"When you're mixin' lemonade for circus trade," said Mr. Lord, in
such a benign, fatherly tone that one would have found it difficult
to believe that he ever spoke harshly, "don't be afraid of water,
for there's where the profit comes in. Always have a piece of
lemon peel floatin' on the top of every glass, an' it tastes just
as good to people as if it cost twice as much."
Toby could not agree exactly with that opinion, neither did he
think it wise to disagree, more especially since he was going to
ask the very great favor of being discharged; therefore he nodded
his head gravely, and began to stir up what it pleased Mr. Lord to
call lemonade, so that the last addition might be more thoroughly
mixed with the others.
Two or three times he attempted to ask the favor which seemed such
a great one, and each time the words stuck in his throat, until it
seemed to him that he should never succeed in getting them out.
Finally, in his despair, he stammered out: "Don't you think you
could find another boy in this town, Mr. Lord?"
Mr. Lord moved round sideways, in order to bring his crooked eye
to bear squarely on Toby, and then there was a long interval of
silence, during which time the boy's color rapidly came and went
and his heart beat very fast with suspense and fear.
"Well, what if I could?" he said, at length. "Do you think that
trade is so good I could afford to keep two boys, when there isn't
half work enough for one?"
Toby stirred the lemonade with renewed activity, as if by this
process he was making both it and his courage stronger, and said,
in a low voice, which Mr.
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