"Why not what?" said the Major.

"Have a grand parade, sir.  There's the Queen's Birthday next week."

"Yes," said Sir Charles.

"Eh?" grunted the Major.  "Grand parade?  You mean make a bit of a show?
Full review order, and the band?"

"I'd finish off with that, sir," said Archie; "but I'd have every man
out, and get up a thoroughly good sham-fight, burn plenty of powder,
make everything as real as could be, and after plenty of firing and
evolution, form in line and deliver a regular good charge."

"Yes," said the Major, "there's something in that.  But what's the good
of doing it with only the people of the campong to look on?"

"Oh, I wouldn't do it shabbily, sir.  I think, in honour of Her
Majesty's birthday, Sir Charles ought to give a big banquet here, and
invite both Rajah Suleiman and Rajah Hamet to come in force with their
followers, and after the sham-fight have it all arranged that their
people shall be well feasted."

"But the expense--the expense, sir!" cried Sir Charles.

"You go on, Archie Maine," said the Major.  "Capital!  Hang the
expense!"

"But all these things have to be considered, sir," said the diplomat
rather coldly.

"Yes, sir; and I am considering them," said the Major.  "I think the
plan's excellent.  It will be killing two birds with one stone.  I'll
make it so real that we shall overawe the people, and please them and
make them more friendly, at one stroke.  Why, it will be worth in
prestige twenty times as much as the money it will cost."

"Then you think we ought to do it, Major?"

"Think we ought to do it, Dallas?" said the Major in astonished tones.
"Why, of course.  Don't you?"

"I think it's worth consideration, certainly, but I am not for coming to
a rash decision."

"Rash!" said the Major hotly.  "I don't call that rash.  What is there
rash in it?"

"Several things occur to my mind," said the Resident.

"Never mind the several; let's have one," said the Major, with the
facial muscles making his moustache twitch sharply.

"Well, sir, we are few in number.  Would it be wise to invite these two
Eastern princes to come here in force and well-armed, so that they could
combine and try to sweep us out of existence?"

"What! when our men are hot with excitement and ready to smell mischief
in a good sham-fight?  I should just like to see them try--eh, Maine?"

"Yes, sir," said Archie, with his eyes twinkling.  "I think they would
make a mistake."

"Yes," said the Major, leaning forward to give the boy a slap on the
knee that made him wince.  "And what about your despised British
bayonets then--eh, sir?  Eh?"

"Ah!" said the Resident thoughtfully.

"Oh, nonsense, nonsense, Sir Charles!" cried the Major.  "Come, I think
this is a grand proposal, and I can only see one failing in it."

"What's that, sir?"

"That I didn't think of it myself.  Why, my dear sir, it's splendid; and
I tell you what, we have got a pretty good supply in store.  Our fellows
shall give them a grand _salvo_ of rockets at night from boats in the
river, by way of a finish off, the band playing `God save the Queen' the
while, with plenty of big drum."

"And you might make the campong people illuminate all their boats on the
river," said Archie.

"Capital!  Of course!" cried the Major.

"Humph!  Yes," said Sir Charles.  "And I might send in my invitation
despatch a request to the two Rajahs to arrange that their nagas shall
be well hung with lanterns."

"Hear that, Archie?" said the Major, chuckling.  "He's coming round."

"Well, yes, on further thought," said the Resident, "if such a _fete_
were made of the matter it would be a great attraction, and must impress
not only the followers of the two Rajahs, but the inhabitants of every
campong within reach.  But I am afraid--"

"I'm not," said the Major.

"I was going to say, of the expense."

"Oh, hang the expense! as I said before," cried the Major.  "Let's do it
well, and think about the cost later on.  I say that these people,
bloodthirsty as they are, quarrelsome, and generally spoiling for a
fight, are such children at heart that they would be delighted, and
believe more than ever in the followers of her they call the Great White
Queen.  Now, Sir Charles, are you with me?"

"Yes, Major," said the Resident, "I must confess that I am."

"Settled," said the Major, drawing himself up.  "The Queen's Birthday,
then.  We haven't much time to spare.--What's that?" he continued, as
Sir Charles left the Major's quarters, where the above discussion had
taken place.  "What's that you say--it might be dangerous to bring the
followers of those two fellows together, seeing what enemies they are?
I never thought of that, Maine."

"You see, they began using their krises, sir, that night of the mess
dinner."

"Humph!  Yes.  Then they were hanging about with nothing to do but growl
at each other.  Oh, I don't think we need study that, my lad.  You see,
their attention will be taken up--plenty to see, plenty to eat and
drink--and we shall have all our lads under arms and prepared for any
little _emeute_.  Oh no, my lad, we won't seek clouds where there are
none.  All the same, we'll be prepared."

CHAPTER TEN.

PETER TURNS MAHOUT.

It was the morning appointed for the review, the preparations having
been all made on the previous day; and the _reveille_ rang out, making
Archie Maine turn over upon his charpoy bed with an angry grunt, for
instead of unbuttoning his eyelids he squeezed them up extra tight.

"Mr Archie, sir, don't you hear the call?"

"Hear it?  Yes.  What does it mean?"

"Look sharp, sir.  I'm putting your things straight.  Tumble up and
tumble in."

"Be quiet, you noisy rascal!  What does it all mean?  I say, we are in
the middle of the night!"

"Not it, sir.  Do look sharp, sir."

"But what for?"

"It's because of the review, I suppose, sir.  The lads are all tumbling
up as if there was some alarm.  I ain't half dressed."

"Alarm!  Nonsense!  Sha'n't get up till the regular time."

"Hi!  Hullo, Maine!" and Captain Down's voice was heard outside.  "Are
you nearly ready?  Company's all turned out."

"Ready--no!  What's the matter?"

"Don't quite know, but I think we are being attacked.  The watch have
come in with news that a strong party of the Malays are approaching by
the forest path, out beyond the campong."

"What stuff!" cried Archie, beginning to dress sleepily.  "It's the
country-people coming in to see the show.--Here, you, Peter Pegg, why
don't you get a light?  Who's to see to dress?"

"Slip into your things, man," cried the Captain irritably.  "No
nonsense.  Recollect where we are."

"Oh, all right," grumbled Archie.  "I know it's only a false alarm."

"False alarm or no, the Major was half dressed before I came on here."

"Oh, all right," grumbled Archie again; "I'll manage.--Pete," he
whispered, "try to get me a cup of coffee."

"Who's that?" cried the Captain.

"Sergeant, sir--Ripsy," came in that non-com's deep, important voice.

"Well, what's up?"

"Well, sir, they may be coming to see the review, but it don't look like
it.  There's a strong body of well-armed natives just the other side of
the campong, and they may be friends or they may be enemies, but we have
got to be ready for them, anyhow.  You see, sir, it don't look right,
because if they had been friends they would have been coming down the
river in their boats.  These 'ere must have been marching all night; and
they have got elephants with them."

Whatever the body of Malays was, short as was the notice given, they
found that the English cantonments were well guarded, and those who
approached beyond the native village, where the main body had halted,
were stopped before they could get any farther.

It was quite dark, and the whole appearance of the body of men suggested
a night attack; but before long native messengers came into camp with a
message from the chief officers of Rajah Suleiman to say that they had
had a long night march so as to reach Campong Dang before sunrise, on
account of the heat, and asking that they might be furnished with
refreshments for His Highness, and be given permission for the elephants
to be brought into camp by their mahouts, to be placed in the shade of
the trees by the parade-ground while the grass-cutters went out for
their food.

Messages then began to pass to and fro, and invitations were sent to the
Rajah and his officers to join the officers' mess at breakfast and rest,
as it would be hours before the military evolutions would begin.

The excitement and bustle quickly calmed down; pickets were stationed,
with orders that none of the Malays were to come into camp; and the
mess-men were almost ready to announce breakfast, when the Doctor came
bustling on to the scene, and one of the first people he stumbled
against was Archie.

"Oh, here you are," he cried, hastily fastening one or two buttons of
his white flannels.  "Just the fellow I wanted to see."

"Morning, Doctor.  How are you?" replied the lad.

"Bad.  Up nearly all night with a couple of sick people, and I was at
last just sinking into a pleasant doze when those wretched bugles began
to ring out.  All your doing."

"My doing, sir?"

"Yes--upsetting our regular routine.  It will be just as I expected when
the Major arranged for tins absurdity.  As if Her Majesty couldn't have
a birthday without everybody going mad with a desire to get sunstroke."

"Have some breakfast, sir," said Archie quietly.  "You will feel better
then."

"Better, sir?  Bah!  Nothing the matter with me now.  Eh, what?  Is the
coffee ready?  Can't be.  These princes and potentates haven't all come
in yet, and I suppose we shall have to wait for them."

"No, you won't, sir.  Captain Down and some more of us who will have to
be on duty have got a snug corner to ourselves, and we are going to have
a snatch meal before going out."

"Oh," said the Doctor in a more mollified tone.  "Then there is somebody
here blessed with brains!  Who was it--Down?"

"No, sir; if I must confess," cried Archie, "it was I."

"Oh," said the Doctor.  "Then you must have been thinking of number one,
sir."

"No, Doctor.  My fellow, Peter Pegg, got me a cup of coffee an hour
ago."

Matters soon settled quietly down, and the swarthy-looking Rajah
Suleiman, in gorgeous array and attended by quite a staff of his
notables--Maharajah Lela, Tumongong, Muntri, Lakasamana, and the rest of
them--was haughtily partaking of an excellent breakfast, with a string
of followers behind the chairs of him and his suite--pipe-bearers,
betel-box carriers, and other attendants; while a picked guard of his
finest men in a uniform of yellow satin, all armed with the lim-bing or
throwing-spear and kris, were drawn up in the veranda, carefully
watching over their lord in the mess-room, and as carefully watched over
themselves by a guard of quiet-looking linesmen with fixed bayonets.

It fell to Archie's lot to be near the clump of trees beneath which the
half-dozen splendid elephants that brought in the Rajah were being fed
and groomed.

They had come in covered with mud from their journey along the narrow
forest path formed of a line of deep mud-holes made by the elephants
themselves, every one of the huge animals invariably planting his feet
in the track of the one which had preceded him.  Their trappings during
the journey had been carefully rolled-up, and now hung with the howdahs
from horizontal branches of the sheltering trees.

As soon as it was light the great beasts had been marched down by their
attendants to the landing-place for a swim, and brought out again back
to the shelter to be carefully groomed, and now stood partaking
contentedly of their morning meal, prior to being decked with their gay
howdah-cloths and other trappings.

