Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/202

 limitations,' And the sound of the Irishman buying freedom with a series of bull-like bellows swept by me and caused the chocolate populace without to shudder.

"‘Now we come to the hyena, the most treacherous of all beasts,' continued Tib, skilfully drawing the spectators away from Murphy's cage, as that animal, I observed with horror, tried to scratch his left shoulder-blade with a most unlion-like contortion. 'His record was kept for three years by my head trainer as to the number of digits he has chewed off, then the task was given up because of its monotony. So, not too near, señors and señoritas—not too near. See him show his teeth in vain—show your teeth, Reynolds—repining for his native lair. Note his antipathy to Nero, the monarch of the Abyssinian wild, for he hates and dreads his roar.—Roar, Murph.'

"But Nero, in desperation to escape a flea, began to clamber to his hind legs, and Tib saw the move just in time to jump to the bars and smite him on the nose.

"‘Damn ye!' mumbled Nero.

"‘By all the saints! it sounded as though he spoke!' gasped a little, dried-up señorita.

"‘Ahem! His long association with men has given his hoarse growl an almost human quality,' said Tib, his face going a bit white. 'Or maybe