he did so. The afternoon performance passed +off as usual to all of the spectators save Toby. He imagined that each +one of the performers knew that he was about to join them; and even as +he passed the cage containing the monkeys he fancied that one +particularly old one knew all about his intention of running away. + +Of course it was necessary for him to go home at the close of the +afternoon's performance, in order to get one or two valuable articles of +his own--such as a boat, a kite, and a pair of skates--and in order that +his actions might not seem suspicious. Before he left the grounds, +however, he stole slyly around to the candy stand, and informed Mr. Job +Lord, in a very hoarse whisper, that he would be on hand at the time +appointed. + +Mr. Lord patted him on the head, gave him two large sticks of candy, +and, what was more kind and surprising, considering the fact that he +wore glasses, and was cross-eyed, he winked at Toby. A wink from Mr. +Lord must have been intended to convey a great deal, because, owing to +the defect in his eyes, it required no little exertion, and even then +could not be considered as a really first-class wink. + +That wink, distorted as it was, gladdened Toby's heart immensely, and +took away nearly all the sting of the scolding with which Uncle Daniel +greeted him when he reached home. + +That night--despite the fact that he was going to travel with the +circus, despite the fact that his home was not a happy or cheerful +one--Toby was not in a pleasant frame of mind. He began to feel for the +first time that he was doing wrong; and as he gazed at Uncle Daniel's +stern, forbidding-looking face, it seemed to have changed somewhat from +its severity, and caused a great lump of something to come up in his +throat as he thought that perhaps he should never see it again. Just +then one or two kind words would have prevented him from running away, +bright as the prospect of circus life appeared. + +It was almost impossible for him to eat anything, and this very +surprising state of affairs attracted the attention of Uncle Daniel. + +"Bless my heart! what ails the boy?" asked the old man, as he peered +over his glasses at Toby's well-filled plate, which was usually emptied +so quickly. "Are ye sick, Toby, or what is the matter with ye?" + +"No, I hain't sick," said Toby, with a sigh; "but I've been to the +circus, an' I got a good deal to eat." + +"Oho, you spent that cent I give ye, eh, an' got so much that it made ye +sick?" + +Toby thought of the six pea-nuts which he had bought with the penny +Uncle Daniel had given him; and, amid all his homesickness, he could not +help wondering if Uncle Daniel ever made himself sick with only six +pea-nuts when he was a boy. + +As no one paid any further attention to Toby, he pushed back his plate, +arose from the table, and went with a heavy heart to attend to his +regular evening chores. The cow, the hens, and even the pigs, came in +for a share of his unusually kind attention; and as he fed them all the +big tears rolled down his cheeks, as he thought that perhaps never again +would he see any of them. These dumb animals had all been Toby's +confidants; he had poured out his griefs in their ears, and fancied, +when the world or Uncle Daniel had used him unusually hard, that they +sympathized with him. Now he was leaving them forever, and as he locked +the stable door he could hear the sounds of music coming from the +direction of the circus grounds, and he was angry at it, because it +represented that which was taking him away from his home, even though it +was not as pleasant as it might have been. + +Still, he had no thought of breaking the engagement which he had made. +He went to his room, made a bundle of his worldly possessions, and crept +out of the back door, down the road to the circus. + +Mr. Lord saw him as soon as he arrived on the grounds, and as he passed +another ticket to Toby he took his bundle from him, saying, as he did +so, "I'll pack up your bundle with my things, and then you'll be sure +not to lose it. Don't you want some candy?" + +Toby shook his head; he had just discovered that there was possibly some +connection between his heart and his stomach, for his grief at leaving +home had taken from him all desire for good things. It is also more than +possible that Mr. Lord had had experience enough with boys to know that +they might be homesick on the eve of starting to travel with a circus; +and in order to make sure that Toby would keep to his engagement he was +unusually kind. + +That evening was the longest Toby ever knew. He wandered from one cage +of animals to another; then to see the performance in the ring, and back +again to the animals, in the vain hope of passing the time pleasantly. +But it was of no use; that lump in his throat would remain there, and +the thoughts of what he was about to do would trouble him severely. The +performance failed to interest him, and the animals did not attract +until he had visited the monkey-cage for the third or fourth time. Then +he fancied that the same venerable monkey who had looked so knowing in +the afternoon was gazing at him with a sadness which could only have +come from a thorough knowledge of all the grief and doubt that was in +his heart. + +There was no one around the cages, and Toby got just as near to the iron +bars as possible. No sooner had he flattened his little pug-nose against +the iron than the aged monkey came down from the ring in which he had +been swinging, and, seating himself directly in front of Toby's face, +looked at him most compassionately. + +It would not have surprised the boy just then if the animal had spoken; +but as he did not, Toby did the next best thing, and spoke to him. + +"I s'pose you remember that you saw me this afternoon, an' somebody told +you that I was goin' to join the circus, didn't they?" + +The monkey made no reply, though Toby fancied that he winked an +affirmative answer; and he looked so sympathetic that he continued, +confidentially, + +[Illustration: TOBY AND HIS NEW FRIEND.] + +"Well, I'm the same feller, an' I don't mind telling you that I'm +awfully sorry I promised that candy man I'd go with him. Do you know +that I came near crying at the supper table to-night; an' Uncle Dan'l +looked real good an' nice, though I never thought so before. I wish I +wasn't goin', after all, 'cause it don't seem a bit like a good time +now; but I s'pose I must, 'cause I promised to, an' 'cause the candy man +has got all my things." + +The big tears had begun to roll down Toby's cheeks, and as he ceased +speaking the monkey reached out one little paw, which Toby took as +earnestly as if it had been done purposely to console him. + +"You're real good, you are," continued Toby; "an' I hope I shall see you +real often, for it seems to me now, when there hain't any folks around, +as if you was the only friend I've got in this great big world. It's +awful when a feller feels the way I do, an' when he don't seem to want +anything to eat. Now if you'll stick to me, I'll stick to you, an' then +it won't be half so bad when we feel this way." + +During this speech Toby had still clung to the little brown paw, which +the monkey now withdrew, and continued to gaze into the boy's face. + +"The fellers all say I don't amount to anything," sobbed Toby, "an' +Uncle Dan'l says I don't, an' I s'pose they know; but I tell you I feel +just as bad, now that I'm goin' away from them all, as if I was as good +as any of them." + +At this moment Toby saw Mr. Lord enter the tent, and he knew that the +summons to start was about to be given. + +"Good-bye," he said to the monkey, as he vainly tried to take him by the +hand again; "remember what I've told you, an' don't forget that Toby +Tyler is feelin' worse to-night than if he was twice as big an' twice as +good." + +Mr. Lord had come to summon him away, and he now told Toby that he would +show him with which man he was to ride that night. + +Toby looked another good-bye at the venerable monkey, who was watching +him closely, and then followed his employer out of the tent, among the +ropes and poles and general confusion attendant upon the removal of a +circus from one place to another. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE NIGHT RIDE. + + +The wagon on which Mr. Lord was to send his new-found employe was, by +the most singular chance, the one containing the monkeys, and Toby +accepted this as a good omen. He would be near his venerable friend all +night, and there was some consolation in that. The driver instructed the +boy to watch his movements, and when he saw him leading his horses +around, "to look lively, and be on hand, for he never waited for any +one." + +Toby not only promised to do as ordered, but he followed the driver +around so closely that, had he desired, he could not have rid himself of +his little companion. + +The scene which presented itself to Toby's view was strange and weird in +the extreme. Shortly after he had attached himself to the man with whom +he was to ride, the performance was over, and the work of putting the +show and its belongings into such a shape as could be conveyed from one +town to another was soon in active operation. Toby forgot his grief, +forgot that he was running away from the only home he had ever known--in +fact, forgot everything concerning himself--so interested was he in that +which was going on about him. + +As soon as the audience had got out of the tent--and almost before--the +work of taking down the canvas was begun. + +Torches were stuck in the earth at regular intervals, the lights that +had shone so brilliantly in and around the ring had been extinguished, +the canvas sides had been taken off, and the boards that had formed the +seats were being packed into one of the carts with a rattling sound that +seemed as if a regular fusillade of musketry was being indulged in. Men +were shouting; horses were being driven hither and thither, harnessed to +the wagons, or drawing the huge carts away as soon as they were loaded; +and everything seemed in the greatest state of confusion, while really +the work was being done in the most systematic manner possible. + +Toby had not long to wait before the driver informed him that the time +for starting had arrived, and assisted him to climb up to the narrow +seat whereon he was to ride that night. + +[Illustration: TOBY'S FIRST NIGHT RIDE.] + +The scene was so exciting, and his efforts to stick to the narrow seat +so great, that he really had no time to attend to the homesick feeling +that had crept over him during the first part of the evening. + +The long procession of carts and wagons drove slowly out of the town, +and when the last familiar house had been passed the driver spoke to +Toby for the first time since they started. + +"Pretty hard work to keep on--eh, sonny?" + +"Yes," replied the boy, as the wagon jolted over a rock, bouncing him +high in air, and he, by strenuous efforts, barely succeeded in alighting +on the seat again, "it is pretty hard work; an' my name's Toby Tyler." + +Toby heard a queer sound that seemed to come from the man's throat, and +for a few moments he feared that his companion was choking. But he soon +understood that this was simply an attempt to laugh, and he at once +decided that it was a very poor style of laughing. + +"So you object to being called sonny, do you?" + +"Well, I'd rather be called Toby, for, you see, that's my name." + +"All right, my boy; we'll call you Toby. I suppose you thought it was a +mighty fine thing to run away an' jine a circus, didn't you?" + +Toby started in affright, looked around cautiously, and then tried to +peer down through the small square aperture, guarded by iron rods, that +opened into the cage just back of the seat they were sitting on. Then +he turned slowly around to the driver, and asked, in a voice sunk to a +whisper, "How did you know that I was runnin' away? Did he tell you?" +and Toby motioned with his thumb as if he were pointing out some one +behind him. + +It was the driver's turn now to look around in search of the "he" +referred to by Toby. + +"Who do you mean?" asked the man, impatiently. + +"Why, the old feller; the one in the cart there. I think he knew I was +runnin' away, though he didn't say anything about it; but he looked just +as if he did." + +The driver looked at Toby in perfect amazement for a moment, and then, +as if suddenly understanding the boy, relapsed into one of those +convulsive efforts that caused the blood to rush up into his face, and +gave him every appearance of having a fit. + +"You must mean one of the monkeys," said the driver, after he had +recovered his breath, which had been almost shaken out of his body by +the silent laughter. "So you thought a monkey had told me what any fool +could have seen if he had watched you for five minutes." + +"Well," said Toby, slowly, as if he feared he might provoke one of those +terrible laughing spells again, "I saw him to-night, an' he looked as if +he knew what I was doin'; so I up an' told him, an' I didn't know but +he'd told you, though he didn't look to me like a feller that would be +mean." + +There was another internal shaking on the part of the driver, which Toby +did not fear so much, since he was getting accustomed to it, and then +the man said, "Well, you are the queerest little cove I ever saw." + +"I s'pose I am," was the reply, accompanied by a long-drawn sigh. "I +don't seem to amount to so much as the other fellers do, an' I guess +it's because I'm always hungry; you see, I eat awful, Uncle Dan'l says." + +The only reply which the driver made to this plaintive confession was to +put his hand down into the deepest recesses of one of his deep pockets, +and to draw therefrom a huge doughnut, which he handed to his companion. + +Toby was so much at his ease by this time that the appetite which had +failed him at supper had now returned in full force, and he devoured the +doughnut in a most ravenous manner. + +"You're too small to eat so fast," said the man, in a warning tone, as +the last morsel of the greasy sweetness disappeared, and he fished up +another for the boy. "Some time you'll get hold of one of the +India-rubber doughnuts that they feed to circus people, an' choke +yourself to death." + +Toby shook his head, and devoured this second cake as quickly as he had +the first, craning his neck, and uttering a funny little squeak as the +last bit went down, just as a chicken does when he gets too large a +mouthful of dough. + +"I'll never choke," he said, confidently: "I'm used to it; and Uncle +Dan'l says I could eat a pair of boots an' never wink at 'em; but I +don't just believe that." + +As the driver made no reply to this remark Toby curled himself up on one +corner of the seat, and watched with no little interest all that was +passing on around him. Each of the wagons had a lantern fastened to the +hind axle, and these lights could be seen far ahead on the road, as if a +party of fire-flies had started in single file on an excursion. The +trees by the side of the road stood out weird and ghostly-looking in the +darkness, and the rumble of the carts ahead and behind formed a musical +accompaniment to the picture that sounded strangely doleful. + +Mile after mile was passed over in perfect silence, save now and then +when the driver would whistle a few bars of some very dismal tune that +would fairly make Toby shiver with its mournfulness. Eighteen miles was +the distance from Guilford to the town where the next performance of the +circus was to be given, and as Toby thought of the ride before them it +seemed as if the time would be almost interminable. He curled himself up +on one corner of the seat, and tried very hard to go to sleep; but just +as his eyes began to grow heavy the wagon would jolt over some rock or +sink deep in some rut, till Toby, the breath very nearly shaken out of +his body, and his neck almost dislocated, would sit bolt-upright, +clinging to the seat with both hands, as if he expected each moment to +be pitched out into the mud. + +The driver watched him closely, and each time that he saw him shaken up +and awakened so thoroughly he would indulge in one of his silent +laughing spells, until Toby would wonder whether he would ever recover +from it. Several times had Toby been awakened, and each time he had seen +the amusement his sufferings caused, until he finally resolved to put an +end to the sport by keeping awake. + +"What is your name?" he asked of the driver, thinking a conversation +would be the best way to rouse himself into wakefulness. + +"Waal," said the driver, as he gathered the reins carefully in one hand, +and seemed to be debating in his mind how he should answer the question, +"I don't know as I know myself, it's been so long since I've heard it." + +Toby was wide enough awake now, as this rather singular problem was +forced upon his mind. He revolved the matter silently for some moments, +and at last he asked, "What do folks call you when they want to speak to +you?" + +"They always call me Old Ben, an' I've got so used to the name that I +don't need any other." + +Toby wanted very much to ask more questions, but he wisely concluded +that it would not be agreeable to his companion. + +"I'll ask the old man about it," said Toby to himself, referring to the +aged monkey, whom he seemed to feel acquainted with; "he most likely +knows, if he'll say anything." After this the conversation ceased, until +Toby again ventured to suggest, "It's a pretty long drive, hain't it?" + +"You want to wait till you've been in this business a year or two," said +Ben, sagely, "an' then you won't think much of it. Why, I've known the +show towns to be thirty miles apart, an' them was the times when we had +lively work of it; riding all night and working all day kind of wears on +a fellow." + +"Yes, I s'pose so," said Toby, with a sigh, as he wondered whether he +had got to work as hard as that; "but I s'pose you get all you want to +eat, don't you?" + +"Now you've struck it!" said Ben, with the air of one about to impart a +world of wisdom, as he crossed one leg over the other, that his position +might be as comfortable as possible while he was initiating his young +companion into the mysteries of the life. "I've had all the boys ride +with me since I've been with this show, an' I've tried to start them +right; but they didn't seem to profit by it, an' always got sick of the +show an' run away, just because they didn't look out for themselves as +they ought to. Now listen to me, Toby, an' remember what I say. You see +they put us all in a hotel together, an' some of these places where we +go don't have any too much stuff on the table. Whenever we strike a new +town you find out at the hotel what time they have the grub ready, an' +you be on hand, so's to get in with the first. Eat all you can, an' fill +your pockets." + +"If that's all a feller has to do to travel with a circus," said Toby, +"I'm just the one, 'cause I always used to do just that when I hadn't +any idea of bein' a circus man." + +"Then you'll get along all right," said Ben, as he checked the speed of +his horses, and, looking carefully ahead, said, as he guided his team to +one side of the road, "This is as far as we're going to-night." + +Toby learned that they were within a couple of miles of the town, and +that the entire procession would remain by the roadside until time to +make the grand entree into the village, when every wagon, horse, and man +would be decked out in the most gorgeous array, as they had been when +they entered Guilford. + +Under Ben's direction he wrapped himself in an old horse-blanket, and +lay down on the top of the wagon; and he was so tired from the +excitement of the day and night, that he had hardly stretched out at +full length before he was fast asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE FIRST DAY WITH THE CIRCUS. + + +When Toby awakened and looked around he could hardly realize where he +was or how he came there. As far ahead and behind on the road as he +could see the carts were drawn up on one side; men were hurrying to and +fro, orders were being shouted, and everything showed that the entry +into the town was about to be made. Directly opposite the wagon on which +he had been sleeping were the four elephants and two camels, and close +behind, contentedly munching their breakfasts, were a number of tiny +ponies. Troops of horses were being groomed and attended to; the road +was littered with saddles, flags, and general decorations, until it +seemed to Toby that there must have been a smash-up, and that he now +beheld ruins rather than systematic disorder. + +How different everything looked now, compared to the time when the +cavalcade marched into Guilford, dazzling every one with the gorgeous +display! Then the horses pranced gayly under their gaudy decorations, +the wagons were bright with glass, gilt, and flags, the lumbering +elephants and awkward camels were covered with fancifully embroidered +velvets, and even the drivers of the wagons were resplendent in their +uniforms of scarlet and gold. Now, in the gray light of the early +morning, everything was changed. The horses were tired and muddy, and +wore old and dirty harness; the gilded chariots were covered with +mud-bespattered canvas, which caused them to look like the most ordinary +of market wagons; the elephants and camels looked dingy, dirty, almost +repulsive; and the drivers were only a sleepy-looking set of men, who, +in their shirt-sleeves, were getting ready for the change which would +dazzle the eyes of the inhabitants of the town. + +Toby descended from his lofty bed, rubbed his eyes to thoroughly awaken +himself, and under the guidance of Ben went to a little brook near by +and washed his face. He had been with the circus not quite ten hours, +but now he could not realize that it had ever seemed bright and +beautiful. He missed his comfortable bed, the quiet and cleanliness, and +the well-spread table; even although he had felt the lack of parents' +care, Uncle Daniel's home seemed the very abode of love and friendly +feeling compared to this condition, where no one appeared to care even +enough for him to scold at him. He was thoroughly homesick, and heartily +wished that he was back in his old native town. + +While he was washing his face in the brook he saw some of the boys who +had come out from the town to catch the first glimpse of the circus, and +he saw at once that he was the object of their admiring gaze. He heard +one of the boys say, when they first discovered him, + +"There's one of them, an' he's only a little feller; so I'm going to +talk to him." + +The evident admiration which the boys had for Toby pleased him, and this +pleasure was the only drop of comfort he had had since he started. He +hoped they would come and talk with him; and, that they might have the +opportunity, he was purposely slow in making his toilet. + +The boys approached him shyly, as if they had their doubts whether he +was made of the same material as themselves, and when they got quite +near to him, and satisfied themselves that he was only washing his face +in much the same way that any well-regulated boy would do, the one who +had called attention to him said, half timidly, "Hello!" + +"Hello!" responded Toby, in a tone that was meant to invite confidence. + +"Do you belong to the circus?" + +"Yes," said Toby, a little doubtfully. + +Then the boys stared at him again as if he were one of the +strange-looking animals, and the one who had been the spokesman drew a +long breath of envy as he said, longingly, "My! what a nice time you +must have!" + +Toby remembered that only yesterday he himself had thought that boys +must have a nice time with a circus, and he now felt what a mistake that +thought was; but he concluded that he would not undeceive his new +acquaintance. + +"And do they give you frogs to eat, so's to make you limber?" + +This was the first time that Toby had thought of breakfast, and the very +mention of eating made him hungry. He was just at that moment so very +hungry that he did not think he was replying to the question when he +said, quickly, "Eat frogs! I could eat anything, if I only had the +chance." + +The boys took this as an answer to their question, and felt perfectly +convinced that the agility of circus riders and tumblers depended upon +the quantity of frogs eaten, and they looked upon Toby with no little +degree of awe. + +Toby might have undeceived them as to the kind of food he ate, but just +at that moment the harsh voice of Mr. Job Lord was heard calling him, +and he hurried away to commence his first day's work. + +Toby's employer was not the same pleasant, kindly-spoken man that he had +been during the time they were in Guilford, and before the boy was +absolutely under his control. He looked cross, he acted cross, and it +did not take the boy very long to find out that he was very cross. + +He scolded Toby roundly, and launched more oaths at his defenceless head +than Toby had ever heard in his life. He was angry that the boy had not +been on hand to help him, and also that he had been obliged to hunt for +him. + +Toby tried to explain that he had no idea of what he was expected to do, +and that he had been on the wagon to which he had been sent, only +leaving it to wash his face; but the angry man grew still more furious. + +"Went to wash your face, did yer? Want to set yourself up for a dandy, I +suppose, and think that you must souse that speckled face of yours into +every brook you come to? I'll soon break you of that; and the sooner you +understand that I can't afford to have you wasting your time in washing, +the better it will be for you." + +Toby now grew angry, and not realizing how wholly he was in the man's +power, he retorted, "If you think I'm going round with a dirty face, +even if it is speckled, for a dollar a week, you're mistaken, that's +all. How many folks would eat your candy if they knew you handled it +over before you washed your hands?" + +[Illustration: OLD BEN COMES TO THE RESCUE.] + +"Oho! I've picked up a preacher, have I? Now, I want you to understand, +my bantam, that I do all the preaching as well as the practising myself, +and this is about as quick a way as I know of to make you understand +it." + +As the man spoke he grasped the boy by the coat-collar with one hand, +and with the other plied a thin rubber cane with no gentle force to +every portion of Toby's body that he could reach. + +Every blow caused the poor boy the most intense pain; but he determined +that his tormentor should not have the satisfaction of forcing an outcry +from him, and he closed his lips so tightly that not a single sound +could escape from them. + +This very silence enraged the man so much that he redoubled the force +and rapidity of his blows, and it is impossible to say what might have +been the consequences had not Ben come that way just then, and changed +the aspect of affairs. + +"Up to your old tricks of whipping the boys, are you, Job?" he said, as +he wrested the cane from the man's hand and held him off at +arm's-length, to prevent him from doing Toby more mischief. + +Mr. Lord struggled to release himself, and insisted that, since the boy +was in his employ, he should do with him just as he saw fit. + +"Now look here, Mr. Lord," said Ben as gravely as if he was delivering +some profound piece of wisdom, "I've never interfered with you before; +but now I'm going to stop your game of thrashing your boy every morning +before breakfast. You just tell this youngster what you want him to do, +and if he don't do it you can discharge him. If I hear of your flogging +him, I shall attend to your case at once. You hear me?" + +Ben shook the now terrified candy vender much as if he had been a child, +and then released him, saying to Toby as he did so, "Now, my boy, you +attend to your business as you ought to, and I'll settle his account if +he tries the flogging game again." + +"You see, I don't know what there is for me to do," sobbed Toby, for the +kindly interference of Ben had made him show more feeling than Mr. +Lord's blows had done. + +"Tell him what he must do," said Ben, sternly. + +"I want him to go to work and wash the tumblers, and fix up the things +in that green box, so we can commence to sell as soon as we get into +town," snarled Mr. Lord, as he motioned toward a large green chest that +had been taken out of one of the carts, and which Toby saw was filled +with dirty glasses, spoons, knives, and other utensils such as were +necessary to carry on the business. + +Toby got a pail of water from the brook, hunted around and found towels +and soap, and devoted himself to his work with such industry that Mr. +Lord could not repress a grunt of satisfaction as he passed him, +however angry he felt because he could not administer the whipping which +would have smoothed his ruffled temper. + +By the time the procession was ready to start for the town Toby had as +much of his work done as he could find that it was necessary to do, and +his master, in his surly way, half acknowledged that this last boy of +his was better than any he had had before. + +Although Toby had done his work so well he was far from feeling happy; +he was both angry and sad as he thought of the cruel blows that had been +inflicted, and he had plenty of leisure to repent of the rash step he +had taken, although he could not see very clearly how he was to get away +from it. He thought that he could not go back to Guilford, for Uncle +Daniel would not allow him to come to his house again; and the hot +scalding tears ran down his cheeks as he realized that he was homeless +and friendless in this great big world. + +It was while he was in this frame of mind that the procession, all gaudy +with flags, streamers, and banners, entered the town. Under different +circumstances this would have been a most delightful day for him, for +the entrance of a circus into Guilford had always been a source of one +day's solid enjoyment; but now he was the most disconsolate and unhappy +boy in all that crowd. + +He did not ride throughout the entire route of the procession, for Mr. +Lord was anxious to begin business, and the moment the tenting ground +was reached the wagon containing Mr. Lord's goods was driven into the +enclosure, and Toby's day's work began. + +He was obliged to bring water, to cut up the lemons, fetch and carry +fruit from the booth in the big tent to the booth on the outside, until +he was ready to drop with fatigue, and having had no time for breakfast, +was nearly famished. + +It was quite noon before he was permitted to go to the hotel for +something to eat, and then Ben's advice to be one of the first to get to +the tables was not needed. + +In the eating line that day he astonished the servants, the members of +the company, and even himself, and by the time he arose from the table, +with both pockets and his stomach full to bursting, the tables had been +set and cleared away twice while he was making one meal. + +"Well, I guess you didn't hurry yourself much," said Mr. Lord, when Toby +returned to the circus ground. + +"Oh yes, I did," was Toby's innocent reply: "I ate just as fast as I +could;" and a satisfied smile stole over the boy's face as he thought of +the amount of solid food he had consumed. + +The answer was not one which was calculated to make Mr. Lord feel any +more agreeably disposed toward his new clerk, and he showed his +ill-temper very plainly as he said, "It must take a good deal to satisfy +you." + +"I s'pose it does," calmly replied Toby. "Sam Merrill used to say that I +took after Aunt Olive and Uncle Dan'l, one ate a good while, an' the +other ate awful fast." + +Toby could not understand what it was that Mr. Lord said in reply, but +he could understand that his employer was angry at somebody or +something, and he tried unusually hard to please him. He talked to the +boys who had gathered around, to induce them to buy, washed the glasses +as fast as they were used, tried to keep off the flies, and in every way +he could think of endeavored to please his master. