y perch.

"Here, one of you, bring a bucket of water," cried Ramball. "He ain't
hungry now. Don't let him waste that hay. Have you fastened the
chain?"

Without waiting for the men to answer, the menagerie proprietor examined
the great fetters himself.

"Look sharp," he shouted; "quick with that water before he spoils all
the hay."

One man had hurried off to the pump with a couple of empty buckets,
while the others seized upon the truss which the elephant was
disturbing, but only to drop it directly, for the captive just lightly
waved its trunk right and left, and the men were sent flying in
different directions.

_Phoompf_ snorted the tyrant, and immediately went on picking up and
scattering the hay all around it, thickly covering the grass.

"Well, I suppose we had better get down now, hadn't we?" cried Glyn.

"Yes, sir--no, sir. Just wait a little bit, please," cried Ramball.
"You're a-keeping of him quiet; only I don't want this 'ere to be made a
free gratus exhibition for everybody to see. It's a cutting off my
profits. Hi, there, some of you! why don't you shut them gates?" he
shouted to certain of his men who were driving in the latter half of the
line of yellow vans.

"Can't get the rest in if we do, sir," came back.

"No, of course they can't," grunted their master, looking up at the two
lads. "Things is going awkward to-day, and no mistake.--Oh, here comes
the water," he continued, speaking now to Singh. "I dare say that will
cool him down. Just say a word to him, sir, and tell him to drink."

"Tell the men to put the buckets down before him," replied Singh; and as
the water-bearer drew near the elephant evidently scented the refreshing
fluid, and uttered a sonorous snort.

Directly after, as the man nervously set down the brimming buckets,
anxiously watching the waving trunk the while, and leaping away as he
saw it coming towards him, the tip of the great hose-like organ was
thrust into the first vessel, there was a low sound of suction as many
quarts were drawn up, and then the end was curled under, thrust right
back into the huge creature's mouth, and then there was a loud squirting
sound like a fire-engine beginning to play to put out the animal's
burning thirst.

Back went the trunk into the bucket again, the curving inward followed
for a second discharge, there was repetition, till in a very brief space
the first bucket was empty, and then, with a disdainful swing of the
trunk,