426 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



One day I was hurrying down to catch the 

 James' Slip Ferry; passing through Roosevelt 

 Street I approached the wild animal store which 

 used to be there, and was astonished to see a big 

 policeman with a sudden leap dash into the store. 



Anticipating an adventure, I followed close upon 

 his heels, but when I reached the interior the ani- 

 mals all seemed quiet in their cages and the pro- 

 prietor was seated on a low, flat box in the middle 

 of the floor. No one was excited but the guardian 

 of the peace. The big policeman's eyes were as 

 large as those of a giant squid; turning to me he 

 said: "Did you see that?" 



"What?" I asked. 



"Great jumping Jerusalem! Didn't youse see 

 it?" 



"No," I replied. "I'm afraid that I was too 

 late; what was it?" 



"Why," said the excited policeman, 



"THERE WAS A SARPENT LOOSE 



there wid a body as thick through as me own, and 

 as long as a fire engine hose." 



I looked warily around the. shop to see if the 

 "sarpent" was not hid in some dark corner, but 

 there was not a snake in sight. A belted peccary 

 near the door was eating peanuts; a mangy mon- 

 key with a pathetic face was busy picking dust 

 out of a crack in the floor in the rear of the store; 

 the birds, raccoons, white mice, and guinea pigs, 



