the boys stared at him again as if he were one of the strange
looking animals, and the one who had been the spokesman drew a long
breath of envy as he said, longingly, "My! what a nice time you must
have!"

Toby remembered that only yesterday he himself had thought that boys
must have a nice time with a circus, and he now felt what a mistake
that thought was; but he concluded that he would not undeceive his new
acquaintance.

"And do they give you frogs to eat, so's to make you limber?"

This was the first time that Toby had thought of breakfast, and the very
mention of eating made him hungry. He was just at that moment so very
hungry that he did not think he was replying to the question when he
said, quickly: "Eat frogs! I could eat anything, if I only had the
chance."

The boys took this as an answer to their question, and felt perfectly
convinced that the agility of circus riders and tumblers depended upon
the quantity of frogs eaten, and they looked upon Toby with no little
degree of awe.

Toby might have undeceived them as to the kind of food he ate, but just
at that moment the harsh voice of Mr. Job Lord was heard calling him,
and he hurried away to commence his first day's work.

Toby's employer was not the same pleasant, kindly spoken man that he
had been during the time they were in Guilford and before the boy was
absolutely under his control. He looked cross, he acted cross, and it
did not take the boy very long to find out that he was very cross.

He scolded Toby roundly, and launched more oaths at his defenseless head
than Toby had ever heard in his life. He was angry that the boy had not
been on hand to help him, and also that he had been obliged to hunt for
him.

Toby tried to explain that he had no idea of what he was expected to
do, and that he had been on the wagon to which he had been sent, only
leaving it to wash his face; but the angry man grew still more furious.

"Went to wash your face, did yer? Want to set yourself up for a dandy, I
suppose, and think that you must souse that speckled face of yours into
every brook you come to? I'll soon break you of that; and the sooner you
understand that I can't afford to have you wasting your time in washing
the better it will be for you."

Toby now grew angry, and, not realizing how wholly he was in the man's
power, he retorted: "If you think I'm going round with a dirty face,
even if it is speckled, for a dollar a week, you're mistaken, that's