One of the first men that Archie encountered was Peter Pegg, who was
standing watching the mahouts, who in turn were overlooking the
attendants whose duty it was to groom the Rajah's stud.

"How is it you are not on duty?" he said.

"Am, sir," said the lad.  "The Sergeant put me here to keep a heye on
these helephant chaps and see as they don't get quarrelling with t'other
Rajah's men."

"Why, they have not come yet, have they--Rajah Hamet, I mean, and his
people?"

"Oh yes, sir; and they are out yonder--helephants and all.  Joe Smithers
is doing the same job with them."

"Did you see the Rajah?"

"No, sir," replied the lad; "only 'eerd he was there.  I am to be
relieved to go to breakfast in a hour's time."

Archie nodded and went on.  The hour passed, and Peter, who had no
further orders, forgot all about breakfast in the deep interest he took
in the proceedings of those who had the elephants in charge; while as he
waited for the bugle-call which would summon him to the ranks, he stood
watching the finishing touches being given to the elephants, now
browsing on the plenteous supply of fresh green leafage thrown before
them by the grass-cutters, and began to make friends with the mahouts.

He tried one after the other, but on each occasion only to meet with a
surly scowl.

He was going to cross to the man in charge of the finest of the
elephants--a little, sturdy fellow, who only looked on while the
attendants were busy over the showy trappings, the edgings of which
glistened with a big bullion fringe, and who himself was showily dressed
in the Royal yellow, which suggested that this must be the Rajah's own
mount.  Pete took a step towards him, but shrank back as if it were not
likely that this chief among the others would receive his advances any
better, when a voice behind him made him turn his head sharply, to find
that Joe Smithers, now for the present off duty, had likewise been
attracted by the elephants, and had strolled up for a look.

"Why didn't you come for your breakfast, comrade?" he said.

"Oh--wanted to see these 'ere;" and then, as an idea struck the lad on
noticing the canvas haversack slung from Smithers's shoulder, he said
quickly, "What you got in your satchel, comrade?"

"Only bread-cake."

"Give us a bit."

"Take the lot," said Smithers.  "I don't want it.  Only in the way.  A
drink of water will do for me."

Pegg gave him a peculiar look as he hurriedly transferred two great
portions of the regimental bread to his own haversack.

"Thank you, comrade.  I say--got any 'bacco?"

"Yes; but I want that."

"Never mind.  Give it to me, Joe.  I'll pay you with twice as much
to-morrow."

Without hesitation Mrs Private Smithers's husband handed over a roll of
about two ounces of tobacco.

"Thank you," said Pegg.  "Now you shall see what you shall see."

Peter shouldered his rifle, marched straight up to the gaudily attired
mahout, looked him up and down admiringly, pointed at his handsome
turban, smiling the while as if with satisfaction, and then tapped the
gilded handle of the ankus the man carried, drawing back and looking at
him again.

"Well, you do look splendid," he said.

The swarthy little fellow seemed puzzled for the moment, but Peter
Pegg's look of admiration was unmistakable, especially when he walked
quickly round the mahout so as to see what he was like on the other
side, before saying:

"Have a bit of 'bacco, comrade?"

Not a word was intelligible to the little, bandy-legged fellow, whose
supports had become curved from much riding on an elephant's neck; but
there was no mistaking the private's action as he took out the roll of
tobacco, opened one end so as to expose the finely shredded aromatic
herb, held it to his nose, and then passed it on to the mahout, whose
big, dull, brown eyes began to glisten, and he hesitated as if in doubt,
till the private pressed it into his hands and made a sign as if of
filling a pipe and puffing out the smoke.  The little fellow nodded his
satisfaction, while Peter Pegg smiled in a friendly way and pointed to
the huge elephant, which had ceased munching the turned-over bundle of
green food at his feet, and now stood swinging his head to and fro and
from side to side.

"My word," said Peter, "he is a beauty!"  And then, looking about him
first at one and then at another until he had bestowed a glance upon the
other five great beasts, he turned once more to what proved to be the
Rajah's special mount, and then spoke again to the little mahout.

"He is a beauty," he said; and once more his looks conveyed to the
driver the admiration he felt.  "May I feed him?" he added, taking out a
piece of the white bread he had obtained, and making a sign as if
holding it out to the elephant.

The mahout looked doubtful, but the elephant himself answered Peter
Pegg's question by slowly raising his trunk, reaching out and closing it
round the new white bread, prior to curving it under and transferring it
to his mouth.

The mahout nodded and smiled at his new friend, and the elephant showed
his satisfaction by extending his trunk for more.

"You are a splendid old chap," said Pegg, breaking another piece of
bread inside his haversack and offering it to the monstrous beast, now
slowly flapping his great ears.

This was taken, and bit by bit Peter doled out another portion of the
white cake, venturing at the same time to stroke the animal's trunk.

"I'll risk it," he said.  "If he tries to knock me over I can easily
jump away."

But the elephant made no sign of resentment, only transferring the piece
of bread and extending his trunk for more.

"Here you are," said Peter; "only you can't have any more goes.  Wish
I'd got a dozen quarterns, though.  I want to mount you, old chap, and
hang me if I know how to set about it.  However, here goes; only I must
look sharp."

The next minute as the elephant's trunk was extended to him he gave it
another scrap of the bread, and followed this up with a few friendly
touches, which the monster seemed to accept in a friendly way, before
transferring the bread; the mahout looking on smilingly the while.

The trunk was raised slowly again, and the mahout uttered a few words,
with the result that the private had to make a strong effort over self
to keep from starting away from an expected blow; but in obedience to
the driver's words the great beast slowly passed his trunk over the
young soldier's shoulders and breast, and then, grunting, swung up the
end as if asking for more of the bread.

"Only two bits more," said Peter; and he turned to the mahout and made
signs to him that he should mount to the elephant's neck.

The young soldier hardly expected it, but his meaning was so well
conveyed that the mahout uttered a command, when the elephant passed his
trunk round the driver, swung him up, and dropped him easily into his
seat, raising his ears the while, and then lowering them over the
rider's knees.

"Bravo!  Splendid!" cried Pegg, clapping his hands; and the next minute,
after another word or two which the elephant evidently understood and
obeyed, the little mahout dropped lightly down and stood smiling at his
admiring audience.

It was not Peter Pegg's words, but the meaning must have been conveyed
by his eyes to the mahout, for Peter said excitedly:

"There, I'd give a suvron, if I'd got one, to be able to say to our
chaps that I'd had a ride on a helephant like that;" and then, to his
surprise, the mahout looked at him, smiling, uttered a few words to him,
and held out his hand.

"Eh?  What?" cried Peter.  "Let you hold my rifle?  Well, I oughtn't to;
but there aren't no officers near.  There, I'll trust you, and I wish I
could tell you what I want."

To his surprise and delight, as the mahout took hold of the rifle and
examined it curiously, uttering another order to his great charge, Peter
Pegg felt the great coiling trunk wrap round his waist, swing him up in
the air, and drop him astride of the huge beast's neck.  "Oh, but, I
say, this 'ere won't do," cried Peter; "I am wrong ways on:" and
scrambling up from sitting facing the howdah, he gradually reseated
himself correctly, nestling his legs beneath the great half-raised ears.
"My word! ain't it nice and warm?" cried the young soldier excitedly.
"Shouldn't I like to ride round the camp now!--I say, Joe, ain't this
prime?"

His comrade, who had been looking on admiringly, uttered a grunt, which
was followed by an order from the mahout, resulting in the elephant
reaching up his trunk, which coiled round the young soldier's waist,
twitched him out of his seat, and dropped him at the driver's feet.

"Here, just a minute," panted the young soldier, thrusting his hand into
his haversack and withdrawing the last bit of bread.  "Here you are, old
chap;" and he transferred the piece to the raised trunk, which he patted
again and again before it was withdrawn.--"Thankye, comrade.  You will
find that prime 'bacco, and here's wishing I may see you again."

"Now, Pete," growled Smithers, for the first notes of the bugle-call
rang out.

"All right.  Give us my rifle, comrade.  I'm off."  Catching the rifle
from the mahout's hand, he followed Smithers at the double; but he
contrived to give one glance back at the magnificent beast upon which he
had been mounted, with a strange feeling of longing for his lost seat.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

FULL REVIEW ORDER.

"Ah, there you are, Knowle!" cried the Resident, bustling up to the
Major, who was marching slowly towards the parade-ground in full
uniform, carrying his sword under the left arm.

"Yes, here I am.  Look all right?"

"Oh yes, yes," said the Resident impatiently.

"Don't show any spots, do I?"

"Spots?"

"Yes; this confounded, hot, damp climate--specks of mildew on my best
uniform.  I say: you look capital, Dallas," continued the Major, running
his eye over the Resident's official dress.  "That's the best of you
young fellows; you only want a wash and a brush up, and you are all
right.  Get to my age, sir, and--"

"Oh, don't talk like that, Major.  I was not thinking about uniforms."

"Eh, weren't you?  I was.  I don't mean about myself, but look at my
lads.  Aren't they splendid, in spite of all the knocking about and
wear?  But what's the matter?  Not well?"

"No, sir; I am not well."

"Poor old chap!  There's plenty of time; toddle up to the bungalow.  Old
Morley will give you a pick-me-up, and set you right in no time."

"I have been there, sir."

"Oh, that's right," said the Major, with a chuckle.

"For I am very anxious about the ladies there, and the other women we
have in our charge, and I feel more than ever that we have been guilty
of a great error of judgment."

"Eh?  What about?"

"What about, sir?  Look around you."

"Eh?  Well, we have plenty of company, but I don't see any error of
judgment."

"Why, my dear Knowle!  Company!  Look at the crowd."

"Well, we shall keep them back so as to allow plenty of room for the
evolutions."

"Yes; but, let alone the country-people, every man with his kris, there
are the military followers of those two Rajahs in full array."

"Military!  Phit!  My dear Dallas!"

"Ah, you laugh, sir.  Why, roughly speaking, each of those two chiefs
has got a following of about five hundred men--say a thousand."

"Yes, I dare say," said the Major; "but they are not all together."

"No, they are divided so that we have a strong force on either side.
You despise them; but have you thought of the consequences that might
follow our being enclosed by two such bodies of men?"

