Stubbs reached
his little brown paws over and got such a hold of her hair that
all present, save Signor Castro, rushed forward to release her from
the monkey's grasp.
"You dear little thing!" said Mrs. Treat, paying but slight
attention to the hair pulling she had just undergone, and holding
Toby at arm's length so that she could look into his face, "you
were so late that I was afraid you wasn't coming; and my dinner
wouldn't have tasted half so good if you hadn't been here to eat
some."
Toby hardly knew what to say for this hearty welcome, and he managed
to tell the large and kind hearted lady that he had had no idea
of missing the dinner, and that he was very glad she wanted him to
come.
"Want you to come, you dear little thing!" she exclaimed, as she
gave him another hug, but careful not to give Mr. Stubbs a chance
of grasping her hair again. "Of course I wanted you to come, for
this dinner has been got up so that you could meet these people
here, and so that they could see you."
Toby was entirely at a loss to know what to say to this overwhelming
compliment, and for that reason did not say anything, only submitting
patiently to the third hug, which was all Mrs. Treat had time to
give him, as she was obliged to rush behind the canvas screen again,
as there were unmistakable sounds of something boiling over on the
stove.
"You'll excuse me," said the skeleton, with an air of dignity,
waving his hand once more toward the assembled company, "but while
introducing you to Mr.
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