e, he could
look down into the very enclosure from which Tom was so particular to
keep prying eyes.

"You can see right down in it!" Ned exclaimed.

"I told you so," returned Harry. "But do you see--it?"

Ned looked long and carefully. It was lighter, now that they were out
of the clump of woods, and he had the advantage of having the last glow
of the sunset at his back. Even with that it was difficult to make out
objects on the surface of the enclosed field some hundred or more feet
below.

"Do you see anything?" asked Harry again.

"No, I can't say I do," Ned answered. "The place seems to be deserted."

"Well, there was something there," insisted Harry. "Maybe you aren't
lookin' at the right place."

"Have a look yourself, then," suggested Ned, as he got down, a task no
more to his liking than the climb upward had been.

Harry made easier work of it, being smaller and more used to climbing
trees, a luxury Ned had, perforce, denied himself since going to work
in the bank.

Harry peered about, and then, with a sigh that had in it somewhat of
disappointment, said:

"No; there's nothing there now. But I did see something."

"Are you sure?" asked Ned.

"Positive!" asserted the other.

"Well, whatever it was--some bit of machinery he was moving, I
fancy--Tom has taken it in now," remarked Ned. "Better not say
anything about this, Harry. Tom mightn't like it known."

"No, I won't."

"And don't come here again to look. I know you like to see strange
things, but if you'll wait I'll ask Tom, as soon as it's ready, to let
you have a closer view of whatever it was you saw. Better keep away
from this tree."

"I will," promised the younger lad. "But I'd like to know what it
was--if it really was a giant elephant Say! if a fellow had a troop of
them he could have a lot of fun with 'em, couldn't he?"

"How?" asked Ned, hardly conscious of what his companion was saying.

"Why, he could dress 'em up in coats of mail, like the old knights used
to wear, and turn 'em loose against the Germans. Think of a regiment of
elephants, wearin' armor plates like a battleship, carryin' on their
backs a lot of soldiers with machine guns and chargin' against Fritz!
Cracky, that would be a sight!"

"I should say so!" agreed Ned, with a laugh. "There's nothing the
matter with your imagination, Harry, my boy!"

"And maybe that's what Tom's doin'!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean maybe he is trainin' elephants to fight in th