t he could not go back to Guilford, for Uncle
Daniel would not allow him to come to his house again; and the hot
scalding tears ran down his cheeks as he realized that he was homeless
and friendless in this great big world.

It was while he was in this frame of mind that the procession, all gaudy
with flags, streamers, and banners, entered the town. Under different
circumstances this would have been a most delightful day for him, for
the entrance of a circus into Guilford had always been a source of one
day's solid enjoyment; but now he was the most disconsolate and unhappy
boy in all that crowd.

He did not ride throughout the entire route of the procession, for Mr.
Lord was anxious to begin business, and the moment the tenting ground
was reached the wagon containing Mr. Lord's goods was driven into the
enclosure, and Toby's day's work began.

He was obliged to bring water, to cut up the lemons, fetch and carry
fruit from the booth in the big tent to the booth on the outside, until
he was ready to drop with fatigue, and having had no time for breakfast,
was nearly famished.

It was quite noon before he was permitted to go to the hotel for
something to eat, and then Ben's advice to be one of the first to get to
the tables was not needed.

In the eating line that day he astonished the servants, the members of
the company, and even himself, and by the time he arose from the table,
with both pockets and his stomach full to bursting, the tables had been
set and cleared away twice while he was making one meal.

"Well, I guess you didn't hurry yourself much," said Mr. Lord, when Toby
returned to the circus ground.

"Oh yes, I did," was Toby's innocent reply: "I ate just as fast as I
could;" and a satisfied smile stole over the boy's face as he thought of
the amount of solid food he had consumed.

The answer was not one which was calculated to make Mr. Lord feel any
more agreeably disposed toward his new clerk, and he showed his
ill-temper very plainly as he said, "It must take a good deal to satisfy
you."

"I s'pose it does," calmly replied Toby. "Sam Merrill used to say that I
took after Aunt Olive and Uncle Dan'l, one ate a good while, an' the
other ate awful fast."

Toby could not understand what it was that Mr. Lord said in reply, but
he could understand that his employer was angry at somebody or
something, and he tried unusually hard to please him. He talked to the
boys who had gathered around, to induce the