ink that's true, Paul?" asked Jimmy, doubtfully.

"Not quite," answered Paul, smiling.

"Don't you need to eat a good deal?" was the next question.

"Oh, no, not much. Half a dozen chickens and a couple of turkeys are
about all I generally eat for dinner. Perhaps I could eat more if I
tried. If any of you boys will invite me to dinner I'll do my best."

"I'm glad you ain't my son," said one of the boys. "I shouldn't like
to keep you in food and clothes."

"Well, now, I shouldn't mind having you for a father," said the giant,
humorously looking down upon his questioner, a boy of twelve, and
rather small of his age, with a humorous twinkle in his eye. "You
wouldn't whip me very often, would you?"

Here there was a laugh at the expense of the small boy, and the group
dispersed.

"Now, you've seen a large man, Jimmy," said Paul. "I'm going next to
show you a small one."

They moved on to a different part of the building, and joined another
crowd, this time surrounding the illustrious Tom Thumb, at that time
one of the attractions of the museum.

"There's a little man, smaller than you are, Jimmy," said Paul.

"So he is," said Jimmy. "Is that Tom Thumb?"

"Yes."

"I didn't think he was so small. I'm glad I'm not so little."

"No, it might not be very comfortable, though you could make a good
deal of money by it. Tom is said to be worth over a hundred thousand
dollars."

"I guess it doesn't cost him so much for clothes as the giant."

"Probably not. I don't think he would need to run a manufactory for
his own use."

But there were multitudes of curiosities to be seen, and they could
not linger long. Jimmy was particularly interested in the waxwork
figures, which at first he thought must be real, so natural was their
appearance. There were lions and tigers in cages, who looked out from
between the gratings as if they would like nothing better than to make
a hearty meal from one or more of the crowd who surrounded the cages.
Jimmy clung to Paul's hand timidly.

"Couldn't they get out, Paul?" he asked.

"No, the cages are too strong. But even if they could, I don't think
they would attack you. You would only be a mouthful for them."

"I don't see how Mr. Barnum dared to put them in the cages."

"I don't think Barnum would dare to come very near them. But he has
keepers who are used to them."

But it was time for the afternoon performance to commence. The play
was Uncle Tom's Cabin, which no doubt many