"What I want you to do," said Matt, "is to watch Dhondaram. Don't let him see you at it, mind, but just dodge around, keep tab on him, and don't let him suspect what you're doing."
"Hoop-ala!" said Ping, delighted at having such a piece of work come his way.
"Think you can attend to that?"
"Can do! You bettee. My heap smarter than Hindoo. You watchee, find um out."
"All right, then. Away with you."
Ping darted off toward the animal tent. At that moment Burton hurried up.
"Better get busy and make your ascent, Matt," said Burton. "The crowd's all worked up about that elephant business, and the quickest way to get the people's minds off it is by giving them something else to watch and talk about."
"I'll start at once," replied Matt, taking his seat in his accustomed place on the lower plane. "Let her flicker, Joe."
The king of the motor boys "turned over" the engine, switched the power into the bicycle wheels, and the Comet, pushed by McGlory and half a dozen canvasmen, raced along the hard ground for a running start.