170 



FOUR-HANDED FOLK. 



neys. The girl who took care of the student 

 lamps usually placed the chimneys together in a 

 little grove, preparatory to cleaning them. This 

 was an irresistible opportunity to Nico ; the 

 moment he saw them he walked in among them, 

 swinging his tail, and knocking them right and 

 left in fine confusion. The chimneys were im- 

 ported, and costly, and many a hard-earned dol- 

 lar his mistress paid for this mischief. 



The only thing the baby tiger did that seemed 

 like genuine play was in imitation of the ways of 

 his ow T n grown-up relations, for although he was 

 brought up in a school — and a quiet girl's school 

 at that — and had never seen wild ocelot life, he 

 had a very clear notion of what it was like. 



This little fun of his was a make-believe hunt, 

 and his prey was a tame deer that liked to 

 run and exercise himself by bounding around 

 the edge of the court. Though his intentions 

 toward his fellow-captive w r ere most friendly, 

 yet something in the movement evidently stirred 

 his wild instincts. Creeping up one day cau- 

 tiously, to a row of flower pots which the deer 

 passed every time on its round, he crouched un- 

 seen, in true cat-fashion, and waited. As the 

 " game " rushed by he gave one wild leap, and 

 landed on its back, as neatly as though he had 

 been taught by a savage mamma, instead of 

 being the pupil of a gentle, peace-loving school- 