"Oh yes," said the Major coolly.  "Might.  But, my dear boy, have you
thought of the consequences that might follow if I told my lads to close
up and face outwards, and began to deal with our visitors?  Look at
them," he continued, as he pointed towards the perfectly drilled
detachment drawn up in the centre of the parade-ground waiting for the
order to commence the evolutions connected with the military display.

"Oh yes, they are everything that could be expected from a handful of
British infantry."

"Handful, sir!  Why, I've got three hundred men on the ground.  Every
fellow's under arms, and we are going to show these niggers what we
could do if ever we were called upon.  Error of judgment, sir!  The
whole thing's a grand idea; and after it's over, these Malays will go
away with a ten times higher idea of England's strength than they had
before."

"I don't know," said the Resident.  "Look at those fierce-looking
fellows there gathered round the elephants and their gaudily dressed
chiefs.  Look at that haughty fellow Suleiman, with his chiefs and
spearmen clustering round him looking as if they were awaiting their
prince's order to charge down upon us and sweep us all out of the
district."

"Oh yes, I see," said the Major, chuckling.

"And here on the other side, right away to the river, there is this
doubtful fellow Hamet with his lot of elephants and men, a stronger
party than Suleiman's."

"I see.  I hope there won't be any row."

"Oh, don't suggest such a thing!"

"Why not?  They are in touch with the others."

"Yes; and at a word could combine."

"Ah, I am not afraid of that," said the Major.  "I was thinking about
their jealousy, and the possibility of a row between them."

"I don't believe in the jealousy.  I believe it is all assumed," said
the Resident, "and that they are ready on the slightest excuse to join
forces against us."

"I don't," said the Major gruffly.  "I am afraid they may draw knives
against each other; but if they do I will give them such a lesson as
will prove a startler.  But, I say, have you noticed that chap Hamet?"

"Oh yes, I saw him.  He did not march with his men, mounted on one of
his elephants, but came up in his dragon-boat."

"Yes.  Quite a fine show, with the amber-satin rowers, and the gongs
beating.  But you can't grumble about his appearance and theatrical
robes.  It's quite a compliment to Old England to see a native prince
come simply in ordinary morning-dress.  Hanged if he hadn't got lavender
kid gloves!"

"Oh, don't talk about trifles, Major; but for Heaven's sake be on your
guard!"

"Oh yes--guard mounted," said the Major.  "Why, Dallas, my dear boy, I
don't believe you told Morley to give you a pick-me-up.  You have been
fussing about down there at the bungalow, and fidgeting about what might
happen to a certain young lady if the Malays turned nasty and rose
against us."

"Major!  No."

"Don't be cross, dear boy.  I was in love too once upon a time, and
fidgeted as much as you do about what might happen if--if--There, I only
say _if_.  Now, it's all right, my dear fellow, and it's time for the
show to begin.  The crowd must be getting tired of waiting; and I only
see one error of judgment of which we have been guilty."

"Ah!  And what's that?"

"Ought to have begun an hour sooner, for, my word, the sun is hot!  Oh,
by the way, I have not seen you since, but we were talking over what to
do with our visitors and the crowd generally after the review.  There
will be the feeding, of course; but we wanted something to fill up time
till dark and the fireworks begin."

"I have heard nothing about further plans."

"Well, the lads will keep an open course, and there will be some races
and wrestling, and Sergeant Ripsy is going to show some encounters with
the bayonet and a little sword-play."

"Well, as you like.  I can think of nothing else but getting the affair
over and the people dismissed."

"There, don't you be uneasy.  There's a guard mounted to watch over our
women folk, so come on."

The Major went on towards the centre of the parade-ground, while the
Resident hurried away, looking hot and anxious, to where seats had been
arranged beneath an open tent erected on one side of the parade-ground,
partly sheltered by a cluster of palms.

At last, with colours flying and the loud martial strains of the band,
doubled by a strange echo thrown back by the dense jungle, the solid
little force of infantry, in brilliant scarlet and with the sun flashing
from their bayonets, was put in motion; while a strange murmur of
satisfaction arose from the crowd of gaily attired campong dwellers,
which was caught up by the followers of the two Rajahs with prolonged
cries that bore some slight resemblance to the tiger-like _ragh, ragh_
of an American crowd.

And then, as the band marched by, Rajah Suleiman's group collected in
front of the great clump of trees left standing when a portion of the
jungle had been cleared, and the huge elephants, now gorgeous with
trappings, and each bearing its showy howdah, in which were seated the
Rajah himself and his principal chiefs, responded to a final blast of
the highly polished brass instruments and the thunderous roll of the
drums by a simultaneous uneasy trumpeting of their own, with which were
mingled the cries of the mahouts, who had to ply their sharp-pointed
goads to keep their charges in subjection.

Fortunately for the occupants of the howdahs, this was a final chord
from the band, for the huge beasts were thoroughly startled, and the
lookers-on noted that similar uneasiness was being displayed by the nine
great elephants that appertained to Rajah Hamet's force, these in
particular showing a disposition to turn tail and make for one of the
jungle paths.

The silence that followed the band's final chord seemed, as Oliver
Wendell Holmes says in one of his little poems, to have come like a
poultice to heal the wounds of sound, and the great beasts settled down.

Then there was a bugle-call, and the evolutions began in regular review
style, with plenty of fancy additions, such as had been planned to
impress the great gathering of the Malay people.  The troops marched and
counter-marched, advanced in echelon, retired from the left, retired
from the right, formed column and line, advanced in column of companies,
turned half right and half left, formed three-quarter column; there was
extended order and distended order, for Major Knowle's force was very
small, but he made the most of it.  Sergeant Ripsy, with a face quite as
scarlet as his uniform, buzzed about like a vicious hornet, and,
perspiring at every pore, yelled at the guides and markers, letting fly
snapping shots of words that were certainly not included in the code of
military instructions.  But the men, as soon as they warmed up--which
was in a very short time--went into the spirit of the thing; and when at
last the officers had got through the regular evolutions, that seemed to
consist in weaving and twisting the men under their command into a
series of intricate knots, for the sole purpose of untying them again,
and Archie Maine had been saved from disgracefully clubbing his men by
issuing an order which the said men wilfully disobeyed so as to cover
the lad's mistake, there was a general forming up again for a rest and
cool down, while the band struck up, and, helped by the echo, filled the
parade with sweet sounds, to the great delight of the gathered crowd.

There was a burst of cheering here, of a rather barbaric nature, for
from Rajah Suleiman's gathering there came one solitary boom from a
particularly musical gong.  This rang out like a signal, and was
followed by a score more from as many of the sonorous instruments,
supplemented by an excited yelling from the spear-armed men.

This ended as quickly as it had begun, and, treated as a challenge, was
repeated from the centre of Rajah Hamet's party, who followed with a
yell that might have been taken as a defiant answer to hereditary
enemies.

Matters seemed to be growing exciting, and Major Knowle, who was quiet
and watchful as well as hot, despatched messages to the commanders of
companies to be on their guard.

But now, as the last gong ceased to send its quivering jar through the
heated air, to be reflected back from the jungle, a burst of Malay
cheering arose from the excited crowd of spectators; the elephants
joined in, trumpeting loudly; and then, as the strange roar died away
into silence, the band-master took advantage of the opportunity, raised
his instrument, made a sign, the big drum boomed its best in answer to
six of the drummer's heaviest blows, and to the stirring strains of the
favourite old march, "The British Grenadiers," the band moved off to
take up a fresh position.

As soon as this was occupied the second part of the evolutions
commenced.  The little force was divided, and took up positions for
attack and defence; men were thrown out, skirmishing began, and the
Malay crowd cheered as the men in scarlet ran and took cover; and the
field was soon after covered with advancing and retiring men, who ran,
lay down, fired from one knee, fired from their chests, ran and took
cover again; and the musketry began to roll in sputtering repetitions,
till the retiring force seemed to take courage, gathered together,
repelled their adversaries with half-a-dozen vigorous volleys, and
advanced in turn, gradually driving their supposed enemies back, till,
when the smoke was rising in a faint, misty cloud to float softly away
over the river, the final stages of the sham-fight were nearly at an
end, and for a concluding curtain to the mimic warfare the two little
forces advanced as if to meet in contention in the middle of the field.
But at a certain stage a bugle rang out, and with wonderful precision
the men fell into column and marched away to the far end of the
drill-ground, where they halted, turned, and then, in obedience to the
Major's command, began to advance in line towards where, on their left,
were the two bodies of armed men comprising the followers of the two
Rajahs, above whom towered the two knots of elephants, while on their
right were the gathered crowds from the nearest campongs, excitedly
watching for what was to come next.

What was to come next and was now in progress was Britain's thin red
line, and that line was on that occasion very thin, very, very red, and
extremely long, purposely extended so as to make the most of the tiny
force.

The crowds cheered in their fashion as the train moved on, and, excited
by the yelling, the elephants began to trumpet as the troops were now
nearly half across the parade-ground.  Then the bugle rang out "Halt!"
and the orders followed quickly: "Fire!" and with wonderful precision
there was the long line of puffs of smoke as the volley roared and half
obscured the advancing force in the thin veil of smoke.

There was a fresh burst of cheers from the crowds, who now saw that the
little line of scarlet-coated men was marching out of the filmy, grey
cloud and lessening the distance between them.

The next bugle-call was rather unsettling, and the next still more so,
for it meant "Double;" while the last of all was more disturbing than
anything that had taken place that day, for it was followed by a
peculiar flickering of light as the brilliant sun played upon the
glistening bayonets brought down sparkling in front of the line of men.
The bugles now rang out "Charge!" followed by the good old British cheer
given by wildly excited men with all the power left in them, and they
bore the bristling bayonets on, racing down upon the spectators in
front, as if the mimic advance were real.

The trumpeting that greeted the charge was not defiant, for the
elephants turned simultaneously as upon a pivot and set the example of
making for the nearest points of the jungle; and to the charging men it
seemed as if they formed part of some immensely extended human
hay-making machine, whose glittering spikes were about to sweep off a
living crowd which, excited and yelling wildly, had turned and fled for
safety.

The gaily coloured men of the two Rajahs, perhaps feeling in doubt as to
their duty to fetch back the elephants--perhaps not: they may have been
influenced otherwise--had dashed off after the huge quadrupeds at once,
but the crowd of ordinary spectators were in nowise behind.  Shrieking,
yelling, and angry with each other as they dashed away, they made for
shelter at full speed, and when the charge was at an end and the bugles
rang out, the evolution had been so well driven home that a complete
transformation had been effected.