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE COUNTERFEIT TEN-CENT PIECE. + + +When the doors of the big tent were opened, and the people began to +crowd in, just as Toby had seen them do at Guilford, Mr. Lord announced +to his young clerk that it was time for him to go into the tent to work. +Then it was that Toby learned for the first time that he had two masters +instead of one, and this knowledge caused him no little uneasiness. If +the other one was anything like Mr. Lord, his lot would be just twice as +bad, and he began to wonder whether he could even stand it one day +longer. + +As the boy passed through the tent on his way to the candy stand, where +he was really to enter upon the duties for which he had run away from +home, he wanted to stop for a moment and speak with the old monkey who +he thought had taken such an interest in him. But when he reached the +cage in which his friend was confined, there was such a crowd around it +that it was impossible for him to get near enough to speak without being +overheard. + +This was such a disappointment to the little fellow that the big tears +came into his eyes, and in another instant would have gone rolling down +his cheeks if his aged friend had not chanced to look toward him. Toby +fancied that the monkey looked at him in the most friendly way, and then +he was certain that he winked one eye. Toby felt that there was no +mistake about that wink, and it seemed as if it was intended to convey +comfort to him in his troubles. He winked back at the monkey in the most +emphatic and grave manner possible, and then went on his way, feeling +wonderfully comforted. + +The work inside the tent was far different and much harder than it was +outside. He was obliged to carry around among the audience trays of +candy, nuts, and lemonade for sale, and he was also expected to cry +aloud the description of that which he offered. The partner of Mr. Lord, +who had charge of the stand inside the tent, showed himself to be +neither better nor worse than Mr. Lord himself. When Toby first +presented himself for work he handed him a tray filled with glasses of +lemonade, and told him to go among the audience, crying, "Here's your +nice cold lemonade, only five cents a glass!" + +Toby started to do as he was bidden; but when he tried to repeat the +words in anything like a loud tone of voice they stuck in his throat, +and he found it next to impossible to utter a sound above a whisper. It +seemed to him that every one in the audience was looking only at him, +and the very sound of his own voice made him afraid. + +He went entirely around the tent once without making a sale, and when he +returned to the stand he was at once convinced that one of his masters +was quite as bad as the other. This one--and he knew that his name was +Jacobs, for he heard some one call him so--very kindly told him that he +would break every bone in his body if he didn't sell something, and Toby +confidently believed that he would carry out his threat. + +It was with a very heavy heart that he started around again in obedience +to Mr. Jacobs's angry command; but this time he did manage to cry out, +in a very thin and very squeaky voice, the words which he had been told +to repeat. + +This time--perhaps owing to his pitiful and imploring look, certainly +not because of the noise he made--he met with very good luck, and sold +every glass of the mixture which Messrs. Lord and Jacobs called +lemonade, and went back to the stand for more. + +He certainly thought he had earned a word of praise, and fully expected +it as he put the empty glasses and money on the stand in front of Mr. +Jacobs. But, instead of the kind words, he was greeted with a volley of +curses; and the reason for it was that he had taken in payment for two +of the glasses a lead ten-cent piece. Mr. Jacobs, after scolding poor +little Toby to his heart's content, vowed that the amount should be kept +from his first week's wages, and then handed back the coin, with orders +to give it to the first man who gave him money to change, under the +penalty of a severe flogging if he failed to do so. + +Poor Toby tried to explain matters by saying, "You see, I don't know +anything about money; I never had more'n a cent at a time, an' you +mustn't expect me to get posted all at once." + +"I'll post you with a stick if you do it again; an' it won't be well for +you if you bring that ten-cent piece back here!" + +Now, Toby was very well aware that to pass the coin, knowing it to be +bad, would be a crime, and he resolved to take the consequences of which +Mr. Jacobs had intimated, if he could not find the one who had given him +the counterfeit, and persuade him to give him good money in its stead. +He remembered very plainly where he had sold each glass of lemonade, and +he retraced his steps, glancing at each face carefully as he passed. At +last he was confident that he saw the man who had gotten him into such +trouble, and he climbed up the board seats, saying, as he stood in front +of him and held out the coin, "Mister, this money that you gave me is +bad. Won't you give me an other one for it?" + +The man was a rough-looking party who had taken his girl to the circus, +and who did not seem at all disposed to pay any heed to Toby's request. +Therefore he repeated it, and this time more loudly. + +"Get out the way!" said the man, angrily. "How can you expect me to see +the show if you stand right in front of me?" + +"You'll like it better," said Toby, earnestly, "if you give me another +ten-cent piece." + +"Get out, an' don't bother me!" was the angry rejoinder; and the little +fellow began to think that perhaps he would be obliged to "get out" +without getting his money. + +It was becoming a desperate case, for the man was growing angry very +fast, and if Toby did not succeed in getting good money for the bad, he +would have to take the consequences of which Mr. Jacobs had spoken. + +"Please, mister," he said, imploringly--for his heart began to grow very +heavy, and he was fearing that he should not succeed--"won't you please +give me the money back? You know you gave it to me, an' I'll have to pay +it if you don't." + +The boy's lip was quivering, and those around began to be interested in +the affair, while several in the immediate vicinity gave vent to their +indignation that a man should try to cheat a boy out of ten cents by +giving him counterfeit money. + +[Illustration: "WON'T YOU PLEASE GIVE ME THE MONEY BACK?"] + +The man whom Toby was speaking to was about to dismiss him with an angry +reply, when he saw that those about him were not only interested in the +matter, but were evidently taking sides with the boy against him; and +knowing well that he had given the counterfeit money, he took another +coin from his pocket, and handing it to Toby, said, "I didn't give you +the lead piece; but you're making such a fuss about it that here's ten +cents to make you keep quiet." + +"I'm sure you did give me the money," said Toby, as he took the extended +coin, "an' I'm much obliged to you for takin' it back. I didn't want to +tell you before, 'cause you'd thought I was beggin'; but if you hadn't +given me this, I 'xpect I'd have got an awful whippin', for Mr. Jacobs +said he'd fix me if I didn't get the money for it." + +The man looked sheepish enough as he put the bad money in his pocket, +and Toby's innocently told story caused such a feeling in his behalf +among those who sat near that he not only disposed of his entire stock +then and there, but received from one gentleman twenty-five cents for +himself. He was both proud and happy as he returned to Mr. Jacobs with +empty glasses, and with the money to refund the amount of loss which +would have been caused by the counterfeit. + +But the worthy partner of Mr. Lord's candy business had no words of +encouragement for the boy who was trying so hard to please. + +"Let that make you keep your eyes open," he growled out, sulkily; "an' +if you get caught in that trap again, you won't be let off so easy." + +Poor little Toby! his heart seemed ready to break; but his few hours' +previous experience had taught him that there was but one thing to do, +and that was to work just as hard as possible, trusting to some good +fortune to enable him to get out of the very disagreeable position in +which he had voluntarily placed himself. + +He took the basket of candy that Mr. Jacobs handed him, and trudged +around the circle of seats, selling far more because of the pitifulness +of his face than because of the excellence of his goods; and even this +worked to his disadvantage. Mr. Jacobs was keen enough to see why his +little clerk sold so many goods, and each time that he returned to the +stand he said something to him in an angry tone, which had the effect of +deepening the shadow on the boy's face and at the same time increasing +trade. + +By the time the performance was over Toby had in his pocket a dollar and +twenty-five cents which had been given him for himself by some of the +kind-hearted in the audience, and he kept his hand almost constantly +upon it, for the money seemed to him like some kind friend who would +help him out of his present difficulties. + +After the audience had dispersed, Mr. Jacobs set Toby at work washing +the glasses and clearing up generally, and then, the boy started toward +the other portion of the store--that watched over by Mr. Lord. Not a +person save the watchmen was in the tent, and as Toby went toward the +door he saw his friend the monkey sitting in one corner of the cage, and +apparently watching his every movement. + +It was as if he had suddenly seen one of the boys from home, and Toby, +uttering an exclamation of delight, ran up to the cage and put his hand +through the wires. + +The monkey, in the gravest possible manner, took one of the fingers in +his paw, and Toby shook hands with him very earnestly, + +"I was sorry that I couldn't speak to you when I went in this noon," +said Toby, as if making an apology; "but, you see, there were so many +around here to see you that I couldn't get the chance. Did you see me +wink at you?" + +The monkey made no reply, but he twisted his face into such a funny +little grimace that Toby was quite as well satisfied as if he had +spoken. + +"I wonder if you hain't some relation to Steve Stubbs?" Toby continued, +earnestly, "for you look just like him, only he don't have quite so many +whiskers. What I wanted to say was, that I'm awful sorry I run away. I +used to think that Uncle Dan'l was bad enough; but he was just a perfect +good Samarathon to what Mr. Lord an' Mr. Jacobs are; an' when Mr. Lord +looks at me with that crooked eye of his, I feel it 'way down in my +boots. Do you know"--and here Toby put his mouth nearer to the monkey's +head and whispered--"I'd run away from this circus if I could get the +chance; wouldn't you?" + +Just at this point, as if in answer to the question, the monkey stood up +on his hind-feet, and reached out his paw to the boy, who seemed to +think this was his way of being more emphatic in saying "Yes." + +Toby took the paw in his hand, shook it again earnestly, and said, as he +released it, "I was pretty sure you felt just about the same way I did, +Mr. Stubbs, when I passed you this noon. Look here"--and Toby took the +money from his pocket which had been given him--"I got all that this +afternoon, an' I'll try an' stick it out somehow till I get as much as +ten dollars, an' then we'll run away some night, an' go 'way off as far +as--as--as out West; an' we'll stay there too." + +The monkey, probably tired with remaining in one position so long, +started toward the top of the cage, chattering and screaming, joining +the other monkeys, who had gathered in a little group in one of the +swings. + +"Now see here, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, in alarm, "you mustn't go to +telling everybody about it, or Mr. Lord will know, an' then we'll be +dished, sure." + +The monkey sat quietly in the swing, as if he felt reproved by what the +boy had said; and Toby, considerably relieved by his silence, said, as +he started toward the door, "That's right--mum's the word; you keep +quiet, an' so will I, an' pretty soon we'll get away from the whole +crowd." + +All the monkeys chattered; and Toby, believing that everything which he +had said had been understood by the animals, went out of the door to +meet his other taskmaster. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A TENDER-HEARTED SKELETON. + + +"Now, then, lazy-bones," was Mr. Lord's warning cry as Toby came out of +the tent, "if you've fooled away enough of your time, you can come here +an' tend shop for me while I go to supper. You crammed yourself this +noon, an' it'll teach you a good lesson to make you go without anything +to eat to-night; it'll make you move round more lively in future." + +Instead of becoming accustomed to such treatment as he was receiving +from his employers, Toby's heart grew more tender with each brutal word, +and this last punishment--that of losing his supper--caused the poor boy +more sorrow than blows would. Mr. Lord started for the hotel as he +concluded his cruel speech; and poor little Toby, going behind the +counter, leaned his head upon the rough boards and cried as if his heart +would break. + +All the fancied brightness and pleasure of a circus life had vanished, +and in its place was the bitterness of remorse that he had repaid Uncle +Daniel's kindness by the ingratitude of running away. Toby thought that +if he could only nestle his little red head on the pillows of his little +bed in that rough room at Uncle Daniel's, he would be the happiest and +best boy, in the future, in all the great wide world. + +While he was still sobbing away at a most furious rate he heard a voice +close at his elbow, and, looking up, saw the thinnest man he had ever +seen in all his life. The man had flesh-colored tights on, and a +spangled red velvet garment--that was neither pants, because there were +no legs to it, nor a coat, because it did not come above his waist--made +up the remainder of his costume. Because he was so wonderfully thin, +because of the costume which he wore, and because of a highly colored +painting which was hanging in front of one of the small tents, Toby knew +that the Living Skeleton was before him, and his big brown eyes opened +all the wider as he gazed at him. + +"What is the matter, little fellow?" asked the man, in a kindly tone. +"What makes you cry so? Has Job been up to his old tricks again?" + +"I don't know what his old tricks are"--and Toby sobbed, the tears +coming again because of the sympathy which this man's voice expressed +for him--"but I know that he's a mean, ugly thing--that's what I know; +an' if I could only get back to Uncle Dan'l, there hain't elephants +enough in all the circuses in the world to pull me away again." + +"Oh, you run away from home, did you?" + +"Yes, I did," sobbed Toby, "an' there hain't any boy in any +Sunday-school book that ever I read that was half so sorry he'd been bad +as I am. It's awful; an' now I can't have any supper, 'cause I stopped +to talk with Mr. Stubbs." + +"Is Mr. Stubbs one of your friends?" asked the skeleton as he seated +himself in Mr. Lord's own private chair. + +"Yes, he is, an' he's the only one in this whole circus who 'pears to be +sorry for me. You'd better not let Mr. Lord see you sittin' in that +chair, or he'll raise a row." + +"Job won't raise any row with me," said the skeleton. "But who is this +Mr. Stubbs? I don't seem to know anybody by that name." + +"I don't think that is his name. I only call him so, 'cause he looks so +much like a feller I know who is named Stubbs." + +This satisfied the skeleton that this Mr. Stubbs must be some one +attached to the show, and he asked, + +"Has Job been whipping you?" + +"No; Ben, the driver on the wagon where I ride, told him not to do that +again; but he hain't going to let me have any supper, 'cause I was so +slow about my work--though I wasn't slow; I only talked to Mr. Stubbs +when there wasn't anybody round his cage." + +"Sam! Sam! Sam-u-el!" + +This name, which was shouted twice in a quick, loud voice, and the third +time in a slow manner, ending almost in a screech, did not come from +either Toby or the skeleton, but from an enormously large woman, dressed +in a gaudy red-and-black dress, cut very short, and with low neck and an +apology for sleeves, who had just come out from the tent whereon the +picture of the Living Skeleton hung. + +"Samuel," she screamed again, "come inside this minute, or you'll catch +your death o' cold, an' I shall have you wheezin' around with the +phthisic all night. Come in, Sam-u-el." + +"That's her," said the skeleton to Toby, as he pointed his thumb in the +direction of the fat woman, but paying no attention to the outcry she +was making--"that's my wife Lilly, an' she's the Fat Woman of the show. +She's always yellin' after me that way the minute I get out for a little +fresh air, an' she's always sayin' just the same thing. Bless you, I +never have the phthisic, but she does awful; an' I s'pose 'cause she's +so large she can't feel all over her, an' thinks it's me that has it." + +"Is--is all that--is that your wife?" stammered Toby, in astonishment, +as he looked at the enormously fat woman who stood in the tent door, and +then at the wonderfully thin man who sat beside him. + +"Yes, that's her," said the skeleton. "She weighs pretty nigh four +hundred, though of course the show cards says it's over six hundred, an' +she earns almost as much money as I do. Of course she can't get so much, +for skeletons is much scarcer than fat folks; but we make a pretty good +thing travellin' together." + +"Sam-u-el!" again came the cry from the fat woman, "are you never coming +in?" + +"Not yet, my angel," said the skeleton, placidly, as he crossed one thin +leg over the other and looked calmly at her. "Come here an' see Job's +new boy." + +"Your imprudence is wearin' me away so that I sha'n't be worth five +dollars a week to any circus," she said, impatiently, at the same time +coming toward the candy stand quite as rapidly as her very great size +would admit. + +"This is my wife Lilly--Mrs. Treat," said the skeleton, with a proud +wave of his hand, as he rose from his seat and gazed admiringly at her. +"This is my flower--my queen, Mr.--Mr.--" + +"Tyler," said Toby, supplying the name which the skeleton--or Mr. Treat, +as Toby now learned his name was--did not know; "Tyler is my name--Toby +Tyler." + +"Why, what a little chap you are!" said Mrs. Treat, paying no attention +to the awkward little bend of the head which Toby intended for a bow. +"How small he is, Samuel!" + +"Yes," said the skeleton, reflectively, as he looked Toby over from head +to foot, as if he were mentally trying to calculate exactly how many +inches high he was, "he is small; but he's got all the world before him +to grow in, an' if he only eats enough--There, that reminds me. Job +isn't going to give him any supper, because he didn't work hard enough." + +"He won't, won't he?" exclaimed the large lady, savagely. "Oh, he's a +precious one, he is; an' some day I shall just give him a good +shakin'-up, that's what I'll do. I get all out of patience with that +man's ugliness." + +"An' she'll do just what she says," said the skeleton to Toby, with an +admiring shake of the head. "That woman hain't afraid of anybody, an' I +wouldn't be a bit surprised if she did give Job a pretty rough time." + +Toby thought, as he looked at her, that she was large enough to give +'most any one a pretty rough time, but he did not venture to say so. +While he was looking first at her, and then at her very thin husband, +the skeleton told his wife the little that he had learned regarding the +boy's history; and when he had concluded she waddled away toward her +tent. + +"Great woman that," said the skeleton, as he saw her disappear within +the tent. + +"Yes," said Toby, "she's the greatest I ever saw." + +"I mean that she's got a great head. Now you'll see about how much she +cares for what Job says." + +"If I was as big as her," said Toby, with just a shade of envy in his +voice, "I wouldn't be afraid of anybody." + +"It hain't so much the size," said the skeleton, sagely--"it hain't so +much the size, my boy; for I can scare that woman almost to death when I +feel like it." + +Toby looked for a moment at Mr. Treat's thin legs and arms, and then he +said, warningly, "I wouldn't feel like it very often if I was you, Mr. +Treat, 'cause she might break some of your bones if you didn't happen to +scare her enough." + +"Don't fear for me, my boy--don't fear for me; you'll see how I manage +her if you stay with the circus long enough. Now, I often--" + +If Mr. Treat was about to confide a family secret to Toby, it was fated +that he should not hear it then, for Mrs. Treat had just come out of her +tent, carrying in her hands a large tin plate piled high with a +miscellaneous assortment of pie, cake, bread, and meat. + +She placed this in front of Toby, and as she did so she handed him two +pictures. + +[Illustration: TOBY GETS HIS SUPPER.] + +"There, little Toby Tyler," she said--"there's something for you to eat, +if Mr. Job Lord and his precious partner Jacobs did say you shouldn't +have any supper: an' I've brought you a picture of Samuel an' me. We +sell 'em for ten cents apiece, but I'm going to give them to you, +because I like the looks of you." + +Toby was quite overcome with the presents, and seemed at a loss how to +thank her for them. He attempted to speak, but could not get the words +out at first; and then he said, as he put the two photographs in the +same pocket with his money, "You're awful good to me, an' when I get to +be a man I'll give you lots of things. I wasn't so very hungry, if I am +such a big eater, but I did want something." + +"Bless your dear little heart, and you _shall_ have something to eat," +said the Fat Woman, as she seized Toby, squeezed him close up to her, +and kissed his freckled face as kindly as if it had been as fair and +white as possible. "You shall eat all you want to; an' if you get the +stomach-ache, as Samuel does sometimes when he's been eatin' too much, +I'll give you some catnip-tea out of the same dipper that I give him +his. He's a great eater, Samuel is," she added, in a burst of +confidence, "an' it's a wonder to me what he does with it all +sometimes." + +"Is he?" exclaimed Toby, quickly. "How funny that is! for I'm an awful +eater. Why, Uncle Dan'l used to say that I ate twice as much as I ought +to, an' it never made me any bigger. I wonder what's the reason?" + +"I declare I don't know," said the Fat Woman, thoughtfully, "an' I've +wondered at it time an' time again. Some folks is made that way, an' +some folks is made different. Now, I don't eat enough to keep a chicken +alive, an' yet I grow fatter an' fatter every day--don't I, Samuel?" + +"Indeed you do, my love," said the skeleton, with a world of pride in +his voice; "but you mustn't feel bad about it, for every pound you gain +makes you worth just so much more to the show." + +"Oh, I wasn't worryin', I was only wonderin'. But we must go, Samuel, +for the poor child won't eat a bit while we are here. After you've eaten +what there is there, bring the plate in to me," she said to Toby, as she +took her lean husband by the arm and walked him off toward their own +tent. + +Toby gazed after them a moment, and then he commenced a vigorous attack +upon the eatables which had been so kindly given him. Of the food which +he had taken from the dinner-table he had eaten some while he was in the +tent, and after that he had entirely forgotten that he had any in his +pocket; therefore, at the time that Mrs. Treat had brought him such a +liberal supply he was really very hungry. + +He succeeded in eating nearly all the food which had been brought to +him, and the very small quantity which remained he readily found room +for in his pockets. Then he washed the plate nicely; and seeing no one +in sight, he thought he could leave the booth long enough to return the +plate. + +He ran with it quickly into the tent occupied by the thin man and fat +woman, and handed it to her, with a profusion of thanks for her +kindness. + +"Did you eat it all?" she asked. + +"Well," hesitated Toby, "there was two doughnuts an' a piece of pie left +over, an' I put them in my pocket. If you don't care, I'll eat them some +time to-night." + +"You shall eat it whenever you want to; an' any time that you get hungry +again, you come right to me." + +"Thank you, marm. I must go now, for I left the store all alone." + +"Run, then; an' if Job Lord abuses you, just let me know it, an' I'll +keep him from cuttin' up any monkey shines." + +Toby hardly heard the end of her sentence, so great was his haste to get +back to the booth; and just as he emerged from the tent, on a quick run, +he received a blow on the ear which sent him sprawling in the dust, and +he heard Mr. Job Lord's angry voice as it said, "So, just the moment my +back is turned, you leave the stand to take care of itself, do you, an' +run around tryin' to plot some mischief against me, eh?" And the brute +kicked the prostrate boy twice with his heavy boot. + +"Please don't kick me again!" pleaded Toby. "I wasn't gone but a minute, +an' I wasn't doing anything bad." + +"You're lying now, an' you know it, you young cub!" exclaimed the angry +man as he advanced to kick the boy again. "I'll let you know who you've +got to deal with when you get hold of me!" + +"And I'll let you know who you've got to deal with when you get hold of +me!" said a woman's voice; and, just as Mr. Lord raised his foot to kick +the boy again, the Fat Woman seized him by the collar, jerked him back +over one of the tent ropes, and left him quite as prostrate as he had +left Toby. "Now, Job Lord," said the angry woman, as she towered above +the thoroughly enraged but thoroughly frightened man, "I want you to +understand that you can't knock and beat this boy while I'm around. I've +seen enough of your capers, an' I'm going to put a stop to them. That +boy wasn't in this tent more than two minutes, an' he attends to his +work better than any one you have ever had; so see that you treat him +decent. Get up," she said to Toby, who had not dared to rise from the +ground; "and if he offers to strike you again, come to me." + +Toby scrambled to his feet, and ran to the booth in time to attend to +one or two customers who had just come up. He could see from out the +corner of his eye that Mr. Lord had arisen to his feet also, and was +engaged in an angry conversation with Mrs. Treat, the result of which he +very much feared would be another and a worse whipping for him. + +[Illustration: JOB LORD LEARNS A LESSON.] + +But in this he was mistaken, for Mr. Lord, after the conversation was +ended, came toward the booth, and began to attend to his business +without speaking one word to Toby. When Mr. Jacobs returned from his +supper Mr. Lord took him by the arm and walked him out toward the rear +of the tents; and Toby was very positive that he was to be the subject +of their conversation, which made him not a little uneasy. + +It was not until nearly time for the performance to begin that Mr. Lord +returned, and he had nothing to say to Toby save to tell him to go into +the tent and begin his work there. The boy was only too glad to escape +so easily, and he went to his work with as much alacrity as if he were +about entering upon some pleasure. + +When he met Mr. Jacobs that gentleman spoke to him very sharply about +being late, and seemed to think it no excuse at all that he had just +been relieved from the outside work by Mr. Lord. