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1After many inquiries and almost as many refusals, and perpetually using the words "Pall Mall Gazette" as a sort of
2talisman, I managed to find the keeper of the section of the Zoölogical Gardens in which the wolf department is
3included. Thomas Bilder lives in one of the cottages in the enclosure behind the elephant-house, and was just sitting
4down to his tea when I found him. Thomas and his wife are hospitable folk, elderly, and without children, and if the
5specimen I enjoyed of their hospitality be of the average kind, their lives must be pretty comfortable. The keeper would
6not enter on what he called "business" until the supper was over, and we were all satisfied. Then when the table was
7cleared, and he had lit his pipe, he said:-- "Now, sir, you can go on and arsk me what you want. You'll excoose me
8refoosin' to talk of perfeshunal subjects afore meals. I gives the wolves and the jackals and the hyenas in all our
9section their tea afore I begins to arsk them questions." "How do you mean, ask them questions?" I queried, wishful to
10get him into a talkative humour. "'Ittin' of them over the 'ead with a pole is one way; scratchin' of their hears is
11another, when gents as is flush wants a bit of a show-orf to their gals. I don't so much mind the fust--the 'ittin' with
12a pole afore I chucks in their dinner; but I waits till they've 'ad their sherry and kawffee, so to speak, afore I tries
13on with the ear-scratchin'. Mind you," he added philosophically, "there's a deal of the same nature in us as in them
14theer animiles. Here's you a-comin' and arskin' of me questions about my business, and I that grumpy-like that only for
15your bloomin' 'arf-quid I'd 'a' seen you blowed fust 'fore I'd answer. Not even when you arsked me sarcastic-like if I'd
16like you to arsk the Superintendent if you might arsk me questions. Without offence did I tell yer to go to 'ell?" "You
17did." "An' when you said you'd report me for usin' of obscene language that was 'ittin' me over the 'ead; but the
18'arf-quid made that all right. I weren't a-goin' to fight, so I waited for the food, and did with my 'owl as the wolves,
19and lions, and tigers does. But, Lor' love yer 'art, now that the old 'ooman has stuck a chunk of her tea-cake in me,
20an' rinsed me out with her bloomin' old teapot, and I've lit hup, you may scratch my ears for all you're worth, and
21won't git even a growl out of me. Drive along with your questions. I know what yer a-comin' at, that 'ere escaped wolf."
22"Exactly. I want you to give me your view of it. Just tell me how it happened; and when I know the facts I'll get you to
23say what you consider was the cause of it, and how you think the whole affair will end." "All right, guv'nor. This 'ere
24is about the 'ole story. That 'ere wolf what we called Bersicker was one of three grey ones that came from Norway to
25Jamrach's, which we bought off him four years ago. He was a nice well-behaved wolf, that never gave no trouble to talk
26of. I'm more surprised at 'im for wantin' to get out nor any other animile in the place. But, there, you can't trust
27wolves no more nor women." "Don't you mind him, sir!" broke in Mrs. Tom, with a cheery laugh. "'E's got mindin' the
28animiles so long that blest if he ain't like a old wolf 'isself! But there ain't no 'arm in 'im." "Well, sir, it was
29about two hours after feedin' yesterday when I first hear my disturbance. I was makin' up a litter in the monkey-house
30for a young puma which is ill; but when I heard the yelpin' and 'owlin' I kem away straight. There was Bersicker
31a-tearin' like a mad thing at the bars as if he wanted to get out. There wasn't much people about that day, and close at
32hand was only one man, a tall, thin chap, with a 'ook nose and a pointed beard, with a few white hairs runnin' through
33it. He had a 'ard, cold look and red eyes, and I took a sort of mislike to him, for it seemed as if it was 'im as they
34was hirritated at. He 'ad white kid gloves on 'is 'ands, and he pointed out the animiles to me and says: 'Keeper, these
35wolves seem upset at something.' "'Maybe it's you,' says I, for I did not like the airs as he give 'isself. He didn't
36git angry, as I 'oped he would, but he smiled a kind of insolent smile, with a mouth full of white, sharp teeth. 'Oh no,
37they wouldn't like me,' 'e says. "'Ow yes, they would,' says I, a-imitatin' of him. 'They always likes a bone or two to
38clean their teeth on about tea-time, which you 'as a bagful.' "Well, it was a odd thing, but when the animiles see us
39a-talkin' they lay down, and when I went over to Bersicker he let me stroke his ears same as ever. That there man kem
40over, and blessed but if he didn't put in his hand and stroke the old wolf's ears too! "'Tyke care,' says I. 'Bersicker
41is quick.' "'Never mind,' he says. 'I'm used to 'em!' "'Are you in the business yourself?' I says, tyking off my 'at,
42for a man what trades in wolves, anceterer, is a good friend to keepers. "'No,' says he, 'not exactly in the business,
43but I 'ave made pets of several.' And with that he lifts his 'at as perlite as a lord, and walks away. Old Bersicker
44kep' a-lookin' arter 'im till 'e was out of sight, and then went and lay down in a corner and wouldn't come hout the
45'ole hevening. Well, larst night, so soon as the moon was hup, the wolves here all began a-'owling. There warn't nothing
46for them to 'owl at. There warn't no one near, except some one that was evidently a-callin' a dog somewheres out back of
47the gardings in the Park road. Once or twice I went out to see that all was right, and it was, and then the 'owling
48stopped. Just before twelve o'clock I just took a look round afore turnin' in, an', bust me, but when I kem opposite to
49old Bersicker's cage I see the rails broken and twisted about and the cage empty. And that's all I know for certing."
50"Did any one else see anything?" "One of our gard'ners was a-comin' 'ome about that time from a 'armony, when he sees a
51big grey dog comin' out through the garding 'edges. At least, so he says, but I don't give much for it myself, for if he
52did 'e never said a word about it to his missis when 'e got 'ome, and it was only after the escape of the wolf was made
53known, and we had been up all night-a-huntin' of the Park for Bersicker, that he remembered seein' anything. My own
54belief was that the 'armony 'ad got into his 'ead." "Now, Mr. Bilder, can you account in any way for the escape of the
55wolf?" "Well, sir," he said, with a suspicious sort of modesty, "I think I can; but I don't know as 'ow you'd be
56satisfied with the theory." "Certainly I shall. If a man like you, who knows the animals from experience, can't hazard a
57good guess at any rate, who is even to try?" "Well then, sir, I accounts for it this way; it seems to me that 'ere wolf
58escaped--simply because he wanted to get out." From the hearty way that both Thomas and his wife laughed at the joke I
59could see that it had done service before, and that the whole explanation was simply an elaborate sell. I couldn't cope
60in badinage with the worthy Thomas, but I thought I knew a surer way to his heart, so I said:-- "Now, Mr. Bilder, we'll
61consider that first half-sovereign worked off, and this brother of his is waiting to be claimed when you've told me what
62you think will happen." "Right y'are, sir," he said briskly. "Ye'll excoose me, I know, for a-chaffin' of ye, but the
63old woman here winked at me, which was as much as telling me to go on." "Well, I never!" said the old lady.
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