Where the great gathering had spread from side to side of the parade,
there was the long, halting line of panting and powder-blackened men,
who, in spite of their breathlessness, had followed up their British
cheer with a tremendous petillating roar of laughter, which ran along
the line from end to end and back again--a roar of laughter so loud that
hardly a man knew that the band was now playing in full force "God save
the Queen," with an additional obbligato from the drums--that one known
as the "big" threatening collapse from the vigorous action of the
stick-wielder's sturdy arms.

It was only a few of the men who were cognisant of the fact that the
Major was lying down exhausted, and wiping his eyes.

"Who's that?" he panted.  "Who's that--you, Maine?"

"Yes, sir."

"Oh dear!  Oh dear!  I can't stop it!  It's quite hysterical.  Give me a
water-bottle;" and then, after an application to the unstoppered mouth,
"Oh dear!  How they did run!  I hope poor Dallas has seen it all.  I
wish he had been here.  Hah!  I'm better now.  Why, Maine, we've swept
them clean away.  Are they collecting farther on?"

"No, sir; I can't see a single soul."

"Who's that?" said the Major again.

"Me, sir."

"I didn't know you, my man.  What is it, Sergeant?"

"Well, sir, I was only going to say, as I was so near, what about them
there squibs and crackers as was to be let off to-night?"

"Oh, the rockets and fireworks," said the Major.  "They haven't gone off
in the heat, have they?  No accident?"

"No, sir; but there won't be nobody left to see them pop."

CHAPTER TWELVE.

SEE THE CONQUERING HEROES.

The line closed up, and marched "easy" back towards the upper end of the
parade-ground, with not a single stranger to represent the spectators,
and, half ironically, they were received by the band with "See, the
Conquering Hero Comes."  The review and sham-fight were over, and as the
officers and weary men were dismissed, and the officers gathered where
the ladies and others of the station were assembled, one of the first
upon whom they set eyes was the young Rajah Hamet, who had just joined
the Resident.

"Well, Dallas," said the Major, who was mopping his forehead, "what did
you think of our charge?--Ah, Rajah Hamet," he continued, as he caught
sight of the young man, who approached to hold out his hand, "what did
_you_ think of our sham-fight?  Did you see it all?"

"Magnificent, sir; every bit."

"Where were you?"

"Down yonder, sir, in front of my elephants and men."

"Then you didn't run?"

"No, sir; I have been to Aldershot and seen a review before."

"I am afraid we scared your men," said Archie, to whom the young Rajah
turned a few minutes later.

"Well, wasn't it quite enough to scare them?" replied the Prince.  "It
seems to me that a body of men, to whatever nation they belonged, would
require a good deal of hardening before they would stand firm and
receive a bayonet charge."

"Yes," replied Archie.  "As far as I know, there are not many who can.
It was rather comic, though, to see your men run."

"Well," replied the young Prince, "I don't think my men ran any faster
than Suleiman's."

"Not a bit," cried Archie hastily.  "I say, I didn't mean to insult
you."

"Oh, I am not insulted," said the young man quietly.  "I should have run
too if I had not known that your men would pull up at the last moment.
Well, good-bye."

"You are not going?" cried Archie.  "You will stop and be our guest
to-night?  You were invited, of course.  There are all the sports to
come, and the illuminations and fireworks."

"Oh no, I must go," said the young Rajah.  "I have got to rally my men,
and see them safely back."

"Well, but some of your officers will do that, and bring them back."

"I doubt it," said Hamet, smiling.  "If I know my people, they will not
stop till they get home."

"Oh, surely not!  They will all come here again and see the rest of our
_file_--and Rajah Suleiman's too."

Hamet shook his head.

"Some of your people from the campongs, who know you--they may come
back, but none of the others."

"Well, you stop at any rate."

"No," said the young Rajah.  "If my people have forsaken me, I must not
forsake them.  Here, you promised, you know, to come and spend a few
days with me, and have some tiger-shooting.  When is it to be?"

"When my major gives me leave.  Stop!  Stop now, and ask him.  He or Sir
Charles Dallas will put you up for the night."

"No, Maine; they don't believe in me enough.  Somehow they have no faith
in me at all, and because I'm Suleiman's enemy--or rather, he is mine,
for I have no feeling for or against the fellow--they think that I am
opposed to the English, with whom I want to be friends and to get their
help to civilise my people.  No, I must be off to my boat at once, and
try to get in touch with my people as soon as possible.  They will keep
to the lower elephant-patch, as near to the river as they can.  There,
try and get leave, old chap.  I want you to come.  I say, you don't mind
my calling you `old chap'?"

"Like it," said Archie, holding out his hand.  "I am disappointed,
however, for I should have liked you to stay.  But hadn't you better try
to bring some of your men back?"

"No.  They wouldn't come now, for fear of being laughed at for being
such cowards."

"Well, if you must go, you must; but, as I said, I should have liked you
to stay.  It would have looked so friendly to my people."

"I hope they will believe in me some day without that," said the young
Malay.  "But tell me, if you had been in my place, and seen your people
scared away by the English soldiers, would you have stayed?"

"No; I'll be hanged if I should," said Archie with energy.  "I should
have felt too mad."

"Thank you," said Hamet.  "That sounds frank."

"It is frank," said Archie.  "But I say, now, tell me: has it made you
feel mad against us?"

"No-o; only sorry for my people.  I want to train them up to know you
better, and to be ready to fight with you."

"Fight with us?"

"Yes; not against you--fight side by side with you, so that you may help
me to civilise my folks more, and join us to put down the Malay chiefs
like Suleiman."

"You don't like Suleiman, then?"

"Like him!" said the young man scornfully.  "I like no man who cannot
stretch out his hand to me and take mine in an honest grasp that I can
trust."

"Of course," cried Archie.  "But then our Resident believes in
Suleiman."

"Yes, and distrusts me," said the young man rather bitterly.  "Well,
they think they are right; but we shall see.  I say, though, I didn't
see that French gentleman with Suleiman's people.  I expected he would
be mounted upon one of the elephants."

"No," said Archie; "he has not been here for the last few days."

"Forbidden to come?" said the young man.

"No-o," said Archie; "he wouldn't be.  He is Rajah Suleiman's friend."

"Yes," said Hamet quietly.  "That is why I thought he would be here.  Do
you like him?"

"Not a bit," said Archie.  "Why?"

"Oh, I suppose it was because I dislike him myself.  That is all.
Good-bye.  As we Malays say, _apa boleh booat_."

"What is to be will be," said Archie.  "Good-bye."

The parade-ground remained deserted for quite an hour, and then some of
the campong people had regained sufficient courage to begin dribbling
back, to be followed by a few of the inhabitants of the neighbouring
villages.  But not one of the Malays who followed their Rajahs made
their appearance.  Consequently there was no attempt made to carry out
the sports; but on being consulted, the Major gave orders that the
illumination of the boats should be encouraged, and the display of
rockets and coloured lights should follow; and as this news gradually
spread, some of the nearest village people and fisher-folk joined in, to
display their lanterns upon their boats, and a pretty fair gathering of
the campong people were present as soon as it was dark, it taking very
little in so effective a position to light up the river and jungle banks
in a most attractive way.

The Doctor and his wife and niece, in addition to several of the ladies
of the station, dined at the mess that night, so that they might
afterwards stroll down to the banks of the river and watch the rockets
burst and sprinkle the jungle with their stars; and just as the
enjoyment was at its height, and the simple Malay folk kept on bursting
out with their ejaculations indicative of delight, the Major went up
behind the Resident, who had been chatting with the Doctor and his
ladies.

"Well, Dallas," he said, "you don't feel nervous now, do you?"

"Hush!" was the reply, as the gentleman addressed looked sharply round.
"More so than ever.  I hope you have got sentries out to command the
river approaches to the station?"

"Of course I have.  But why?"

"Because see what an opportunity is offered for those two chiefs to take
revenge upon us for what they must consider an insult to their dignity."

"My dear sir, you are giving reins to your imagination.  They are well
on the way now to their homes."

"Perhaps so," said the Resident in a low, nervous tone; "but suppose
they have made a halt and are only waiting till their scouts have
announced to them that we are quite unprepared?"

"You are assuming, my dear Dallas, that those two princes are working
hand and glove."

"Well, you are quite of my way of thinking over that."

"Humph!  No," said the Major.  "I am beginning to think that our
lavender-gloved young friend means well by us."

"Lavender-gloved young friend!" said the Resident.  "Who knows but those
soft kid gloves may not be worn to cover the tiger's claws?"

"Ah! who knows, my dear Dallas?  But it is enough for us to know that if
we can produce such an effect with blank cartridge and a sham charge, we
have it in our power to protect the station and defend the honour of
those we love, by using ball-cartridge and sending our bayonets home."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

THE DOCTOR'S CALL.

In spite of the Resident's doubts and expressed opinion that the two
Rajahs would display resentment, the neighbourhood settled down calmly
enough.  The village people nearest, notwithstanding their being chased
helter-skelter, mixed up with the Rajah's followers, very soon showed
that they had thoroughly enjoyed the fun of seeing Suleiman's haughty,
tyrannical gang scared away and running as if for their lives.

The people of the more distant campongs came in just as usual, bringing
their fruit and poultry to market as before; and though the
half-military-looking armed men did not make their appearance, the
Resident was bound to confess that this was not a bad sign, as they had
rarely approached the cantonments to mingle with the soldiers off duty.

A few days elapsed, and then a present was sent in, consisting of
supplies, by Rajah Hamet; and the very next day two of Suleiman's chiefs
brought in a letter, written in English, but dotted with French
allusions which suggested its source.

It was an invitation for the Major and his officers to a tiger-hunt.
This was considered, and then the Major replied in the most friendly
way, begging to be excused on the ground that it was impossible to
accept the invitation then, but asking for it to be repeated later on.

The weather was lovely, there being a succession of brilliant moonlight
nights; while before the moon rose, even the Doctor declared that the
display made by the fire-flies in the darkness was simply glorious.

One evening Sir Charles was dining at the bungalow, and, having got over
his nervous doubts, upon hearing Minnie express a desire to go up the
river and see the fire-flies first, and the rising of the moon after,
the Resident at once proposed to have his smaller boat prepared, with a
couple of his most trusty native servants to pole it a short distance up
the river, and then bring the Doctor and the two ladies back to supper
at the Residency.

