"
The skeleton seemed to have expressed the views of those present
remarkably well, judging from their expressions of pleasure and
assent, and all waited for the honored guest to speak.
Toby knew that he must say something, but he couldn't think of
a single thing; he tried over and over again to call to his mind
something which he had read as to how people acted and what they
said when they were expected to speak at a dinner table, but his
thoughts refused to go back for him, and the silence was actually
becoming painful. Finally, and with the greatest effort, he managed
to say, with a very perceptible stammer, and while his face was
growing very red:
"I know I ought to say something to pay for this big dinner that
you said was gotten up for me, but I don't know what to say, unless
to thank you for it. You see, I hain't big enough to say much,
an', as Uncle Dan'l says, I don't amount to very much, 'cept for
eatin', an' I guess he's right. You're all real good to me, an'
when I get to be a man I'll try to do as much for you."
Toby had risen to his feet when he began to make his speech, and
while he was speaking Mr. Stubbs had crawled over into his chair.
When he finished he sat down again without looking behind him, and
of course sat plump on the monkey. There was a loud outcry from
Mr. Stubbs, a little frightened noise from Toby, an instant's
scrambling, and then boy, monkey, and chair tumbled off the platform,
landing on the ground in an indescribable mass, from which the
monkey extricated himself more quickly than Toby could, and again
took refuge on the top of the tent pole.
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