hipping 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 tha