Minnie was delighted; but, to the Resident's great satisfaction, her
aunt declared at once that she would not go up the river by night on
account of the crocodiles.

"I don't want to throw a wet blanket over Sir Charles's kindly suggested
trip," she said, "but I certainly will not go."

"Oh, there's no danger to be feared, my dear madam," said Sir Charles.
"The reptiles would never dare to attack a well-manned boat."

"Never," said the Doctor emphatically.

"But they might, my dear," replied Mrs Morley.  "You can go, but I
shall certainly stay."

"You talk very glibly," grunted the Doctor, "about my going; but suppose
I am wanted?"

"Well, if you are, it will only be for some trivial ailment amongst the
native people, and I should know what to give them."

"What!" cried the Doctor.--"Why, my dear Dallas, the last time she
meddled with my bottles she nearly poisoned one of my patients."

"For shame, Henry!--Don't you believe him, Sir Charles.  I am sure I did
the poor woman a great deal of good."

"It's all very fine," said the Doctor.  "I must confess the woman did
get better; and if madam had quite poisoned her, as she was a native it
wouldn't have mattered much."

"Oh uncle, for shame!--He doesn't mean it, Sir Charles," said Minnie.

"But it would have spoilt my credit," continued the Doctor; "and there,
I don't want to see a lot of blow-flies with lights in their tails; so,
once for all, I sha'n't go."

"But you ought to go, my dear," said Mrs Morley, who looked rather
annoyed.

"Why?"

"Why?  To take care of Minnie."

"It doesn't take two men as well as a couple of servants to take care of
one little girl.  Don't talk stuff, my dear.  I'm sure Sir Charles will
take every care of her."

Mrs Morley said no more, and Sir Charles left at last with the matter
entirely settled to his satisfaction, while Minnie smiled in answer to a
few words respecting the old folks leaving them to themselves.

The evening promised to be perfect, and Minnie was waiting for their
visitor, when, just as she was beginning to be impatient, a note was
brought from the Resident stating that Rajah Hamet had come up the river
unexpectedly to discuss a question relating to the possibility of some
stronger alliance.

"I am horribly disappointed," wrote the Resident, "but it is a
Government matter, and your uncle will understand with me that I am only
too much delighted to find that this again proves that my doubts were
all wrong, and that I am glad to welcome the Rajah here.  He evidently
means to stop the night, and I have sent in for Major Knowle to join us.
Under the circumstances I feel that I dare not come.  However, you
shall not be disappointed; the boat is waiting with two picked men, and
I must beg that your uncle and aunt will be your companions."

"There, old lady," said the Doctor as, in a disappointed tone, his niece
finished reading the letter.  "It will be rude to Sir Charles, as well
as a bitter disappointment to Minnie.  Come, there's no cause for alarm.
If there were I would not ask you.  Say you will come."

"No, Henry," replied the lady firmly; "I will not."

"Oh, very well," said the Doctor, as he saw the tears rising in his
niece's eyes.  "You sha'n't be disappointed, Minnie.  We will risk your
aunt giving some poor woman a lotion to take instead of a draught.  Get
your cloak and veil.  We mustn't have any trouble from the night air.
I'll take you myself.--Hullo!  What in the name of wonder does this
mean?  An elephant--another Rajah!"

"Two of them," said Mrs Morley anxiously, "and they are coming here."

"Yes," said the Doctor, stepping out into the veranda of his pretty
bungalow to meet his visitors, as the great, soft-footed, howdah-bearing
beast was checked by his mahout at the bamboo fence.  One of the two
Malay officers bent down to inform him that the Rajah Suleiman had been
out shooting that morning with his French friend, and that, after firing
at a tiger, the wounded beast had leaped upon the Rajah's elephant, and
Suleiman and his friend had both been mauled.  The bearers of the
message stated that the Doctor must come at once.

"Can't help it, my child," said the Doctor.  "I am sorry for your
disappointment, but it is impossible for me to refuse.  In an ordinary
case I might postpone my visit, but, you see, Suleiman is our friend,
and it is most important that I should be off at once."

"But, my dear," exclaimed Minnie's aunt, "it means your being away all
night."

"Of course; and if he's very bad I may have to stay two or three days.
There, I can't stop talking.  Get me my little bag while I fetch my
instruments and some dressing."

Without a word Mrs Morley hurried to obtain what was required, and the
Doctor patted his niece on the shoulder.

"Never mind, my dear.  We must give it up.  Dallas will be able to go
with you another time, and you will enjoy your trip better."

Minnie nodded.

"I won't mind, uncle--much.  But it never rains but it pours: here's
somebody else wants you."

"Young Archie!  What does he want?"

He soon knew, for the lad hurried up, glancing at the two Malays upon
the elephant, giving Minnie a quick nod, and then catching the Doctor by
the arm and hurrying him into the nearest room.

"The Major sent me to know what these two swells want.  He thinks they
have come to your place instead of to him."

The Doctor explained at once, and then a sudden thought occurred to him.

"Look here," he said; "you know Sir Charles was going to take us up the
river in his boat this evening?"

"Yes, I know.  He's got Rajah Hamet, and the Major's going into the
Residency.  That's why the chief thinks those chaps on the elephant have
come to the wrong house."

"Well, look here, my lad; you must take my place."

"What!" cried the lad, staring.  "I could pour him out a dose of physic,
or I could tackle a native, but I wouldn't undertake to dress a Rajah's
wounds."

"What are you talking about, stupid?" cried the Doctor angrily.  "I
mean, take my place and escort Minnie up the river in the Resident's
boat."

"De-lighted!" cried the lad excitedly.  "Of course--but I don't know
whether the Major will give me leave, as Rajah Hamet's here.  Here, I'll
run back as fast as I can, and be with you, if it's all right, in no
time."

"Yes, do.  I don't want the poor girl to be disappointed; and you will
take care of her?"

"Of course!"

Archie was turning to go, when the Doctor caught him by the arm.
"There's no need.  I will jump up on the elephant as soon as I have got
my bag, and go round by headquarters and make it right with the Major."

"Yes, sir, do.  Capital!--But no, no.  He sent me to find out, and he
won't like it.  I must go, Doctor."

"What! am I not surgeon to this force, and are not all officers under
me?  Here, I will make him like it.  You mind what I say--I give you
leave to go."

Just then Minnie and her aunt came to the door with the Doctor's bag,
and Archie hesitated.

"Look here, Minnie," he cried, hurrying to her side; "I am going to--No,
no," he said, giving his foot a stamp, "I can't!  I will not, Doctor.
Here, I will run on and get back.  Look here; you see how important it
is.  Here's Down coming as hard as he can to see why I have been so
long."

"Confound you, sir!" cried the Doctor.  "And when I'd settled the whole
thing!--Here, you, Down, what do you want?"

The Captain came up quickly, and the state of affairs was explained,
ending with the new-comer being introduced to the two Malay officers.

"Look here," said the Doctor, turning to the Captain; "you explain
everything to the Major, and tell him I am off at once to Palm-Tree
Palace, and am keeping Archie Maine here to take my place for an hour or
two.  You understand?"

"Quite," said the Captain.

"Maine thinks, as the Major has sent him with a message to me, that he
ought to go back; but your coming and the answer I send by you, I
consider, will be sufficient to exonerate your subaltern.  What do you
say?"

"Oh yes, sir; quite sufficient."

"Now, Archie, my lad, are you satisfied?"

Archie turned to the Captain.

"Give me your leave too."

"Certainly.  I will make it right with the Major."

"All right, then, Doctor," said Archie; and, satisfied now by the
Captain going off with the required information, the lad stayed, busied
himself with Mrs Morley and Minnie; and after seeing the Doctor mount
the kneeling elephant with his bag and instruments, and then wishing him
good speed, they stood watching the great, slowly pacing beast till, as
it turned off to reach the forest path, there was a final wave of the
hand from the Doctor, and the next minute he was out of sight.

"That's being a doctor's wife, Minnie, my child; one never knows what to
expect.  Well, there, your uncle has gone off to do good.  I never liked
that Rajah's looks, but I hope he isn't badly hurt.  Now then, what
about this trip on the water?  I really don't like your going, my dear."

"Oh auntie, how can you be so nervous?"

"I didn't like your going even when your uncle was here."

"But, Mrs Morley, there's nothing to be nervous about," cried Archie.

"My dear boy--"

"I say, hang it all, Mrs Morley! you might call me a man now," said
Archie, interrupting her speech.

"Yes, my dear, I have plenty of confidence in you; but it's only you."

"Why, there will be the Resident's two chief boatmen, won't there?--You
said there would be two men, didn't you, Minnie?"

"Yes, of course; and we shouldn't be above an hour or two, aunt."

"No, I know, my dear; but--but--"

"There, aunt dear, uncle's going away so suddenly has upset you, and it
does seem selfish of me.--Look here, Archie, it's very kind of you to
offer to take me, but it would be inconsiderate of me to go.  I'll give
it up."

"Oh!" cried the lad, "I am disappointed."

"Yes, of course you would be," said Mrs Morley; "and it's foolish of me
to make such a fuss about nothing.  There, I am better now.  I was a bit
flurried by the Doctor going, to be away all night, and leaving us
unprotected."

"And not a British soldier near," said Archie laughingly.

"Of course; of course," said Mrs Morley.  "You will take great care of
her, my dear boy?"

"Take care of her!" cried Archie.  "Why, Sir Charles would have me out
and shoot me, or wring my neck, if I didn't.  Look here, madam, I'm too
fond of Lieutenant Archibald Maine to run any risks.  Now are you
satisfied?"

"Quite," said the Doctor's wife, forcing a laugh.--"There, my dears, be
off as soon as you can--but wait till I get a scarf."

"What are you going to do, auntie?"

"See you down to the boat, of course, my dear."  A very few minutes
later the Doctor's wife was standing on the banks of the river watching
the Resident's handsomely fitted sampan--not his official dragon-boat--
being punted by two sturdy men up the glistening waters, Minnie turning
from time to time to wave her hand, and lastly her scarf, just as they
disappeared.

"It is foolish of me to be so nervous and frightened about crocodiles,"
said Mrs Morley, as she turned her straining eyes from where she had
been watching the boat.  "There isn't a sign of any of the horrible
reptiles; and if it were dangerous those people would not be going up
the river in the same direction;" and she remained watching a small naga
with about half-a-dozen men plying their oars, sending the slightly
built craft steadily up-stream.  "Ah, well, I want to see them back.
What a lovely evening it is going to be; but how rapidly the night
closes in!  I almost wish I had gone with them, for it will be very
lovely when the moon begins to rise among the trees."

