SOME GREAT PACHYDERMS 97 



under the hippopotamus who, scared nearly 

 to death at the sudden onslaught, immediately- 

 plunged down into the water; it would have 

 been difficult to tell which was the most ex- 

 cited and scared, the keeper or the hippo- 

 potamus ! 



There followed what must have been one of 

 the most amusing and unique sights on the 

 face of the earth. Every time the keeper 

 came to the surface and saw the hippopota- 

 mus, down he went into the water, and each 

 time the hippopotamus saw the splashing of 

 the water and the floundering object, he 

 promptly went below again. This went on for 

 some little time, the keeper watching his op- 

 portunity to get out. 



Fortunately he was a good and strong 

 swimmer, or it might have fared badly with 

 him, for he was getting exhausted. Finally, 

 as the animal once more sank down into the 

 water, the keeper swam boldly to the edge 

 of the tank, scrambled out in double quick 

 time, and not waiting to dress tore into the 

 house as fast as he could. 



