But it was so. Trouble was not on the porch.
“He must have gone down on the sidewalk,” announced Mr. Martin. “I’ll get him!” he added, just as the second herd of elephants came shuffling along.
Mr. Martin began to worm his way through the dense crowd. Suddenly a voice cried:
“Look out! Look out! That elephant’s coming right this way! Oh, look out for the little boy! The elephant will step on him!”
There were screams from girls and women and shouts from the men. The crowd broke and scattered at one point. Mr. Martin had a glimpse of a big elephant, refusing to be guided by the man sitting on his huge head, swinging into the crowd. Then Mr. Martin saw baby William holding out a bag of peanuts to the big beast that, stretching out its trunk, seemed about to step on the little lad.
CHAPTER II
THE BIG SHOW
“William! William!” shouted Mr. Martin to his small son. “Come back! Look out for the elephant!”
But what with the excited cries of those in the crowd, anxious to get out of the way of the animal, with the calls of the beast’s driver, perched on the elephant’s head, and with the noise of the steam calliope (which was coming along) it was impossible to make Trouble hear.
There he stood, almost by himself now, for the crowd had rushed away from him in fear of the elephant. But Trouble was not afraid. There he stood, holding out his bag of peanuts. In fact, it was this that had caused the elephant to get out of line with the others in the herd, and make a dash for the sidewalk. The huge beast either saw or smelled Trouble’s peanuts.
The animal now seemed beyond the control of his driver, for though the man on the big head of the elephant shouted and jabbed him with the sharp ankus, or hook, the beast would not obey. On he swung toward Trouble, and Mr. Martin was not close enough to catch up his little son in time, it seemed, to prevent his being trampled on.