hippopotamus, and three beautiful kitten leopards, and the most lovely little snow-white horse with a long mane and a tail almost sweeping the ground.

Barty could scarcely believe his eyes. When the little elephant tossed up his trunk and trumpeted for him he almost shouted.

"It seems as if you couldn't be real," he said.

"We are real," said the small elephant.

43

"But we are only like this once a year and no other boy has ever seen us."

And suddenly, just as he spoke, they heard a tramping and tramping and the sound of music grew louder and louder as if it were coming nearer, and the little elephant threw up his trunk and trumpeted very loud as if he were saluting royalty.

"What is it? What is it?" cried Barty. "Who's coming? Who's coming?"

He said it to the Good Wolf, who at that minute came running back in a great hurry, pushing his way through the crowd.

44

"Get into line!" he said. "Get into line! They are entering the hall—their Royal Highnesses, the Noah's Ark Rabbits!"