hat,
which gave him a rather more comical than distinguished appearance.

The audience were dismissed as soon as possible; Abner was helped into
the wagon, perfectly delighted at being allowed to ride in a circus van,
and the party started for Uncle Daniel's.

Toby sat on the box with Ben, to show him the way; and when the gaudily
painted cart stopped in front of the farm-house; it was much as if a
peacock had suddenly alighted amid a flock of demure hens.

Uncle Daniel was out in the yard to receive his strangely assorted
guests, and the greeting they received from both him and Aunt Olive was
as hearty as if they had been old acquaintances.

There was a look of calm satisfaction on the skeleton's face as the odor
of roast lamb was mingled with Uncle Daniel's welcome when he descended
from the wagon; and as the company were ushered into the "fore-room,"
the air of which was pungent with the odors of herbs used to keep the
moths from carpet and furniture, a restful feeling came over them such
as only those whose lives are dreary rounds of travelling can feel.

Uncle Daniel insisted on taking care of the horses himself, for his idea
of the duties of host would not allow that Ben should help him, and
almost as soon as he had finished this work dinner was ready.

When all the guests were at the table, and Uncle Daniel bowed his head
to invoke a blessing on those who had befriended the fatherless, the
look of general discomfort old Ben had worn from the time he reached the
house passed away, and in its place came the peaceful look Toby had seen
on Sundays after the old driver had come from church.

It seemed to Toby that he had never really known Uncle Daniel before, so
jolly was he in his efforts to entertain his guests; and the manner in
which he portioned out the food, keeping the plates well filled all the
time, was in the highest degree pleasing to Mr. Treat.

Of course very much was said about the time when Toby was an unwilling
member of the circus, and Mrs. Treat and Ben told of the boy's
experiences in a way that brought many a blush to his cheeks. Mr. Treat
was too busy with Aunt Olive's lamb, as he affectionately spoke of it,
to be able to say anything; he was wonderfully fortunate in not choking
himself but once, and that was such a trifling matter that it was all
over in a moment.

Old Ben told Toby that night, however, that Treat would not have got on
so well, if his wife had not trodden on his toes f