th the red rays of the rising sun. While thus engaged, he caressed
with his right hand the very small scrap of whisker that grew on his
right cheek. At first it seemed as if this were an unconscious action,
but he suddenly appeared to become absorbed in it, and stared straight
before him as one does when only half awake, mumbling the while in an
undertone. I could not make out distinctly what he said, but I think I
caught the words, "Yes, a little--a _very_ little thicker--six new
hairs, I think--umph! slow, very slow." Here he looked at Jack's bushy
beard and sighed.

Suddenly he thrust both hands deep into his breeches pockets and stared
at the black embers of the extinct fire; then as suddenly he pulled out
his hands, and placing the forefinger of his right hand on the end of
the thumb of his left, said slowly--

"Let me see--I'll recall it."

He spoke with intense gravity. Most persons do when talking to
themselves.

"Yes, I remember now. There were two elephants and four--or three, was
it?--no, it must have been four lions. The biggest elephant had on a
false front of fair curls and a marriage-ring on its tail. Stay; was it
not the other one had that? No, it was the biggest. I remember now,
for it was just above the marriage-ring I grasped it when I pulled its
tail out. I didn't pull it off, for it wouldn't come off; it came out
like a telescope or a long piece of indiarubber. Ha! and I remember
thinking how painful it must be. That was odd, now, to think of that.
The other elephant had on crinoline. That was odder still; for of all
animals in the world it least required it. Well, let me see. What did
I do? Oh yes, I shot them both. Of course, that was natural; but it
wasn't quite so natural that the big one should vomit up a live lion,
which attacked me with incredible fury. But I killed it cleverly. Yes,
it _was_ a clever thing, undoubtedly, to split a lion in two, from the
tip of its nose to the extremity of its tail, with one stroke of a
penknife--"

At this climax I could contain myself no longer, and burst into a loud
laugh as I perceived that Peterkin had spent the night, as I myself had
done, in hunting--though, I confess, there was a considerable difference
in the nature of our achievements, and in the manner of their
accomplishment.

"Why, what are you laughing at?" said Jack, sitting up and gazing at me
with a stupid stare.

"At Peterkin's dreams," said I.

"Ah!" said Jack,