aces of the three individuals whom it was holding in siege. All
three, who chanced to be sitting close together, were at the same
instant, and alike, the victims of this unexpected deluge; and before
any of them could have counted half a score, they were wet from head to
foot, every rag upon their backs, and fronts too, becoming as thoroughly
saturated as if they had been exposed for hours to a drenching rain
storm!

But the elephant was not satisfied with giving them a single
shower-bath. As soon as its first supply was exhausted, it once more
immersed its pliant sucker, re-filled the reservoir, took a good aim,
and ejected the fluid into their faces.

In this way the creature continued drawing up the water from the stream,
and squirting it from its vast muscular syringe, until it had douched
them nearly a dozen times.

Their situation was anything but enviable; for the watery stream,
propelled against them with as much force as from the hose-pipe of a
fire-engine, almost washed them from their unstable seats; to say
nothing of the great discomfort which the douche occasioned them.

It would be difficult to guess what could be the object of the elephant
in this curious performance. Perhaps it may have conceived a hope
either of driving them out of the tree, or forcibly washing them from
the branches; or perhaps it merely designed to make their situation as
uncomfortable as possible, and thus to some extent satisfy its spite.

It would be equally difficult to tell how long the performance might
have lasted. Perhaps for hours longer--since the supply of water was
inexhaustible; but it was brought to a conclusion which neither the
great pachyderm himself foresaw, nor they who were the subjects of his
aqueous dispensation.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

SWALLOWED WHOLESALE.

Just while it was in the midst of its performance, keeping its
_water-battery_ in full play, and apparently with malicious enjoyment,
it was seen all at once to desist; and then its huge body commenced
rocking from side to side, one shoulder now upheaving, then the other,
while the long trunk was swept in circles through the air, at the same
time emitting, instead of water, shrill sounds that proclaimed either
pain or terror.

What could it mean? The quadruped was evidently smitten with some
sudden fear; but who and what was the enemy it dreaded? So mentally
inquired Karl and Caspar; but before either had time to shape his
thought into an