uldn't go down so
well with the public. They want furrin riders, an' they must have 'em,
even if it does spoil your name."
Despite the fact that he did not like the new name that had been given
him, Toby could not but feel pleased at the glowing terms in which his
performance was set off; but he did not at all relish the lie that was
told about his having been with Ella in Europe, and he would have been
very much better pleased if that portion of it had been left off.
During the forenoon he did not go near Mr. Lord nor his candy stand, for
Mr. Castle kept him and Ella busily engaged in practicing the feat which
they were to perform in the afternoon, and it was almost time for
the performance to begin before they were allowed even to go to their
dinner.
Ella, who had performed several years, was very much more excited over
the coming debut than Toby was, and the reason why he did not show more
interest was, probably, because of his great desire to leave the circus
as soon as possible, and during that forenoon he thought very much more
of how he should get back to Guilford and Uncle Daniel than he did of
how he should get along when he stood before the audience.
Mr. Castle assisted his pupil to dress, and when that was done to his
entire satisfaction he said, in a stern voice, "Now you can do this act
all right, and if you slip up on it and don't do it as you ought to,
I'll give you such a whipping when you come out of the ring that you'll
think Job was only fooling with you when he tried to whip you."
Toby had been feeling reasonably cheerful before this, but these
words dispelled all his cheerful thoughts, and he was looking more
disconsolate when Old Ben came into the dressing tent.
"All ready are you, my boy?" said the old man, in his cheeriest voice.
"Well, that's good, an' you look as nice as possible. Now remember what
I told you last night, Toby, an' go in there to do your level best an'
make a name for yourself. Come out here with me and wait for the young
lady."
These cheering words of Ben's did Toby as much good as Mr. Castle's had
the reverse, and as he stepped out of the dressing room to the place
where the horses were being saddled Toby resolved that he would do his
very best that afternoon, if for no other reason than to please his old
friend.
Toby was not naturally what might be called a pretty boy, for his short
red hair and his freckled face prevented any great display of beauty;
but he
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