ung here and there, till its owner had selected
the fruit most pleasing to its little pig-like eye, when with
serpent-like motion it rose in the air, and the end curled round the
selected fruit, which was lowered and tucked out of sight on the
instant.

"Now, look here, my lads," cried the proprietor of the menagerie to his
men, "I can't have you all standing here gaping like a set of idiots as
if you had never seen the brute before. Go in round behind him with
your whips and drive him out."

There was a murmur of grumbles from the men, that seemed to be echoed by
the elephant, which went on swinging its head up and down as if it were
balanced on a spring. But no one stirred.

"Do you hear me?" cried the proprietor, his highly pitched voice growing
quite shrill. "Here, I shall have no end of damages to pay for what
he's doing. They'll be putting it in the lawyers' hands, and they'll be
charging me a shilling for every apple he eats.--Eh! what's that? Not
safe?"

"No; he's got one of his nasty fits o' temper on," said the driver of
the great van which had come to grief.

"Tchah! Nonsense! You are a coward, Jem."

"Mebbe I am," grumbled the man; "but, coward or no, he knocked me flat
over on my back, and once is quite enough for one day."

"Yah!" shouted his master. "You are ready enough to come on Saturday
night for your pay; but if I want anything a little extra done, where am
I?--Here, give me the whip." And he snatched it from the man's hand and
walked towards the great beast, half-hidden among the trees.

"Say, you boys," growled the driver, "if I was you I'd just be ready to
run. You've only just got to dodge him. Stop and make sure which way
he's going, and then get in among the trees."

"Yes, quick: in amongst the trees," cried Morris, and he set the
example.

"Nay," growled the man. "Not yet. Wait and see first which way he
means to go."

Morris set the example of running in another direction, followed by his
boys and by the voice of the driver.

"Why, that's worse," he cried. "That's about the way he'd go."

"Then which--what--why--Here, what are you two laughing at?" This to
Glyn, who was stamping about with delight.

"Oh, I couldn't help it, sir," cried the boy, and before he could say
more there was another loud crack of the whip as Ramball made his way
round behind his rebellious beast and shouted at him to "Come out of
that."

He had hardly uttered the words when there was