The Doctor's wife gave a slight shiver as a faint waft of wind came
sweeping over the tops of the forest trees, and she drew her scarf
lightly over her head and shoulders as she quickened her steps to return
to the bungalow.  "It's not cold," she said half uneasily, "and yet I
shivered.  It's as if the nervous feeling were coming back.  Two hours!
Well, they will soon slip by."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

A GREAT HORROR.

Those two hours did soon slip away, and after assuring herself by the
clock that the time had really fled, Mrs Morley went and stood in the
veranda, gazing out in the full expectation of seeing those for whom she
waited coming up from the direction of the river.

The night was glorious.  The nearly full moon was silvering the tops of
the trees and casting deep, black shadows on the ground.  Here and there
in the patches of thick shrubbery that had been planted to take off the
harsh formality surrounding the parade, there were faint, twinkling
sparks that gave a suggestion of how beautiful the river-sides must be
where the lights of the curious insects flashed and died out and lit up
again in full force; and for some minutes Mrs Morley stood breathing in
the sweet, moist perfume of the many night blooms which floated on the
air.

"It is very, very beautiful," she sighed, "but not like home.  One tries
to get used to it, and does for a time; but there is always that strange
feeling of insecurity which will suggest what might happen--we so few,
the people here so many, and always looking upon us as infidel intruders
who have forced themselves up here to make a home in their very midst.
I am too impatient," she added, with a sigh, as she turned to walk to
and fro in the veranda.

"I am too impatient," she repeated.  "On such a beautiful night they
would easily be tempted to go a little farther up the river than they
intended, and they would tell the men to let the boat float gently back
with the stream.  They have tired the men, perhaps, and have told them
to leave the boat to itself.  Yes, a lovely night."

She went in, with a sigh, to speak to her two native servants and tell
them that they need not stay up; but she found her care unnecessary, for
they were already asleep.  Then, obeying her next impulse, she woke
them, telling one to wait and the other to walk with her as far as the
river-side.

Here she stood with the woman, watching and trying to pierce the soft,
grey mist that hung above the water, before looking round for some one--
boatman, or any other native whom she could question.  But there was not
a soul within sight, and as proof of the lateness of the hour, not a
light was to be seen.

"Ah!" she cried, with a start, for the woman behind her had suddenly
caught her by the wrist with one hand, while she stood with the other
outstretched, pointing up the stream.  "What is it?" she said.  "Can you
see the boat?"

"No.  Listen."

"Ah!  You hear them coming?"

The woman shook her head violently.

"Croc," she whispered; and her word was followed by a light, wallowing
splash.

"Ugh!" ejaculated the Doctor's wife, with a shudder.  "Come back.  They
may have returned by the other path and called at the officers'
quarters.  They are waiting for us by now perhaps," she added to
herself.

Leading the way back to the bungalow, she hurried in, with straining
ears, with the hope that the pair would come out to meet her slowly
dying away.

"They must have come back directly we went out, learned that we had gone
down to the river, and followed us."

Stepping in quickly to the servants' part of the bungalow, she found the
other servant fast asleep, ready to stare at her vacantly and
wonderingly as she was shaken into wakefulness.  The woman had to be
spoken to by her fellow-servant before anything could be got from her;
and then it was only to learn that the expected ones had not returned.

"Something must have happened," said the Doctor's wife, fighting hard
now to keep back the horrible forebodings that were troubling her.  "Oh!
this is not being a woman," she said.  "Come back with me to the river."

The woman hesitated, but Mrs Morley caught her hand, and they hurried
back to the river-side, where, before many minutes of excited watching
had passed, at least a dozen horribly suggestive splashes had been heard
far out upon the flowing stream.

"Come back," she whispered to her companion.  "I cannot bear it.  What!"
she ejaculated, as the woman crept more closely to her and whispered
something in her ear.  "Those horrid creatures drag people into the
river sometimes?  Yes, yes; I know--I know.  Come back.  Perhaps they
have come," she continued, trying to speak firmly; and once more she
hurried to the bungalow, to find the other servant again fast asleep.

The clock showed that it only wanted a few minutes to midnight, and
setting her teeth hard in her determination, the trembling woman gave
herself till twelve before starting for the officers' quarters and the
Residency to give the alarm.

As she reached the gate she became aware of lights in the distance,
evidently going in the direction of the river lower down.  Voices, too,
floated on the night air, and her spirits rose, for she was conscious of
a merry laugh.  It could not mean trouble, and she stopped short,
watching the lights that seemed now to have stopped by the river's bank,
trying to fit them in somehow with a solution of her trouble.  Still all
was mental darkness, when she was conscious of a shout or two which made
her start, but only to realise directly afterwards as she heard replies,
followed by the splash of oars, that some one must be departing in a
boat.

Then came the murmur of talking as the little party appeared to be not
coming towards her but striking off diagonally in the direction of the
officers' quarters and the Residency.

A loud cry escaped her.  It was answered, and the next minute hurrying
feet were approaching her, and a voice exclaimed:

"Anything the matter?"

"Yes, yes!" panted the agitated woman.

"Who is it?  Mrs Morley?"

"Yes.  Help, Captain Down--I--I--" and, trembling and half-breathless,
she clung to the speaker as he caught her hands in his.

"The Resident's boat?" she panted.

"No, no--Rajah Hamet's.  We have been to see him off."

"Oh, you don't understand!  The Resident's boat--Mr Maine--"

"Ah!  What of him?"

"Went up the river with my niece."

"Yes, yes--what of them?"

"Not come back!"

"Oh!  Well, well, don't be alarmed.--Why, you are trembling like a
leaf."

"Yes.  I can't help it.  It is foolish perhaps.  I am terribly alarmed."

"Oh, come, come!  I will walk back with you to the bungalow.--You go on,
Durham; and you might tell the Resident that I am seeing Mrs Morley
home."

"Yes; all right!" came out of the darkness.  "Shall I say that the
boat's not come back?"

"Oh yes.  You might mention it."

"Yes--yes, pray tell him," added Mrs Morley, as the young officer
addressed was continuing his route.

"Let's see," said the Captain; "the Doctor's gone off to see to the
Rajah, hasn't he?"

"Yes."

"Ah, I see; and you are nervous from being left alone."

"No, no, Captain Down.  I am afraid that something has happened to the
boat."

"Yes, of course; ladies always are," said the Captain cheerily, "when
they are sitting up waiting.  Now, now, be cool.  There are scores of
things that might have happened in a little expedition like this.  First
of all, they may have stopped to watch the fire-flies."

"Oh yes, but not so late."

"Well, no; but they may have gone much farther than they intended.  It
is very tempting on a night like this."

"But I begged Archie Maine to be back in good time."

"Archie Maine is only a boy, and thoughtless; and I dare say Miss Heath
would be delighted with the trip; and then there would be night-blooming
flowers to look at, the noises of the jungle to listen to, and the
splashing of the croc--"

"Oh, for pity's sake, don't, Captain Down!"

"Oh, well, I won't.  Now then, my dear lady, let's get back to the
bungalow, and you give me one of Morley's best cigars--not those out of
the old cedar box, please; one of those will do very well for Archie
Maine when he comes--and I will sit down in the veranda and chat with
you till the truants return; and then you can scold your niece, after
giving Archie the bad cigar.  That will be punishment enough for him,
for he will be vain enough to try to smoke it, though a thin cigarette
makes him poorly, poor fellow!  Now then, how do you feel now?"

"Oh, better," said Mrs Morley.  "And you don't think anything could
have happened, Captain Down?"

"Nothing worse than that they have gone too far and are keeping you up."

"But you don't think that the boat has been upset?"

"Certainly not.  Why should I?"

"Boats are such dangerous things."

"Yes," said the Captain quietly--"in the hands of those who don't know
how to use them.  But Maine and your niece are not punting, and they
have two of Dallas's best men."

"Yes," said Mrs Morley, with a sigh of relief, as they reached the gate
and made their way into the veranda.

"Thank you," said the Captain, as Mrs Morley took a cigar-box from a
shelf and then lit a cedar-wood match at the table lamp.  "I wonder how
the Doctor's going on," he continued, as he lit his cigar.

"Ah, I wonder too," said Mrs Morley.

"Hope the poor beggar isn't much hurt.  But Mr Stripes' claws are
rather ugly things.  Ah, well, lucky for him that he's got a Doctor
Morley to call into the wilderness.  Hullo!  Footsteps!  What did I tell
you?  Here they come!  In a hurry, too."

But the distant sound of steps was not duplicated.  They were those of
one only, coming at a rapid rate; and directly after the Resident dashed
open the garden gate.

"What's this I hear?" he cried excitedly.  "The boat not back?"

He listened for a few moments to Mrs Morley's once more excited words;
but he half-interrupted her before she had done, by exclaiming:

"Here they come!  I have told the Major, and he is turning out the men.
For Heaven's sake, Mrs Morley, try and be calm."

"I am trying, Sir Charles.  But my husband absent!  How can I look him
in the face when he comes back?"

"Oh, hush, hush!" whispered the Resident, pressing her hand so hard that
she could hardly bear it.

"You are taking the very blackest view of the matter.  It may be a
trifle--one of the poles broken, or they may have ventured too far."

"Don't talk, pray," said Mrs Morley.  "Never mind me.  Do something!
Act!"

"I am acting, and for the best," whispered Sir Charles.  "I would give
my life to save Minnie if she is in danger, but I feel it my duty to try
to comfort you."

The next minute he was busy with the officers and the men, hurrying
along the river-bank and sending off boats up the stream, in one of
which--his own, manned by a dozen men--he was standing with Captain Down
and the Major, watching the sides of the river, sometimes plunged in
black darkness, at others glistening in the light of the moon, which had
now risen far above the trees.  But they had not been gone above
half-an-hour before news came, to run through the ranks of the searchers
left behind, some of whom, on the possibility that those sought might
have had an accident with the boat and been compelled to land and fight
their way through the jungle, had penetrated some distance along the
path nearest to the river-side, and been recalled by one of the
officers' whistles.

On hurrying back they had encountered the Sergeant going the rounds, who
had to announce that the sentry stationed at the hut above the chief
landing-place was missing, and no answer could be obtained to the calls
that should have reached his ears had he been anywhere near.

