And, as I say, Tamba learned, after a while, how to do it just right. But it took nearly a week. At the end of that time his trainer could put a bit of dog biscuit on the tiger’s black nose. Then Tamba would sit up on his hind legs, very still and straight, looking at his master.
“Now!” the man would suddenly call, and Tamba would jerk his head, up the piece of biscuit would fly, [and into his mouth it would go].
“That’s fine!” cried the man, after the second week, during which time Tamba had practiced very hard. “Now we are ready to do the new trick in the tent for the boys and girls.”
And when the trick was done the boys and girls laughed very much and clapped their hands. They liked to see Tamba do his tricks. Nor was this the only new one he learned. His master taught him several others.
Tamba would lie down and roll over when he was told; he would walk around on his hind legs, wearing a funny pointed cap; and he would turn a somersault, just as he had done the night his cage rolled downhill in the storm. All these tricks were much enjoyed by the boys and girls and by the men and women who came to the circus. Tamba was a very smart tiger. But, for all that, he never gave up the idea of running away when he got the chance, and going back to his jungle.
All this while Nero, the circus lion, had not returned. He had been away since the night of the storm, and Tum Tum, and his other friends, missed Nero.
