r you shall go 'long of me everywhere I do, an' I won't
never walk any faster'n you can;" and Toby moved his seat nearer Abner,
to show that he took him under his especial care.

"He might help tend the door," said Joe, kindly, anxious to please Toby,
"an' that'll give me a chance to do more howlin' for the hyenas, 'cause
that'll be 'bout all I oughter do if I have to hold the hoops."

"Yes, he can do that," and Toby was very eager now, "an' we can get him
a stool to sit on, an' he can do jest as much as if he could stand up."

By this time Bob and Ben had decided that, in consideration of Toby's
offer, Abner should be counted as one of the company, and the matters
under discussion that had been interrupted by the cripple's coming were
again taken up.

Owing to the possible chance that Joe could not succeed in training the
blind horse sufficiently to make him useful in the ring, it was
necessary to know just what animals they could procure, and Bob offered
to see Chandler Merrill for the purpose of securing the services of his
Mexican pony, who had never allowed any one to ride him without first
having a severe battle.

"We can train him down all right," said Bob; "an' you fellers come down
now while I find out 'bout the pony, so's we can come back here after
dinner."

As it was very important that this matter should be settled as soon as
possible, Bob's advice was acted upon; and as the boys started to go,
Toby said:

"Come, Abner, you come home with me an' get some dinner, an' then you
can come back here when I do."

Bob was disposed to make sport of this sudden friendship; but Toby paid
no attention to what he said, and if any of them wanted to talk with
him, they too were obliged to walk with the boy from the poor-farm.

By the time they arrived at Uncle Daniel's, Toby had formed many plans
for making the life of the homeless boy more cheerful than it ever had
been.

CHAPTER IV

THE PONY

Toby's interest in the crippled boy whom he had taken under his charge
was considerably greater than in the contemplated circus; and both Bob
and Ben felt angry and injured when, in the midst of some brilliant plan
for startling those of the good people of Guilford who should come to
their circus, Toby would stop to say something to Abner, who was
hobbling along as fast as possible in order that he might not oblige the
party to wait for him.

For a number of years Toby had known that there was a crippled or