XVII: OFF FOR HOME!
During this walk Toby learned many things that were of importance
to him, so far as his plan for running away was concerned. In the
first place, he gleaned from the railway posters that were stuck
up in the hotel to which they went that he could buy a ticket for
Guilford for seven dollars, and also that, by going back to the
town from which they had come, he could go to Guilford by steamer
for five dollars.
By returning to this last town -- and Toby calculated that the
fare on the stage back there could not be more than a dollar -- he
would have ten dollars left, and that surely ought to be sufficient
to buy food enough for two days for the most hungry boy that ever
lived.
When they returned to the circus grounds the performance was over,
and Mr. Lord in the midst of the brisk trade which he usually had
after the afternoon performance, and yet, so far from scolding Toby
for going away, he actually smiled and bowed at him as he saw him
go by with Ben.
"See there, Toby," said the old driver to the boy, as he gave
him a vigorous poke in the ribs and then went off into one of his
dreadful laughing spells -- "see what it is to be a performer an'
not workin' for such an old fossil as Job is! He'll be so sweet to
you now that sugar won't melt in his mouth, an' there's no chance
of his ever attemptin' to whip you again.
Pages:
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154