ights on, and a
spangled red velvet garment--that was neither pants, because there were
no legs to it, nor a coat, because it did not come above his waist--made
up the remainder of his costume.

Because he was so wonderfully thin, because of the costume which he
wore, and because of a highly colored painting which was hanging in
front of one of the small tents, Toby knew that the Living Skeleton was
before him, and his big brown eyes opened all the wider as he gazed at
him.

"What is the matter, little fellow?" asked the man, in a kindly tone.
"What makes you cry so? Has Job been up to his old tricks again?"

"I don't know what his old tricks are--" and Toby sobbed, the tears
coming again because of the sympathy which this man's voice expressed
for him--"but I know that he's a mean, ugly thing--that's what I know;
an' if I could only get back to Uncle Dan'l, there hain't elephants
enough in all the circuses in the world to pull me away again."

"Oh, you run away from home, did you?"

"Yes, I did," sobbed Toby, "an' there hain't any boy in any Sunday
School book that ever I read that was half so sorry he'd been bad as
I am. It's awful; an' now I can't have any supper, 'cause I stopped to
talk with Mr. Stubbs."

"Is Mr. Stubbs one of your friends?" asked the skeleton, as he seated
himself in Mr. Lord's own private chair.

"Yes, he is, an' he's the only one in this whole circus who 'pears to
be sorry for me. You'd better not let Mr. Lord see you sittin' in that
chair or he'll raise a row."

"Job won't raise any row with me," said the skeleton. "But who is this
Mr. Stubbs? I don't seem to know anybody by that name."

"I don't think that is his name. I only call him so, 'cause he looks so
much like a feller I know who is named Stubbs."

This satisfied the skeleton that this Mr. Stubbs must be someone
attached to the show, and he asked:

"Has Job been whipping you?"

"No; Ben, the driver on the wagon where I ride, told him not to do that
again; but he hain't going to let me have any supper, 'cause I was so
slow about my work--though I wasn't slow; I only talked to Mr. Stubbs
when there wasn't anybody round his cage."

"Sam! Sam! Sam-u-el!"

This name, which was shouted twice in a quick, loud voice, and the third
time in a slow manner, ending almost in a screech, did not come from
either Toby or the skeleton, but from an enormously large woman, dressed
in a gaudy red and black dress, cut very short, and with