n
around as you can."

"Well, you can't stay here, an' the sooner you go back to the village
the better we'll like it, for we don't want anybody to know what we're
talkin' about."

Toby had attempted to speak once or twice while Bob was engaged with the
cripple from the poor-farm; but he did not get an opportunity until
Abner turned to go away, looking thoroughly sad and disheartened.

"Don't go, Abner, but come and set down here where it's cool, an'
perhaps we can fix it for you."

The cripple turned as Toby spoke, and the look which came into his face
went right to the heart of the boy, who for ten long weeks had known
what it was to be almost entirely without a friend.

"I don't see what you want him 'round here for," said Bob, petulantly,
as Abner seated himself by Toby's side, thoroughly exhausted by his long
walk. "He can't do nothin'; an' if he could, we don't want no fellers
from the poor-farm mixed up with the show."

"It don't make any difference if he does live to the poor-farm," said
Toby, as he put his little brown hand on Abner's thin fingers. "He has
to stay there 'cause his father and mother's dead, an' perhaps I'd been
there, 'cept for Uncle Dan'l. If I'd thought before about his bein'
lonesome an' not bein' able to play like the rest of us, I'd gone out to
see him; an' now we do know it we'll let him stay with us, an' perhaps
he can do something in the circus."

"The fellers will laugh at us, an' say we're runnin' a poorhouse show,"
replied Bob, sulkily.

"Well, let 'em laugh; we'll feel a good deal better'n they do, 'cause
we'll know we're tryin' to let a little feller have some fun what don't
get many chances;" and, in his excitement, Toby spoke so loudly that Joe
came running up to see what was the matter.

"Let him stay 'round here to-day, 'cause we've got all through
practisin', an' then tell him to keep away," said Ben, thinking this
idea a very generous one.

"He can belong to the show jest as well as not; an' if you fellers will
let him, I'll give you my part of all the money we make."

This proposition of Toby's put the matter on a very different basis, and
both Ben and Bob now looked favorably inclined towards it.

"Don't you do that, Toby," said Abner, his eyes filling with tears
because of the kindness shown him. "I'll go right away, an' I won't
come into the village again to bother you."

"You shall come into the village every day, Abner, an' you won't bother
us at all, fo