There was no one around the cages, and Toby got just as near to
the iron bars as possible. No sooner had he flattened his little
pug nose against the iron than the aged monkey came down from the
ring in which he had been swinging, and, seating himself directly
in front of Toby's face, looked at him most compassionately.
It would not have surprised the boy just then if the animal had
spoken; but as he did not, Toby did the next best thing and spoke
to him.
"I s'pose you remember that you saw me this afternoon, an' somebody
told you that I was goin' to join the circus, didn't they?"
The monkey made no reply, though Toby fancied that he winked an
affirmative answer; and he looked so sympathetic that he continued,
confidentially:
"Well, I'm the same feller, an' I don't mind telling you that I'm
awfully sorry that I promised that candy man I'd go with him. Do
you know that I came near crying at the supper table tonight; an'
Uncle Dan'l looked real good an' nice, though I never thought so
before. I wish I wasn't goin', after all, 'cause it don't seem a
bit like a good time now; but I s'pose I must, 'cause I promised
to, an' 'cause the candy man has got all my things."
The big tears had begun to roll down Toby's cheeks, and as he
ceased speaking the monkey reached out one little paw, which Toby
took as earnestly as if it had been done purposely to console him.
Pages:
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26