Jacobs called to him to
help in packing up; and by the time the last spectator had left
the tent the worldly possessions of Messrs. Lord and Jacobs were
ready for removal, and Toby allowed to do as he had a mind to,
so long as he was careful to be on hand when Old Ben was ready to
start.
Toby thought that he would have time to pay a visit to his friends
the skeleton and the Fat Woman, and to that end started toward
the place where their tent had been standing; but to his sorrow he
found that it was already being taken down, and he had only time
to thank Mrs. Treat and to press the fleshless hand of her shadowy
husband as they entered their wagon to drive away.
He was disappointed, for he had hoped to be able to speak with his
new made friends a few moments before the weary night's ride commenced;
but, failing in that, he went hastily back to the monkeys' cage.
Old Ben was there, getting things ready for a start; but the wooden
sides of the cage had not been put up, and Toby had no difficulty
in calling the aged monkey up to the bars. He held one of the Fat
Woman's doughnuts in his hand, and said, as he passed it through
to the animal:
"I thought perhaps you might be hungry, Mr. Stubbs, and this is
some of what the skeleton's wife gave me. I hain't got very much
time to talk with you now; but the first chance I can get away
tomorrow, an' when there hain't anybody round, I want to tell you
something.
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