When they got there, they found the
elephant had broken down a little bridge that crossed the narrow
stream and there was no way to get the wagons over. The elephant,
before crossing, had put his forefoot out to try the strength of
the bridge and with a little shake the bridge had collapsed and
dropped into the water. Had he stepped on it without trying it,
he would most likely have been killed for it surely would have
gone down with him on it.
The only way now to get across was for the wagons to drive down
the steep embankment, through the water and up the other side.
This they proceeded to do, but Billy and Betty jumped the space.
Then they scampered on ahead after the horseback riders who had
gone before.
As they ran they could hear the lion's roar and the hyena's laugh
when their cages were driven into the water, and the water rose
on them, while the elephants kept up such a trumpeting that it
awoke all the country folks who were near enough to hear it, and
they thought the Day of Judgment had come and it was Gabriel's
trumpet they heard.
A poor, ignorant Swedish family that lived on the bank of the
stream by the bridge were awakened by the noise but were afraid
to get up and look out of the window to see what all the
commotion was about.
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