not be afraid!"--to
the Deans.

"Don't you want to?" asked Mr. Underhill of his little girl.

Hanny drew a long breath and her eyes dilated. The howdah filled up, and
the ponderous creature moved slowly down to the end of the space and up
again, amid childish exclamations and laughter.

"Yes--I would like to go," said Hanny, when she realised the safety of
the proceeding.

"Oh, Doctor Joe, couldn't you help me up? It would be such a wonderful
thing to ride on an elephant that I should be glad all my life."

Daisy Jasper looked so eager and pleading out of her beseeching blue
eyes. So many pleasures must be foregone that he had not the heart to
deny this.

"Are you quite sure you will not be afraid up there?" he asked
earnestly.

"Oh, no, not with Hanny, dear Doctor Joe!"

He looked at Hanny. The little girl could climb trees and walk out to
the ends of the limbs and jump; she had swung her arms and said one,
two, three, and gone flying over the creek without falling in; she could
do "vinegar" with a skipping rope; she could walk the edge of the
curb-stone without tilting over; she could swing ever so high and not
wink; she wasn't afraid to go up stairs in the dark; but when the
elephant took the first long, rocking step, she felt something as she
had when Luella Bounett had run downstairs with her in her arms. She
grasped Daisy's hand on the one side and Charlie's arm on the other.

"Oh, Hanny, you're not afraid?"

"It's like being out at sea," and Daisy laughed.

But the back of the huge creature seemed up so high and his steps so
long. Then she summoned all her courage, and resolved that she would not
be a "little 'fraid cat."

The keeper interspersed the rides with stories of elephants in India
taking care of babies, fanning flies away from them, watching over sick
masters, and moving great timbers. Even if his eyes were small, he could
see any danger. You could trust him when he was once your friend; but he
never forgave an injury.

The big india-rubber feet came down with scarcely a sound. He flapped
his ears lazily, he turned around without spilling them out, and marched
up the line as if it was just nothing at all.

Daisy was thrilling with enjoyment. Her eyes shone and her cheeks were
like roses. She even put her hand on the elephant's crumply back, as
they came down the steps, and smiled in Doctor Joe's face, as he held
her by the arm.

"You were so good to let me go. Thank you a thousand ti