oment, and he could not stir.

He uttered a faint cry as he felt the touch of the elastic organ; but it
only began to stroke him caressingly, and recovering himself, he drew a
deep breath, held out the piece of cake, which was smelt directly,
taken, and this time disappeared in safety.

It was all done very slowly, and poor Peter thought to himself, "I
suppose he's enjoying of it all--but think of me!" He grew more
confident, however, and went on and on, presenting the generous supply
of bananas till only four were left, and these and the other cake he
thrust farther away, and stripping off his flannel jacket, he covered
the remainder in the bottom of the basket.

This he had just done when the trunk reappeared as usual, and summoning
up his courage to meet the disappointment and perhaps anger of his
visitor, Peter cried aloud:

"There! All over, comrade! No more to-day. Off you go!"

Just as if the huge beast understood him from the tone of his voice, it
raised its trunk and passed it about his shoulders and breast; and then
the poor fellow uttered a faint groan of despair.

"What a fool I was!" he thought, for he felt the trunk curl round his
neck and tighten gently; and his heart began to fail, when it was
uncurled, and stretched out again; the wall overhead creaked loudly, and
the end of the trunk was dipped in the big earthen jar.

There was a sucking noise, the trunk disappeared slowly, and Peter drew
the jar so that it stood just below the opening the elephant had made.
As this was done there came the loud squirting sound of the water being
sent down the huge beast's throat.

Then the trunk descended, to be recharged and disappear again, and
Peter, as the trunk was withdrawn, seized the supply-vessel and drew it
right away.

"Don't believe there's half a pint left," he grumbled. "What about
Mister Archie?--There, no more!" he cried aloud, as the trunk was thrust
back, passed over his shoulders again, and finally withdrawn, Peter half
climbing up to peer through the hole and see his visitor go slowly
muttering away.

"And him grumbling, too," said the lad--"ungrateful beast! He did give
me a fright. But, my eye, what a game! Look at him!" he continued, as
the hind-quarters of the monster concealed the rest of its form. "Just
like an awful great pair of trousers walking by theirselves!"

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

PRISONERS.

"There's a pretty go!" he cried, as he lifted the now light basket an