THE ZEBRA. AT THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 177 



" Oh, yes ! I heard on him." 



" Well, suppose that he had succeeded in converting 

 Tom Sayers, and dissuaded him from practising his 

 favourite calling (considered by many a vicious prac- 

 tice) >" 



" Yes, sir, I'm a listening on yer, sir," said he. 



" Well, suppose Mr. Spurgeon so far forgot himself 

 as to poke Tom Sayers' rib with a boat-hook, don't you 

 think Master Tom would give the reverend gentleman, 

 one for his nob in return, just by way of teaching him 

 a lesson in humanity ?" said I. 



" Yessir, I du, 'an he would serve Mister Spuggua 

 jolly well right tu, sir." 



" Then how can you expect the zebra to be tame, or 

 to keep his heels on the ground, while being punished 

 and irritated with that boat-hook ?" 



" Have you seen the 'potamus and the great salaman- 

 der, sir ?" said he, as he made a move from the neigh- 

 bourhood of the zebra, without answering my question. 



" Never mind the 'potamus nor the great salamander/* 

 said I to the keeper ; " tell me something more about 

 Mr. Earey and the zebra." 



" Well, you see, sir, when first Mister Earey vos in- 

 troduced tu the zebra, for tu tame him, he was ready 

 cotched, and tackled tu his hand ; he was muzzled, tu ; 

 vot du yer think o' that ? and I suppose all these vicious 

 bosses he hopperates on are muzzled, tu, for him, befora 

 he touches 'em. I call him a very 'cute cove, that. 

 Mister Barey. I suppose it did please the nobs of Bet* 



If 



