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 ca