There was an almost simultaneous cry from the onlookers, followed by a dead silence. The animal's small eyes twinkled viciously. It was evident enough that in crossing his path Al had excited his ire, and that it was his intention to revenge himself in a characteristic manner. Suddenly a sharp cry broke the silence. It was the voice of the elephant's keeper, who had been lagging a little behind, but who now came rushing up, shouting a command to his charge in a language unintelligible to most of his hearers. To all of them, perhaps, except the animal; it was plain enough that he understood it. His manner changed. He held his captive poised in the air a moment, then dropped him. Al fell heavily to the pavement directly under the feet of the beast. A new plan of revenge evidently suggested itself to the elephant. He was about to plant one of his huge feet on the boy's chest when the keeper again gave utterance to the same cry of command. The warning had its effect; the animal stepped over his intended victim, not touching him. In another moment Al had sprung out of harm's way. It was an exciting scene. Men were shouting, children crying and women sobbing. One nervous, hysterical lady, whom the boy had never seen before in his life, clasped him tightly in her arms, and wept convulsively on his shoulder. Al was, perhaps, the coolest person in the crowd. Disengaging himself from the embrace of his new-found friend, he said: "There's nothing to cry about, madam; I'm all right." "You're sure you're not hurt?" sobbed the lady, scarcely knowing what she was saying. "Not in the least; not so much as scratched." "You've had a mighty narrow escape, all the same, young man," said the elephant's keeper--the procession had come to a standstill, and many of the employees had crowded around the boy. "This ought to be a lesson to you not to try to cross a circus parade again." "It will be," said Al, with a smile. "At any rate, I shall be careful not to get too near the elephants." Just then a nervous, bustling little man with a notebook in his hand forced his way through the crowd to where Al was standing. "I represent the Rockton _Daily Banner_," he announced. "Please give me your name, sir." "Certainly," replied the boy, with an eye to business. "I am the advance agent of Wattles' New York Comedy Company, which plays here to-morrow night, appearing in----" "That's all right," the reporter interrupted. "I know what it appears in. But your name, please." "It is Allen Allston." "What! not the youth who so heroically saved the life of the child of Mayor Anderson, of Boomville? Not the same who was presented with the ring at the opera house last night?" By this time the circus parade had been resumed; but, in the immediate vicinity of the scene of the adventure we have recorded, it excited less interest than the interview between Al and the reporter. The boy colored and hesitated.