HUNTING CHIMPANZEES. 81 



to my question as to whether he could solve the mystery, 

 laughmgly replied, " I think so. It must be Jack." 



'' Your chimpanzee ? " 



" None other." 



" I can't believe it." 



" Well, all you have to do is never to lose sight of the 

 cup of coffee to-morrow after it is set on the table." 



I resolved to follow his suggestion. 



At the usual hour Thursday brought my coffee, and 

 I lay with half-closed eyes watching the cup intently. 

 I had to wait but a few moments before the superstitions 

 of my servant seemed about to be justified. The cup and 

 saucer began to move from the centre toward the edge 

 of the table without any apparent cause ! I sat up 

 quickly, and the mysterious agent and his methods were 

 revealed to my astonished eyes. Crouching behind the 

 table, which hid him as the cup did his hand, was Jack, 

 who must have stolen in on all fours, so that I should 

 not see him, with an expression of prospective delight 

 on his greedy face that was comic. He was so intent 

 on his errand that he did not notice me at first, until 

 I uttered an exclamation of pleasure at catching the ras- 

 cal red-handed. Then, seeing Thursday blocking the 

 door at which he had entered, he sprang to a ventilator, 

 always open in this sultry climate, and with the greatest 

 ease and agility swung himself out on to the eaves, and 

 so into a neighboring tree. Safe in his improvised for- 

 tress, he hurled down upon us all the branches he could 