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +AN ACCIDENT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. + + +Toby's experience in the evening was very similar to that of the +afternoon, save that he was so fortunate as not to take any more bad +money in payment for his goods. Mr. Jacobs scolded and swore +alternately, and the boy really surprised him by his way of selling +goods, though he was very careful not to say anything about it, but made +Toby believe that he was doing only about half as much work as he ought +to do. Toby's private hoard of money was increased that evening, by +presents, ninety cents, and he began to look upon himself as almost a +rich man. + +When the performance was nearly over Mr. Jacobs called to him to help in +packing up; and by the time the last spectator had left the tent the +worldly possessions of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs were ready for removal, +and Toby allowed to do as he had a mind to, so long as he was careful to +be on hand when Old Ben was ready to start. + +Toby thought that he would have time to pay a visit to his friends the +skeleton and the Fat Woman, and to that end started toward the place +where their tent had been standing; but to his sorrow he found that it +was already being taken down, and he had only time to thank Mrs. Treat +and to press the fleshless hand of her shadowy husband as they entered +their wagon to drive away. + +He was disappointed, for he had hoped to be able to speak with his +new-made friends a few moments before the weary night's ride commenced; +but, failing in that, he went hastily back to the monkeys' cage. Old Ben +was there, getting things ready for a start; but the wooden sides of the +cage had not been put up, and Toby had no difficulty in calling the aged +monkey up to the bars. He held one of the Fat Woman's doughnuts in his +hand, and said, as he passed it through to the animal, + +"I thought perhaps you might be hungry, Mr. Stubbs, and this is some of +what the skeleton's wife give me. I hain't got very much time to talk +with you now; but the first chance I can get away to-morrow, an' when +there hain't anybody 'round, I want to tell you something." + +The monkey had taken the doughnut in his hand-like paws, and was tearing +it to pieces, eating small portions of it very rapidly. + +"Don't hurry yourself," said Toby, warningly, "for Uncle Dan'l always +told me the worst thing a feller could do was to eat fast. If you want +any more, after we start, just put your hand through the little hole up +there near the seat, an' I'll give you all you want." + +From the look on his face Toby confidently believed the monkey was about +to make some reply; but just then Ben shut up the sides, separating Toby +and Mr. Stubbs, and the order was given to start. + +Toby clambered up on to the high seat, Ben followed him, and in another +instant the team was moving along slowly down the dusty road, preceded +and followed by the many wagons, with their tiny swinging lights. + +"Well," said Ben, when he had got his team well under way, and felt that +he could indulge in a little conversation, "how did you get along +to-day?" + +Toby related all of his movements, and gave the driver a faithful +account of all that had happened to him, concluding his story by saying, +"That was one of Mrs. Treat's doughnuts that I just gave to Mr. Stubbs." + +"To whom?" asked Ben, in surprise. + +"To Mr. Stubbs--the old fellow here in the cart, you know, that's been +so good to me." + +Toby heard a sort of gurgling sound, saw the driver's body sway back and +forth in a trembling way, and was just becoming thoroughly alarmed, when +he thought of the previous night, and understood that Ben was only +laughing in his own peculiar way. + +"How did you know his name was Stubbs?" asked Ben, after he had +recovered his breath. + +"Oh, I don't know that that is his real name," was the quick reply; "I +only call him that because he looks so much like a feller with that name +that I knew at home. He don't seem to mind because I call him Stubbs." + +Ben looked at Toby earnestly for a moment, acting all the time as if he +wanted to laugh again, but didn't dare to, for fear he might burst a +blood-vessel; and then he said, as he patted him on the shoulder, "Well, +you are the queerest little fish that I ever saw in all my travels. You +seem to think that that monkey knows all you say to him." + +"I'm sure he does," said Toby, positively. "He don't say anything right +out to me, but he knows everything I tell him. Do you suppose he could +talk if he tried to?" + +"Look here, Mr. Toby Tyler"--and Ben turned half around in his seat and +looked Toby full in the face, so as to give more emphasis to his +words--"are you heathen enough to think that that monkey could talk if +he wanted to?" + +"I know I hain't a heathen," said Toby, thoughtfully, "for if I had been +some of the missionaries would have found me out a good while ago; but I +never saw anybody like this old Mr. Stubbs before, an' I thought he +could talk if he wanted to, just as the Living Skeleton does, or his +wife. Anyhow, Mr. Stubbs winks at me; an' how could he do that if he +didn't know what I've been sayin' to him?" + +"Look here, my son," said Ben, in a most fatherly fashion, "monkeys +hain't anything but beasts, an' they don't know how to talk any more +than they know what you say to 'em." + +"Didn't you ever hear any of them speak a word?" + +"Never. I've been in a circus, man an' boy, nigh on to forty years, an' +I never seen nothin' in a monkey more'n any other beast, except their +awful mischiefness." + +"Well," said Toby, still unconvinced, "I believe Mr. Stubbs knows what I +say to him, anyway." + +"Now don't be foolish, Toby," pleaded Ben. "You can't show me one thing +that a monkey ever did because you told him to." + +Just at that moment Toby felt some one pulling at the back of his coat, +and looking round he saw it was a little brown hand, reaching through +the bars of the air-hole of the cage, that was tugging away at his coat. + +"There!" he said, triumphantly, to Ben. "Look there! I told Mr. Stubbs +if he wanted anything more to eat, to tell me, an' I would give it to +him. Now you can see for yourself that he's come for it." And Toby took +a doughnut from his pocket and put it into the tiny hand, which was +immediately withdrawn. "Now what do you think of Mr. Stubbs knowing what +I say to him?" + +"They often stick their paws up through there," said Ben, in a +matter-of-fact tone. "I've had 'em pull my coat in the night till they +made me as nervous as ever any old woman was. You see, Toby, my boy, +monkeys is monkeys; an' you mustn't go to gettin' the idea that they're +anything else, for it's a mistake. You think this old monkey in here +knows what you say? Why, that's just the cuteness of the old fellow: he +watches you to see if he can't do just as you do, an' that's all there +is about it." + +Toby was more than half convinced that Ben was putting the matter in its +proper light, and he would have believed all that had been said if, just +at that moment, he had not seen that brown hand reaching through the +hole to clutch him again by the coat. + +The action seemed so natural, so like a hungry boy who gropes in the +dark pantry for something to eat, that it would have taken more +arguments than Ben had at his disposal to persuade Toby that his Mr. +Stubbs could not understand all that was said to him. Toby put another +doughnut in the outstretched hand, and then sat silently, as if in a +brown-study over some difficult problem. + +For some time the ride was continued in silence. Ben was going through +all the motions of whistling without uttering a sound--a favorite +amusement of his--and Toby's thoughts were far away in the humble home +he had scorned, with Uncle Daniel, whose virtues had increased in his +esteem with every mile of distance which had been put between them, and +whose faults had decreased in a corresponding ratio. + +Toby's thoughtfulness had made him sleepy, and his eyes were almost +closed in slumber, when he was startled by a crashing sound, was +conscious of a feeling of being hurled from his seat by some great +force, and then he lay senseless by the side of the road, while the +wagon became a perfect wreck, from out of which a small army of monkeys +was escaping. Ben's experienced ear had told him at the first crash that +his wagon was breaking down, and, without having time to warn Toby of +his peril, he had leaped clear of the wreck, keeping his horses under +perfect control, and thus averting more trouble. It was the breaking of +one of the axles which Toby had heard just before he was thrown from his +seat, and when the body of the wagon came down upon the hard road. + +[Illustration: THE BREAK-DOWN, AND ESCAPE OF THE MONKEYS.] + +The monkeys, thus suddenly released from confinement, had scampered off +in every direction, and by a singular chance Toby's aged friend started +for the woods in such a direction as to bring him directly before the +boy's insensible form. The monkey, on coming up to Toby, stopped, urged +by the well-known curiosity of its race, and began to examine the boy's +person carefully, prying into pockets and trying to open the boy's +half-closed eyelids. Fortunately for Toby, he had fallen upon a +mud-bank, and was only stunned for the moment, having received no +serious bruises. The attentions bestowed upon him by the monkey served +the purpose of bringing him to his senses; and, after he had looked +around him in the gray light of the coming morning, it would have taken +far more of a philosopher than Old Ben was to persuade the boy that +monkeys did not possess reasoning faculties. + +The monkey was busy at Toby's ears, nose, and mouth, as monkeys will do +when they get an opportunity, and the expression of its face was as +grave as possible. Toby firmly believed that the monkey's face showed +sorrow at his fall, and he imagined that the attentions which were +bestowed upon him were for the purpose of learning whether he had been +injured or not. + +"Don't worry, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, anxious to reassure his friend, as +he sat upright and looked about him. "I didn't get hurt any; but I would +like to know how I got 'way over here." + +It really seemed as if the monkey was pleased to know that his little +friend was not hurt, for he seated himself on his haunches, and his face +expressed the liveliest pleasure that Toby was well again--or at least +that was how the boy interpreted the look. + +By this time the news of the accident had been shouted ahead from one +team to the other, and all hands were hurrying to the scene for the +purpose of rendering aid. As Toby saw them coming he also saw a number +of small forms, looking something like diminutive men, hurrying past +him, and for the first time he understood how it was that the aged +monkey was at liberty, and knew that those little dusky forms were the +other occupants of the cage escaping to the woods. + +"See there, Mr. Stubbs! see there!" he exclaimed, pointing toward the +fugitives; "they're all going off into the woods! What shall we do?" + +The sight of the runaways seemed to excite the old monkey quite as much +as it did the boy. He sprung to his feet, chattering in the most excited +way, screamed two or three times, as if he were calling them back, and +then started off in vigorous pursuit. + +"Now he's gone too!" said Toby, disconsolately, believing the old fellow +had run away from him. "I didn't think Mr. Stubbs would treat me this +way!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CAPTURE OF THE MONKEYS. + + +The boy tried to rise to his feet, but his head whirled so, and he felt +so dizzy and sick from the effects of his fall, that he was obliged to +sit down again until he should feel able to stand. Meanwhile the crowd +around the wagon paid no attention to him, and he lay there quietly +enough, until he heard the hateful voice of Mr. Lord, asking if his boy +were hurt. + +The sound of his voice affected Toby very much as the chills-and-fever +affect a sufferer, and he shook so with fear, and his heart beat so +loudly, that he thought Mr. Lord must know where he was by the sound. +Seeing, however, that his employer did not come directly toward him, the +thought flashed upon his mind that now would be a good chance to run +away, and he acted upon it at once. He rolled himself over in the mud +until he reached a low growth of fir-trees that skirted the road, and +when beneath their friendly shade he arose to his feet and walked +swiftly toward the woods, following the direction the monkeys had +taken. + +He no longer felt dizzy and sick: the fear of Mr. Lord had dispelled all +that, and he felt strong and active again. + +He had walked rapidly for some distance, and was nearly beyond the sound +of the voices in the road, when he was startled by seeing quite a +procession of figures emerge from the trees and come directly toward +him. + +He could not understand the meaning of this strange company, and it so +frightened him that he attempted to hide behind a tree, in the hope that +they might pass without seeing him. But no sooner had he secreted +himself than a strange, shrill chattering came from the foremost of the +group, and in an instant Toby emerged from his place of concealment. + +He had recognized the peculiar sound as that of the old monkey who had +left him a few moments before, and he knew now what he did not know +then, owing to the darkness. The new-comers were the monkeys that had +escaped from the cage, and had been overtaken and compelled to come back +by the old monkey, who seemed to have the most perfect control over +them. + +The old fellow was leading the band, and all were linked "hand-in-hand" +with each other, which gave the whole crowd a most comical appearance as +they came up to Toby, half hopping, half walking upright, and all +chattering and screaming, like a crowd of children out for a holiday. + +Toby stepped toward the noisy crowd, held out his hand gravely to the +old monkey, and said, in tones of heart-felt sorrow, + +"I felt awful bad because I thought you had gone off an' left me, when +you only went off to find the other fellows. You're awful good, Mr. +Stubbs; an' now, instead of runnin' away, as I was goin' to do, we'll +all go back together." + +The old monkey grasped Toby's extended hand with his disengaged paw, +and, clinging firmly to it, the whole crowd followed in unbroken line, +chattering and scolding at the most furious rate, while every now and +then Mr. Stubbs would look back and scream out something, which would +cause the confusion to cease for an instant. + +It was really a comical sight, but Toby seemed to think it the most +natural thing in the world that they should follow him in this manner, +and he chattered to the old monkey quite as fast as any of the others +were doing. He told him very gravely all that he knew about the +accident, explained why it was that he conceived the idea of running +away, and really believed that Mr. Stubbs understood every word he was +saying. + +Very shortly after Toby had started to run away the proprietor of the +circus drove up to the scene of disaster; and, after seeing that the +wagon was being rapidly fixed up so that it could be hauled to the next +town, he ordered that search should be made for the monkeys. It was +very important that they should be captured at once, and he appeared to +think more of the loss of the animals than of the damage done to the +wagon. + +While the men were forming a plan for a search for the truants, so that +in case of a capture they could let each other know, the noise made by +Toby and his party was heard, and the men stood still to learn what it +meant. + +The entire party burst into shouts of laughter as Toby and his +companions walked into the circle of light formed by the glare of the +lanterns, and the merriment was by no means abated at Toby's serious +demeanor. The wagon was now standing upright, with the door open, and +Toby therefore led his companions directly to it, gravely motioning them +to enter. + +The old monkey, instead of obeying, stepped back to Toby's side, and +screamed to the others in such a manner that they all entered the cage, +leaving him on the outside with the boy. + +Toby motioned him to get in too, but he clung to his hand, and scolded +so furiously, that it was apparent he had no idea of leaving his boy +companion. One of the men stepped up, and was about to force him into +the wagon, when the proprietor ordered him to stop. + +"What boy is that?" he asked. + +[Illustration: BRINGING BACK THE RUNAWAYS.] + +"Job Lord's new boy," said some one in the crowd. + +The man asked Toby how it was that he had succeeded in capturing all the +runaways; and he answered, gravely, + +"Mr. Stubbs an' I are good friends, an' when he saw the others runnin' +away he just stopped 'em, an' brought 'em back to me. I wish you'd let +Mr. Stubbs ride with me; we like each other a good deal." + +"You can do just what you please with Mr. Stubbs, as you call him. I +expected to lose half the monkeys in that cage, and you have brought +back every one. That monkey shall be yours, and you may put him in the +cage whenever you want to, or take him with you, just as you choose, for +he belongs entirely to you." + +Toby's joy knew no bounds; he put his arm around the monkey's neck, and +the monkey clung firmly to him, until even Job Lord was touched at the +evidence of affection between the two. + +While the wagon was being repaired Toby and the monkey stood +hand-in-hand watching the work go on, while those in the cage scolded +and raved because they had been induced to return to captivity. After a +while the old monkey seated himself on Toby's arm and cuddled close up +to him, uttering now and then a contented sort of a little squeak as the +boy talked to him. + +That night Mr. Stubbs slept in Toby's arms, in the band wagon, and both +boy and monkey appeared very well contented with their lot, which a +short time previous had seemed so hard. + +When Toby awakened to his second day's work with the circus his monkey +friend was seated by his side, gravely exploring his pockets, and all +the boy's treasures were being spread out on the floor of the wagon by +his side. Toby remonstrated with him on this breach of confidence, but +Mr. Stubbs was more in the mood for sport than for grave conversation, +and the more Toby talked the more mischievous did he become, until at +length the boy gathered up his little store of treasures, took the +monkey by the paw, and walked him toward the cage from which he had +escaped on the previous night. + +"Now, Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, speaking in an injured tone, "you must go +in here and stay till I have got more time to fool with you." + +He opened the door of the cage, but the monkey struggled as well as he +was able, and Toby was obliged to exert all his strength to put him in. + +When once the door was fastened upon him Toby tried to impress upon his +monkey friend's mind the importance of being more sedate, and he was +convinced that the words had sunk deep into Mr. Stubbs's heart, for, by +the time he had concluded, the old monkey was seated in the corner of +the cage, looking up from under his shaggy eyebrows in the most +reproachful manner possible. + +Toby felt sorry that he had spoken so harshly, and was about to make +amends for his severity, when Mr. Lord's gruff voice recalled him to the +fact that his time was not his own, and he therefore commenced his day's +work, but with a lighter heart than he had had since he stole away from +Uncle Daniel and Guilford. + +This day was not very much different from the preceding one so far as +the manner of Mr. Lord and his partner toward the boy was concerned; +they seemed to have an idea that he was doing only about half as much +work as he ought to, and both united in swearing at and abusing him as +much as possible. + +So far as his relations with other members of the company were +concerned, Toby now stood in a much better position than before. Those +who had witnessed the scene told the others how Toby had led in the +monkeys on the night previous, and nearly every member of the company +had a kind word for the little fellow whose head could hardly be seen +above the counter of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs's booth. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE DINNER-PARTY. + + +At noon Toby was thoroughly tired out, for whenever any one spoke kindly +to him Mr. Lord seemed to take a malicious pleasure in giving him extra +tasks to do, until Toby began to hope that no one else would pay any +attention to him. On this day he was permitted to go to dinner first, +and after he returned he was left in charge of the booth. Trade being +dull--as it usually was during the dinner hour--he had very little work +to do after he had cleaned the glasses and set things to rights +generally. + +When, therefore, he saw the gaunt form of the skeleton emerge from his +tent and come toward him he was particularly pleased, for he had begun +to think very kindly of the thin man and his fleshy wife. + +"Well, Toby," said the skeleton, as he came up to the booth, carefully +dusted Mr. Lord's private chair, and sat down very cautiously in it, as +if he expected that it would break down under his weight, "I hear you've +been making quite a hero of yourself by capturing the monkeys last +night." + +Toby's freckled face reddened with pleasure as he heard these words, and +he stammered out, with considerable difficulty, "I didn't do anything; +it was Mr. Stubbs that brought 'em back." + +"Mr. Stubbs!" And the skeleton laughed so heartily that Toby was afraid +he would dislocate some of his thinly-covered joints. "When you was +tellin' about Mr. Stubbs yesterday I thought you meant some one +belonging to the company. You ought to have seen my wife Lilly shake +with laughing when I told her who Mr. Stubbs was!" + +"Yes," said Toby, at a loss to know just what to say, "I should think +she _would_ shake when she laughs." + +"She does," replied the skeleton. "If you could see her when something +funny strikes her you'd think she was one of those big plates of jelly +that they have in the bake-shop windows." And Mr. Treat looked proudly +at the gaudy picture which represented his wife in all her monstrosity +of flesh. "She's a great woman, Toby, an' she's got a great head." + +Toby nodded his head in assent. He would have liked to have said +something nice regarding Mrs. Treat, but he really did not know what to +say, so he simply contented himself and the fond husband by nodding. + +"She thinks a good deal of you, Toby," continued the skeleton, as he +moved his chair to a position more favorable for him to elevate his feet +on the edge of the counter, and placed his handkerchief under him as a +cushion; "she's talking of you all the time, and if you wasn't such a +little fellow I should begin to be jealous of you--I should, upon my +word." + +"You're--both--very--good," stammered Toby, so weighted down by a sense +of the honor heaped upon him as to be at a loss for words. + +"An' she wants to see more of you. She made me come out here now, when +she knew Mr. Lord would be away, to tell you that we're goin' to have a +little kind of a friendly dinner in our tent to-morrow--she's cooked it +all herself, or she's going to--and we want you to come in an' have some +with us." + +Toby's eyes glistened at the thought of the unexpected pleasure, and +then his face grew sad as he replied, "I'd like to come first-rate, Mr. +Treat, but I don't s'pose Mr. Lord would let me stay away from the shop +long enough." + +"Why, you won't have any work to do to-morrow, Toby--it's Sunday." + +"So it is!" said the boy, with a pleased smile, as he thought of the day +of rest which was so near. And then he added, quickly, "An' this is +Saturday afternoon. What fun the boys at home are havin'! You see there +hain't any school Saturday afternoon, an' all the fellers go out in the +woods." + +"And you wish you were there to go with them, don't you?" asked the +skeleton, sympathetically. + +"Indeed I do!" exclaimed Toby, quickly. "It's twice as good as any +circus that ever was." + +"But you didn't think so before you came with us, did you?" + +"I didn't know so much about circuses then as I do now," replied the +boy, sadly. + +Mr. Treat saw that he was touching on a sore subject, and one which was +arousing sad thoughts in his little companion's mind, and he hastened to +change it at once. + +"Then I can tell Lilly that you'll come, can I?" + +"Oh yes, I'll be sure to be there; an' I want you to know just how good +I think you both are to me." + +"That's all right, Toby," said Mr. Treat, with a pleased expression on +his face; "an' you may bring Mr. Stubbs with you, if you want to." + +"Thank you," said Toby; "I'm sure Mr. Stubbs will be just as glad to +come as I shall. But where will we be to-morrow?" + +"Right here. We always stay over Sunday at the place where we show +Saturday. But I must be going, or Lilly will worry her life out of her +for fear I'm somewhere getting cold. She's awful careful of me, that +woman is. You'll be on hand to-morrow at one o'clock, won't you?" + +"Indeed I will," said Toby, emphatically, "an' I'll bring Mr. Stubbs +with me too." + +With a friendly nod of the head, the skeleton hurried away to reassure +his wife that he was safe and well; and before he had hardly disappeared +within the tent Toby had another caller, who was none other than his +friend Old Ben, the driver. + +"Well, my boy," shouted Ben, in his cheery, hearty tones, "I haven't +seen you since you left the wagon so sudden last night. Did you get +shook up much?" + +"Oh no," replied Toby: "you see I hain't very big; an' then I struck in +the mud; so I got off pretty easy." + +"That's a fact; an' you can thank your lucky stars for it, too, for I've +seen grown-up men get pitched off a wagon in that way an' break their +necks doin' it. But has Job told you where you was going to sleep +to-night? You know we stay over here till to-morrow." + +"I didn't think anything about that; but I s'pose I'll sleep in the +wagon, won't I?" + +"You can sleep at the hotel, if you want to; but the beds will likely be +dirty; an' if you take my advice you'll crawl into some of the wagons in +the tent." + +Ben then explained to him that, after his work was done that night, he +would not be expected to report for duty until the time for starting on +Sunday night, and concluded his remarks by saying, + +"Now you know what your rights are, an' don't you let Job impose on you +in any way. I'll be round here after you get through work, an' we'll +bunk in somewhere together." + +The arrival of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs put a stop to the conversation, +and was the signal for Toby's time of trial. It seemed to him, and with +good reason, that the chief delight these men had in life was to torment +him, for neither ever spoke a pleasant word to him; and when one was not +giving him some difficult work to do, or finding fault in some way, the +other would be sure to do so; and Toby had very little comfort from the +time he began work in the morning until he stopped at night. + +It was not until after the evening performance was over that Toby had a +chance to speak with Mr. Stubbs, and then he was so tired that he simply +took the old monkey from the cage, nestled him under his jacket, and lay +down with him to sleep in the place which Old Ben had selected. + +When the morning came Mr. Stubbs aroused his young master at a much +earlier hour than he would have awakened had he been left to himself, +and the two went out for a short walk before breakfast. They went +instinctively toward the woods; and when the shade of the trees was once +reached, how the two revelled in their freedom! Mr. Stubbs climbed into +the trees, swung himself from one to the other by means of his tail, +gathered half-ripe nuts, which he threw at his master, tried to catch +the birds, and had a good time generally. + +Toby, stretched at full length on the mossy bank, watched the antics of +his pet, laughing boisterously at times as Mr. Stubbs would do some one +thing more comical than usual, and forgot there was in this world such a +thing as a circus, or such a man as Job Lord. It was to Toby a morning +without a flaw, and he took no heed of the time, until the sound of the +church bells warned him of the lateness of the hour, reminding him at +the same time of where he should be--where he would be, if he were at +home with Uncle Daniel. + +In the mean time the old monkey had been trying to attract his young +master's attention, and, failing in his efforts, he came down from the +tree, crept softly up to Toby, and nestled his head under the boy's arm. + +This little act of devotion seemed to cause Toby's grief to burst forth +afresh, and clasping the monkey around the neck, hugging him close to +his bosom, he sobbed, + +"Oh, Mr. Stubbs, Mr. Stubbs, how lonesome we are! If we was only at +Uncle Dan'l's we'd be the two happiest people in all this world. We +could play on the hay, or go up to the pasture, or go down to the +village; an' I'd work my fingers off if I could only be there just once +more. It was wicked for me to run away, an' now I'm gettin' paid for +it." + +He hugged the monkey closely, swaying his body to and fro, and +presenting a perfect picture of grief. The monkey, not knowing what to +make of this changed mood, cowered whimperingly in his arms, looking up +into his face, and licking the boy's hands whenever he had the +opportunity. + +It was some time before Toby's grief exhausted itself; and then, still +clasping the monkey, he hurried out of the woods toward the town and the +now thoroughly hated circus tents. + +The clocks were just striking one as Toby entered the enclosure used by +the show as a place of performance, and, remembering his engagement with +the skeleton and his wife, he went directly to their tent. From the +odors which assailed him as he entered, it was very evident that a feast +of no mean proportions was in course of preparation, and Toby's keen +appetite returned in full vigor. Even the monkey seemed affected by the +odor, for he danced about on his master's shoulder, and chattered so +that Toby was obliged to choke him a little in order to make him +present a respectable appearance. + +When Toby reached the interior of the tent he was astonished at the +extent of the preparations that were being made, and gazed around him in +surprise. The platform on which the lean man and fat woman were in the +habit of exhibiting themselves now bore a long table, loaded with +eatables; and, from the fact that eight or ten chairs were ranged around +it, Toby understood that he was not the only guest invited to the feast. +Some little attempt had also been made at decoration by festooning that +end of the tent where the platform was placed with two or three flags +and some streamers, and the tent-poles also were fringed with +tissue-paper of the brightest colors. + +Toby had only time enough to notice this when the skeleton advanced +toward him, and, with the liveliest appearance of pleasure, said, as he +took him by the hands with a grip that made him wince, + +"It gives me great joy, Mr. Tyler, to welcome you at one of our little +home reunions, if one can call a tent, that is moved every day in the +week, home." + +Toby hardly knew whom Mr. Treat referred to when he said "Mr. Tyler;" +but by the time his hands were released from the bony grasp he +understood that it was himself who was spoken to. + +[Illustration: TOBY IS INTRODUCED TO THE ALBINOS.] + +The skeleton then formally introduced him to the other guests present, +who were sitting at one end of the tent, and evidently anxiously +awaiting the coming feast. + +"These," said Mr. Treat, as he waved his hand toward two white-haired, +pink-eyed young ladies, who sat with their arms twined around each +other's waist, and had been eying the monkey with some appearance of +fear, "are the Miss Cushings, known to the world as the Albino Children; +they command a large salary, and form a very attractive feature of our +exhibition." + +The young ladies arose at the same time, as if they had been the Siamese +Twins and could not act independently of each other, and bowed. + +Toby made the best bow he was capable of; and the monkey made frantic +efforts to escape, as if he would enjoy twisting his paws in their +perpendicular hair. + +"And this," continued Mr. Treat, pointing to a sickly, sour-looking +individual, who was sitting apart from the others, with his arms folded, +and looking as if he was counting the very seconds before the dinner +should begin, "is the wonderful Signor Castro, whose sword-swallowing +feats you have doubtless heard of." + +Toby stepped back just one step, as if overwhelmed by awe at beholding +the signor in the guise of a humble individual; and the gentleman who +gained his livelihood by swallowing swords unbent his dignity so far as +to unfold his arms and present a very dirty-looking hand for Toby to +shake. The boy took hold of the outstretched hand, wondering why the +signor never used soap and water; and Mr. Stubbs, apparently afraid of +the sour-looking man, retreated to Toby's shoulder, where he sat +chattering and scolding about the introduction. + +Again the skeleton waved his hand, and this time he introduced +"Mademoiselle Spelletti, the wonderful snake-charmer, whose exploits in +this country, and before the crowned heads of Europe, had caused the +whole world to stand aghast at her daring." + +Mademoiselle Spelletti was a very ordinary-looking young lady of about +twenty-five years of age, who looked very much as if her name might +originally have been Murphy, and she too extended a hand for Toby to +grasp--only her hand was clean, and she appeared to be a very much more +pleasant acquaintance than the gentleman who swallowed swords. + +This ended the introductions; and Toby was just looking around for a +seat, when Mrs. Treat, the fat lady, and the giver of the feast which +was about to come, and which already smelled so invitingly, entered from +behind a curtain of canvas, where the cooking-stove was supposed to be +located. + +She had every appearance of being the cook for the occasion. Her sleeves +were rolled up, her hair tumbled and frowzy, and there were several +unmistakable marks of grease on the front of her calico dress. + +She waited for no ceremony, but rushed up to Toby, and taking him in her +arms, gave him such a squeeze that there seemed to be every possibility +that she would break all the bones in his body; and she kept him so long +in this bear-like embrace that Mr. Stubbs reached his little brown paws +over and got such a hold of her hair that all present, save Signor +Castro, rushed forward to release her from the monkey's grasp. + +"You dear little thing!" said Mrs. Treat, paying but slight attention to +the hair-pulling she had just undergone, and holding Toby at +arm's-length, so that she could look into his face, "you were so late +that I was afraid you wasn't coming; and my dinner wouldn't have tasted +half so good if you hadn't been here to eat some." + +Toby hardly knew what to say for this hearty welcome, but he managed to +tell the large and kind-hearted lady that he had had no idea of missing +the dinner, and that he was very glad she wanted him to come. + +"Want you to come, you dear little thing!" she exclaimed, as she gave +him another hug, but careful not to give Mr. Stubbs a chance of grasping +her hair again. "Of course I wanted you to come, for this dinner has +been got up so that you could meet these people here, and so that they +could see you." + +Toby was entirely at a loss to know what to say to this overwhelming +compliment, and for that reason did not say anything, only submitting +patiently to the third hug, which was all Mrs. Treat had time to give +him, as she was obliged to rush behind the canvas screen again, as there +were unmistakable sounds of something boiling over on the stove. + +"You'll excuse me," said the skeleton, with an air of dignity, waving +his hand once more toward the assembled company, "but, while introducing +you to Mr. Tyler, I had almost forgotten to introduce him to you. This, +ladies and gentlemen"--and here he touched Toby on the shoulder, as if +he were some living curiosity whose habits and mode of capture he was +about to explain to a party of spectators--"is Mr. Toby Tyler, of whom +you heard on the night when the monkey cage was smashed, and who now +carries with him the identical monkey which was presented to him by the +manager of this great show as a token of esteem for his skill and +bravery in capturing the entire lot of monkeys without a single blow." + +By the time that Mr. Treat got through with this long speech Toby felt +very much as if he were some wonderful creature whom the skeleton was +exhibiting; but he managed to rise to his feet and duck his little red +head in his best imitation of a bow. Then he sat down and hugged Mr. +Stubbs to cover his confusion. + +One of the Albino Children now came forward, and, while stroking Mr. +Stubbs's hair, looked so intently at Toby that for the life of him he +couldn't say which she regarded as the curiosity, himself or the monkey; +therefore he hastened to say, modestly, + +"I didn't do much toward catchin' the monkeys; Mr. Stubbs here did +almost all of it, an' I only led 'em in." + +"There, there, my boy," said the skeleton, in a fatherly tone, "I've +heard the whole story from Old Ben, an' I sha'n't let you get out of it +like that. We all know what you did, an' it's no use for you to deny any +part of it." