made.
Toby's very weariness was a friend to him that night, for it prevented
him from waking; which, if he had done so, might have been unpleasant
when he fully realized that he was all alone in the forest, and the
sounds that are always heard in the woods might have frightened him just
the least bit.
The sun was shining directly in his face when Toby awoke on the
following morning, and the old monkey was still snugly nestled under his
coat. He sat up rather dazed at first, and then, as he fully realized
that he was actually free from all that had made his life such a sad and
hard one for so many weeks, he shouted aloud, reveling in his freedom.
The monkey, awakened by Toby's cries, started from his sleep in affright
and jumped into the nearest tree, only to chatter, jump, and swing from
the boughs when he saw that there was nothing very unusual going on,
save that he and Toby were out in the woods again, where they could have
no end of a good time and do just as they liked.
After a few moments spent in a short jubilee at their escape Toby took
the monkey on his shoulder and the bundles under his arm again, and went
cautiously out to the edge of the thicket, where he could form some idea
as to whether or no they were pursued.
He had entered the woods at the brow of a small hill when he had fled
so hastily on the previous evening, and, looking down, he could see the
spot whereon the tents of the circus had been pitched, but not a sign
of them was now visible. He could see a number of people walking around,
and he fancied that they looked up every now and then to where he stood
concealed by the foliage.
This gave him no little uneasiness, for he feared that Mr. Lord or Mr.
Castle might be among the number, and he believed that they would begin
a search for him at once, and that the spot where their attention would
first be drawn was exactly where he was then standing.
"This won't do, Mr. Stubbs," he said, as he pushed the monkey higher
up on his shoulder and started into the thickest part of the woods; "we
must get out of this place an' go farther down, where we can hide till
tomorrow mornin'. Besides, we must find some water where we can wash our
faces."
The old monkey would hardly have been troubled if they had not got their
faces washed for the next month to come; but he grinned and talked as
Toby trudged along, attempting to catch hold of the leaves as they were
passed, and in various other ways impe
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