[With a start of terror.

Can that be a lion that growled in the reeds——?

[His teeth chattering.

No, it wasn’t a lion.

[Mustering up courage.

A lion, forsooth!

Those beasts, they’ll take care to keep out of the way.

They know it’s no joke to fall foul of their betters.

They have instinct to guide them;—they feel, what’s a fact,

That it’s dangerous playing with elephants.—