Part 18 (2/2)

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 a.s.sertions 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 s.h.i.+eld 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 quant.i.ty 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 a.s.sorted 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 pa.s.sed 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?”

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