lar and
use the rubber cane on him. But he had no such intention, evidently, for
he said, in a voice unusually mild, "Yes, an' you needn't come to work
again until it's time to go into the tent."

Toby was almost alarmed at this unusual kindness, and it puzzled him so
much that he would have forgotten he had permission to go away if Ella
had not pulled him gently by the coat.

If he had heard a conversation between Mr. Lord and Mr. Castle that
very morning he would have understood why it was that Mr. Lord had so
suddenly become kind. Mr. Castle had told Job that the boy had really
shown himself to be a good rider, and that in order to make him more
contented with his lot, and to keep him from running away, he must
be used more kindly, and perhaps be taken from the candy business
altogether, which latter advice Mr. Lord did not look upon with favor,
because of the large sales which the boy made.

When they reached the skeleton's tent they found, to their surprise,
that no exhibition was being given at that hour, and Ella said, with
some concern: "How queer it is that the doors are not open! I do hope
that they are not sick."

Toby felt a strange sinking at his heart as the possibility suggested
itself that one or both of his kind friends might be ill; for they had
both been so kind and attentive to him that he had learned to love them
very dearly.

But the fears of both the children were dispelled when they tried to get
in at the door and were met with the smiling skeleton himself, who said,
as he threw the canvas aside as far as if he were admitting his own
enormous Lilly:

"Come in, my friends, come in. I have had the exhibition closed for
one hour, in order that I might show my appreciation of my friend Mr.
Tyler."

Toby looked around in some alarm, fearing that Mr. Treat's friendship
was about to be displayed in one of his state dinners, which he had
learned to fear rather than enjoy. But as he saw no preparations for
dinner he breathed more freely and wondered what all this ceremony could
possibly mean.

Neither he nor Ella was long left in doubt, for as soon as they had
entered, Mrs. Treat waddled from behind the screen which served them
as a dressing room, with a bundle in her arms, which she handed to her
husband.

He took it and, quickly mounting the platform, leaving Ella and Toby
below, he commenced to speak, with very many flourishes of his thin
arms.

"My friends," he began, as he looked down