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +MR. STUBBS AT A PARTY. + + +Toby was about to say that he did not intend to represent the matter +other than it really was, when a voice from behind the canvas screen +arrested further conversation. + +"Sam-u-el, come an' help me carry these things in." + +Something very like a smile of satisfaction passed over Signor Castro's +face as he heard this, which told him that the time for the feast was +near at hand; and the snake-charmer, as well as the Albino Children, +seemed quite as much pleased as did the sword-swallower. + +"You will excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," said the skeleton, in an +important tone; "I must help Lilly, and then I shall have the pleasure +of helping you to some of her cooking, which, if I do say it, that +oughtn't, is as good as can be found in this entire country." + +Then he too disappeared behind the canvas screen. + +Left alone, Toby looked at the ladies, and the ladies looked at him, in +perfect silence, while the sword-swallower grimly regarded them all, +until Mr. Treat reappeared, bearing on a platter an immense turkey, as +nicely browned as any Thanksgiving turkey Toby ever saw. Behind him came +his fat wife, carrying several dishes, each of which emitted a most +fragrant odor; and as these were placed upon the table the spirits of +the sword-swallower seemed to revive, and he smiled pleasantly; while +even the ladies appeared animated by the sight and odor of the good +things which they were to be called upon so soon to pass judgment. + +Several times did Mr. and Mrs. Treat bustle in and out from behind the +screen, and each time they made some addition to that which was upon the +table, until Toby began to fear that they would never finish, and the +sword-swallower seemed unable to restrain his impatience. + +At last the finishing touch had been put to the table, the last dish +placed in position, and then, with a certain kind of grace, which no one +but a man as thin as Mr. Treat could assume, he advanced to the edge of +the platform and said, + +"Ladies and gentlemen, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to invite +you all, including Mr. Tyler's friend Stubbs, to the bountiful repast +which my Lilly has prepared for--" + +At this point, Mr. Treat's speech--for it certainly seemed as if he had +commenced to make one--was broken off in a most summary manner. His wife +had come up behind him, and, with as much ease as if he had been a +child, lifted him from off the floor and placed him gently in the chair +at the head of the table. + +"Come right up and get dinner," she said to her guests. "If you had +waited until Samuel had finished his speech everything on the table +would have been stone-cold." + +The guests proceeded to obey her kindly command; and it is to be +regretted that the sword-swallower had no better manners than to jump on +to the platform with one bound and seat himself at the table with the +most unseemly haste. The others, and more especially Toby, proceeded in +a leisurely and more dignified manner. + +A seat had been placed by the side of the one intended for Toby for the +accommodation of Mr. Stubbs, who suffered a napkin to be tied under his +chin, and behaved generally in a manner that gladdened the heart of his +young master. + +Mr. Treat cut generous slices from the turkey for each guest, and Mrs. +Treat piled their plates high with all sorts of vegetables, complaining, +after the manner of housewives generally, that the food was not cooked +as she would like to have had it, and declaring that she had had poor +luck with everything that morning, when she firmly believed in her heart +that her table had never looked better. + +After the company had had the edge taken off their appetites--which +effect was produced on the sword-swallower only after he had been +helped three different times, the conversation began by the Fat Woman +asking Toby how he got along with Mr. Lord. + +Toby could not give a very good account of his employer, but he had the +good sense not to cast a damper on a party of pleasure by reciting his +own troubles; so he said, evasively, + +"I guess I shall get along pretty well, now that I have got so many +friends." + +Just as he had commenced to speak the skeleton had put into his mouth a +very large piece of turkey--very much larger in proportion than +himself--and when Toby had finished speaking he started to say something +evidently not very complimentary to Mr. Lord. But what it was the +company never knew; for just as he opened his mouth to speak, the food +went down the wrong way, his face became a bright purple, and it was +quite evident that he was choking. + +Toby was alarmed, and sprung from his chair to assist his friend, +upsetting Mr. Stubbs from his seat, causing him to scamper up the +tent-pole, with the napkin still tied around his neck, and to scold in +his most vehement manner. Before Toby could reach the skeleton, however, +the Fat Woman had darted toward her lean husband, caught him by the arm, +and was pounding his back, by the time Toby got there, so vigorously, +that the boy was afraid her enormous hand would go through his +tissue-paper-like frame. + +"I wouldn't," said Toby, in alarm; "you may break him." + +"Don't you get frightened," said Mrs. Treat, turning her husband +completely over, and still continuing the drumming process. "He's often +taken this way; he's such a glutton that he'd try to swallow the turkey +whole if he could get it in his mouth, an' he's so thin that 'most +anything sticks in his throat." + +"I should think you'd break him all up," said Toby, apologetically, as +he resumed his seat at the table; "he don't look as if he could stand +very much of that sort of thing." + +But apparently Mr. Treat could stand very much more than Toby gave him +credit for, because at this juncture he stopped coughing, and his face +fast assumed its natural hue. + +His attentive wife, seeing that he had ceased struggling, lifted him in +her arms, and sat him down in his chair with a force that threatened to +snap his very head off. + +"There!" she said, as he wheezed a little from the effects of the shock, +"now see if you can behave yourself, an' chew your meat as you ought to! +One of these days when you're alone you'll try that game, and that'll be +the last of you." + +"If he'd try to do one of my tricks long enough he'd get so that there +wouldn't hardly anything choke him," the sword-swallower ventured to +suggest, mildly, as he wiped a small stream of cranberry-sauce from his +chin and laid a well-polished turkey-bone by the side of his plate. + +"I'd like to see him try it!" said the fat lady, with just a shade of +anger in her voice. Then turning toward her husband, she said, +emphatically, "Samuel, don't you ever let me catch _you_ swallowing a +sword!" + +"I won't, my love, I won't; and I will try to chew my meat more," +replied the very thin glutton, in a feeble tone. + +Toby thought that perhaps the skeleton might keep the first part of that +promise, but he was not quite sure about the last. + +It required no little coaxing on the part of both Toby and Mrs. Treat to +induce Mr. Stubbs to come down from his lofty perch; but the task was +accomplished at last, and by the gift of a very large doughnut he was +induced to resume his seat at the table. + +The time had now come when the duties of a host, in his own peculiar way +of viewing them, devolved upon Mr. Treat, and he said, as he pushed his +chair back a short distance from the table, and tried to polish the +front of his vest with his napkin, + +"I don't want this fact lost sight of, because it is an important one: +every one must remember that we have gathered here to meet and become +better acquainted with the latest and best addition to this circus, Mr. +Toby Tyler." + +Poor Toby! As the company all looked directly at him, and Mrs. Treat +nodded her enormous head energetically, as if to say that she agreed +exactly with her husband, the poor boy's face grew very red and the +squash-pie lost its flavor. + +"Although Mr. Tyler may not be exactly one of us, owing to the fact that +he does not belong to the profession, but is only one of the adjuncts to +it, so to speak," continued the skeleton, in a voice which was fast +being raised to its highest pitch, "we feel proud, after his exploits at +the time of the accident, to have him with us, and gladly welcome him +now, through the medium of this little feast prepared by my Lilly." + +Here the Albino Children nodded their heads in approval, and the +sword-swallower gave a grunt of assent; and, thus encouraged, the +skeleton proceeded: + +"I feel, when I say that we like and admire Mr. Tyler, all present will +agree with me, and all would like to hear him say a word for himself." + +The skeleton seemed to have expressed the views of those present +remarkably well, judging from their expressions of pleasure and assent, +and all waited for the honored guest to speak. + +Toby knew that he must say something, but he couldn't think of a single +thing; he tried over and over again to call to his mind something which +he had read as to how people acted and what they said when they were +expected to speak at a dinner-table, but his thoughts refused to go back +for him, and the silence was actually becoming painful. Finally, and +with the greatest effort, he managed to say, with a very perceptible +stammer, and while his face was growing very red: + +"I know I ought to say something to pay for this big dinner that you +said was gotten up for me, but I don't know what to say, unless to thank +you for it. You see I hain't big enough to say much, an', as Uncle Dan'l +says, I don't amount to very much 'cept for eatin', an' I guess he's +right. You're all real good to me, an' when I get to be a man I'll try +to do as much for you." + +Toby had risen to his feet when he began to make his speech, and while +he was speaking Mr. Stubbs had crawled over into his chair. When he +finished he sat down again without looking behind him, and of course sat +plump on the monkey. There was a loud outcry from Mr. Stubbs, a little +frightened noise from Toby, an instant's scrambling, and then boy, +monkey, and chair tumbled off the platform, landing on the ground in an +indescribable mass, from which the monkey extricated himself more +quickly than Toby could, and again took refuge on the top of the +tent-pole. + +Of course all the guests ran to Toby's assistance; and while the Fat +Woman poked him all over to see that none of his bones were broken, the +skeleton brushed the dirt from his clothes. + +All this time the monkey screamed, yelled, and danced around on the +tent-pole and ropes as if his feelings had received a shock from which +he could never recover. + +"I didn't mean to end it up that way, but it was Mr. Stubbs's fault," +said Toby, as soon as quiet had been restored, and the guests, with the +exception of the monkey, were seated at the table once more. + +"Of course you didn't," said Mrs. Treat, in a kindly tone. "But don't +you feel bad about it one bit, for you ought to thank your lucky stars +that you didn't break any of your bones." + +"I s'pose I did," said Toby, soberly, as he looked back at the scene of +his disaster, and then up at the chattering monkey that had caused all +the trouble. + +Shortly after this, Mr. Stubbs having again been coaxed down from his +lofty position, Toby took his departure, promising to call as often +during the week as he could get away from his exacting employers. + +Just outside the tent he met Old Ben, who said, as he showed signs of +indulging in another of his internal laughing spells: + +[Illustration: TOBY SITS DOWN ON MR. STUBBS.] + +"Hello! has the skeleton an' his lily of a wife been givin' a blow-out +to you too?" + +"They invited me in there to dinner," said Toby, modestly. + +"Of course they did--of course they did," replied Ben, with a chuckle; +"they carries a cookin'-stove along with 'em, so's they can give these +little spreads whenever we stay over a day in a place. Oh, I've been +there!" + +"And did they ask you to make a speech?" + +"Of course. Did they try it on you?" + +"Yes," said Toby, mournfully, "an' I tumbled off the platform when I got +through." + +"I didn't do exactly that," replied Ben, thoughtfully; "but I s'pose you +got too much steam on, seein' 's how it was likely your first speech. +Now you'd better go into the tent an' try to get a little sleep, 'cause +we've got a long ride to-night over a rough road, an' you won't get +more'n a cat-nap all night." + +"But where are you going?" asked Toby, as he shifted Mr. Stubbs over to +his other shoulder, preparatory to following his friend's advice. + +"I'm goin' to church," said Ben, and then Toby noticed for the first +time that the old driver had made some attempt at dressing-up. "I've +been with the circus, man an' boy, for nigh to forty years, an' I allus +go to meetin' once on Sunday. It's somethin' I promised my old mother I +would do, an' I hain't broke my promise yet." + +"Why don't you take me with you?" asked Toby, wistfully, as he thought +of the little church on the hill at home, and wished--oh, so +earnestly!--that he was there then, even at the risk of being thumped on +the head with Uncle Daniel's book. + +"If I'd seen you this mornin' I would," said Ben; "but now you must try +to bottle up some sleep agin to-night, an' next Sunday I'll take you." + +With these words Old Ben started off, and Toby proceeded to carry out +his wishes, although he rather doubted the possibility of "bottling up" +any sleep that afternoon. + +He lay down on the top of the wagon, after having put Mr. Stubbs inside, +with the others of his tribe, and in a very few moments the boy was +sound asleep, dreaming of a dinner-party at which Mr. Stubbs made a +speech, and he himself scampered up and down the tent-pole. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A STORMY NIGHT. + + +When Toby awoke it was nearly dark, and the bustle around him told very +plainly that the time for departure was near at hand. He rubbed his eyes +just enough to make sure that he was thoroughly awake, and then jumped +down from his rather lofty bed, and ran around to the door of the cage +to assure himself that Mr. Stubbs was safe. This done, his preparations +for the journey were made. + +Now, Toby noticed that each one of the drivers was clad in rubber +clothing, and, after listening for a moment, he learned the cause of +their water-proof garments. It was raining very hard, and Toby thought +with dismay of the long ride that he would have to take on the top of +the monkeys' cage, with no protection whatever save that afforded by his +ordinary clothing. + +While he was standing by the side of the wagon, wondering how he should +get along, Old Ben came in. The water was pouring from his clothes in +little rivulets, and he afforded most unmistakable evidence of the damp +state of the weather. + +"It's a nasty night, my boy," said the old driver, in much the same +cheery tone that he would have used had he been informing Toby that it +was a beautiful moonlight evening. + +"I guess I'll get wet," said Toby, ruefully, as he looked up at the +lofty seat which he was to occupy. + +"Bless me!" said Ben, as if the thought had just come to him, "it won't +do for you to ride outside on a night like this. You wait here, an' I'll +see what I can do for you." + +The old man hurried off to the other end of the tent, and almost before +Toby thought he had time to go as far as the ring he returned. + +"It's all right," he said, and this time in a gruff voice, as if he were +announcing some misfortune; "you're to ride in the women's wagon. Come +with me." + +Toby followed without a question, though he was wholly at a loss to +understand what the "women's wagon" was, for he had never seen anything +which looked like one. + +He soon learned, however, when Old Ben stopped in front--or, rather, at +the end--of a long covered wagon that looked like an omnibus, except +that it was considerably longer, and the seats inside were divided by +arms, padded, to make them comfortable to lean against. + +"Here's the boy," said Ben, as he lifted Toby up on the step, gave him +a gentle push to intimate that he was to get inside, and then left him. + +As Toby stepped inside he saw that the wagon was nearly full of women +and children; and fearing lest he should take a seat that belonged to +some one else, he stood in the middle of the wagon, not knowing what to +do. + +"Why don't you sit down, little boy?" asked one of the ladies, after +Toby had remained standing nearly five minutes and the wagon was about +to start. + +"Well," said Toby, with some hesitation, as he looked around at the two +or three empty seats that remained, "I didn't want to get in anybody +else's place, an' I didn't know where to sit." + +"Come right here," said the lady, as she pointed to a seat by the side +of a little girl who did not look any older than Toby; "the lady who +usually occupies that seat will not be here to-night, and you can have +it." + +"Thank you, ma'am," said Toby, as he sat timidly down on the edge of the +seat, hardly daring to sit back comfortably, and feeling very awkward +meanwhile, but congratulating himself on being thus protected from the +pouring rain. + +The wagon started, and as each one talked with her neighbor, Toby felt a +most dismal sense of loneliness, and almost wished that he was riding on +the monkey-cart with Ben, where he could have some one to talk with. He +gradually pushed himself back into a more comfortable position, and had +then an opportunity of seeing more plainly the young girl who rode by +his side. + +She was quite as young as Toby, and small of her age; but there was an +old look about her face that made the boy think of her as being an old +woman cut down to fit children's clothes. Toby had looked at her so +earnestly that she observed him, and asked, "What is your name?" + +"Toby Tyler." + +"What do you do in the circus?" + +"Sell candy for Mr. Lord." + +"Oh! I thought you was a new member of the company." + +Toby knew by the tone of her voice that he had fallen considerably in +her estimation by not being one of the performers, and it was some +little time before he ventured to speak; and then he asked, timidly, +"What do you do?" + +"I ride one of the horses with mother." + +"Are you the little girl that comes out with the lady an' four horses?" +asked Toby, in awe that he should be conversing with so famous a person. + +"Yes, I am. Don't I do it nicely?" + +"Why, you're a perfect little--little--fairy!" exclaimed Toby, after +hesitating a moment to find some word which would exactly express his +idea. + +[Illustration: TOBY IN THE "WOMEN'S WAGON."] + +This praise seemed to please the young lady, and in a short time the two +became very good friends, even if Toby did not occupy a more exalted +position than that of candy-seller. She had learned from him all about +the accident to the monkey-cage, and about Mr. Stubbs, and in return had +told him that her name was Ella Mason, though on the bills she was +called "Mademoiselle Jeannette." + +For a long time the two children sat talking together, and then +Mademoiselle Jeannette curled herself up on the seat, with her head in +her mother's lap, and went to sleep. + +Toby had resolved to keep awake and watch her, for he was struck with +admiration at her face; but sleep got the better of him in less than +five minutes after he had made the resolution, and he sat bolt-upright, +with his little round head nodding and bobbing until it seemed almost +certain that he would shake it off. + +When Toby awoke the wagon was drawn up by the side of the road, the sun +was shining brightly, preparations were being made for the entree into +town, and the harsh voice of Mr. Job Lord was shouting his name in a +tone that boded no good for poor Toby when he should make his +appearance. + +Toby would have hesitated before meeting his angry employer but that he +knew it would only make matters worse for him when he did show himself, +and he mentally braced himself for the trouble which he knew was +coming. The little girl whose acquaintance he had made the night +previous was still sleeping; and, wishing to say good-bye to her in some +way without awakening her, he stooped down and gently kissed the skirt +of her dress. Then he went out to meet his master. + +Mr. Lord was thoroughly enraged when Toby left the wagon, and saw the +boy just as he stepped to the ground. The angry man gave a quick glance +around, to make sure that none of Toby's friends were in sight, and then +caught him by the coat-collar and commenced to whip him severely with +the small rubber cane that he usually carried. + +Mr. Job Lord lifted the poor boy entirely clear of the ground, and each +blow that he struck could be heard almost the entire length of the +circus train. + +"You've been makin' so many acquaintances here that you hain't willin' +to do any work," he said, savagely, as he redoubled the force of his +blows. + +"Oh, please stop! please stop!" shrieked the poor boy in his agony. +"I'll do everything you tell me to, if you won't strike me again!" + +This piteous appeal seemed to have no effect upon the cruel man, and he +continued to whip the boy, despite his cries and entreaties, until his +arm fairly ached from the exertion, and Toby's body was crossed and +recrossed with the livid marks of the cane. + +"Now, let's see whether you'll 'tend to your work or not!" said the man +as he flung Toby from him with such force that the boy staggered, +reeled, and nearly fell into the little brook that flowed by the +roadside. "I'll make you understand that all the friends you've whined +around in this show can't save you from a lickin' when I get ready to +give you one! Now go an' do your work that ought to have been done an +hour ago!" + +Mr. Lord walked away with the proud consciousness of a man who has +achieved a great victory, and Toby was limping painfully along toward +the cart that was used in conveying Mr. Lord's stock-in-trade, when he +felt a tiny hand slip into his, and heard a childish voice say, + +"Don't cry, Toby. Some time, when I get big enough, I'll make Mr. Lord +sorry that he whipped you as he did; and I'm big enough now to tell him +just what kind of a man I think he is." + +Looking around, Toby saw his little acquaintance of the evening +previous, and he tried to force back the big tears that were rolling +down his cheeks as he said, in a voice choked with grief, "You're awful +good, an' I don't mind the lickin' when you say you're sorry for me. I +s'pose I deserve it for runnin' away from Uncle Dan'l." + +"Did it hurt you much?" she asked, feelingly. + +"It did when he was doin' it," replied Toby, manfully, "but it don't a +bit now that you've come." + +"Then I'll go and talk to that Mr. Lord, and I'll come and see you again +after we get into town," said the little miss, as she hurried away to +tell the candy vender what she thought of him. + +That day, as on all others since he had been with the circus, Toby went +to his work with a heavy heart, and time and time again did he count the +money which had been given him by kind-hearted strangers, to see whether +he had enough to warrant his attempting to run away. Three dollars and +twenty-five cents was the total amount of his treasure, and, large as +that sum appeared to him, he could not satisfy himself that he had +sufficient to enable him to get back to the home which he had so +wickedly left. Whenever he thought of this home, of the Uncle Daniel who +had in charity cared for him--a motherless, fatherless boy--and of +returning to it, with not even as much right as the Prodigal Son, of +whom he had heard Uncle Daniel tell, his heart sunk within him, and he +doubted whether he would be allowed to remain even if he should be so +fortunate as ever to reach Guilford again. + +This day passed, so far as Toby was concerned, very much as had the +others: he could not satisfy either of his employers, try as hard as he +might; but, as usual, he met with two or three kindly-disposed people, +who added to the fund that he was accumulating for his second venture of +running away by little gifts of money, each one of which gladdened his +heart and made his trouble a trifle less hard to bear. + +During the entire week he was thus equally fortunate. Each day added +something to his fund, and each night it seemed to Toby that he was one +day nearer the freedom for which he so ardently longed. + +The skeleton, the fat lady, Old Ben, the Albino Children, little Ella, +and even the sword-swallower, all gave him a kindly word as they passed +him while he was at his work, or saw him as the preparations for the +grand entree were being made. + +The time had passed slowly to Toby, and yet Sunday came again--as +Sundays always come; and on this day Old Ben hunted him up, made him +wash his face and hands until they fairly shone from very cleanliness, +and then took him to church. Toby was surprised to find that it was +really a pleasant thing to be able to go to church after being deprived +of it, and was more light-hearted than he had yet been since he left +Guilford when he returned to the tent at noon. + +The skeleton had invited him to another dinner-party; but Toby had +declined the invitation, agreeing to present himself in time for supper +instead. He hardly cared to go through the ordeal of another state +dinner; and besides, he wanted to go off to the woods with the old +monkey, where he could enjoy the silence of the forest, which seemed +like a friend to him, because it reminded him of home. + +Taking the monkey with him as usual, he inquired the nearest way to a +grove, and, without waiting for dinner, started off for an afternoon's +quiet enjoyment. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +TOBY'S GREAT MISFORTUNE. + + +The town in which the circus remained over Sunday was a small one, and a +brisk walk of ten minutes sufficed to take Toby into a secluded portion +of a very thickly-grown wood, where he could lie upon the mossy ground +and fairly revel in freedom. + +As he lay upon his back, his hands under his head, and his eyes directed +to the branches of the trees above, where the birds twittered and sung, +and the squirrels played in fearless sport, the monkey enjoyed himself, +in his way, by playing all the monkey antics he knew of. He scrambled +from tree to tree, swung himself from one branch to the other by the aid +of his tail, and amused both himself and his master, until, tired by his +exertions, he crept down by Toby's side and lay there in quiet, restful +content. + +One of Toby's reasons for wishing to be by himself that afternoon was, +that he wanted to think over some plan of escape, for he believed that +he had nearly money enough to enable him to make a bold stroke for +freedom and Uncle Daniel's. Therefore, when the monkey nestled down by +his side he was all ready to confide in him that which had been +occupying his busy little brain for the past three days. + +"Mr. Stubbs," he said to the monkey, in a solemn tone, "we're goin' to +run away in a day or two." + +Mr. Stubbs did not seem to be moved in the least at this very startling +piece of intelligence, but winked his bright eyes in unconcern; and +Toby, seeming to think that everything which he said had been understood +by the monkey, continued: "I've got a good deal of money now, an' I +guess there's enough for us to start out on. We'll get away some night, +an' stay in the woods till they get through hunting for us, an' then +we'll go back to Guilford, an' tell Uncle Dan'l if he'll only take us +back we'll never go to sleep in meetin' any more, an' we'll be just as +good as we know how. Now let's see how much money we've got." + +Toby drew from a pocket, which he had been at a great deal of trouble to +make in his shirt, a small bag of silver, and spread it upon the ground, +where he could count it at his leisure. + +The glittering coin instantly attracted the monkey's attention, and he +tried by every means to thrust his little black paw into the pile; but +Toby would allow nothing of that sort, and pushed him away quite +roughly. Then he grew excited, and danced and scolded around Toby's +treasure, until the boy had hard work to count it. + +He did succeed, however, and as he carefully replaced it in the bag he +said to the monkey, "There's seven dollars an' thirty cents in that bag, +an' every cent of it is mine. That ought to take care of us for a good +while, Mr. Stubbs; an' by the time we get home we shall be rich men." + +The monkey showed his pleasure at this intelligence by putting his hand +inside Toby's clothes to find the bag of treasure that he had seen +secreted there, and two or three times, to the great delight of both +himself and the boy, he drew forth the bag, which was immediately taken +away from him. + +The shadows were beginning to lengthen in the woods, and, heeding this +warning of the coming night, Toby took the monkey on his arm and started +for home, or for the tent, which was the only place he could call home. + +As he walked along he tried to talk to his pet in a serious manner, but +the monkey, remembering where he had seen the bright coins secreted, +tried so hard to get at them that finally Toby lost all patience, and +gave him quite a hard cuff on the ear, which had the effect of keeping +him quiet for a time. + +That night Toby took supper with the skeleton and his wife, and he +enjoyed the meal, even though it was made from what had been left of +the turkey that served as the noonday feast, more than he did the state +dinner, where he was obliged to pay for what he ate by the torture of +making a speech. + +There were no guests but Toby present; and Mr. and Mrs. Treat were not +only very kind, but so attentive that he was actually afraid he should +eat so much as to stand in need of some of the catnip-tea which Mrs. +Treat had said she gave to her husband when he had been equally foolish. +The skeleton would pile his plate high with turkey-bones from one side, +and the fat lady would heap it up, whenever she could find a chance, +with all sorts of food from the other, until Toby pushed back his chair, +his appetite completely satisfied, if it never had been so before. + +Toby had discussed the temper of his employer with his host and hostess, +and, after some considerable conversation, confided in them his +determination to run away. + +"I'd hate awfully to have you go," said Mrs. Treat, reflectively; "but +it's a good deal better for you to get away from that Job Lord if you +can. It wouldn't do to let him know that you had any idea of goin', for +he'd