Of course Nero didn't in the least know what the man was talking about. But the lion smelled the meat and he wanted some more; so he sat down in front of the kitchen door and looked at the ragged man.
"I don't know who you are," said Nero to himself, "and you are certainly not as nice as my circus trainer.
"But you have some more meat there," Nero thought on, for he could still smell the ham on the table. "I think you might give me a bit more. That little piece was hardly enough."
And so Nero sat there looking at the tramp, who was too frightened to move. He couldn't get out of the door, because the lion was in the way, and he didn't dare turn his back, to go over to open a window and jump out, for fear the lion would spring on him.
"Oh, I'm in a terrible fix!" thought the tramp. "This is the first time I was ever caught by a lion! It's worse than half a dozen dogs! Oh, what shall I do?"
There really did not seem to be anything for him to do except just sit there. And Nero sat looking at him, waiting to be fed some more meat, as he had been used to being fed in the circus.
And then something else happened. Back to the house came the farmer and his wife, and their little girl was with them. They had returned from their visit.
"Why, look, Mother!" cried the little girl, as she went up on the back porch. "The kitchen door is open!"
"It is?" cried her mother. "I'm sure we locked it when we went away."
"We did," said the farmer, who was the little girl's father. "Some one must have gone in—a tramp, maybe. I'll see about this!"