384 OUT OF DOORS. 



to open it at the right moment; his son, with 

 Thompson and Grodfrey, ^wo of the keepers, was close at 

 hand with a stout cloth ; Prescott, the head keeper, 

 was in charge of the engine, and Scott, the elephant- 

 keeper — a very active and daring man — was selected 

 for the dangerous task of entering the den. Every- 

 thing was arranged, to use Mr. Bartlett's own expres- 

 sion, ' like a trick in a pantomime ; ' for the whole busi- 

 ness could not last more than a few seconds. 



All being ready, Prescott ran the engine into the 

 house and began to pump into the pond, that being the 

 insult which the hippopotamus will least of all endure. 

 In she went, and, as she rose, Prescott pumped the 

 water in her face ; thus half blinding her, and gaining 

 just the time that was needed. Simultaneously Scott 

 ran into the den, picked up the young calf, which was 

 lying close to the water, and handed it through the 

 door to Mr. Bartlett and his assistants. The expectant 

 party took it in the cloth, and ran away with it. Mr. 

 Bartlett fastened the door, Prescott ran the engine out 

 of the house ; and, before she recovered from the sur- 

 prise of the water in her face, the enraged hippopota- 

 mus found herself alone, with nothing on which to 

 vent her fury. Of course she missed her calf, and 

 began to hunt for it, but her rage soon cooled down when 

 she could see no enemy ; and, except bearing a rather 

 deeper grudge than usual against Mr. Bartlett, she re- 

 gained her usual temper. Still when I paid her a visit 

 she looked ominously sulky ; and, as she lay half in and 



