THE CAMP FIRE. 17 



down to watch the alligators lying on the opposite bank. I then 

 noticed that an alligator, when he came to the bank and heard the 

 others grunting in the reeds, climbed up as far as he could go with 

 his short legs, and then bending his tail under him, against the 

 beach, by that means, with a single jerk, threw himself up on the 

 bank. Now, therefore, as these animals live chiefly on streams 

 with low perpendicular banks, as they, by this example, do mount 

 the bank with the assistance of their tail, and as nothing was 

 made for naught, ergo, their tails were made to climb banks with." 



"As these animals frequently scratch themselves with their 

 hind feet, and as nothing was made for naught, ergo, their hind 

 feet were made to scratch themselves with." 



" That is sheer malevolence," retorted Poke. " You try to 

 take away my cane and don't offer another." 



" I did. I consider the tail an ornament, of as much use as 

 the tail of a mouse or a turkey gobbler." 



" And why should so cruel a monster, hidden in these solitudes, 

 have his person decorated ? " 



" And why should the flowers bloom in the ever-glades with 

 the same glory of colour as they do in the Tuilleries gardens ? " 



 There you go again. You are never kept down to the prac- 

 tical bearings of nature. I warrant you that these negro boys 

 would coincide with me, and give the true reason. Caesar ! Caesar ! 

 you sleepy-head. Explain to us the use of the alligator's tail." 



" Wha 's dat, maussa ? " 



" What does the alligator do with his tail ? " 



" Suck um in de winter." 



" You fool — you know better than that." 



" Da' so fur true, maussa. Mars' Poke, nebber see picaninny 

 'gator in de egg, just gwine to hatch, hey? Den he see little 

 'gator wid his tail in his mouf, and when he cum out de egg den 

 he take tail out of he mouf and eat hop-toads, and debil-bugs, 

 and sich like, till winter cum on, and den he curl up in de mud 

 and suck tail again till hot wedder." 



" There, Doctor, you have it, an explanation by a child of 

 nature ! I hope you are content." 



" Caesar, you 're a fool ! " said the Doctor sententiously. 



B 



