LONE WOLF 257 



was halted at an inland city for a stop of 

 many weeks ; and to house the show a cluster 

 of wooden shanties was run up on the out- 

 skirts of the city, forming a sort of mushroom 

 village flanked by the great white exhibition 

 tents. In one of these shanties, near the 

 centre of the cluster, Lone Wolf's cage was 

 sheltered, along with the cages of the puma, 

 the leopard, and the little black Himalayan 

 bear. Immediately adjoining this shanty 

 was the spacious open shed where the elephants 

 were tethered. 



That same night, a little before dawn, 

 when the wearied attendants were sleeping 

 heavily. Lone Wolf's nostrils caught a strange 

 smell which made him spring to his feet and 

 sniff anxiously at the suddenly acrid air. A 

 strange reddish glow was dispersing the 

 dark outside his window. From the other 

 cages came uneasy mutterings and move- 

 ments ; and the little black bear, who was 

 very wise, began to whine. The dull glow 

 leapt into a glare ; and then the elephants 

 trumpeted the alarm. Instantly the night 

 was loud with shoutings, and tramplings, 

 and howlings, and rushings to and fro. A 

 cloud of choking smoke blew into Lone Wolf's 

 cage, making him cough and wonder anxiously 

 why Toomey didn't come. The next moment 



