Part 11 (1/2)

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 a.s.sure 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.”