watch you as a cat watches a mouse, an' never let you go so long as +he saw a chance to keep you. I heard him tellin' one of the drivers the +other day that you sold more goods than any other boy he ever had, an' +he was going to keep you with him all summer." + +"Be careful in what you do, my boy," said the skeleton, sagely, as he +arranged a large cushion in an arm-chair, and proceeded to make ready +for his after-dinner nap; "be sure that you're all ready before you +start, an', when you do go, get a good ways ahead of him; for if he +should ever catch you the trouncin' you'd get would be awful." + +Toby assured his friends that he would use every endeavor to make his +escape successful when he did start; and Mrs. Treat, with an eye to the +boy's comfort, said, "Let me know the night you're goin', an' I'll fix +you up something to eat, so's you won't be hungry before you come to a +place where you can buy something." + +As these kind-hearted people talked with him, and were ready thus to aid +him in every way that lay in their power, Toby thought that he had been +very fortunate in thus having made so many kind friends in a place where +he was having so much trouble. + +It was not until he heard the sounds of preparation for departure that +he left the skeleton's tent, and then, with Mr. Stubbs clasped tightly +to his breast, he hurried over to the wagon where Old Ben was nearly +ready to start. + +"All right, Toby," said the old driver, as the boy came in sight; "I was +afraid you was going to keep me waitin' for the first time. Jump right +up on the box, for there hain't no time to lose, an' I guess you'll have +to carry the monkey in your arms, for I don't want to stop to open the +cage now." + +"I'd just as soon carry him, an' a little rather," said Toby, as he +clambered up on the high seat and arranged a comfortable place in his +lap for his pet to sit. + +In another moment the heavy team had started, and nearly the entire +circus was on the move. "Now tell me what you've been doin' since I left +you," said Old Ben, after they were well clear of the town, and he could +trust his horses to follow the team ahead. "I s'pose you've been to see +the skeleton an' his mountain of a wife?" + +Toby gave a clear account of where he had been and what he had done, and +when he concluded he told Old Ben of his determination to run away, and +asked his advice on the matter. + +"My advice," said Ben, after he had waited some time, to give due weight +to his words, "is that you clear out from this show just as soon as you +can. This hain't no fit place for a boy of your age to be in, an' the +sooner you get back where you started from, an' get to school, the +better. But Job Lord will do all he can to keep you from goin', if he +thinks you have any idea of leavin' him." + +Toby assured Ben, as he had assured the skeleton and his wife, that he +would be very careful in all he did, and lay his plans with the utmost +secrecy; and then he asked whether Ben thought the amount of money +which he had would be sufficient to carry him home. + +"Waal, that depends," said the driver, slowly. "If you go to spreadin' +yourself all over creation, as boys are very apt to do, your money won't +go very far; but if you look at your money two or three times afore you +spend it, you ought to get back and have a dollar or two left." + +The two talked, and Old Ben offered advice, until Toby could hardly keep +his eyes open, and almost before the driver concluded his sage remarks +the boy had stretched himself on the top of the wagon, where he had +learned to sleep without being shaken off, and was soon in dream-land. + +The monkey, nestled down snug in Toby's bosom, did not appear to be as +sleepy as was his master, but popped his head in and out from under the +coat, as if watching whether the boy was asleep or not. + +Toby was awakened by a scratching on his face, as if the monkey was +dancing a hornpipe on that portion of his body, and by a shrill, quick +chattering, which caused him to assume an upright position instantly. + +He was frightened, although he knew not at what, and looked around +quickly to discover the cause of the monkey's excitement. + +Old Ben was asleep on his box, while the horses jogged along behind the +other teams, and Toby failed to see anything whatever which should have +caused his pet to become so excited. + +"Lie down an' behave yourself," said Toby, as sternly as possible, and +as he spoke he took his pet by the collar, to oblige him to obey his +command. + +The moment that he did this he saw the monkey throw something out into +the road, and the next instant he also saw that he held something +tightly clutched in his other paw. + +It required some little exertion and active movement on Toby's part to +enable him to get hold of that paw, in order to discover what it was +which Mr. Stubbs had captured; but the instant he did succeed, there +went up from his heart such a cry of sorrow as caused Old Ben to start +up in alarm, and the monkey to cower and whimper like a whipped dog. + +"What is it, Toby? What's the matter?" asked the old driver, as he +peered out into the darkness ahead, as if he feared some danger +threatened them from that quarter. "I don't see anything. What is it?" + +"Mr. Stubbs has thrown all my money away," cried Toby, holding up the +almost empty bag, which a short time previous had been so well filled +with silver. + +"Stubbs--thrown--the--money--away?" repeated Ben, with a pause between +each word, as if he could not understand that which he himself was +saying. + +[Illustration: MR. STUBBS AND TOBY'S MONEY] + +"Yes," sobbed Toby, as he shook out the remaining contents of the bag, +"there's only half a dollar, an' all the rest is gone." + +"The rest gone!" again repeated Ben. "But how come the monkey to have +the money?" + +"He tried to get at it out in the woods, an' I s'pose the moment I got +asleep he felt for it in my pockets. This is all there is left, an' he +threw away some just as I woke up." + +Again Toby held the bag up where Ben could see it, and again his grief +broke out anew. + +Ben could say nothing; he realized the whole situation: that the monkey +had got at the money-bag while Toby was sleeping; that in his play he +had thrown it away piece by piece; and he knew that that small amount of +silver represented liberty in the boy's eyes. He felt that there was +nothing he could say which would assuage Toby's grief, and he remained +silent. + +"Don't you s'pose we could go back an' get it?" asked the boy, after the +intensity of his grief had somewhat subsided. + +"No, Toby, it's gone," replied Ben, sorrowfully. "You couldn't find it +if it was daylight, an' you don't stand a ghost of a chance now in the +dark. Don't take on so, my boy. I'll see if we can't make it up to you +in some way." + +Toby gave no heed to this last remark of Ben's. He hugged the monkey +convulsively to his breast, as if he would seek consolation from the +very one who had wrought the ruin, and, rocking himself to and fro, he +said, in a voice full of tears and sorrow, + +"Oh, Mr. Stubbs, why did you do it?--why did you do it? That money would +have got us away from this hateful place, an' we'd gone back to Uncle +Dan'l's, where we'd have been _so_ happy, you an' me. An' now it's all +gone--all gone. What made you, Mr. Stubbs--what made you do such a bad, +cruel thing? Oh! what made you?" + +"Don't, Toby--don't take on so," said Ben, soothingly. "There wasn't so +very much money there, after all, an' you'll soon get as much more." + +"But it won't be for a good while, an' we could have been in the good +old home long before I can get so much again." + +"That's true, my boy; but you must kinder brace up, an' not give way so +about it. Perhaps I can fix it so the fellers will make it up to you. +Give Stubbs a good poundin', an' perhaps that'll make you feel better." + +"That won't bring back my money, an' I don't want to whip him," cried +Toby, hugging his pet the closer because of this suggestion. "I know +what it is to get a whippin', an' I wouldn't whip a dog, much less Mr. +Stubbs, who didn't know any better." + +"Then you must try to take it like a man," said Ben, who could think of +no other plan by which the boy might soothe his feelings. "It hain't +half so bad as it might be, an' you must try to keep a stiff upper lip, +even if it does seem hard at first." + +This keeping a stiff upper lip in the face of all the trouble he was +having was all very well to talk about, but Toby could not reduce it to +practice, or, at least, not so soon after he knew of his loss, and he +continued to rock the monkey back and forth, to whisper in his ear now +and then, and to cry as if his heart was breaking, for nearly an hour. + +Ben tried, in his rough, honest way, to comfort him, but without +success; and it was not until the boy's grief had spent itself that he +would listen to any reasoning. + +All this time the monkey had remained perfectly quiet, submitting to +Toby's squeezing without making any effort to get away, and behaving as +if he knew he had done wrong, and was trying to atone for it. He looked +up into the boy's face every now and then with such a penitent +expression, that Toby finally assured him of forgiveness, and begged him +not to feel so badly. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +TOBY ATTEMPTS TO RESIGN HIS SITUATION. + + +At last it was possible for Toby to speak of his loss with some degree +of calmness, and then he immediately began to reckon up what he could +have done with the money if he had not lost it. + +"Now see here, Toby," said Ben, earnestly: "don't go to doin' anything +of that kind. The money's lost, an' you can't get it back by talkin'; so +the very best thing for you is to stop thinkin' what you could do if you +had it, an' just to look at it as a goner." + +"But--" persisted Toby. + +"I tell you there's no buts about it," said Ben, rather sharply. "Stop +talkin' about what's gone, an' just go to thinkin' how you'll get more. +Do what you've a mind to the monkey, but don't keep broodin' over what +you can't help." + +Toby knew that the advice was good, and he struggled manfully to carry +it into execution, but it was very hard work. At all events, there was +no sleep for his eyes that night; and when, just about daylight, the +train halted to wait a more seasonable hour in which to enter the town, +the thought of what he might have done with his lost money was still in +Toby's mind. + +Only once did he speak crossly to the monkey, and that was when he put +him into the cage preparatory to commencing his morning's work. Then he +said, + +"You wouldn't had to go into this place many times more if you hadn't +been so wicked, for by to-morrow night we'd been away from this circus, +an' on the way to home an' Uncle Dan'l. Now you've spoiled my chance an' +your own for a good while to come, an' I hope before the day is over +you'll feel as bad about it as I do." + +It seemed to Toby as if the monkey understood just what he said to him, +for he sneaked over into one corner, away from the other monkeys, and +sat there looking very penitent and very dejected. + +Then, with a heavy heart, Toby began his day's work. + +Hard as had been Toby's lot previous to losing his money, and difficult +as it had been to bear the cruelty of Mr. Job Lord and his precious +partner, Mr. Jacobs, it was doubly hard now while this sorrow was fresh +upon him. + +Previous to this, when he had been kicked or cursed by one or the other +of the partners, Toby thought exultantly that the time was not very far +distant when he should be beyond the reach of his brutal task-masters, +and that thought had given him strength to bear all that had been put +upon him. + +Now the time of his deliverance from this bondage seemed very far off, +and each cruel word or blow caused him the greater sorrow, because of +the thought that but for the monkey's wickedness he would have been +nearly free from that which made his life so very miserable. + +If he had looked sad and mournful before, he looked doubly so now, as he +went his dreary round of the tent, crying, "Here's your cold lemonade," +or "Fresh-baked pea-nuts, ten cents a quart;" and each day there were +some in the audience who pitied the boy because of the misery which +showed so plainly in his face, and they gave him a few cents more than +his price for what he was selling, or gave him money without buying +anything at all, thereby aiding him to lay up something again toward +making his escape. + +Those few belonging to the circus who knew of Toby's intention to escape +tried their best to console him for the loss of his money, and that +kind-hearted couple, the skeleton and his fat wife, tried to force him +to take a portion of their scanty earnings in the place of that which +the monkey had thrown away. But this Toby positively refused to do; and +to the arguments which they advanced as reasons why they should help +him along he only replied that until he could get the money by his own +exertions he would remain with Messrs. Lord and Jacobs, and get along as +best he could. + +Every hour in the day the thought of what might have been if he had not +lost his money so haunted his mind that finally he resolved to make one +bold stroke, and tell Mr. Job Lord that he did not want to travel with +the circus any longer. + +As yet he had not received the two dollars which had been promised him +for his two weeks' work, and another one was nearly due. If he could get +this money it might, with what he had saved again, suffice to pay his +railroad fare to Guilford; and if it would not, he resolved to accept +from the skeleton sufficient to make up the amount needed. + +He naturally shrunk from the task; but the hope that he might possibly +succeed gave him the necessary amount of courage, and when he had gotten +his work done, on the third morning after he had lost his money, and Mr. +Lord appeared to be in an unusually good temper, he resolved to try the +plan. + +It was just before the dinner hour. Trade had been unexceptionally good, +and Mr. Lord had even spoken in a pleasant tone to Toby when he told him +to fill up the lemonade pail with water, so that the stock might not be +disposed of too quickly and with too little profit. + +Toby poured in quite as much water as he thought the already weak +mixture could receive and retain any flavor of lemon; and then, as his +employer motioned him to add more, he mixed another quart in, secretly +wondering what it would taste like. + +"When you're mixin' lemonade for circus trade," said Mr. Lord, in such a +benign, fatherly tone that one would have found it difficult to believe +that he ever spoke harshly, "don't be afraid of water, for there's where +the profit comes in. Always have a piece of lemon-peel floatin' on the +top of every glass, an' it tastes just as good to people as if it cost +twice as much." + +Toby could not agree exactly with that opinion, neither did he think it +wise to disagree, more especially since he was going to ask the very +great favor of being discharged; therefore he nodded his head gravely, +and began to stir up what it pleased Mr. Lord to call lemonade, so that +the last addition might be more thoroughly mixed with the others. + +Two or three times he attempted to ask the favor which seemed such a +great one, and each time the words stuck in his throat, until it seemed +to him that he should never succeed in getting them out. + +Finally, in his despair, he stammered out, + +"Don't you think you could find another boy in this town, Mr. Lord?" + +Mr. Lord moved round sideways, in order to bring his crooked eye to bear +squarely on Toby, and then there was a long interval of silence, during +which time the boy's color rapidly came and went, and his heart beat +very fast with suspense and fear. + +"Well, what if I could?" he said at length. "Do you think that trade is +so good I could afford to keep two boys, when there isn't half work +enough for one?" + +Toby stirred the lemonade with renewed activity, as if by this process +he was making both it and his courage stronger, and said, in a low +voice, which Mr. Lord could scarcely hear, + +"I didn't think that; but you see I ought to go home, for Uncle Dan'l +will worry about me; an', besides, I don't like a circus very well." + +Again there was silence on Mr. Lord's part, and again the crooked eye +glowered down on Toby. + +"So," he said--and Toby could see that his anger was rising very +fast--"you don't like a circus very well, an' you begin to think that +your uncle Daniel will worry about you, eh? Well, I want you to +understand that it don't make any difference to me whether you like a +circus or not, and I don't care how much your uncle Daniel worries. You +mean that you want to get away from me, after I've been to all the +trouble and expense of teaching you the business?" + +Toby bent his head over the pail, and stirred away as if for dear life. + +"If you think you're going to get away from here until you've paid me +for all you've eat, an' all the time I've spent on you, you're mistaken, +that's all. You've had an easy time with me--too easy, in fact--and +that's what ails you. Now, you just let me hear two words more out of +your head about going away--only two more--an' I'll show you what a +whipping is. I've only been playing with you before when you thought you +was getting a whipping; but you'll find out what it means if I so much +as see a thought in your eyes about goin' away. An' don't you dare to +try to give me the slip in the night an' run away; for if you do I'll +follow you, an' have you arrested. Now, you mind your eye in the +future." + +It is impossible to say how much longer Mr. Lord might have continued +this tirade, had not a member of the company--one of the principal +riders--called him one side to speak with him. + +Poor Toby was so much confused by the angry words which had followed his +very natural and certainly very reasonable suggestion that he paid no +attention to anything around him, until he heard his own name mentioned; +and then, fearing lest some new misfortune was about to befall him, he +listened intently. + +"I'm afraid you couldn't do much of anything with him," he heard Mr. +Lord say. "He's had enough of this kind of life already, so he says, an' +I expect the next thing he does will be to try to run away." + +"I'll risk his getting away from you, Job," he heard the other say; "but +of course I've got to take my chances. I'll take him in hand from eleven +to twelve each day--just your slack time of trade--and I'll not only +give you half of what he can earn in the next two years, but I'll pay +you for his time, if he gives us the slip before the season is out." + +Toby knew that they were speaking of him, but what it all meant he could +not imagine. + +"What are you going to do with him first?" Job asked. + +"Just put him right into the ring, and teach him what riding is. I tell +you, Job, the boy's smart enough, and before the season's over I'll have +him so that he can do some of the bare-back acts, and perhaps we'll get +some money out of him before we go into winter-quarters." + +Toby understood the meaning of their conversation only too well, and he +knew that his lot, which before seemed harder than he could bear, was +about to be intensified through this Mr. Castle, of whom he had +frequently heard, and who was said to be a rival of Mr. Lord's, so far +as brutality went. The two men now walked toward the large tent, and +Toby was left alone with his thoughts and the two or three little boy +customers, who looked at him wonderingly, and envied him because he +belonged to the circus. + +During the ride that night he told Old Ben what he had heard, +confidently expecting that that friend at least would console him; but +Ben was not the champion which he had expected. The old man, who had +been with a circus, "man and boy, nigh to forty years," did not seem to +think it any calamity that he was to be taught to ride. + +"That Mr. Castle is a little rough on boys," Old Ben said, thoughtfully; +"but it'll be a good thing for you, Toby. Just so long as you stay with +Job Lord you won't be nothin' more'n a candy-boy; but after you know how +to ride it'll be another thing, an' you can earn a good deal of money, +an' be your own boss." + +"But I don't want to stay with the circus," whined Toby; "I don't want +to learn to ride, an' I do want to get back to Uncle Dan'l." + +"That may all be true, an' I don't dispute it," said Ben; "but you see +you didn't stay with your uncle Daniel when you had the chance, an' you +did come with the circus. You've told Job you wanted to leave, an' he'll +be watchin' you all the time to see that you don't give him the slip. +Now, what's the consequence? Why, you can't get away for a while, +anyhow, an' you'd better try to amount to something while you are here. +Perhaps after you've got so you can ride you may want to stay; an' I'll +see to it that you get all of your wages, except enough to pay Castle +for learnin' of you." + +[Illustration: TOBY AND THE LITTLE BOY CUSTOMERS.] + +"I sha'n't want to stay," said Toby. "I wouldn't stay if I could ride +all the horses at once, an' was gettin' a hundred dollars a day." + +"But you can't ride one horse, an' you hain't gettin' but a dollar a +week, an' still I don't see any chance of your gettin' away yet awhile," +said Ben, in a matter-of-fact tone, as he devoted his attention again to +his horses, leaving Toby to his own sad reflections, and the positive +conviction that boys who run away from home do not have a good time, +except in stories. + +The next forenoon, while Toby was deep in the excitement of selling to a +boy no larger than himself, and with just as red hair, three cents' +worth of pea-nuts and two sticks of candy, and while the boy was trying +to induce him to "throw in" a piece of gum, because of the quantity +purchased, Job Lord called him aside, and Toby knew that his troubles +had begun. + +"I want you to go in an' see Mr. Castle; he's goin' to show you how to +ride," said Mr. Lord, in as kindly a tone as if he were conferring some +favor on the boy. + +If Toby had dared to, he would have rebelled then and there and refused +to go; but, as he hadn't the courage for such proceeding, he walked +meekly into the tent and toward the ring. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +MR. CASTLE TEACHES TOBY TO RIDE. + + +When Toby got within sight of the ring he was astonished at what he saw. +A horse, with a broad wooden saddle, was being led slowly around the +ring; Mr. Castle was standing on one side, with a long whip in his hand; +and on the tent-pole, which stood in the centre of the ring, was a long +arm, from which dangled a leathern belt attached to a long rope that was +carried through the end of the arm and run down to the base of the pole. + +Toby knew well enough why the horse, the whip, and the man were there, +but the wooden projection from the tent-pole, which looked so much like +a gallows, he could not understand at all. + +"Come, now," said Mr. Castle, cracking his whip ominously as Toby came +in sight, "why weren't you here before?" + +"Mr. Lord just sent me in," said Toby, not expecting that his excuse +would be received, for they never had been since he had arrived at the +height of his ambition by joining the circus. + +"Then I'll make Mr. Job understand that I am to have my full hour of +your time; and if I don't get it there'll be trouble between us." + +It would have pleased Toby very well to have had Mr. Castle go out with +his long whip just then and make trouble for Mr. Lord; but Mr. Castle +had not the time to spare, because of the trouble which he was about to +make for Toby, and that he commenced on at once. + +"Well, get in here, and don't waste any more time," he said, sharply. + +Toby looked around curiously for a moment, and, not understanding +exactly what he was expected to get in and do, asked, "What shall I do?" + +"Pull off your boots, coat, and vest." + +Since there was no other course than to learn to ride, Toby wisely +concluded that the best thing he could do would be to obey his new +master without question; so he began to take off his clothes with as +much alacrity as if learning to ride was the one thing upon which he had +long set his heart. + +Mr. Castle was evidently accustomed to prompt obedience, for he not only +took it as a matter of course but endeavored to hurry Toby in the work +of undressing. + +With his desire to please, and urged by Mr. Castle's words and the +ominous shaking of his whip, Toby's preparations were soon made, and he +stood before his instructor clad only in his shirt, trousers, and +stockings. + +The horse was led around to where he stood, and when Mr. Castle held out +his hand to help him to mount Toby jumped up quickly without aid, +thereby making a good impression at the start as a willing lad. + +"Now," said the instructor, as he pulled down the leathern belt which +hung from the rope, and fastened it around Toby's waist, "stand up in +the saddle, and try to keep there. You can't fall, because the rope will +hold you up, even if the horse goes out from under you; but it isn't +hard work to keep on, if you mind what you are about; and if you don't +this whip will help you. Now stand up." + +Toby did as he was bid; and as the horse was led at a walk, and as he +had the long bridle to aid him in keeping his footing, he had no +difficulty in standing during the time that the horse went once around +the ring; but that was all. + +Mr. Castle seemed to think that this was preparation enough for the boy +to be able to understand how to ride, and he started the horse into a +canter. As might have been expected, Toby lost his balance, the horse +went on ahead, and he was left dangling at the end of the rope, very +much like a crab that has just been caught by the means of a pole and +line. + +Toby kicked, waved his hands, and floundered about generally, but all to +no purpose, until the horse came round again, and then he made frantic +efforts to regain his footing, which efforts were aided--or perhaps it +would be more proper to say retarded--by the long lash of Mr. Castle's +whip, that played around his legs with merciless severity. + +"Stand up! stand up!" cried his instructor, as Toby reeled first to one +side and then to the other, now standing erect in the saddle, and now +dangling at the end of the rope, with the horse almost out from under +him. + +This command seemed needless, as it was exactly what Toby was trying to +do; but as it was given he struggled all the harder, until it seemed to +him that the more he tried the less did he succeed. + +And this first lesson progressed in about the same way until the hour +was over, save that now and then Mr. Castle would give him some good +advice, but oftener he would twist the long lash of the whip around the +boy's legs with such force that Toby believed the skin had been taken +entirely off. + +It may have been a relief to Mr. Castle when this first lesson was +concluded, and it certainly was to Toby, for he had had all the teaching +in horsemanship that he wanted, and he thought, with deepest sorrow, +that this would be of daily occurrence during all the time he remained +with the circus. + +[Illustration: THE FIRST LESSON.] + +As he went out of the tent he stopped to speak with his friend the old +monkey, and his troubles seemed to have increased when he stood in front +of the cage calling "Mr. Stubbs! Mr. Stubbs!" and the old fellow would +not even come down from off the lofty perch where he was engaged in +monkey gymnastics with several younger companions. It seemed to him, as +he afterward told Ben, "as if Mr. Stubbs had gone back on him because he +knew that he was in trouble." + +When he went toward the booth Mr. Lord looked at him around the corner +of the canvas--for it seemed to Toby that his employer could look around +a square corner with much greater ease than he could straight +ahead--with a disagreeable leer in his eye, as though he enjoyed the +misery which he knew his little clerk had just undergone. + +"Can you ride yet?" he asked, mockingly, as Toby stepped behind the +counter to attend to his regular line of business. + +Toby made no reply, for he knew that the question was only asked +sarcastically, and not through any desire for information. In a few +moments Mr. Lord left him to attend to the booth alone, and went into +the tent, where Toby rightly conjectured he had gone to question Mr. +Castle upon the result of the lesson just given. + +That night Old Ben asked him how he had got on while under the teaching +of Mr. Castle; and Toby, knowing that the question was asked because of +the real interest which Ben had in his welfare, replied, + +"If I was tryin' to learn how to swing round the ring, strapped to a +rope, I should say that I got along first-rate; but I don't know much +about the horse, for I was only on his back a little while at a time." + +"You'll get over that soon," said Old Ben, patronizingly, as he patted +him on the back. "You remember my words, now: I say that you've got it +in you, an' if you've a mind to take hold an' try to learn you'll come +out on the top of the heap yet, an' be one of the smartest riders +they've got in this show." + +"I don't want to be a rider," said Toby, sadly; "I only want to get back +home once more, an' then you'll see how much it'll take to get me away +again." + +"Well," said Ben, quietly, "be that as it may, while you're here the +best thing you can do is to take hold an' get ahead just as fast as you +can; it'll make it a mighty sight easier for you while you're with the +show, an' it won't spoil any of your chances for runnin' away whenever +the time comes." + +Toby fully appreciated the truth of this remark, and he assured Ben that +he should do all in his power to profit by the instruction given, and to +please this new master who had been placed over him. + +And with this promise he lay back on the seat and went to sleep, not to +awaken until the preparations were being made for the entree into the +next town, and Mr. Lord's harsh voice had cried out his name, with no +gentle tone, several times. + +Toby's first lesson with Mr. Castle was the most pleasant one he had; +for after the boy had once been into the ring his master seemed to +expect that he could do everything which he was told to do, and when he +failed in any little particular the long lash of the whip would go +curling around his legs or arms, until the little fellow's body and +limbs were nearly covered with the blue-and-black stripes. + +For three lessons only was the wooden upright used to keep him from +falling; after that he was forced to ride standing erect on the broad +wooden saddle, or pad, as it is properly called; and whenever he lost +his balance and fell there was no question asked as to whether or not he +had hurt himself, but he was mercilessly cut with the whip. + +Messrs. Lord and Jacobs gained very much by comparison with Mr. Castle +in Toby's mind. He had thought that his lot could not be harder than it +was with them; but when he had experienced the pains of two or three of +Mr. Castle's lessons in horsemanship he thought that he would stay with +the candy venders all the season cheerfully rather than take six more +lessons of Mr. Castle. + +Night after night he fell asleep from the sheer exhaustion of crying, as +he had been pouring out his woes in the old monkey's ears and laying his +plans to run away. Now, more than ever, was he anxious to get away, and +yet each day was taking him farther from home, and consequently +necessitating a larger amount of money with which to start. As Old Ben +did not give him as much sympathy as Toby thought he ought to give--for +the old man, while he would not allow Mr. Job Lord to strike the boy if +he was near, thought it a necessary portion of the education for Mr. +Castle to lash him all he had a mind to--he poured out all his troubles +in the old monkey's ears, and kept him with him from the time he ceased +work at night until he was