fles stamped once, and the idiot reduced the speed, until it was too
slow. Two stamps brought it right. The river soon disappeared in a
swamp, where the alligators' heads protruding above the water gave
Tiffles an opportunity to describe several terrific combats which he had
enjoyed with those pugnacious creatures. This entertained the audience
for several minutes.

"Have you no full views of alligators, sir?" asked a voice which Tiffles
presumed, from its solemn inflection, to come from a clergyman.

"None at all, sir. The African alligator persists in keeping out of
sight. You never see anything but his head--except his tail, as
represented here." Tiffles pointed with his wand to something that
looked like the end of a fence rail sticking out of the water. "True
Art, sir, sacrifices effect for Truth."

"Certainly, sir. Truth is what we are all after," replied the clergyman.
But there was an indefinable something in his voice that indicated a
wish for more alligator--much more.

The swamp ended in a dry jungle, interspersed with palm trees,
elephants, lions, tigers, and serpents. Tiffles counted upon interesting
his audience here. Snakes were first on the list. Two heads, with
expanded jaws and forked tongues, were looking at each other above the
jungle, and two tails were interlocked, also above the jungle, a few
feet off. This conveyed the idea of two boa constrictors fighting. Other
heads and other tails--there was always a tail for every head--stuck up
at regular intervals about. He stopped the panorama with a cough,
and said:

"The entire population of this particular jungle are--boa constrictors
of unprecedented size and ferocity."

Tiffles heard a rustle of fans and dresses not far off. It was the
whole female seminary shuddering. There was also a general movement
throughout the audience as of people adjusting themselves to obtain a
good sight.

"These boa constrictors, so admirably delineated here,"--commenced
Tiffles.

"Where?" said the voice of a country gentleman. "I don't see any bore
constructors."

"Nor I." "Nor I." "Trot 'em out!" "Show 'em up!" "Produce your snakes!"
Such were the remarks that resounded through the hall.

"Oh, no!" "Don't!" "Please don't!" emanated from several girlish voices.

"My fair auditors have no cause for alarm. I have no living snakes to
show. I might have captured several hundred, and brought them to this
country and exhibited them, but, in deference to the well-