otive
prompted the gift. Now he could listen to the story of the boy's
treachery and eat at the same time; therefore he was an attentive
listener.

"All in the world that boy had to do," continued Mr. Lord, in the same
injured tone he had previously used, "was to help me set things to
rights when we struck a town in the morning, and then tend to the
counter till we left the town at night, and all the rest of the time he
had to himself. Yet that boy was ungrateful enough to run away."

Mr. Lord paused, as if expecting some expression of sympathy from his
listener; but Toby was so busily engaged with his unexpected feast, and
his mouth was so full, that it did not seem even possible for him to
shake his head.

"Now what should you say if I told you that you looked to me like a boy
that was made especially to help run a candy counter at a circus, and if
I offered the place to you?"

Toby made one frantic effort to swallow the very large mouthful, and in
a choking voice he answered, quickly, "I should say I'd go with you, an'
be mighty glad of the chance."

"Then it's a bargain, my boy, and you shall leave town with me tonight."

II. TOBY RUNS AWAY FROM HOME

Toby could scarcely restrain himself at the prospect of this golden
future that had so suddenly opened before him. He tried to express his
gratitude, but could only do so by evincing his willingness to commence
work at once.

"No, no, that won't do," said Mr. Lord, cautiously. "If your uncle
Daniel should see you working here, he might mistrust something, and
then you couldn't get away."

"I don't believe he'd try to stop me," said Toby, confidently; "for he's
told me lots of times that it was a sorry day for him when he found me."

"We won't take any chances, my son," was the reply, in a very benevolent
tone, as he patted Toby on the head and at the same time handed him
a piece of pasteboard. "There's a ticket for the circus, and you come
around to see me about ten o'clock tonight. I'll put you on one of the
wagons, and by' tomorrow morning your uncle Daniel will have hard work
to find you."

If Toby had followed his inclinations, the chances are that he would
have fallen on his knees and kissed Mr. Lord's hands in the excess of
his gratitude. But not knowing exactly how such a show of thankfulness
might be received, he contented himself by repeatedly promising that he
would be punctual to the time and place appointed.

He would have loitered i