obliged to commence again in the morning. + +The skeleton and his wife thought Toby's lot a hard one, and tried by +every means in their power to cheer the poor boy. Neither one of them +could say to Mr. Castle what they had said to Mr. Lord, for the rider +was a far different sort of a person, and one whom they would not be +allowed to interfere with in any way. Therefore poor Toby was obliged to +bear his troubles and his whippings as best he might, with only the +thought to cheer him of the time when he could leave them all by running +away. + +But, despite all his troubles, Toby learned to ride faster than his +teacher had expected he would, and in three weeks he found little or no +difficulty in standing erect while his horse went around the ring at his +fastest gait. After that had been accomplished his progress was more +rapid, and he gave promise of becoming a very good rider--a fact which +pleased both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord very much, as they fancied that in +another year Toby would be the source of a very good income to them. + +The proprietor of the circus took considerable interest in Toby's +instruction, and promised Mr. Castle that Mademoiselle Jeannette and +Toby should do an act together in the performance just as soon as the +latter was sufficiently advanced. The boy's costume had been changed +after he could ride without falling off, and now while he was in the +ring he wore the same as that used by the regular performers. + +The little girl had, after it was announced that she and Toby were to +perform together, been an attentive observer during the hour that Toby +was under Mr. Castle's direction, and she gave him many suggestions that +were far more valuable, and quicker to be acted upon, than those given +by the teacher himself. + +"To-morrow you two will go through the exercise together," said Mr. +Castle to Toby and Ella, at the close of one of Toby's lessons, after he +had become so skilful that he could stand with ease on the pad, and even +advanced so far that he could jump through a hoop without falling more +than twice out of three times. + +The little girl appeared highly delighted by this information, and +expressed her joy. + +"It will be real nice," she said to Toby, after Mr. Castle had left them +alone. "I can help you lots, and it won't be very long before we can do +an act all by ourselves in the performance, and then won't the people +clap their hands when we come in!" + +"It'll be better for you to-morrow than it will for me," said Toby, +rubbing his legs sorrowfully, still feeling the sting of the whip. "You +see Mr. Castle won't dare to whip you, an' he'll make it all count on +me, 'cause he knows Mr. Lord likes to have him whip me." + +"But I sha'n't make any mistake," said Ella, confidently, "and so you +won't have to be whipped on my account; and while I am on the horse you +can't be whipped, for he couldn't do it without whipping me, so you see +you won't get only half as much." + +Toby brightened up a little under the influence of this argument; but +his countenance fell again as he thought that his chances for getting +away from the circus were growing less each day. + +"You see I want to get back to Uncle Dan'l an' Guilford," he said, +confidentially; "I don't want to stay here a single minute." + +Ella opened her eyes in wide astonishment as she cried, "Don't want to +stay here? Why don't you go home, then?" + +"'Cause Job Lord won't let me," said Toby, wondering if it was possible +that his little companion did not know exactly what sort of a man his +master was. + +Then he told her--after making her give him all kinds of promises, +including the ceremony of crossing her throat, that she would never tell +a single soul--that he had had many thoughts, and had formed all kinds +of plans for running away. He told her about losing his money, about his +friendship for the skeleton and the fat lady, and at last he confided in +her that he was intending to take the old monkey with him when he should +make the attempt. + +She listened with the closest attention, and when he told her that his +little hoard had now reached the sum of seven dollars and ten +cents--almost as much as he had before--she said, eagerly, "I've got +three little gold dollars in my trunk, an' you shall have them all; +they're my very own, for mamma gave them to me to do just what I wanted +to with them. But I don't see how you can take Mr. Stubbs with you, for +that would be stealing." + +"No, it wouldn't, neither," said Toby, stoutly. "Wasn't he give to me to +do just as I wanted to with? an' didn't the boss say he was all mine?" + +"Oh, I'd forgotten that," said Ella, thoughtfully. "I suppose you can +take him; but he'll be awfully in the way, won't he?" + +"No," said Toby, anxious to say a good word for his pet; "he always does +just as I want him to, an' when I tell him what I'm tryin' to do he'll +be as good as anything. But I can't take your dollars." + +"Why not?" + +"'Cause that wouldn't be right for a boy to let a girl littler than +himself help him; I'll wait till I get money enough of my own, an' then +I'll go." + +"But I want you to take my money too; I want you to have it." + +"No, I can't take it," said Toby, shaking his head resolutely as he put +the golden temptation from him; and then, as a happy thought occurred to +him, he said, quickly, "I tell you what to do with your dollars: you +keep them till you grow up to be a woman, an' when I'm a man I'll come, +an' then we'll buy a circus of our own. I think, perhaps, I'd like to be +with a circus if I owned one myself. We'll have lots of money then, an' +we can do just what we want to." + +This idea seemed to please the little girl, and the two began to lay all +sorts of plans for that time when they should be man and woman, have +lots of money, and be able to do just as they wanted to. + +They had been sitting on the edge of the newly-made ring while they were +talking, and before they had half-finished making plans for the future +one of the attendants came in to put things to order, and they were +obliged to leave their seats, she going to the hotel to get ready for +the afternoon's performance, and Toby to try to do such work as Mr. Job +Lord had laid out for him. + +Just ten weeks from the time Toby had first joined the circus Mr. Castle +informed him and Ella that they were to appear in public on the +following day. They had been practising daily, and Toby had become so +skilful that both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord saw that the time had come +when he could be made to earn some money for them. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +TOBY'S FRIENDS PRESENT HIM WITH A COSTUME. + + +During this time Toby's funds had accumulated rather slower than on the +first few days he was in the business, but he had saved eleven dollars, +and Mr. Lord had paid him five dollars of his salary, so that he had the +to him enormous sum of sixteen dollars; and he had about made up his +mind to make one effort for liberty, when the news came that he was to +ride in public. + +He had, in fact, been ready to run away any time within the past week; +but, as if they had divined his intentions, both Mr. Castle and Mr. Lord +had kept a very strict watch over him, one or the other keeping him in +sight from the time he got through with his labors at night until they +saw him on the cart with Old Ben. + +"I was just gettin' ready to run away," said Toby to Ella, on the day +Mr. Castle gave his decision as to their taking part in the performance, +and while they were walking out of the tent, "an' I shouldn't wonder now +if I got away to-night." + +"Oh, Toby!" exclaimed the girl, as she looked reproachfully at him, +"after all the work we've had to get ready, you won't go off and leave +me before we've had a chance to see what the folks will say when they +see us together?" + +It was impossible for Toby to feel any delight at the idea of riding in +public, and he would have been willing to have taken one of Mr. Lord's +most severe whippings if he could have escaped from it; but he and Ella +had become such firm friends, and he had conceived such a boyish +admiration for her, that he felt as if he were willing to bear almost +anything for the sake of giving her pleasure. Therefore he said, after a +few moments' reflection, "Well, I won't go to-night, anyway, even if I +have the best chance that ever was. I'll stay one day more, anyhow, an' +perhaps I'll have to stay a good many." + +"That's a nice boy," said Ella, positively, as Toby thus gave his +decision, "and I'll kiss you for it." + +Before Toby fully realized what she was about, almost before he had +understood what she said, she had put her arms around his neck and given +him a good sound kiss right on his freckled face. + +Toby was surprised, astonished, and just a little bit ashamed. He had +never been kissed by a girl before--very seldom by any one, save the fat +lady--and he hardly knew what to do or say. He blushed until his face +was almost as red as his hair, and this color had the effect of making +his freckles stand out with startling distinctness. Then he looked +carefully around to see if any one had seen them. + +"I never had a girl kiss me before," said Toby, hesitatingly, "an' you +see it made me feel kinder queer to have you do it out here, where +everybody could see." + +"Well, I kissed you because I like you very much, and because you are +going to stay and ride with me to-morrow," she said, positively; and +then she added, slyly, "I may kiss you again, if you don't get a chance +to run away very soon." + +"I wish it wasn't for Uncle Dan'l an' the rest of the folks at home, an' +there wasn't any such men as Mr. Lord an' Mr. Castle, an' then I don't +know but I might want to stay with the circus, 'cause I like you awful +much." + +And as he spoke Toby's heart grew very tender toward the only +girl-friend he had ever known. + +By this time they had reached the door of the tent, and as they stepped +outside one of the drivers told them that Mr. Treat and his wife were +very anxious to see both of them in their tent. + +"I don't believe I can go," said Toby, doubtfully, as he glanced toward +the booth, where Mr. Lord was busy in attending to customers, and +evidently waiting for Toby to relieve him, so that he could go to his +dinner; "I don't believe Mr. Lord will let me." + +[Illustration: ELLA AND TOBY.] + +"Go and ask him," said Ella, eagerly. "We won't be gone but a minute." + +Toby approached his employer with fear and trembling. He had never +before asked leave to be away from his work, even for a moment, and he +had no doubt but that his request would be refused with blows. + +"Mr. Treat wants me to come in his tent for a minute; can I go?" he +asked, in a timid voice, and in such a low tone as to render it almost +inaudible. + +Mr. Lord looked at him for an instant, and Toby was sure that he was +making up his mind whether to kick him, or catch him by the collar and +use the rubber cane on him. But he had no such intention, evidently, for +he said, in a voice unusually mild, "Yes, an' you needn't come to work +again until it's time to go into the tent." + +Toby was almost alarmed at this unusual kindness, and it puzzled him so +much that he would have forgotten he had permission to go away if Ella +had not pulled him gently by the coat. + +If he had heard a conversation between Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle that very +morning he would have understood why it was that Mr. Lord had so +suddenly become kind. Mr. Castle had told Job that the boy had really +shown himself to be a good rider, and that in order to make him more +contented with his lot, and to keep him from running away, he must be +used more kindly, and perhaps be taken from the candy business +altogether, which latter advice Mr. Lord did not look upon with favor, +because of the large sales which the boy made. + +When they reached the skeleton's tent they found to their surprise that +no exhibition was being given at that hour, and Ella said, with some +concern, "How queer it is that the doors are not open! I do hope that +they are not sick." + +Toby felt a strange sinking at his heart as the possibility suggested +itself that one or both of his kind friends might be ill; for they had +both been so kind and attentive to him that he had learned to love them +very dearly. + +But the fears of both the children were dispelled when they tried to get +in at the door, and were met by the smiling skeleton himself, who said, +as he threw the canvas aside as far as if he were admitting his own +enormous Lilly, + +"Come in, my friends, come in. I have had the exhibition closed for one +hour, in order that I might show my appreciation of my friend Mr. +Tyler." + +Toby looked around in some alarm, fearing that Mr. Treat's friendship +was about to be displayed in one of his state dinners, which he had +learned to fear rather than enjoy. But, as he saw no preparations for +dinner, he breathed more freely, and wondered what all this ceremony +could possibly mean. + +Neither he nor Ella was long left in doubt, for as soon as they had +entered, Mrs. Treat waddled from behind the screen which served them as +a dressing-room, with a bundle in her arms, which she handed to her +husband. + +He took it, and, quickly mounting the platform, leaving Ella and Toby +below, he commenced to speak, with very many flourishes of his thin +arms. + +"My friends," he began, as he looked down upon his audience of three, +who were listening in the following attitudes: Ella and Toby were +standing upon the ground at the foot of the platform, looking up with +wide-open, staring eyes; and his fleshy wife was seated on a bench which +had evidently been placed in such a position below the speaker's stand +that she could hear and see all that was going on without the fatigue of +standing up, which, for one of her size, was really very hard work--"My +friends," repeated the skeleton, as he held his bundle in front of him +with one hand and gesticulated with the other, "we all of us know that +to-morrow our esteemed and worthy friend Mr. Toby Tyler makes his first +appearance in any ring, and we all of us believe that he will soon +become a bright and shining light in the profession which he is so soon +to enter." + +The speaker was here interrupted by loud applause from his wife, and he +profited by the opportunity to wipe a stray drop of perspiration from +his fleshless face. Then, as the fat lady ceased the exertion of +clapping her hands, he continued: + +"Knowing that our friend Mr. Tyler was being instructed, preparatory to +dazzling the public with his talents, my wife and I began to prepare for +him some slight testimonial of our esteem; and, being informed by Mr. +Castle some days ago of the day on which he was to make his first +appearance before the public, we were enabled to complete our little +gift in time for the great and important event." + +Here the skeleton paused to take a breath, and Toby began to grow most +uncomfortably red in the face. Such praise made him feel very awkward. + +"I hold in this bundle," continued Mr. Treat as he waved the package on +high, "a costume for our bold and worthy equestrian, and a sash to match +for his beautiful and accomplished companion. In presenting these little +tokens my wife (who has embroidered every inch of the velvet herself) +and I feel proud to know that, when the great and auspicious occasion +occurs to-morrow, the worthy Mr. Tyler will step into the ring in a +costume which we have prepared expressly for him; and thus, when he does +himself honor by his performance and earns the applause of the +multitude, he will be doing honor and earning applause for the work of +our hands--my wife Lilly and myself. Take them, my boy; and when you +array yourself in them to-morrow you will remember that the only Living +Skeleton, and the wonder of the nineteenth century in the shape of the +Mammoth Lady, are present in their works if not in their persons." + +As he finished speaking Mr. Treat handed the bundle to Toby, and then +joined in the applause which was being given by Mrs. Treat and Ella. + +Toby unrolled the package, and found that it contained a circus-rider's +costume of pink tights and blue velvet trunks, collar and cuffs, +embroidered in white and plentifully spangled with silver. In addition +was a wide blue sash for Ella, embroidered to correspond with Toby's +costume. + +The little fellow was both delighted with the gift and at a loss to know +what to say in response. He looked at the costume over and over again, +and the tears of gratitude that these friends should have been so good +to him came into his eyes. He saw, however, that they were expecting him +to say something in reply, and, laying the gift on the platform, he said +to the skeleton and his wife, + +"You've been so good to me ever since I've been with the circus that I +wish I was big enough to say somethin' more than that I'm much obliged, +but I can't. One of these days, when I'm a man, I'll show you how much I +like you, an' then you won't be sorry that you was good to such a poor +little runaway boy as I am." + +Here the skeleton broke in with such loud applause and so many cries of +"Hear! hear!" that Toby grew still more confused, and forgot entirely +what he was intending to say next. + +"I want you to know how much obliged I am," he said, after some +hesitation, "an' when I wear 'em I'll ride just the best I know how, +even if I don't want to, an' you sha'n't be sorry that you gave them to +me." + +As Toby concluded he made a funny little awkward bow, and then seemed to +be trying to hide himself behind a chair from the applause which was +given so generously. + +"Bless your dear little heart!" said the fat lady, after the confusion +had somewhat subsided. "I know you will do your best, anyway, and I'm +glad to know that you're going to make your first appearance in +something that Samuel and I made for you." + +Ella was quite as well pleased with her sash as Toby was with his +costume, and thanked Mr. and Mrs. Treat in a pretty little way that made +Toby wish he could say anything half so nicely. + +The hour which the skeleton had devoted for the purpose of the +presentation and accompanying speeches having elapsed, it was necessary +that Ella and Toby should go, and that the doors of the exhibition be +opened at once, in order to give any of the public an opportunity of +seeing what the placards announced as two of the greatest curiosities on +the face of the globe. + +That day, while Toby performed his arduous labors, his heart was very +light, for the evidences which the skeleton and his wife had given of +their regard for him were very gratifying. He determined that he would +do his very best to please so long as he was with the circus, and then, +when he got a chance to run away, he would do so, but not until he had +said good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Treat, and thanked them again for their +interest in him. + +When he had finished his work in the tent that night Mr. Lord said to +him, as he patted him on the back in the most fatherly fashion, and as +if he had never spoken a harsh word to him, "You can't come in here to +sell candy now that you are one of the performers, my boy; an' if I can +find another boy to-morrow you won't have to work in the booth any +longer, an' your salary of a dollar a week will go on just the same, +even if you don't have anything to do but to ride." + +This was a bit of news that was as welcome to Toby as it was unexpected, +and he felt more happy then than he had for the ten weeks that he had +been travelling under Mr. Lord's cruel mastership. + +But there was one thing that night that rather damped his joy, and that +was that he noticed that Mr. Lord was unusually careful to watch him, +not even allowing him to go outside the tent without following. He saw +at once that, if he was to have a more easy time, his chances for +running away were greatly diminished, and no number of beautiful +costumes would have made him content to stay with the circus one moment +longer than was absolutely necessary. + +That night he told Old Ben of the events of the day, and expressed the +hope that he might acquit himself creditably when he made his first +appearance on the following day. + +Ben sat thoughtfully for some time, and then, making all the +preparations which Toby knew so well signified a long bit of advice, he +said, "Toby, my boy, I've been with a circus, man an' boy, nigh to forty +years, an' I've seen lots of youngsters start in just as you're goin' to +start in to-morrow; but the most of them petered out, because they got +to knowin' more'n them that learned 'em did. Now, you remember what I +say, an' you'll find it good advice: whatever business you get into, +don't think you know all about it before you've begun. Remember that you +can always learn somethin', no matter how old you are, an' keep your +eyes an' ears open, an' your tongue between your teeth, an' you'll +amount to somethin', or my name hain't Ben." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +TOBY'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE RING. + + +When the circus entered the town which had been selected as the place +where Toby was to make his _debut_ as a circus rider the boy noticed a +new poster among the many glaring and gaudy bills which set forth the +varied and numerous attractions that were to be found under one canvas +for a trifling admission fee, and he noticed it with some degree of +interest, not thinking for a moment that it had any reference to him. + +It was printed very much as follows: + + MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE + AND + MONSIEUR AJAX, + +two of the youngest equestrians in the world, will perform their +graceful, dashing, and daring act entitled + + THE TRIUMPH OF THE INNOCENTS! + +This is the first appearance of these daring young riders together +since their separation in Europe last season, and their performance +in this town will have a new and novel interest. See + + MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE + AND + MONSIEUR AJAX. + +"Look there!" said Toby to Ben, as he pointed out the poster, which was +printed in very large letters, with gorgeous coloring, and surmounted by +a picture of two very small people performing all kinds of impossible +feats on horseback. "They've got some one else to ride with Ella to-day. +I wonder who it can be?" + +Ben looked at Toby for a moment, as if to assure himself that the boy +was in earnest in asking the question, and then he relapsed into the +worst fit of silent laughing that Toby had ever seen. After he had quite +recovered he asked, "Don't you know who Monsieur Ajax is? Hain't you +never seen him?" + +"No," replied Toby, at a loss to understand what there was so very funny +in his very natural question. "I thought that I was goin' to ride with +Ella." + +"Why, that's you!" almost screamed Ben, in delight. "Monsieur Ajax means +you--didn't you know it? You don't suppose they would go to put 'Toby +Tyler' on the bills, do you? How it would look!--'Mademoiselle Jeannette +an' Monsieur Toby Tyler!'" + +Ben was off in one of his laughing spells again; and Toby sat there, +stiff and straight, hardly knowing whether to join in the mirth or to +get angry at the sport which had been made of his name. + +"I don't care," he said at length. "I'm sure I think Toby Tyler sounds +just as well as Monsieur Ajax, an' I'm sure it fits me a good deal +better." + +"That may be," said Ben, soothingly; "but you see it wouldn't go down so +well with the public. They want furrin riders, an' they must have 'em, +even if it does spoil your name." + +Despite the fact that he did not like the new name that had been given +him, Toby could not but feel pleased at the glowing terms in which his +performance was set off; but he did not at all relish the lie that was +told about his having been with Ella in Europe, and he would have been +very much better pleased if that portion of it had been left off. + +During the forenoon he did not go near Mr. Lord nor his candy stand, for +Mr. Castle kept him and Ella busily engaged in practising the feat which +they were to perform in the afternoon, and it was almost time for the +performance to begin before they were allowed even to go to their +dinner. + +Ella, who had performed several years, was very much more excited over +the coming _debut_ than Toby was, and the reason why he did not show +more interest was, probably, because of his great desire to leave the +circus as soon as possible, and during that forenoon he thought very +much more of how he should get back to Guilford and Uncle Daniel than he +did of how he should get along when he stood before the audience. + +Mr. Castle assisted his pupil to dress, and when that was done to his +entire satisfaction he said, in a stern voice, "Now, you can do this act +all right, and if you slip up on it, and don't do it as you ought to, +I'll give you such a whipping when you come out of the ring that you'll +think Job was only fooling with you when he tried to whip you." + +Toby had been feeling reasonably cheerful before this, but these words +dispelled all his cheerful thoughts, and he was looking most +disconsolate when Old Ben came into the dressing-tent. + +"All ready are you, my boy?" said the old man, in his cheeriest voice. +"Well, that's good, an' you look as nice as possible. Now, remember what +I told you last night, Toby, an' go in there to do your level best an' +make a name for yourself. Come out here with me an' wait for the young +lady." + +These cheering words of Ben's did Toby as much good as Mr. Castle's had +the reverse, and as he stepped out of the dressing-room to the place +where the horses were being saddled Toby resolved that he would do his +very best that afternoon, if for no other reason than to please his old +friend. + +Toby was not naturally what might be called a pretty boy, for his short +red hair and his freckled face prevented any great display of beauty; +but he was a good, honest-looking boy, and in his tasteful costume +looked very nice indeed--so nice that, could Mrs. Treat have seen him +just then, she would have been very proud of her handiwork and hugged +him harder than ever. + +He had been waiting but a few moments when Ella came from her +dressing-room, and Toby was very much pleased when he saw by the +expression of her face that she was perfectly satisfied with his +appearance. + +"We'll both do just as well as we can," she whispered to him, "and I +know the people will like us, and make us come back after we get +through. And if they do mamma says she'll give each one of us a gold +dollar." + +She had taken hold of Toby's hand as she spoke, and her manner was so +earnest and anxious that Toby was more excited than he ever had been +about his _debut;_ and, had he gone into the ring just at that moment, +the chances are that he would have surprised even his teacher by his +riding. + +"I'll do just as well as I can," said Toby, in reply to his little +companion, "an' if we earn the dollars I'll have a hole bored in mine, +an' you shall wear it around your neck to remember me by." + +"I'll remember you without that," she whispered; "and I'll give you +mine, so that you shall have so much the more when you go to your home." + +There was no time for further conversation, for Mr. Castle entered just +then to tell them that they must go in in another moment. The horses +were all ready--a black one for Toby, and a white one for Ella--and they +stood champing their bits and pawing the earth in their impatience until +the silver bells with which they were decorated rung out quick, nervous +little chimes that accorded very well with Toby's feelings. + +Ella squeezed Toby's hand as they stood waiting for the curtain to be +raised that they might enter, and he had just time to return it when the +signal was given, and almost before he was aware of it they were +standing in the ring, kissing their hands to the crowds that packed the +enormous tent to its utmost capacity. + +Thanks to the false announcement about the separation of the children in +Europe and their reunion in this particular town, the applause was long +and loud, and before it had died away Toby had time to recover a little +from the queer feeling which this sea of heads gave him. + +He had never seen such a crowd before, except as he had seen them as he +walked around at the foot of the seats, and then they had simply looked +like so many human beings; but as he saw them now from the ring they +appeared like strange rows of heads without bodies, and he had hard work +to keep from running back behind the curtain from whence he had come. + +Mr. Castle acted as the ring-master this time, and after he had +introduced them--very much after the fashion of the posters--and the +clown had repeated some funny joke, the horses were led in, and they +were assisted to mount. + +"Don't mind the people at all," said Mr. Castle, in a low voice, "but +ride just as if you were alone here with me." + +The music struck up, the horses cantered around the ring, and Toby had +really started as a circus rider. + +"Remember," said Ella to him, in a low tone, just as the horses started, +"you told me that you would ride just as well as you could, and we must +earn the dollars mamma promised." + +It seemed to Toby at first as if he could not stand up; but by the time +they had ridden around the ring once, and Ella had again cautioned him +against making any mistake, for the sake of the money which they were +going to earn, he was calm and collected enough to carry out his part of +the "act" as well as if he had been simply taking a lesson. + +The act consisted in their riding side by side, jumping over banners and +through hoops covered with paper, and then the most difficult portion +began. + +The saddles were taken off the horses, and they were to ride first on +one horse and then on the other, until they concluded their performance +by riding twice around the ring side by side, standing on their horses, +each one with a hand on the other's shoulder. + +All this was successfully accomplished without a single error, and when +they rode out of the ring the applause was so great as to leave no doubt +but that they would be recalled, and thus earn the promised money. + +In fact, they had hardly got inside the curtain when one of the +attendants called to them, and before they had time even to speak to +each other they were in the ring again, repeating the last portion of +their act. + +When they came out of the ring for the second time they found Old Ben, +the skeleton, the fat lady, and Mr. Jacob Lord waiting to welcome them; +but before any one could say a word Ella had stood on tiptoe again and +given Toby just such another kiss as she did when he told her that he +would surely stay long enough to appear in the ring with her once. + +[Illustration: MADEMOISELLE JEANNETTE AND MONSIEUR AJAX.] + +"That's because you rode so well and helped me so much," she said, as +she saw Toby's cheeks growing a fiery red; and then she turned to those +who were waiting to greet her. + +Mrs. Treat took her in her enormous arms, and having kissed her, put her +down quickly, and clasped Toby as if he had been a very small walnut and +her arms a very large pair of nut-crackers. + +"Bless the boy!" she exclaimed, as she kissed him again and again with +an energy and force that made her kisses sound like the crack of the +whip, and caused the horses to stamp in affright. "I knew he'd amount to +something one of these days, an' Samuel an' I had to come out, when +business was dull, just to see how he got along." + +It was some time before she would unloose him from her motherly embrace, +and when she did the skeleton grasped him by the hand, and said, in the +most pompous and affected manner, + +"Mr. Tyler, we're proud of you, and when we saw that costume of yours, +that my Lilly embroidered with her own hands, we was both proud of it +and what it contained. You're a great rider, my boy, a great rider, and +you'll stand at the head of the profession some day, if you only stick +to it." + +"Thank you, sir," was all Toby had time to say before Old Ben had him by +the hand, and the skeleton was pouring out his congratulations in little +Miss Ella's ear. + +"Toby, my boy, you did well, an' now you'll amount to something, if you +only remember what I told you last night," said Ben, as he looked upon +the boy whom he had come to think of as his _protege_, with pride. "I +never seen anybody of your age do any better; an' now, instead of bein' +only a candy peddler, you're one of the stars of the show." + +"Thank you, Ben," was all that Toby could say, for he knew that his old +friend meant every word that he said, and it pleased him so much that he +could say no more than "Thank you" in reply. + +"I feel as if your triumph was mine," said Mr. Lord, looking benignly at +Toby from out his crooked eye, and assuming the most fatherly tone at +his command; "I have learned to look upon you almost as my own son, and +your success is very gratifying to me." + +Toby was not at all flattered by this last praise. If he had never seen +Mr. Lord before, he might, and probably would, have been deceived by his +words; but he had seen him too often, and under too many painful +circumstances, to be at all swindled by his words. + +Toby was very much pleased with his success and by the praise he +received from all, and when the proprietor of the circus came along, +patted him on the head, and told him that he rode very nicely, he was +quite happy, until he chanced to see the greedy twinkle in Mr. Lord's +eye, and then he knew that all this success and all this praise were +only binding him faster to the show which he was so anxious to escape +from; his pleasure vanished very quickly, and in its stead came a +bitter, homesick feeling which no amount of praise could banish. + +It was Old Ben who helped him to undress after the skeleton and the fat +lady had gone back to their tent, and Ella had gone to dress for her +appearance with her mother, for now she was obliged to ride twice at +each performance. When Toby was in his ordinary clothes again Ben said, + +"Now that you're one of the performers, Toby, you won't have to sell +candy any more, an' you'll have the most of your time to yourself, so +let's you an' I go out an' see the town." + +"Don't you s'pose Mr. Lord expects me to go to work for him again +to-day?" + +"An' s'posin' he does?" said Ben, with a chuckle. "You don't s'pose the +boss would let any one that rides in the ring stand behind Job Lord's +counter, do you? You can do just as you have a mind to, my boy, an' I +say to you, let's go out an' see the town. What do you say to it?" + +"I'd like to go first-rate, if I dared to," replied Toby, thinking of +the many whippings he had received for far less than that which Ben now +proposed he should do. + +"Oh, I'll take care that Job don't bother you, so come along;" and Ben +started out of the tent, and Toby followed, feeling considerably +frightened at this first act of disobedience against his old master. