“Let’s go in and follow them,” chuckled Dewey. “See what they’re doing, b’gee!”
This suggestion was acted upon instantly. The two conspirators got up and stole over to the tent door, slid in, and dodged behind one of the wagons.
It was a very small tent, and they could almost have touched their victims with an umbrella. Yet the victims had not the least suspicion of any danger.
“They are feeding the elephant,” whispered Mark. “’Sh!”
Bull and his three friends had their Dockets stuffed with peanuts and were amusing themselves immensely. The single elephant was chained to the back of the tent; there was a small railing in front of him to keep people from going too near. That did not prevent them from throwing peanuts, however. It is a lot of fun to get a big elephant to raise his trunk in eager expectation and then to torment him by not giving him anything to eat. It is fun, at any rate, if you like to tease; Bull liked to, and the madder the elephant got the better he liked it.
An elephant is a peculiarly intelligent-looking animal. He can indicate his feeling very well with those twinkling little eyes of his. And the two conspirators chuckled as they noticed the way the animal was regarding his four tormentors. And then suddenly Dewey, chancing to put one hand in his pocket, gave a gasp of delight.
“By jingo!” he cried. “I’ve got it!”
Mark stared at him in surprise as he drew forth from his pocket a small bottle of whitish substance.
“What is it?” he inquired, whispering low.
“Something I got for the Parson,” chuckled Dewey. “It’s caustic potash! Watch!”