It was a night of excitement, misery, and despair, and the short dawn,
when it broke, brought not hope but horror and dismay, for all at once,
when the morning mist was lying heavily upon the lower reach of the
river, the sound of oars was heard approaching the campong, and as it
neared the lower landing-place, to which several of the party hurried,
it seemed quite a long space of time before the heads of the rowers
began to come gradually out of the grey fog; and soon after it was made
out to be Rajah Hamet's naga, or dragon-boat, towing behind it a second
boat that had been overturned.

The news was passed inward, and this brought the Major to the
landing-place, where the Rajah was waiting.

"Ah!" cried the old officer, "you have brought news?"

The young Rajah bent his head.

"Yes," he said hoarsely.  "Is this your boat?"

"Yes, yes--the Resident's--Sir Charles's.  Been overturned?"

"We found it amongst the trees far down the river.  One of my men caught
sight of this hanging in a bush;" and he held up a large, thin,
gauzy-looking white scarf, torn almost in two.

"Ah!" gasped the Major, as he caught at the flimsy wrapper, now
partially dry.  "And--and--you were going to say something else, sir?"

"Yes," said the young Rajah, with something like a groan.  "But tell me,
do you know whose was this?"

He brought forward from behind him an officer's forage-cap, about which
a torn puggaree clung like a wisp.

"Great heavens!" panted the Major.  "Oh, my poor, dear boy!--Where did
you find this, sir?"

"Part of the boat's bows were crushed in as if by a blow.  This cap was
held down by one of the splinters."

Just then voices came floating down the river, indicating that some of
the party were returning from their search to the upper landing-place;
and soon after the Resident's naga had reached the stage, and the
principal occupants sprang out to hear about the missing sentry, and to
give no news.  The last discovery was whispered to them in broken tones,
and as what seemed to be the terrible fate of the small boat's occupants
was told by the Major to Sir Charles, he literally reeled away from
where he had been standing, and staggered onwards with extended hands,
as if making for the bungalow.  But before he had gone many steps he
stopped short, to whisper hoarsely, "Who is that?"

"I, Sir Charles," said Captain Down.

"Thank you.  Take my hand, please.  I am giddy, and half-blind.
Something seems to have gone wrong.  I cannot think.  Please help me,
and lead me home.--No; stop," he added.  "That poor woman!  Some one
must tell her.  She must know; and I can't--I can't be the bearer.  Oh,
it is too horrible!  My fault, too.--Ah!  Who is that?  You, Down?  I
thought you had gone.  Don't let me fall.  This giddiness again.  Yes, I
remember now.  The Doctor!  He was called away to go to the Rajah's
help.  Has he returned?  Has he--"

His lips parted to say more, but his words were inaudible, and at a
signal from the Captain four of the men hurried up, to lace their hands
into a bearing, and, keeping step, they bore the insensible man to the
Residency.

It was late in the burning afternoon, after the overturned and
much-damaged boat had been lying to dry in the hot sun for hours, and
the terrible mishap had been canvassed in every detail, when a sentry
passed the word that an elephant was approaching with strangers.

The strangers proved to be the Doctor, one of Suleiman's officials, and
the mahout; while as soon as the news reached headquarters, Major Knowle
hurried out, bareheaded, to meet his friend, and stood in the shade of
one of the great palm-trees, signalling to the mahout to stop.

"Morning!" shouted the Doctor cheerily as he drew near.  "Patient's all
right, Knowle, and the Frenchman only frightened into a fit.  Phew!  It
is hot, eh?  What are you holding up your hand for?  Nothing wrong?"

The Major was holding on by the ordinary trappings of the howdah, and
reaching up as he raised himself on tiptoe, he almost whispered his
terrible news, while the florid, erst happy-looking Doctor looked
blankly down.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

PETER'S SENTRY-GO.

Tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, up and down on the regular beat, sometimes
in the full silvery moonlight, sometimes in the shade cast by the hut;
one minute only the footsteps to break the silence, or the wallowing
plash of one of the great reptiles that haunted the river-deeps.

"That's cheerful!" muttered the sentry.  "Ain't so bad, though, as old
Joe made it out when he was doing his sentry-go below there, close to
the water.  My word, how clear it is to-night!  I should just like to
have a regular old-fashioned sentry-box down there, close to the
landing-place, with a good, strong door to it as one could fasten tight,
and loopholes in the sides, and plenty of cartridges ready for a night's
shooting.  I'd let some of 'em have it!  Wouldn't it make 'em savage,
though!  They'd come out and turn the box over if it was not well pegged
down.  Wouldn't do much good, though, if I hit every time, for lots more
of the ugly beggars would come.  Mister Archie says they lay eggs.
Pretty chickens they must be when they are hatched.  Hullo! what boat's
that?"

For the plashing of poles reached his ears, and the dark form of a
good-sized sampan came round a curve, with its attap awning glistening
softly like dead silver in the moonlight.

The sentry waited in the shade of the hut till the boat came nearer, and
then challenged, when a familiar voice responded:

"That you, Peter Pegg?"

"Mister Archie, sir!  Yes, sir."

"It's all right.  We are going up the river a little way in the
moonlight.  Beautiful night!"

"Yes, sir; lovely, sir.  I'd be on the lookout, sir, though."

"What for?"

"Them alligator things, sir.  I have heard a good many of them knocking
about there."

"Oh, they won't come near us with the men splashing as they pole us
along."

The boat passed on, and as the sentry had a glimpse of a white face and
the folds of a veil he stood musing and watching till the boat had
passed and disappeared.

"No," he thought, "I don't suppose the brutes will go near them.  They
soon scuttle off when they hear a splash.  Nice to be him, enj'ying
hisself with his lady.  Wonder who it is.  Miss Doctor, perhaps.  Nice
girl.  But he's only a boy.  Wish I was a officer.  I used to think it
would be all the same for us when I 'listed.  My word, how the Sergeant
did lay on the butter and jam!  And talked about the scarlet, and being
like a gentleman out here abroad with the niggers to wait on us--and
then it comes to this!  Sentry-go for hours in a lonely place like this
here, with crocklygaters hanging about to see if you go to sleep to give
them a chance to make a grab.  Yes, they make a fellow feel sleepy!
Just likely, ain't it?"

Peter Pegg's thoughts seemed to animate him, and for a turn or two he
changed his pace from a slow march to double.

"Steady, my lad!" he muttered.  "There ain't no hurry;" and he dropped
back into the regular pace, and began thinking about the boat and its
occupants.

"Nice young lady she is; and I suppose that there Sir Charles is going
to make a match with her, for she and Mister Archie always seem just
like brother and sister.  I suppose he ain't been well.  Been precious
quiet lately.  Can't have offended him, for he was as jolly as could be
last time I saw him.  He's getting more solid-like and growed up.  But
my word, what fun we have had together sometimes!  And what a row there
would have been if we had been found out!  It wouldn't have done.  But
it has cheered me up many a time when I have had the miserables and felt
as if I'd like to cut sojering and make for home.  It was nice to have a
young officer somewheres about your own age ready for a lark.  Poor old
Mother Smithers, and that brown juice--what do they call it--cutch and
gambia?--as dyes things brown.  The officers' clean shirts as was washed
in that water--haw, haw, haw!--What's that?"

The listener brought his piece to the ready, and the _click, click_ of
the lock followed instantly upon a shrill cry which seemed to thrill the
sentry along every nerve.

"Is it the crocs?" he thought; and then close upon the distant sound of
blows and a splash or two came in Archie's well-known but now excited
tones:

"Sentry Pegg!  Help!"

The young private obeyed his first instinct, and that was, instead of
firing, to give the alarm, to run down as fast as he could to the
water's edge and plunge in amongst the scattered, overhanging trees,
making as well as he could judge for the direction from which the cries
had arisen.

"Here!  Coming!  Coming!" he panted, as he rushed in where the trees
were thickest, to become, directly after, conscious of a figure starting
up from behind a bush that he had just passed, and from which,
glittering and flashing, came the sparkle of quite a little cloud of
fire-flies.

The lad swung himself round as he scented danger, and struck back with
the butt of his rifle; but it was only to miss his assailant and expose
his head to a blow from the other side--so heavy a stroke from a
formidable, club-like weapon that he dropped, with a faint groan, while
from the direction of the boat right out towards the middle of the river
there was a resumption of the plashing of poles.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

A STRANGE FEVER.

It was to Archie Maine like a bad attack of the fever from which he had
suffered when he first went up-country in the gunboat from Singapore.
There was that horrible beating and throbbing in his head, only
intensely more confusing than it had been then; and sometimes, when he
could think and everything did not seem mentally upside-down, he was
being puzzled by two questions.  One was, "Is it jungle fever?" the
other, "Is it the throbbing and beating of the gunboat engines?"  And
this latter he favoured the more because he felt convinced that the
heat, the burning, scorching heat, in his head must be because they had
put him in a berth close by the furnace fires.

Throb, throb--burn, burn--and then all nothingness for long enough.  He
could not move; he could not speak; he could not think; only hour after
hour in the midst of the throbbing pain he felt dried up, choking with
thirst, and always fighting hard to get back the power to think.

What did it all mean?  Where was he?  There was the throbbing as of the
engines, and the heat, but somehow he felt that he could not be on the
gunboat.  For once in a way there was a roar as of wild beasts; then it
was not the roar of wild beasts, for it seemed to be the blast of a
bugle, out of tune, harsh, and blown by some horrible giant, so big, so
vast, so confusing that, as he was trying to think what it could be and
why, everything was all confusion again.  If he could only think!  If he
could only make it out, why it was, and what it was!  And he was in a
hurry to do this.  It seemed as if he was struggling with all his might
to be able to think, before everything was shut down again.

He did not know what was going to be shut down, or what there was to be
shut down.  He did not understand; but he could feel the awful heat, the
heavy, burning, throbbing pain, and with it--there was nothing.  And
what was nothing?  Nothing but darkness and the great question: why?--
which grew and grew and grew till it became bigger and bigger and
resolved itself into something going round and round; and that something
seemed to be why he could not think.

How long this went on Archie did not know; but after a time in the
darkness there seemed to come a faint dawning like a feeble ray of
light, which suggested that he must be at home in England on a
frightfully hot day, lying down on one of the benches in the Lion House
at the Zoo.  For there was that tremendous giant's roar or trumpeting
sound, and this must, he knew, be one of the savage beasts, and had
something to do with his having suddenly dropped to sleep and being
wakened by the bellowing sound.