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +OFF FOR HOME! + + +During this walk Toby learned many things that were of importance to +him, so far as his plan for running away was concerned. In the first +place, he gleaned from the railroad posters that were stuck up in the +hotel to which they went that he could buy a ticket for Guilford for +seven dollars, and also that, by going back to the town from which they +had just come, he could go to Guilford by steamer for five dollars. + +By returning to this last town--and Toby calculated that the fare on the +stage back there could not be more than a dollar--he would have ten +dollars left, and that surely ought to be sufficient to buy food enough +for two days for the most hungry boy that ever lived. + +When they returned to the circus grounds the performance was over, and +Mr. Lord in the midst of the brisk trade which he usually had after the +afternoon performance, and yet, so far from scolding Toby for going +away, he actually smiled and bowed at him as he saw him go by with Ben. + +"See there, Toby," said the old driver to the boy, as he gave him a +vigorous poke in the ribs and then went off into one of his dreadful +laughing spells--"see what it is to be a performer, an' not workin' for +such an old fossil as Job is! He'll be so sweet to you now that sugar +won't melt in his mouth, an' there's no chance of his ever attemptin' to +whip you again." + +Toby made no reply, for he was too busily engaged thinking of something +which had just come into his mind to know that his friend had spoken. + +But as Old Ben hardly knew whether the boy had answered him or not, +owing to his being obliged to struggle with his breath lest he should +lose it in the second laughing spell that attacked him, the boy's +thoughtfulness was not particularly noticed. + +Toby walked around the show-grounds for a little while with his old +friend, and then the two went to supper, where Toby performed quite as +great wonders in the way of eating as he had in the afternoon by riding. + +As soon as the supper was over he quietly slipped away from Old Ben, and +at once paid a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Treat, whom he found cosily engaged +with their supper behind the screen. + +They welcomed Toby most cordially, and, despite his assertions that he +had just finished a very hearty meal, the fat lady made him sit down to +the box which served as table, and insisted on his trying some of her +doughnuts. + +Under all these pressing attentions it was some time before Toby found a +chance to say that which he had come to say, and when he did he was +almost at a loss how to proceed; but at last he commenced by starting +abruptly on his subject with the words, "I've made up my mind to leave +to-night." + +"Leave to-night?" repeated the skeleton, inquiringly, not for a moment +believing that Toby could think of running away after the brilliant +success he had just made. "What do you mean, Toby?" + +"Why, you know that I've been wantin' to get away from the circus," said +Toby, a little impatient that his friend should be so wonderfully +stupid, "an' I think that I'll have as good a chance now as ever I +shall, so I'm goin' to try it." + +"Bless us!" exclaimed the fat lady, in a gasping way. "You don't mean to +say that you're goin' off just when you've started in the business so +well? I thought you'd want to stay after you'd been so well received +this afternoon." + +"No," said Toby--and one quick little sob popped right up from his heart +and out before he was aware of it--"I learned to ride because I had to, +but I never give up runnin' away. I must see Uncle Dan'l, an' tell him +how sorry I am for what I did; an' if he won't have anything to say to +me then I'll come back; but if he'll let me I'll stay there, an' I'll be +_so_ good that by-'n'-by he'll forget that I run off an' left him +without sayin' a word." + +There was such a touch of sorrow in his tones, so much pathos in his way +of speaking, that good Mrs. Treat's heart was touched at once; and +putting her arms around the little fellow, as if to shield him from some +harm, she said, tenderly, "And so you shall go, Toby, my boy; but if you +ever want a home or anybody to love you come right here to us, and +you'll never be sorry. So long as Sam keeps thin and I fat enough to +draw the public, you never need say that you're homeless, for nothing +would please us better than to have you come to live with us." + +For reply Toby raised his head and kissed her on the cheek, a proceeding +which caused her to squeeze him harder than ever. + +During this conversation the skeleton had remained very thoughtful. +After a moment or two he got up from his seat, went outside the tent, +and presently returned with a quantity of silver ten-cent pieces in his +hand. + +"Here, Toby," he said--and it was to be seen that he was really too much +affected even to attempt one of his speeches--"it's right that you +should go, for I've known what it is to feel just as you do. What Lilly +said about your having a home with us I say, an' here's five dollars +that I want you to take to help you along." + +At first Toby stoutly refused to take the money; but they both insisted +to such a degree that he was actually forced to, and then he stood up to +go. + +"I'm goin' to try to slip off after Job packs up the outside booth if I +can," he said, "an' it was to say good-bye that I come around here." + +Again Mrs. Treat took the boy in her arms, as if it were one of her own +children who was leaving her, and as she stroked his hair back from his +forehead she said, "Don't forget us, Toby, even if you never do see us +again; try an' remember how much we cared for you, an' how much comfort +you're taking away from us when you go; for it was a comfort to see you +around, even if you wasn't with us very much. Don't forget us, Toby, an' +if you ever get the chance come an' see us. Good-bye, Toby, good-bye." +And the kind-hearted woman kissed him again and again, and then turned +her back resolutely upon him, lest it should be bad luck to him if she +again saw him after saying good-bye. + +The skeleton's parting was not quite so demonstrative. He clasped Toby's +hand with one set of his fleshless fingers, while with the other he +wiped one or two suspicious-looking drops of moisture from his eyes, as +he said, "I hope you'll get along all right, my boy, and I believe you +will. You will get home to Uncle Daniel, and be happier than ever, for +now you know what it is to be entirely without a home. Be a good boy, +mind your uncle, go to school, and one of these days you'll make a good +man. Good-bye, my boy." + +The tears were now streaming down Toby's face very rapidly; he had not +known, in his anxiety to get home, how very much he cared for this +strangely assorted couple, and now it made him feel very miserable and +wretched that he was going to leave them. He tried to say something +more, but the tears choked his utterance, and he left the tent quickly +to prevent himself from breaking down entirely. + +In order that his grief might not be noticed, and the cause of it +suspected, Toby went out behind the tent, and, sitting there on a stone, +he gave way to the tears which he could no longer control. + +While he was thus engaged, heeding nothing which passed around him, he +was startled by a cheery voice which cried, "Halloo! down in the dumps +again? What is the matter now, my bold equestrian?" + +Looking up, he saw Ben standing before him, and he wiped his eyes +hastily, for here was another from whom he must part, and to whom a +good-bye must be spoken. + +Looking around to make sure that no one was within hearing, he went up +very close to the old driver, and said, in almost a whisper, "I was +feelin' bad 'cause I just come from Mr. and Mrs. Treat, an' I've been +say in' good-bye to them. I'm goin' to run away to-night." + +Ben looked at him for a moment, as if he doubted whether the boy knew +exactly what he was talking about, and then said, "So you still want to +go home, do you?" + +"Oh yes, Ben, _so_ much," was the reply, in a tone which expressed how +dear to him was the thought of being in his old home once more. + +"All right, my boy; I won't say one word agin it, though it do seem too +bad, after you've turned out to be such a good rider," said the old man, +thoughtfully. "It's better for you, I know; for a circus hain't no place +for a boy, even if he wants to stay, an' I can't say but I'm glad you're +still determined to go." + +Toby felt relieved at the tone of this leave-taking. He had feared that +Old Ben, who thought a circus-rider was almost on the topmost round of +Fortune's ladder, would have urged him to stay, since he had made his +_debut_ in the ring, and he was almost afraid that he might take some +steps to prevent his going. + +"I wanted to say good-bye now," said Toby, in a choking voice, "'cause +perhaps I sha'n't see you again." + +"Good-bye, my boy," said Ben as he took the boy's hand in his. "Don't +forget this experience you've had in runnin' away; an' if ever the time +comes that you feel as if you wanted to know that you had a friend, +think of Old Ben, an' remember that his heart beats just as warm for you +as if he was your father. Good-bye, my boy, good-bye, an' may the good +God bless you!" + +"Good-bye, Ben," said Toby; and then, as the old driver turned and +walked away, wiping something from his eye with the cuff of his sleeve, +Toby gave full vent to his tears, and wondered why it was that he was +such a miserable little wretch. + +There was one more good-bye to be said, and that Toby dreaded more than +all the others. It was to Ella. He knew that she would feel badly to +have him go, because she liked to ride the act with him that gave them +such applause, and he felt certain that she would urge him to stay. + +Just then the thought of another of his friends--one who had not yet +been warned of what very important matter was to occur--came into his +mind, and he hastened toward the old monkey's cage. His pet was busily +engaged in playing with some of the younger members of his family, and +for some moments could not be induced to come to the bars of the cage. + +At last, however, Toby did succeed in coaxing him forward, and then, +taking him by the paw, and drawing him as near as possible, Toby +whispered, "We're goin' to run away to night, Mr. Stubbs, an' I want +you to be all ready to go the minute I come for you." + +The old monkey winked both eyes violently, and then showed his teeth to +such an extent that Toby thought he was laughing at the prospect, and he +said, a little severely, "If you had as many friends as I have got in +this circus you wouldn't laugh when you was goin' to leave them. Of +course I've got to go, an' I want to go; but it makes me feel bad to +leave the skeleton, an' the fat woman, an' Old Ben, an' little Ella. But +I mustn't stand here. You be ready when I come for you, an' by mornin' +we'll be so far off that Mr. Lord nor Mr. Castle can't catch us." + +The old monkey went toward his companions, as if he were in high glee at +the trip before him, and Toby went into the dressing tent to prepare for +the evening's performance--which was about to commence. + +It appeared to the boy as if every one was unusually kind to him that +night, and, feeling sad at leaving those in the circus who had +befriended him, Toby was unusually attentive to every one around him. He +ran on some trifling errand for one, helped another in his dressing, and +in a dozen kind ways seemed as if trying to atone for leaving them +secretly. + +When the time came for him to go into the ring and he met Ella, bright +and happy at the thought of riding with him and repeating her triumphs +of the afternoon, nothing save the thought of how wicked he had been to +run away from good old Uncle Daniel, and a desire to right that wrong in +some way, prevented him from giving up his plan of going back. + +The little girl observed his sadness, and she whispered, "Has any one +been whipping you, Toby?" + +Toby shook his head. He had thought that he would tell her what he was +about to do just before they went into the ring, but her kind words +seemed to make that impossible, and he had said nothing, when the blare +of the trumpets, the noisy demonstrations of the audience, and the +announcement of the clown that the wonderful children riders were now +about to appear, ushered them into the ring. + +If Toby had performed well in the afternoon, he accomplished wonders on +this evening, and they were called back into the ring, not once, but +twice; and when finally they were allowed to retire, every one behind +the curtain overwhelmed them with praise. + +Ella was so profuse with her kind words, her admiration for what Toby +had done, and so delighted at the idea that they were to ride together, +that even then the boy could not tell her what he was going to do, but +went into his dressing-room, resolving that he would tell her all when +they both had finished dressing. + +Toby made as small a parcel as possible of the costume which Mr. and +Mrs. Treat had given him--for he determined that he would take it with +him--and, putting it under his coat, went out to wait for Ella. As she +did not come out as soon as he expected he asked some one to tell her +that he wanted to see her, and he thought to himself that when she did +come she would be in a hurry, and could not stop long enough to make any +very lengthy objections to his leaving. + +But she did not come at all--her mother sent out word that Toby could +not see her until after the performance was over, owing to the fact that +it was now nearly time for her to go into the ring, and she was not +dressed yet. + +Toby was terribly disappointed. He knew that it would not be safe for +him to wait until the close of the performance if he were intending to +run away that night, and he felt that he could not go until he had said +a few last words to her. + +He was in a great perplexity, until the thought came to him that he +could write a good-bye to her, and by this means any unpleasant +discussion would be avoided. + +After some little difficulty he procured a small piece of not very clean +paper and a very short bit of lead-pencil, and using the top of one of +the wagons, as he sat on the seat, for a desk, he indited the following +epistle: + + "deaR ella I Am goin to Run away two night, & i want two say + good by to yu & your mother. i am Small & unkle Danil says i + dont mount two much, but i am old enuf two know that you + have bin good two me, & when i Am a man i will buy you a + whole cirkus, and we Will ride together. dont forgit me & I + wont yu in haste TOBY TYLER." + +Toby had no envelope in which to seal this precious letter, but he felt +that it would not be seen by prying eyes, and would safely reach its +destination, if he intrusted it to Old Ben. + +It did not take him many moments to find the old driver, and he said, as +he handed him the letter, "I didn't see Ella to tell her I was goin', so +I wrote this letter, an' I want to know if you will give it to her?" + +"Of course I will. But see here, Toby"--and Ben caught him by the sleeve +and led him aside where he would not be overheard--"have you got money +enough to take you home? for if you haven't I can let you have some." +And Ben plunged his hand into his capacious pocket, as if he was about +to withdraw from there the entire United States Treasury. + +Toby assured him that he had sufficient for all his wants; but the old +man would not be satisfied until he had seen for himself, and then, +taking Toby's hand again, he said, "Now, my boy, it won't do for you to +stay around here any longer. Buy something to eat before you start, an' +go into the woods for a day or two before you take the train or +steamboat. You're too big a prize for Job or Castle to let you go +without a word, an' they'll try their level best to find you. Be +careful, now, for if they should catch you, good-bye any more chances to +get away. There"--and here Ben suddenly lifted him high from the ground +and kissed him--"now get away as fast as you can." + +Toby pressed the old man's hand affectionately, and then, without +trusting himself to speak, walked swiftly out toward the entrance. + +He resolved to take Ben's advice and go into the woods for a short time, +and therefore he must buy some provisions before he started. + +As he passed the monkeys' cage he saw his pet sitting near the bars, and +he stopped long enough to whisper, "I'll be back in ten minutes, Mr. +Stubbs, an' you be all ready then." + +Then he went on, and just as he got near the entrance one of the men +told him that Mrs. Treat wished to see him. + +Toby could hardly afford to spare the time just then, but he would +probably have obeyed the summons, if he had known that by so doing he +would be caught, and he ran as fast as his little legs would carry him +toward the skeleton's tent. + +The exhibition was open, and both the skeleton and his wife were on the +platform when Toby entered; but he crept around at the back and up +behind Mrs. Treat's chair, telling her as he did so that he had just +received her message, and that he must hurry right back, for every +moment was important then to him. + +"I put up a nice lunch for you," she said as she kissed him, "and you'll +find it on the top of the biggest trunk. Now go; and if my wishes are of +any good to you, you will get to your uncle Daniel's house without any +trouble. Good-bye again, little one." + +Toby did not dare to trust himself any longer where every one was so +kind to him. He slipped down from the platform as quickly as possible, +found the bundle--and a good-sized one it was too--without any +difficulty, and went back to the monkeys' cage. + +As orders had been given by the proprietor of the circus that the boy +should do as he had a mind to with the monkey, he called Mr. Stubbs; and +as he was in the custom of taking him with him at night, no one thought +that it was anything strange that he should take him from the cage now. + +[Illustration: THE RUNAWAYS.] + +Mr. Lord or Mr. Castle might possibly have thought it queer had either +of them seen the two bundles which Toby carried, but, fortunately for +the boy's scheme, they both believed that he was in the dressing-tent, +and consequently thought that he was perfectly safe. + +Toby's hand shook so that he could hardly undo the fastening of the +cage, and when he attempted to call the monkey to him his voice sounded +so strange and husky that it startled him. + +The old monkey seemed to prefer sleeping with Toby rather than with +those of his kind in the cage; and as the boy took him with him almost +every night, he came on this particular occasion as soon as Toby called, +regardless of the strange sound of his master's voice. + +With his bundles under his arm, and the monkey on his shoulder, with +both paws tightly clasped around his neck, Toby made his way out of the +tent with beating heart and bated breath. + +Neither Mr. Lord, Castle, nor Jacobs were in sight, and everything +seemed favorable for his flight. During the afternoon he had carefully +noted the direction of the woods, and he started swiftly toward them +now, stopping only long enough, as he was well clear of the tents, to +say, in a whisper, + +"Good-bye, Mr. Treat, an' Mrs. Treat, an' Ella, an' Ben. Some time, when +I'm a man, I'll come back, an' bring you lots of nice things, an' I'll +never forget you--never. When I have a chance to be good to some little +boy that felt as bad as I did I'll do it, an' tell him that it was you +did it. Good-bye." + +Then, turning around, he ran toward the woods as swiftly as if his +escape had been discovered and the entire company were in pursuit. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +A DAY OF FREEDOM. + + +Toby ran at the top of his speed over the rough road; and the monkey, +jolted from one side to the other, clutched his paws more tightly around +the boy's neck, looking around into his face as if to ask what was the +meaning of this very singular proceeding. + +When he was so very nearly breathless as to be able to run no more, but +was forced to walk, Toby looked behind him, and there he could see the +bright lights of the circus, and hear the strains of the music as he had +heard them on the night when he was getting ready to run away from Uncle +Daniel; and those very sounds, which reminded him forcibly of how +ungrateful he had been to the old man who had cared for him when there +was no one else in the world who would do so, made it more easy for him +to leave those behind who had been so kind to him when he stood so much +in need of kindness. + +"We are goin' home, Mr. Stubbs!" he said, exultantly, to the +monkey--"home to Uncle Dan'l an' the boys; an' won't you have a good +time when we get there! You can run all over the barn, an' up in the +trees, an' do just what you want to, an' there'll be plenty of fellows +to play with you. You don't know half how good a place Guilford is, Mr. +Stubbs." + +The monkey chattered away as if he were anticipating lots of fun on his +arrival at Toby's home, and the boy chattered back, his spirits rising +at every step which took him farther away from the collection of tents +where he had spent so many wretched hours. + +A brisk walk of half an hour sufficed to take Toby to the woods, and +after some little search he found a thick clump of bushes in which he +concluded he could sleep without the risk of being seen by any one who +might pass that way before he should be awake in the morning. + +He had not much choice in the way of a bed, for it was so dark in the +woods that it was impossible to collect moss or leaves to make a soft +resting-place, and the few leaves and pine-boughs which he did gather +made his place for sleeping but very little softer. + +But during the ten weeks that Toby had been with the circus his bed had +seldom been anything softer than the seat of the wagon, and it troubled +him very little that he was to sleep with nothing but a few leaves +between himself and the earth. + +Using the bundle in which was his riding costume for a pillow, and +placing the lunch Mrs. Treat had given him near by, where the monkey +could not get at it conveniently, he cuddled Mr. Stubbs up in his bosom +and lay down to sleep. + +"Mr. Lord won't wake us up in the mornin' an' swear at us for not +washin' the tumblers," said Toby, in a tone of satisfaction, to the +monkey; "an' we won't have to go into the tent to-morrow an' sell sick +lemonade an' poor pea-nuts. But"--and here his tone changed to one of +sorrow--"there'll be some there that 'll be sorry not to see us in the +mornin', Mr. Stubbs, though they'll be glad to know that we got away all +right. But won't Mr. Lord swear, an' won't Mr. Castle crack his whip, +when they come to look round for us in the mornin' an' find that we +hain't there!" + +The only reply which the monkey made to this was to nestle his head +closer under Toby's coat, and to show, in the most decided manner, that +he was ready to go to sleep. + +And Toby was quite as ready to go to sleep as he was. He had worked hard +that day, but the excitement of escaping had prevented him from +realizing his fatigue until after he had lain down; and almost before he +had got through congratulating himself upon the ease with which he had +gotten free, both he and the monkey were as sound asleep as if they had +been tucked up in the softest bed that was ever made. + +Toby's very weariness was a friend to him that night, for it prevented +him from waking; which, if he had done so, might have been unpleasant +when he fully realized that he was all alone in the forest, and the +sounds that are always heard in the woods might have frightened him just +the least bit. + +The sun was shining directly in his face when Toby awoke on the +following morning, and the old monkey was still snugly nestled under his +coat. He sat up rather dazed at first, and then, as he fully realized +that he was actually free from all that had made his life such a sad and +hard one for so many weeks, he shouted aloud, revelling in his freedom. + +The monkey, awakened by Toby's cries, started from his sleep in affright +and jumped into the nearest tree, only to chatter, jump, and swing from +the boughs when he saw that there was nothing very unusual going on, +save that he and Toby were out in the woods again, where they could have +no end of a good time and do just as they liked. + +After a few moments spent in a short jubilee at their escape Toby took +the monkey on his shoulder and the bundles under his arm again, and went +cautiously out to the edge of the thicket, where he could form some idea +as to whether or no they were pursued. + +He had entered the woods at the brow of a small hill when he had fled +so hastily on the previous evening, and looking down, he could see the +spot whereon the tents of the circus had been pitched, but not a sign of +them was now visible. He could see a number of people walking around, +and he fancied that they looked up every now and then to where he stood +concealed by the foliage. + +This gave him no little uneasiness, for he feared that Mr. Lord or Mr. +Castle might be among the number, and he believed that they would begin +a search for him at once, and that the spot where their attention would +first be drawn was exactly where he was then standing. + +"This won't do, Mr. Stubbs," he said, as he pushed the monkey higher up +on his shoulder and started into the thickest part of the woods; "we +must get out of this place, an' go farther down, where we can hide till +to-morrow mornin'. Besides, we must find some water where we can wash +our faces." + +The old monkey would hardly have been troubled if they had not their +faces washed for the next month to come; but he grinned and talked as +Toby trudged along, attempting to catch hold of the leaves as they were +passed, and in various other ways impeding his master's progress, until +Toby was obliged to give him a most severe scolding in order to make him +behave himself in anything like a decent manner. + +At last, after fully half an hour's rapid walking, Toby found just the +place he wanted in which to pass the time he concluded it would be +necessary to spend before he dare venture out to start for home. + +It was a little valley entirely filled by trees, which grew so thickly, +save in one little spot, as to make it almost impossible to walk +through. The one clear spot was not more than ten feet square, but it +was just at the edge of a swiftly running brook; and a more beautiful or +convenient place for a boy and a monkey to stop who had no tent, nor +means to build one, could not well be imagined. + +Toby's first act was to wash his face, and he tried to make the monkey +do the same; but Mr. Stubbs had no idea of doing any such foolish thing. +He would come down close to the edge of the water and look in; but the +moment that Toby tried to make him go in he would rush back among the +trees, climb out on some slender bough, and then swing himself down by +the tail, and chatter away as if making sport of his young master for +thinking that he would be so foolish as to soil his face with water. + +After Toby had made his toilet he unfastened the bundle which the fat +lady had given him, for the purpose of having breakfast. As much of an +eater as Toby was, he could not but be surprised at the quantity of food +which Mrs. Treat called a lunch. There were two whole pies and half of +another, as many as two dozen doughnuts, several large pieces of cheese, +six sandwiches, with a plentiful amount of meat, half a dozen biscuits, +nicely buttered, and a large piece of cake. + +The monkey had come down from the tree as soon as he saw Toby untying +the bundle, and there was quite as much pleasure depicted on his face, +when he saw the good things that were spread out before him, as there +was on Toby's; and he showed his thankfulness at Mrs. Treat's foresight +by suddenly snatching one of the doughnuts and running with it up the +tree, where he knew Toby could not follow. + +"Now look here, Mr. Stubbs!" said Toby, sternly, "you can have all you +want to eat, but you must take it in a decent way, an' not go to cuttin' +up any such shines as that." + +And after giving this command--which, by-the-way, was obeyed just about +as well as it was understood--Toby devoted his time to his breakfast, +and he reduced the amount of eatables very considerably before he had +finished. + +Toby cleared off his table by gathering the food together and putting it +back into the paper as well as possible, and then he sat down to think +over the situation, and to decide what he had better do. + +He felt rather nervous about venturing out when it was possible for Mr. +Lord or Mr. Castle to get hold of him again; and as the weather was yet +warm during the night, his camping-place everything that could be +desired, and the stock of food likely to hold out, he concluded that he +had better remain there for two days at least, and then he would be +reasonably sure that if either of the men whom he so dreaded to see had +remained behind for the purpose of catching him, he would have got tired +out and gone on. + +This point decided upon, the next was to try to fix up something soft +for a bed. He had his pocket-knife with him, and in his little valley +were pine and hemlock trees in abundance. From the tips of their +branches he knew that he could make a bed as soft and fragrant as any +that could be thought of, and he set to work at once, while Mr. Stubbs +continued his antics above his head. + +After about two hours' steady work he had cut enough of the tender +branches to make himself a bed into which he and the monkey could burrow +and sleep as comfortably as if they were in the softest bed in Uncle +Daniel's house. + +When Toby first began to cut the boughs he had an idea that he might +possibly make some sort of a hut; but the two hours' work had blistered +his hands, and he was perfectly ready to sit down and rest, without the +slightest desire for any other kind of a hut than that formed by the +trees themselves. + +Toby imagined that in that beautiful place he could, with the monkey, +stay contented for any number of days; but after he had rested a time, +played with his pet a little, and eaten just a trifle more of the lunch, +the time passed so slowly that he soon made up his mind to run the risk +of meeting Mr. Lord or Mr. Castle again by going out of the woods the +first thing the next morning. + +Very many times before the sun set that day was Toby tempted to run the +risk that night, for the sake of the change, if no more; but as he +thought the matter over he saw how dangerous such a course would be, and +he forced himself to wait. + +That night he did not sleep as soundly as on the previous one, for the +very good reason that he was not as tired. He awoke several times; and +the noise of the night-birds alarmed him to such an extent that he was +obliged to awaken the old monkey for company. + +But the night passed despite his fears, as all nights will, whether a +boy is out in the woods alone or tucked up in his own little bed at +home. In the morning Toby made all possible haste to get away, for each +moment that he stayed now made him more impatient to be moving toward +home. + +He washed himself as quickly as possible, ate his breakfast with the +most unseemly haste, and, taking up his bundles and the monkey, once +more started, as he supposed, in the direction from which he had entered +the woods. + +Toby walked briskly along, in the best possible spirits, for his +running away was now an accomplished fact, and he was going toward Uncle +Daniel and home just as fast as possible. He sung "Old Hundred" through +five or six times by way of showing his happiness. It is quite likely +that he would have sung something a little more lively had he known +anything else; but "Old Hundred" was the extent of his musical +education, and he kept repeating that, which was quite as satisfactory +as if he had been able to go through with every opera that was ever +written. + +The monkey would jump from his shoulder into the branches above, run +along on the trees for a short distance, and then wait until Toby came +along, when he would drop down on his shoulder suddenly, and in every +other way of displaying monkey delight he showed that he was just as +happy as it was possible. + +Toby trudged on in this contented way for nearly an hour, and every +moment expected to step out to the edge of the woods, where he could see +houses and men once more. But instead of doing so the forest seemed to +grow more dense, and nothing betokened his approach to the village. +There was a great fear came into Toby's heart just then, and for a +moment he halted in helpless perplexity. His lips began to quiver, his +face grew white, and his hand trembled so that the old monkey took hold +of one of his fingers and looked at it wonderingly. