a crashing and breaking
of wood as if the elephant were making its way quickly through the trees
in obedience to the command; and as the sounds ceased, the menagerie
proprietor came staggering out without his handkerchief or whip, to
stand in the middle of his men looking half-stunned and confused.

"Did he ketch you, sir?" said the driver, with a laugh of satisfaction
in his twinkling eyes.

"Brought down his trunk across my back," panted the proprietor. "My
word, he can hit hard!"

"Yes, sir; I know. Knocked me flat on my back, he did."

"Knocked me on my face," cried the proprietor angrily. "Look here," he
said, "is there any skin off my nose? I fell against a tree."

"Took a little bit of the bark off," grumbled the man, who did not seem
at all sympathetic. "Hadn't you better let him fill hisself full, sir,
and have a rest? He'll come easy, perhaps, then."

"Do you want me to stand still here and see a devouring elephant go on
eating till he ruins me? We must all join together and drive him out."

"But he'll drive us out, sir," said the man in a tone full of
remonstrance.

"Then we must try again. I am not going to be beaten by a beast like
that."

"Look here, my man," said Morris, "hadn't you better tie him up to one
of the trees and leave him till to-morrow? They do this sort of thing
abroad, I hear, by tying the elephant's legs or ankles to the trunks of
trees."

"What!" shouted Ramball. "Why, he'd take them all up by the roots and
go cantering through the town, doing no end of mischief, with them
hanging to his legs. Think I want to have to pay for the trees as well
as the apples?"

"Then--er--lasso him and lead him home."

"Lass which, sir?"

"Lasso him, my man, with ropes."

"Why, he ain't a wild ostrich of the desert, sir. Look at him!--Here,
one on yer run off and fetch the longest cart-rope. This 'ere gentleman
would like to have a try."

The boys were roaring with laughter by this time, the mathematical
master's parasites joining in as heartily as Glyn and Singh.

"Don't be rude, fellow," said Morris.

"Don't be rude?" cried Ramball, who was fuming with disappointment and
rage. "Rude yourself. If you give me much more of your sarce I'll set
the animile at you."

As this was proceeding, the elephant, whose taste for apples had been
satiated, came slowly out into the open, to stand bending and bowing his
massive head, which he swayed slowly from side to side and blinke