Without in the least intending it, he brushed against the skirts of a young lady who with her best beau was taking in the sights. She glanced down to see what the trouble was and, of course, discovered our Billy. Not knowing him and being very much excited anyway, she jumped to the conclusion that one of the wild beasts had escaped and that she was about to be eaten alive. But instead of running as you or I would have done, she shut her eyes and gave a little squeal and then tumbled over.
Billy knew that no serious harm had been done and so, instead of stopping to lend a helping hand, he took advantage of the commotion to forge ahead and very soon found himself standing close to the head of the biggest of all the elephants.
Some of my readers know how funny it feels to be right close up to one of these great beasts. Billy felt the same way, only more so. He didn’t dare to move for fear of attracting attention. The thought passed through his mind that, big as he was, he would not make more than five or six bites for the monster. He remembered again the story that Bob had told him of the way he ran and hid when he saw the elephant marching toward him. He no longer despised Bob for this and only wished he could do the same thing.
But bye and bye, as nothing seemed to happen, he began to feel better and to take notice. Then it was that he first discovered the elephant’s great trunk.
“I declare,” said Billy to himself, “that must be his hitching strap, and he is loose too, I believe that I will hold on to it till his keeper comes. That will make me all solid with him. There is nothing like standing in with the management. Perhaps he will give me something to eat for I am getting awfully hungry. I hadn’t thought of it before but I am. There has been so much going on all day that I have quite neglected my health. I’ll be sick tomorrow when I get home if I am not careful, and then Polly Parrot, as likely as not, will spread the story all over Cloverleaf Farm that I have been off on a spree. She is mean enough to do anything, that bird is!”
By this time Billy had advanced to the place where the end of the elephant’s trunk was dragging on the ground and quick as scat he had planted his two feet on it.
Poor Billy, he little knew what that bit of mistaken kindness was to cost him.
To his utter amazement and horror the supposed hitching strap began to curl up and before he knew what was happening, the big elephant had him tight around the waist and he was sailing up through the air. He had just time to think that he would be dashed to pieces the next second when he found himself planted firmly and securely right in the middle of the great elephant’s back.
What a shout went up! How the boys and girls laughed! How the people came rushing that way!