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +MR. STUBBS'S MISCHIEF, AND HIS SAD FATE. + + +Toby had begun to realize that he was lost in the woods, and the thought +was sufficient to cause alarm in the mind of one much older than the +boy. He said to himself that he would keep on in the direction he was +then travelling for fifteen minutes; and as he had no means of computing +the time he sat down on a log, took out the bit of pencil with which he +had written the letter to Ella, and multiplied sixty by fifteen. He knew +that there were sixty seconds to the minute, and that he could +ordinarily count one to each second; therefore, when he learned that +there were nine hundred seconds in fifteen minutes, he resolved to walk +as nearly straight ahead as possible until he should have counted that +number. + +He walked on, counting as regularly as he could, and thought to himself +that he never before realized how long fifteen minutes were. It really +seemed to him that an hour had passed before he finished counting, and +then when he stopped there were no more signs that he was near a +clearing than there had been before he started. + +"Ah, Mr. Stubbs, we're lost! we're lost!" he cried, as he laid his cheek +on the monkey's head and gave way to the lonesome grief that came over +him. "What shall we do? Perhaps we won't ever find our way out, but will +die here, an' then Uncle Dan'l won't ever know how sorry I was that I +run away." + +Then Toby lay right down on the ground and cried so hard that the monkey +acted as if it were frightened, and tried to turn the boy's face over, +and finally leaned down and licked Toby's ear. + +This little act, which seemed so much like a kiss, caused Toby to feel +no small amount of comfort, and he sat up again, took the monkey in his +arms, and began seriously to discuss some definite plan of action. + +"It won't do to keep on the way we've been goin', Mr. Stubbs," said +Toby, as he looked full in his pet's face--and the old monkey sat as +still and looked as grave as it was possible for him to look and +sit--"for we must be goin' into the woods deeper. Let's start off this +way"--and Toby pointed at right angles with the course they had been +pursuing--"an' keep right on that way till we come to something, or till +we drop right down an' die." + +It is fair to presume that the old monkey agreed to Toby's plan; for +although he said nothing in favor of it he certainly made no objections +to it, which to Toby was the same as if his companion had assented to it +in the plainest English. + +Both the bundles and the monkey were rather a heavy load for a small boy +like Toby to carry; but he clung manfully to them, walked resolutely on, +without looking to the right or to the left, glad when the old monkey +would take a run among the trees, for then he would be relieved of his +weight, and glad when he returned, for then he had his company, and that +repaid him for any labor which he might have to perform. + +Toby was in a hard plight as it was; but without the old monkey for a +companion he would have thought his condition was a hundred times worse, +and would hardly have had the courage to go on as he was going. + +On and on he walked, until it seemed to him that he could really go no +farther, and yet he could see no signs which indicated the end of the +woods, and at last he sunk upon the ground, too tired to walk another +step, saying to the monkey--who was looking as if he would like to know +the reason of this pause--"It's no use, Mr. Stubbs, I've got to sit down +here an' rest awhile, anyhow; besides, I'm awfully hungry." + +Then Toby commenced to eat his dinner, and to give the monkey his, +until the thought came to him that he neither had any water nor did he +know where to find it, and then, of course, he immediately became so +thirsty that it was impossible for him to eat any more. + +"We can't stand this," moaned Toby to the monkey; "we've got to have +something to drink, or else we can't eat all these sweet things, an' I'm +so tired that I can't go any farther. Don't let's eat dinner now, but +let's stay here an' rest, an' then we can keep on an' look for water." + +Toby's resting spell was a long one, for as soon as he stretched himself +out on the ground he was asleep from actual exhaustion, and did not +awaken until the sun was just setting, and then he saw that, hard as his +troubles had been before, they were about to become, or in fact had +become, worse. + +He had paid no attention to his bundles when he lay down, and when he +awoke he was puzzled to make out what it was that was strewn around the +ground so thickly. + +He had looked at it but a very short time when he saw that it was what +had been the lunch he had carried so far. After having had the sad +experience of losing his money he understood very readily that the old +monkey had taken the lunch while he slept, and had amused himself by +picking it apart into the smallest particles possible, and then strewn +them around on the ground where he now saw them. + +Toby looked at them in almost speechless surprise, and then he turned to +where the old monkey lay, apparently asleep; but as the boy watched him +intently, he could see that the cunning animal was really watching him +out of one half-closed eye. + +"Now you have killed us, Mr. Stubbs," wailed Toby. "We never can find +our way out of here; an' now we hain't got anything to eat, and by +to-morrow we shall be starved to death. Oh dear! wasn't you bad enough +when you threw all the money away, so you had to go an' do this just +when we was in awful trouble?" + +Mr. Stubbs now looked up as if he had just been awakened by Toby's +grief, looked around him leisurely as if to see what could be the +matter, and then, apparently seeing for the first time the crumbs that +were lying around on the ground, took up some and examined them +intently. + +"Now don't go to makin' believe that you don't know how they come +there," said Toby, showing anger toward his pet for the first time. "You +know it was you who did it, for there wasn't any one else here, an' you +can't fool me by lookin' so surprised." + +It seemed as if the monkey had come to the conclusion that his little +plan of ignorance wasn't the most perfect success, for he walked meekly +toward his young master, climbed up on his shoulder, and sat there +kissing his ear, or looking down into his eyes, until the boy could +resist the mute appeal no longer, but took him into his arms and hugged +him closely as he said, + +"It can't be helped now, I s'pose, an' we shall have to get along the +best way we can; but it was awful wicked of you, Mr. Stubbs, an' I don't +know what we're going to do for something to eat." + +While the destructive fit was on him the old monkey had not spared the +smallest bit of food, but had picked everything into such minute shreds +that none of it could be gathered up, and everything was surely wasted. + +While Toby sat bemoaning his fate, and trying to make out what was to be +done for food, the darkness, which had just begun to gather when he +first awoke, now commenced to settle around, and he was obliged to seek +for some convenient place in which to spend the night before it became +so dark as to make the search impossible. + +Owing to the fact that he had slept nearly the entire afternoon, and +also rendered wakeful by the loss he had just sustained, Toby lay awake +on the hard ground, with the monkey on his arm, hour after hour, until +all kinds of fancies came to him, and in every sound feared he heard +some one from the circus coming to capture him, or some wild beast +intent on picking his bones. + +The cold sweat of fear stood out on his brow, and he hardly dared to +breathe, much more to speak, lest the sound of his voice should betray +his whereabouts, and thus bring his enemies down upon him. The minutes +seemed like hours, and the hours like days, as he lay there, listening +fearfully to every one of the night-sounds of the forest; and it seemed +to him that he had been there very many hours when at last he fell +asleep, and was thus freed from his fears. + +Bright and early on the following morning Toby was awake, and as he came +to a realizing sense of all the dangers and trouble that surrounded him +he was disposed to give way again to his sorrow; but he said resolutely +to himself, "It might be a good deal worse than it is, an' Mr. Stubbs +an' I can get along one day without anything to eat; an' perhaps by +night we shall be out of the woods, an' then what we get will taste good +to us." + +He began his walk--which possibly might not end that day--manfully, and +his courage was rewarded by soon reaching a number of bushes that were +literally loaded down with blackberries. From these he made a hearty +meal, and the old monkey fairly revelled in them, for he ate all he +possibly could, and then stowed away enough in his cheeks to make a +good-sized luncheon when he should be hungry again. + +Refreshed very much by his breakfast of fruit, Toby again started on his +journey with renewed vigor, and the world began to look very bright to +him. He had not thought that he might find berries when the thoughts of +starvation came into his mind, and now that his hunger was satisfied he +began to believe that he might possibly be able to live, perhaps for +weeks, in the woods solely upon what he might find growing there. + +Shortly after he had had breakfast he came upon a brook, which he +thought was the same upon whose banks he had encamped the first night he +spent in the woods, and, pulling off his clothes, he waded into the +deepest part, and had a most refreshing bath, although the water was +rather cold. + +Not having any towels with which to dry himself, he was obliged to sit +in the sun until the moisture had been dried from his skin and he could +put his clothes on once more. Then he started out on his walk again, +feeling that sooner or later he would come out all right. + +All this time he had been travelling without any guide to tell him +whether he was going straight ahead or around in a circle, and he now +concluded to follow the course of the brook, believing that that would +lead him out of the forest some time. + +During the forenoon he walked steadily, but not so fast that he would +get exhausted quickly, and when by the position of the sun he judged +that it was noon he lay down on a mossy bank to rest. + +He was beginning to feel sad again. He had found no more berries, and +the elation which had been caused by his breakfast and his bath was +quickly passing away. The old monkey was in a tree almost directly above +his head, stretched out on one of the limbs in the most contented manner +possible; and as Toby watched him, and thought of all the trouble he had +caused by wasting the food, thoughts of starvation again came into his +mind, and he believed that he should not live to see Uncle Daniel again. + +Just when he was feeling the most sad and lonely, and when thoughts of +death from starvation were most vivid in his mind, he heard the barking +of a dog, which sounded close at hand. + +His first thought was that at last he was saved, and he was just +starting to his feet to shout for help, when he heard the sharp report +of a gun and an agonizing cry from the branches above, and the old +monkey fell to the ground with a thud that told he had received his +death-wound. + +All this had taken place so quickly that Toby did not at first +comprehend the extent of the misfortune which had overtaken him; but a +groan from the poor monkey, as he placed one little brown paw to his +breast, from which the blood was flowing freely, and looked up into his +master's face with a most piteous expression, showed the poor little boy +what a great trouble it was which had now come. + +Poor Toby uttered a loud cry of agony, which could not have been more +full of anguish had he received the ball in his own breast, and, +flinging himself by the side of the dying monkey, he gathered him close +to his breast, regardless of the blood that poured over him, and +stroking tenderly the little head that had nestled so often in his +bosom, said, over and over again, as the monkey uttered short moans of +agony, "Who could have been so cruel?--who could have been so cruel?" + +Toby's tears ran like rain down his face, and he kissed his dying pet +again and again, as if he would take all the pain to himself. + +"Oh, if you could only speak to me!" he cried, as he took one of the +poor monkey's paws in his hand, and, finding that it was growing cold +with the chill of death, put it on his neck to warm it. "How I love you, +Mr. Stubbs! An' now you're goin' to die an' leave me! Oh, if I hadn't +spoken cross to you yesterday, an' if I hadn't a'most choked you the day +that we went to the skeleton's to dinner! Forgive me for ever bein' bad +to you, won't you, Mr. Stubbs?" + +[Illustration: "HOW I LOVE YOU, MR. STUBBS!"] + +As the monkey's groans increased in number but diminished in force Toby +ran to the brook, filled his hands with water, and held it to the poor +animal's mouth. + +He lapped the water quickly, and looked up with a human look of +gratitude in his eyes, as if thanking his master for that much relief. +Then Toby tried to wash the blood from his breast; but it flowed quite +as fast as he could wash it away, and he ceased his efforts in that +direction, and paid every attention to making his friend and pet more +comfortable. He took off his jacket and laid it on the ground for the +monkey to lie upon; picked a quantity of large green leaves as a cooling +rest for his head, and then sat by his side, holding his paws, and +talking to him with the most tender words his lips--quivering with +sorrow as they were--could fashion. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +HOME AND UNCLE DANIEL. + + +Meanwhile the author of all this misery had come upon the scene. He was +a young man, whose rifle and well-filled game-bag showed that he had +been hunting, and his face expressed the liveliest sorrow for what he +had so unwittingly done. + +"I didn't know I was firing at your pet," he said to Toby as he laid his +hand on his shoulder and endeavored to make him look up. "I only saw a +little patch of fur through the trees, and, thinking it was some wild +animal, I fired. Forgive me, won't you, and let me put the poor brute +out of his misery?" + +Toby looked up fiercely at the murderer of his pet and asked, savagely, +"Why don't you go away? Don't you see that you have killed Mr. Stubbs, +an' you'll be hung for murder?" + +"I wouldn't have done it under any circumstances," said the young man, +pitying Toby's grief most sincerely. "Come away, and let me put the poor +thing out of its agony." + +"How can you do it?" asked Toby, bitterly. "He's dying already." + +"I know it, and it will be a kindness to put a bullet through his head." + +If Toby had been big enough perhaps there might really have been a +murder committed, for he looked up at the man who so coolly proposed to +kill the poor monkey after he had already received his death-wound that +the young man stepped back quickly, as if really afraid that in his +desperation the boy might do him some injury. + +"Go 'way off," said Toby, passionately, "an' don't ever come here again. +You've killed all I ever had in this world of my own to love me, an' I +hate you--I hate you!" + +Then, turning again to the monkey, he put his hands on each side of his +head, and, leaning down, kissed the little brown lips as tenderly as a +mother would kiss her child. + +The monkey was growing more and more feeble, and when Toby had shown +this act of affection he reached up his tiny paws, grasped Toby's +finger, half-raised himself from the ground, and then with a convulsive +struggle fell back dead, while the tiny fingers slowly relaxed their +hold of the boy's hand. + +Toby feared that it was death, and yet hoped that he was mistaken; he +looked into the half-open, fast-glazing eyes, put his hand over his +heart, to learn if it were still beating; and getting no responsive look +from the dead eyes, feeling no heart-throbs from under that gory breast, +he knew that his pet was really dead, and flung himself by his side in +all the childish abandonment of grief. + +He called the monkey by name, implored him to look at him, and finally +bewailed that he had ever left the circus, where at least his pet's life +was safe, even if his own back received its daily flogging. + +The young man, who stood a silent spectator of this painful scene, +understood everything from Toby's mourning. He knew that a boy had run +away from the circus, for Messrs. Lord and Castle had stayed behind one +day, in the hope of capturing the fugitive, and they had told their own +version of Toby's flight. + +For nearly an hour Toby lay by the dead monkey's side, crying as if his +heart would break, and the young man waited until his grief should have +somewhat exhausted itself, and then approached the boy again. + +"Won't you believe that I didn't mean to do this cruel thing?" he asked, +in a kindly voice. "And won't you believe that I would do anything in my +power to bring your pet back to life?" + +Toby looked at him a moment earnestly, and then said, slowly, "Yes, I'll +try to." + +"Now will you come with me, and let me talk to you? for I know who you +are, and why you are here." + +"How do you know that?" + +"Two men stayed behind after the circus had left, and they hunted +everywhere for you." + +"I wish they had caught me," moaned Toby; "I wish they had caught me, +for then Mr. Stubbs wouldn't be here dead." + +And Toby's grief broke out afresh as he again looked at the poor little +stiff form that had been a source of so much comfort and joy to him. + +"Try not to think of that now, but think of yourself, and of what you +will do," said the man, soothingly, anxious to divert Toby's mind from +the monkey's death as much as possible. + +"I don't want to think of myself, and I don't care what I'll do," sobbed +the boy, passionately. + +"But you must; you can't stay here always, and I will try to help you to +get home, or wherever it is you want to go, if you will tell me all +about it." + +It was some time before Toby could be persuaded to speak or think of +anything but the death of his pet; but the young man finally succeeded +in drawing his story from him, and then tried to induce him to leave +that place and accompany him to the town. + +"I can't leave Mr. Stubbs," said the boy, firmly; "he never left me the +night I got thrown out of the wagon an' he thought I was hurt." + +Then came another struggle to induce him to bury his pet; and finally +Toby, after realizing the fact that he could not carry a dead monkey +anywhere with him, agreed to it; but he would not allow the young man to +help him in any way, or even to touch the monkey's body. + +He dug a grave under a little fir-tree near by, and lined it with wild +flowers and leaves, and even then hesitated to cover the body with the +earth. At last he bethought himself of the fanciful costume which the +skeleton and his wife had given him, and in this he carefully wrapped +his dead pet. He had not one regret at leaving the bespangled suit, for +it was the best he could command, and surely nothing could be too good +for Mr. Stubbs. + +Tenderly he laid him in the little grave, and, covering the body with +flowers, said, pausing a moment before he covered it over with earth, +and while his voice was choked with emotion, "Good-bye, Mr. Stubbs, +good-bye! I wish it had been me instead of you that died, for I'm an +awful sorry little boy now that you're dead!" + +Even after the grave had been filled, and a little mound made over it, +the young man had the greatest difficulty to persuade Toby to go with +him; and when the boy did consent to go at last he walked very slowly +away, and kept turning his head to look back just so long as the little +grave could be seen. + +Then, when the trees shut it completely out from sight, the tears +commenced again to roll down Toby's cheeks, and he sobbed out, "I wish I +hadn't left him. Oh, why didn't I make him lie down by me? an' then he'd +be alive now; an' how glad he'd be to know that we was getting out of +the woods at last!" + +But the man who had caused Toby this sorrow talked to him about other +matters, thus taking his mind from the monkey's death as much as +possible, and by the time the boy reached the village he had told his +story exactly as it was, without casting any reproaches on Mr. Lord, and +giving himself the full share of censure for leaving his home as he did. + +Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle had remained in the town but one day, for they +were told that a boy had taken the night train that passed through the +town about two hours after Toby had escaped, and they had set off at +once to act on that information. + +Therefore Toby need have no fears of meeting either of them just then, +and he could start on his homeward journey in peace. + +The young man who had caused the monkey's death tried first to persuade +Toby to remain a day or two with him, and, failing in that, he did all +he could toward getting the boy home as quickly and safely as possible. +He insisted on paying for his ticket on the steamboat, although Toby did +all he could to prevent him, and he even accompanied Toby to the next +town, where he was to take the steamer. + +He had not only paid for Toby's ticket, but he had paid for a state-room +for him; and when the boy said that he could sleep anywhere, and that +there was no need of such expense, the man replied, "Those men who were +hunting for you have gone down the river, and will be very likely to +search the boat, when they discover that they started on the wrong +scent. They will never suspect that you have got a state-room; and if +you are careful to remain in it during the trip, you will get through +safely." + +Then, when the time came for the steamer to start, the young man said to +Toby, "Now, my boy, you won't feel hard at me for shooting the monkey, +will you? I would have done anything to have brought him to life; but, +as I could not do that, helping you to get home was the next best thing +I could do." + +"I know you didn't mean to shoot Mr. Stubbs," said Toby, with moistening +eyes as he spoke of his pet, "an' I'm sorry I said what I did to you in +the woods." + +Before there was time to say any more the warning whistle was sounded, +the plank pulled in, the great wheels commenced to revolve, and Toby was +really on his way to Uncle Daniel and Guilford. + +It was then but five o'clock in the afternoon, and he could not expect +to reach home until two or three o'clock in the afternoon of the next +day; but he was in a tremor of excitement as he thought that he should +walk through the streets of Guilford once more, see all the boys, and go +home to Uncle Daniel. + +And yet, whenever he thought of that home, of meeting those boys, of +going once more to all those old familiar places, the memory of all that +he had planned when he should take the monkey with him would come into +his mind and damp even his joy, great as it was. + +That night he had considerable difficulty in falling asleep, but did +finally succeed in doing so; and when he awoke the steamer was going up +the river, whose waters seemed like an old friend, because they had +flowed right down past Guilford on their way to the sea. + +At each town where a landing was made Toby looked eagerly out on the +pier, thinking that by chance some one from his home might be there and +he would see a familiar face again. But all this time he heeded the +advice given him and remained in his room, where he could see and not +be seen; and it was well for him that he did so, for at one of the +landings he saw both Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle come on board the boat. + +Toby's heart beat fast and furious, and he expected every moment to hear +them at the door demanding admittance, for it seemed to him that they +must know exactly where he was secreted. + +But no such misfortune occurred. The men had evidently only boarded the +boat to search for the boy, for they landed again before the steamer +started, and Toby had the satisfaction of seeing their backs as they +walked away from the pier. It was some time before he recovered from the +fright which the sight of them gave him; but when he did his thoughts +and hopes far outstripped the steamer which, it seemed, was going so +slowly, and he longed to see Guilford with an impatience that could +hardly be restrained. + +At last he could see the spire of the little church on the hill, and +when the steamer rounded the point, affording a full view of the town, +and sounded her whistle as a signal for those on the shore to come to +the pier, Toby could hardly restrain himself from jumping up and down +and shouting in his delight. + +He was at the gang-plank ready to land fully five minutes before the +steamer was anywhere near the wharf, and when he recognized the first +face on the pier what a happy boy he was! + +He was at home! The dream of the past ten weeks was at length realized, +and neither Mr. Lord nor Mr. Castle had any terrors for him now. + +He ran down the gang-plank before it was ready and clasped every boy he +saw there round the neck, and would have kissed them, if they had shown +an inclination to let him do so. + +Of course he was overwhelmed with questions, but before he would answer +any he asked for Uncle Daniel and the others at home. + +Some of the boys ventured to predict that Toby would get a jolly good +whipping for running away, and the only reply which the happy Toby made +to that was, + +"I hope I will, an' then I'll feel as if I had kinder paid for runnin' +away. If Uncle Dan'l will only let me stay with him again he may whip me +every mornin', an' I won't open my mouth to holler." + +The boys were impatient to hear the story of Toby's travels, but he +refused to tell it them, saying, + +"I'll go home; an' if Uncle Dan'l forgives me for bein' so wicked I'll +sit down this afternoon an' tell you all you want to know about the +circus." + +Then, far more rapidly than he had run away from it, Toby ran toward +the home which he had called his ever since he could remember, and his +heart was full almost to bursting as he thought that perhaps he would be +told that he had forfeited all claim to it, and that he could never more +call it "home" again. + +When he entered the old familiar sitting-room Uncle Daniel was seated +near the window, alone, looking out wistfully--as Toby thought--across +the fields of yellow waving grain. + +Toby crept softly in, and, going up to the old man, knelt down and said, +very humbly, and with his whole soul in the words, "Oh, Uncle Dan'l! if +you'll only forgive me for bein' so wicked an' runnin' away, an' let me +stay here again--for it's all the home I ever had--I'll do everything +you tell me to, an' never whisper in meetin' or do anything bad." + +And then he waited for the words which would seal his fate. They were +not long in coming. + +"My poor boy," said Uncle Daniel, softly, as he stroked Toby's +refractory red hair, "my love for you was greater than I knew, and when +you left me I cried aloud to the Lord as if it had been my own flesh and +blood that had gone afar from me. Stay here, Toby, my son, and help to +support this poor old body as it goes down into the dark valley of the +shadow of death; and then, in the bright light of that glorious future, +Uncle Daniel will wait to go with you into the presence of Him who is +ever a father to the fatherless." + +[Illustration: UNCLE DANIEL'S BLESSING.] + +And in Uncle Daniel's kindly care we may safely leave Toby Tyler. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOBY TYLER*** + + +******* This file should be named 32393.txt or 32393.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/3/9/32393 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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