was a good, honest looking boy, and in his tasteful costume
looked very nice indeed--so nice that, could Mrs. Treat have seen him
just then, she would have been very proud of her handiwork and hugged
him harder than ever.

He had been waiting but a few moments when Ella came from her dressing
room, and Toby was much pleased when he saw by the expression of her
face that she was perfectly satisfied with his appearance.

"We'll both do just as well as we can," she whispered to him, "and I
know the people will like us and make us come back after we get through.
And if they do mamma says she'll give each one of us a gold dollar."

She had taken hold of Toby's hand as she spoke, and her manner was so
earnest and anxious that Toby was more excited than he ever had been
about his debut; and, had he gone into the ring just at that moment, the
chances are that he would have surprised even his teacher by his riding.

"I'll do just as well as I can," said Toby, in reply to his little
companion, "an' if we earn the dollars I'll have a hole bored in mine,
an' you shall wear it around your neck to remember me by."

"I'll remember you without that," she whispered; "and I'll give you
mine, so that you shall have so much the more when you go to your home."

There was no time for further conversation, for Mr. Castle entered just
then to tell them that they must go in in another moment. The horses
were all ready--a black one for Toby, and a white one for Ella--and they
stood champing their bits and pawing the earth in their impatience until
the silver bells with which they were decorated rang out quick, nervous
little chimes that accorded very well with Toby's feelings.

Ella squeezed Toby's hand as they stood waiting for the curtain to be
raised that they might enter, and he had just time to return it when
the signal was given, and almost before he was aware of it they were
standing in the ring, kissing their hands to the crowds that packed the
enormous tent to its utmost capacity.

Thanks to the false announcement about the separation of the children in
Europe and their reunion in this particular town, the applause was long
and loud, and before it had died away Toby had time to recover a little
from the queer feeling which this sea of heads gave him.

He had never seen such a crowd before, except as he had seen them as he
walked around at the foot of the seats, and then they had simply looked
like so many human beings; but as h