"Of course they did -- of course they did," replied Ben, with a
chuckle; "they carries a cookin' stove along with 'em, so's they can
give these little spreads whenever we stay over a day in a place.
Oh, I've been there!"
"And did they ask you to make a speech?"
"Of course. Did they try it on you?"
"Yes," said Toby, mournfully, "an' I tumbled off the platform when
I got through."
"I didn't do exactly that," replied Ben, thoughtfully; "but I s'pose
you got too much steam on, seein' 's how it was likely your first
speech. Now you'd better go into the tent an try to get a little
sleep, 'cause we've got a long ride tonight over a rough road, an'
you won't get more 'n a cat nap all night."
"But where are you going?" asked Toby, as he shifted Mr. Stubbs
over to his other shoulder, preparatory to following his friend's
advice.
"I'm goin' to church," said Ben, and then Toby noticed for the
first time that the old driver had made some attempt at dressing up.
"I've been with the circus, man an boy, for nigh to forty years,
an' I allus go to meetin' once on Sunday. It's somethin' I promised
my old mother I would do, an' I hain't broke my promise yet."
"Why don't you take me with you?" asked Toby, wistfully, as he
thought of the little church on the hill at home, and wished --
oh, so earnestly! -- that he was there then, even at the risk of
being thumped on the head with Uncle Daniel's book.
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