The little girl observed his sadness, and she whispered, "Has anyone
been whipping you, Toby?"
Toby shook his head. He had thought that he would tell her what he
was about to do just before they went into the ring, but her kind
words seemed to make that impossible, and he had said nothing when
the blare of the trumpets, the noisy demonstrations of the audience,
and the announcement of the clown that the wonderful children riders
were now about to appear, ushered them into the ring.
If Toby had performed well in the afternoon, he accomplished
wonders on this evening, and they were called back into the ring,
not once, but twice; and when finally they were allowed to retire
everyone behind the curtain overwhelmed them with praise.
Ella was so profuse with her kind words, her admiration for what
Toby had done, and so delighted at the idea that they were to ride
together, that even then the boy could not tell her what he was
going to do, but went into his dressing room, resolving that he
would tell her all when they both had finished dressing.
Toby made as small a parcel as possible of the costume which Mr.
and Mrs. Treat had given him -- for he determined that he would
take it with him -- and, putting it under his coat, went out to wait
for Ella. As she did not come out as soon as he expected, he asked
someone to tell her that he wanted to see her, and he thought to
himself that when she did come she would be in a hurry and could
not stop long enough to make any very lengthy objections to his
leaving.
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