low,
and fixes a baleful eye on the unconscious_ THOMAS.

_Thos._ I'll fill my pockets, and on pears I'll feast!

[_Sees Man-trap, and staggers._

Oh, lor--whatever is that hugly beast!
Hi, help, here! call him off!...

_The Monster._ 'Tis vain to holler--
My horders are--all trespassers to swoller!
You just come down--I'm waiting 'ere to ketch you.
(_Indignantly._) You _don't_ expect I'm coming up to fetch you!

_Thos. (politely.)_ Oh, not if it would inconvenience _you_, Sir!
(_In agonised aside._) I feel my grip grow every moment looser!

[_The Monster, in a slow, uncouth manner, proceeds to scramble up
the tree._

Oh, here's a go! The horrid thing can _climb!_
Too late I do repent me of my crime!

[_Terrific sensation chase! The Monster Man-trap leaps from bough
to bough with horrible agility, and eventually secures his prey,
and leaps with it to the ground._

_Thomas_ (_in the Monster's jaws_). I'm sure you seem a kind,
good-natured creature--
You will not harm me?

_Monster._ No--I'll only eat yer!

[THOMAS _slowly vanishes down its cavernous jaws; faint yells are
heard at intervals--then nothing but a dull champing sound;
after which, dead silence. The_ Monster _smiles, with an air of
repletion._

_Re-enter_ WILLIAM, _from_ R., _with_ BENJAMIN.

_Benjamin._ I'm very glad you came--but where is THOMAS?

_Wm._ (_severely._) TOM is a wicked boy, and better from us,
For on the road he stopped to scale a wall!...

[_Sees Man-trap, and starts._

What's _that?_

_Benj._ It will not hurt _good_ boys at all--
It's only Father's Man-trap--why so pale?

_Wm._ The self-same tree!... the wall that TOM _would_ scale!
Where's THOMAS _now_? Ah, TOM, the wilful pride of you!

[_The Man-trap affects an elaborate unconsciousness._

_Benj._ (_with sudden enlightenment_) Man-trap, I do believe poor TOM'S
inside of you!
That sort of smile's exceedingly suspicious.

[_The Man-trap endeavours to hide in the grass._

_Wm._ Ah, Monster, give him back--'tis true he's vicious,
And had no business to go making free with you!
But think, so bad a boy will disagree with you!

[WILLIAM _