ul
content.

One of Toby's reasons for wishing to be by himself that afternoon was,
that he wanted to think over some plan of escape, for he believed that
he had nearly money enough to enable him to make a bold stroke for
freedom and Uncle Daniel's. Therefore, when the monkey nestled down by
his side he was all ready to confide in him that which had been
occupying his busy little brain for the past three days.

"Mr. Stubbs," he said to the monkey, in a solemn tone, "we're goin' to
run away in a day or two."

Mr. Stubbs did not seem to be moved in the least at this very startling
piece of intelligence, but winked his bright eyes in unconcern; and
Toby, seeming to think that everything which he said had been understood
by the monkey, continued: "I've got a good deal of money now, an' I
guess there's enough for us to start out on. We'll get away some night,
an' stay in the woods till they get through hunting for us, an' then
we'll go back to Guilford, an' tell Uncle Dan'l if he'll only take us
back we'll never go to sleep in meetin' any more, an' we'll be just as
good as we know how. Now let's see how much money we've got."

Toby drew from a pocket, which he had been at a great deal of trouble to
make in his shirt, a small bag of silver, and spread it upon the ground,
where he could count it at his leisure.

The glittering coin instantly attracted the monkey's attention, and he
tried by every means to thrust his little black paw into the pile; but
Toby would allow nothing of that sort, and pushed him away quite
roughly. Then he grew excited, and danced and scolded around Toby's
treasure, until the boy had hard work to count it.

He did succeed, however, and as he carefully replaced it in the bag he
said to the monkey, "There's seven dollars an' thirty cents in that bag,
an' every cent of it is mine. That ought to take care of us for a good
while, Mr. Stubbs; an' by the time we get home we shall be rich men."

The monkey showed his pleasure at this intelligence by putting his hand
inside Toby's clothes to find the bag of treasure that he had seen
secreted there, and two or three times, to the great delight of both
himself and the boy, he drew forth the bag, which was immediately taken
away from him.

The shadows were beginning to lengthen in the woods, and, heeding this
warning of the coming night, Toby took the monkey on his arm and started
for home, or for the tent, which was the only place he could call home.