Then he told her -- after making her give him all kinds of promises,
including the ceremony of crossing her throat, that she would never
tell a single soul -- that he had had many thoughts, and had formed
all kinds of plans for running away. He told her about losing his
money, about his friendship for the skeleton and the fat lady, and
at last he confided in her that he was intending to take the old
monkey with him when he should make the attempt.
She listened with the closest attention, and when he told her that
his little hoard had now reached the sum of seven dollars and ten
cents -- almost as much as he had before -- she said, eagerly: "I've
got three little gold dollars in my trunk, an' you shall have them
all; they're my very own, for mamma gave them to me to do just what
I wanted to with them. But I don't see how you can take Mr. Stubbs
with you, for that would be stealing."
"No, it wouldn't, neither," said Toby, stoutly. "Wasn't he give to
me to do just as I wanted to with? An' didn't the boss say he was
all mine?"
"Oh, I'd forgotten that," said Ella, thoughtfully. "I suppose you
can take him; but he'll be awfully in the way, won't he?"
"No," said Toby, anxious to say a good word for his pet; "he always
does just what I want him to, an' when I tell him what I'm tryin'
to do he'll be as good as anything. But I can't take your dollars.
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