“Ha! Ha! Ha!” laughed the other voice. “That’s where you’re fooled. Though I’m sorry that I frightened you. Look up and you’ll soon see that I am not a snake. Though I must admit my long trunk does twist like one.”
Shaggo looked up and to one side. He saw a great, gray-colored animal, much larger than himself, standing near his cage. And it was this animal that had thrust in between the bars, something that the buffalo had taken for a snake. Then he saw it was not—that it was part of the great animal.
“Well, I see you’re not a snake,” said the buffalo; “but, if it’s all the same to you, please take your tail out of my hay.”
“This isn’t my tail,” went on the big creature. “My tail is on the other end. This is my trunk that you see.”
“Your trunk!” cried Shaggo. “What do you do with a trunk?”
“It is really only my nose, made extra long so I can pick up things with it and feed myself,” was the answer.
“Nonsense!” exclaimed Shaggo, who was beginning to feel friendly toward this new, big circus animal. “Do you mean to tell me you can pick up things with your nose?”
“Of course I can!” was the answer. “Do you want to see me? If you don’t mind I’ll take a little of your hay. It is fresher than mine.”
“Help yourself,” replied Shaggo.