It was all done very slowly, and poor Peter thought to himself, “I suppose he’s enjoying of it all—but think of me!” He grew more confident, however, and went on and on, presenting the generous supply of bananas till only four were left, and these and the other cake he thrust farther away, and stripping off his flannel jacket, he covered the remainder in the bottom of the basket.
This he had just done when the trunk reappeared as usual, and summoning up his courage to meet the disappointment and perhaps anger of his visitor, Peter cried aloud:
“There! All over, comrade! No more to-day. Off you go!”
Just as if the huge beast understood him from the tone of his voice, it raised its trunk and passed it about his shoulders and breast; and then the poor fellow uttered a faint groan of despair.
“What a fool I was!” he thought, for he felt the trunk curl round his neck and tighten gently; and his heart began to fail, when it was uncurled, and stretched out again; the wall overhead creaked loudly, and the end of the trunk was dipped in the big earthen jar.
There was a sucking noise, the trunk disappeared slowly, and Peter drew the jar so that it stood just below the opening the elephant had made. As this was done there came the loud squirting sound of the water being sent down the huge beast’s throat.
Then the trunk descended, to be recharged and disappear again, and Peter, as the trunk was withdrawn, seized the supply-vessel and drew it right away.
“Don’t believe there’s half a pint left,” he grumbled. “What about Mister Archie?—There, no more!” he cried aloud, as the trunk was thrust back, passed over his shoulders again, and finally withdrawn, Peter half climbing up to peer through the hole and see his visitor go slowly muttering away.
“And him grumbling, too,” said the lad—“ungrateful beast! He did give me a fright. But, my eye, what a game! Look at him!” he continued, as the hind-quarters of the monster concealed the rest of its form. “Just like an awful great pair of trousers walking by theirselves!”