pulling would injure the neck , and if the head were to stick ... one hundred ten hippo-that was a lot of hippopotami , i thought , abstractedly envisaging herds of them marching down to the hollow , there they will wallow , in mud , glooooorious ... `` now , '' i said , poised to swab the mouth and nose as they emerged-but lizzie had n't waited for prompting , and with a long deep sigh and an audible pop ! , the head delivered all at once , and the baby fell into my hands like a ripe fruit .