Mr. Castle assisted his pupil to dress, and when that was done to
his entire satisfaction he said, in a stern voice, "Now you can
do this act all right, and if you slip up on it and don't do it as
you ought to, I'll give you such a whipping when you come out of
the ring that you'll think Job was only fooling with you when he
tried to whip you."
Toby had been feeling reasonably cheerful before this, but these
words dispelled all his cheerful thoughts, and he was looking more
disconsolate when Old Ben came into the dressing tent.
"All ready are you, my boy?" said the old man, in his cheeriest
voice. "Well, that's good, an' you look as nice as possible. Now
remember what I told you last night, Toby, an' go in there to do
your level best an' make a name for yourself. Come out here with
me and wait for the young lady."
These cheering words of Ben's did Toby as much good as Mr. Castle's
had the reverse, and as he stepped out of the dressing room to the
place where the horses were being saddled Toby resolved that he
would do his very best that afternoon, if for no other reason than
to please his old friend.
Toby was not naturally what might be called a pretty boy, for his
short red hair and his freckled face prevented any great display of
beauty; but he was a good, honest looking boy, and in his tasteful
costume looked very nice indeed -- so nice that, could Mrs.
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