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