"Certainly," answered the keeper in the most amiable manner possible, leading the way to a little cage on the ground, where he had an animal housed about the size of a small dog.
"There," exclaimed the keeper, "is the sacred quadruped now known as the Ichneumon."
Bigelow ran his hands into his breeches-pockets and looked down very reverently upon the little fellow.
"Spoken of in Holy Writ?" repeated Bigelow.
"Often," said the keeper.
"Old Testament, probably," said Bigelow.
"Most probably," replied the keeper.
Bigelow took another long look.
"And he's alive, too," said Bigelow, drawing a long breath.
"But it costs a great deal of money," answered the keeper, "to preserve his life—most expensive animal we have—bathe him in salt water three times a day."