He thought it would be a
good chance to become better acquainted with the animals in the
cages and he decided to call on them all by beginning at one cage
and visiting each in order until he had completed the circle.
He could not stay where he was, for Nancy, the old maid camel,
made him nervous; she talked so much, and when she was not
talking she chewed her cud like an old maid chews gum.
"How can you stand her?" Billy whispered to the elephant.
"Oh, I have got used to it," said the elephant, "and I don't hear
her half the time, and when she gets _too_ bad I just pull the
flops of my ears down tight to my head, and I can't hear a word.
And then I set my trunk to wobbling and make it nod 'yes' half
the time and 'no' the other, and I find it answers quite well."
"But how do you know when to say 'yes' and when to say 'no'?"
Billy asked.
"I don't mind if I do answer wrong part of the time, and if I get
too much off she stops talking altogether and that pleases me
better, so you see it answers very well."
"But don't you get tired leading such an inactive life?" asked
Billy.
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