“Diggeldy, Diggeldy, Diggeldy Dan,
Stay in the circle, those who can;
Whip touch nose, or trunk or snout—
The last one touched is counted OUT.”
“Of course that first time was just for practice. But now we will start in earnest, and the one who is touched by the whip when I speak the word ‘out’ must at once step aside. Thus we will continue until but one remains and that one will be the next to go galloping away on the White-White Horse.”
So the counting began. Out went Zebra and out went Seal and so on from one to another until at last there remained only Tiger and Dan.
“And now, that I may have no way of knowing which of you I shall touch when I speak the first word of the rhyme, I will ask Lion to place his paws tightly over my eyes,” the Pretty Lady requested.
“Now,” warned she, when her eyes had been covered, “are they ready, Lion?”
“They are.”
Down dipped the whip, and the Lady began touching first one and then the other, while all those who were out joined in the lines of the rhyme. And then, when it had brought them to the very last word, all fairly shouted a tremendous “OUT!”