While he was still sobbing away at a most furious rate he heard a voice close at his elbow, and looking up, he saw the thinnest man he had ever seen in all his life. The man had flesh-colored tights on, and a spangled red velvet garment--that was neither pants, because there were no legs to it, nor a coat, because it did not come above his waist--made up the remainder of his costume. Because he was so wonderfully thin, because of the costume which he wore, and because of a highly colored painting which was hanging in front of one of the small tents, Toby knew that the Living Skeleton was before him, and his big brown eyes opened all the wider as he gazed at him. "What is the matter, little fellow?" asked the man, in a kindly tone. "What makes you cry so? Has Job been up to his old tricks again?" "I don't know what his old tricks are"--and Toby sobbed, his tears coming again because of the sympathy which this man's voice expressed for him--"but I know that he's a mean, ugly thing, that's what I know; an' if I could only get back to Uncle Dan'l, there hain't elephants enough in all the circuses in the world to pull me away again." "Oh, you run away from home, did you?" "Yes, I did," sobbed Toby, "an' there hain't any boy in any Sunday-school book that ever I read that was half so sorry he'd been bad as I am. It's awful; an' now I can't have any supper, 'cause I stopped to talk with Mr. Stubbs." "Is Mr. Stubbs one of your friends?" asked the skeleton, as he seated himself on Mr. Lord's own private seat. "Yes, he is, an' he's the only one in this whole circus who 'pears to be sorry for me. You'd better not let Mr. Lord see you sittin' in that chair, or he'll raise a row." "Job won't raise any row with me," said the skeleton. "But who is this Mr. Stubbs? I don't seem to know anybody by that name." "I don't think that is his name. I only call him so, 'cause he looks so much like a feller I know who is named Stubbs." This satisfied the skeleton that this Mr. Stubbs must be some one attached to the show, and he asked, "Has Job been whipping you?" "No; Ben, the driver on the cart where I ride, told him not to do that again; but he hain't going to let me have any supper, 'cause I was so slow about my work, though I wasn't slow; I only talked to Mr. Stubbs when there wasn't anybody round his cage." "Sam! Sam! Sam-u-el!" This name, which was shouted twice in a quick, loud voice, and the third time in a slow manner, ending almost in a screech, did not come from either Toby or the skeleton, but from an enormously large woman, dressed in a gaudy red and black dress, cut very short, and with low neck and an apology for sleeves, who had just come out from the tent whereon the picture of the Living Skeleton hung. "Samuel," she screamed again, "come inside this minute, or you'll catch your death o' cold, an' I shall have you wheezin' around with the phthisic all night. Come in, Sam-u-el."