Page:Whyte-Melville--Bones and I.djvu/25

 elephant,—or, ineeed, the Ojibbeway Indians?"

Here, contrary to his custom, "Bones" interrupted me in full career.

"One moment," said he, with his courteous grin. Allow me to point out that yours is inadmissible, as being simply an argumentum ad absurdum. It would hold equally good with Léotard, Mr. Beales, or any other public exhibitor—nay, you might advance it for suppression of the Lord Mayor or the Archbishop of Canterbury."

He bowed reverentially while he mentioned the last-named dignitary; and I confess I was inclined to admit the truth of his remark.

"Then I waive the question," I replied, "as regards the brute creation, though I think I could find something to say, too, about the weasel sucking rabbits, the heron