Then more darkness--silence--the ever-increasing confusion and whir, and
nothingness, till some time or other there was a fresh coming of the
dawn, in the midst of which he felt something that seemed wonderfully
cool and moist laid upon his head, and a voice that seemed to come from
miles away whispered:

"Poor old chap!"

Then all was dark again, and he seemed to be dreaming of the fever and
the doctor that was talking to him and telling him that there were six
of the men just as bad as he was, and that he was to take _that_.  He
could think now, for he distinctly heard him say:

"Tip it up.  It will do you good."

And somehow the engines seemed to have been stopped, and he felt as if
he was being lifted on to some one's arm away from the tremendous heat
of the engine fires, and he knew it was the Doctor--good old Morley!--
who was holding a very hard wooden cup to his lips for him to drink the
medicine.  No, it was not nasty; it was beautifully cool and good.  He
felt that the Doctor had put in so much water that he could not taste
the physic; and he drank on and on, every drop seeming to make it easier
at last to think.  And then the cup was being taken from his lips, and
he tried to raise his hand to catch it and hold it so that he might
drink more; but his arm fell as if nerveless, and he uttered a deep
groan.

"Oh, come!" rose to his ears now, as if from a long way off.  "That's
something!  Ain't going to die this time."

"Not going to die this time," some one whispered, as if it were breathed
with a hot breath upon his lips; and then he lay thinking in a very
feeble way, and feeling the while so tired, as a great longing came over
him to go to sleep.  It seemed like hours before that longing was
fulfilled; and then he woke up not knowing why or wherefore, or grasping
anything but that it was dark, black dark; and then he felt, with a
strange sense of agony, that all his trouble was returning, for the
trumpeting roar thundered through his brain, and he lay perfectly still
as the deep sound ceased, ending with a peculiar kind of snort and a
squeal, feeling that there was no pain, and beginning to wonder why.

Time passed again--how long a time it was beyond him to grasp--but there
was that peculiar trumpeting roar once more, and somehow it did not
trouble him so much.  The fancy that he was in the Lion House had faded
away, and he became conscious of the Doctor passing his arm under his
neck and raising him, while the wooden cup was being held to his lips--
cool, sweet, delicious--it was one great joy to feel the soft draught
running over his parched tongue and down his throat.

Then he started, and he felt some of the contents of the cup trickle
down his chin, for there was a shrill trumpeting noise again as the
desire to exert himself came, and he exclaimed:

"What's that?"

It was only in a whisper, but the Doctor--no, it was not the Doctor; it
was some one whose voice he knew--said excitedly:

"Helephants."  And then, "I say, Mister Archie, sir, you're a-coming
round!"

That was too much for him.  He wanted to ask what it meant--why it was
Peter Pegg who had been holding up his head, and not the Doctor--but he
could not form the words for the deep, heavy sleepiness which came over
him; and then all was darkness once more, mental and real.

Long enough after, Archie Maine found himself thinking again, and
wondering where he was and why it was so dark; but he could make out
nothing, till he gradually began to feel about him, slowly, cautiously,
as if in dread of something about to happen, for the sensation was
horrible of being nowhere and in danger of falling should he move.  Then
there was a sudden feeling of consciousness, for he touched a hot hand,
and a familiar voice said:

"'Wake, sir?  Like a drink?"

"Yes.  That you, Pete?"

"Me it is, sir.  Lie still, and I will give you a cocoa-nut-shellful of
water, and--and--Oh my!  Oh my!  Oh Lor'!  I can't help it!"

And Archie lay thinking clearly enough now, and wondering why it was
that the big fellow who had spoken crouched close by him quivering, and
the hand that had grasped his roughly was shaking violently, as he lay
there blubbering and sobbing with all his might.

"What's the matter?" whispered Archie, in the midst of his wonder.

"Oh, it's only me, sir," cried the lad in a choking voice.  "I couldn't
help it.  It would ha' been just the same if I'd been on parade.  It
would come.  It's been ready to bust out all this time.  I thought you
was going to die, sir--I thought you was going to die!"

"Die, Pete!  No!  What for?"

"Don't you know, sir?"

"No-o," said Archie wonderingly.

"Here, stop a minute; let me give you some water."

And in the darkness Archie lay listening to the pleasant, musical,
trickling sound of falling water; while directly after, as he felt the
private's hand passed under his neck, he made an effort to rise, and
fell a-wondering again, for he could not stir.

But the next minute there was a fancied feeling of returning strength as
he swallowed the cool draught with avidity, drinking till the desire
came upon him to sink back with a deep sigh of content, and he felt his
companion's arm withdrawn.

"Go to sleep after that, can't you?" whispered the private.

"No; I want to know what it all means."

"Hadn't you better go to sleep, sir?"

"No!" cried Archie, in a voice so full of the agony of desire that Peter
spoke out excitedly:

"Well, we are prisoners, sir."

"Prisoners!  How?  Why?"

"I d'know, sir."

"You don't know!" panted Archie feebly.  "Oh, you are trying to keep it
back!"

"That I ain't, sir.  I'll tell you what I do know.  Somebody's took us
prisoners--some of them Malay chaps.  I think it must be that Rajah
Hamet's men, as they says are our enemies."

"No, no; he's our friend."

"Then it must be t'other one, sir.  You remember when you come by in the
boat that moonlight night?"

"Boat!  What moonlight night?"

"Oh, Lor' ha' mussy!" muttered Peter.  "He can't be fit to talk."

"What's that you are saying to yourself?  Why don't you speak?"

"Don't you remember hailing me, sir, when I was on sentry-go?"

"No."

"Nor me telling you to mind the crocs didn't try to come aboard your
boat?"

"No.  What are you talking about?"

"Oh, my word!" sighed Peter.  "Here's a pretty go!  Talk about a poor
fellow being off his chump!"  Then aloud, as he felt the lad's hand
feebly feeling for his, "It was like this 'ere, sir.  You must have got
into some row with a boatful of the niggers, and they knocked you over
the head."

"Knocked me over the head?" said Archie dreamily.  "No, I don't
remember.  Here, give me some more water."

Peter Pegg hurriedly filled the cup--half a cocoa-nut shell--and Archie
drank a mouthful and pushed it away.

"Let me lie down again," he said.--"Now go on.  Knocked me over the
head?" he said very slowly and thoughtfully, as if weighing his words.
"Did you know that?"

"Yes, sir."

"You said you were on sentry?"

"That's right, sir."

"Then why didn't you come and help me?"

"I was coming, sir, bull roosh, when just as I was running along the
river-bank, wondering how I was to swim out to you among them
crocodiles, some one popped out from the bushes and fetched me down with
an awful crack on the pan."

"Struck you down?"

"Yes, sir.  Hit me crool.  There's a lump on the top now as big as your
fist.  Regularly knocked me silly.  Just as they must have served you--
knocked every bit of sense out of me.  There warn't much in, as old
Tipsy says, but I didn't know no more till I found myself here, feeling
sick as a dog, and not able to move, for I was lying awkward-like on my
back, with some of them thin rotan canes tied round my arms and legs so
tight that it was only at times I knowed I had any arms and legs at
all."

"Poor fellow!" said Archie pityingly.

"Yes, I just have been a poor fellow, sir--poor creature, as they called
them up in my part of the country.  Why, I have been quite mazed-like.
That topper I got seemed to do for me altogether; and when I come-to,
here I was lying in this place, not knowing where I was, and, like you,
sir, I couldn't make out what it meant."

"And in the darkness, too," said Archie, "just like this?"

"Like which, sir?  Why, it ain't dark now!"

"Black darkness," said Archie.

The young private whistled softly and said nothing, but shook his head
and thought.

"But you know what place it is, don't you, Pete?"

"Well, I suppose it's part of one of the Rajah's roosts; but, as I tell
you, my head's felt so muddled, and just as if some of the works had
been knocked loose, that even now I don't seem to be able to tell
t'other from which.  Well, I am getting it clearer now, and of course it
must be at Mr Prince Suleiman's.  Why, to be sure it must; and if my
wheels inside had been going as they should, I should have thought it
out at once.  It must be at the Rajah's place, because of the helephants
as you 'eerd now and then.  They must have a sort of stable close by
here.  And then--why, of course--I'm just as 'fused-like as you are,
sir--that French count chap came in to see us the other day, and talked
to me."

"He came here?" said Archie in his slow, dreamy way.

"Yes, sir; that he did."

"But I want to know," said Archie, "why we were attacked like this and I
was so hurt.  There seems to have been no cause or reason for it."

"Well, I d'know, sir.  I can't think much more than you can.  Maybe we
shall see it clearly as we gets better; but it looks to me as if it's
his doing, out of spite, like, for our interfering with him when he came
that night and Joe Smithers arrested him and gave the alarm."

"Perhaps so," said Archie.  "My head's going wrong again.  I can't
think."

"Then you take my advice, sir: don't you try.  Try and eat a bit, for
it's five days since you have had a bite, counting the night we was
took."

"Five days!" said Archie.

"That's right, sir.  Think you could eat one of these fruits--I don't
know what you call them--melons like?"

"No," said Archie, with a shudder.

"Well, I don't wonder, sir.  I couldn't at first.  They brought in a lot
of bananas with the water, but I couldn't touch 'em at first.  When that
Frenchman came, though, and saw that I hadn't eaten anything, he turned
rusty, and said I was trying to starve myself to death, and that it
wouldn't do, because I must remember that I was a horstrich now, and I
wasn't to play no tricks like that."

"Said you were an ostrich?"

"Yes, sir; that's right.  I don't know why, and I thought perhaps I
hadn't heard him rightly, being so muddled-like.  But I'm sure now
that's what he said.  Perhaps he said it because he thought I was a
long-legged one and meant to run away; and I should have been about
doing so before now if there hadn't been reasons."

"What reasons, Pete?"

"Why, you, sir.  You don't suppose I was going to cut and leave my mate
in such a hole as this?"

"Ostrich?" said Archie dreamily.  "What could he mean by that?  Oh--
prisoners!  He called you a hostage, and we are to be kept as hostages
for some reason connected with something that's going on."

"Ah! that's right, sir."

As the young private sat on the palm-leaf-covered floor of the wooden
building, gazing at his companion in misfortune, and thinking of how
changed he looked, Archie slowly closed his eyes and appeared to be
asleep, though he was now trying to make up for lost time, and thinking
deeply.

"Wonder what's the matter with his eyes," mused the young private.  "He
can't see, or else he wouldn't keep on talking about its being dark."

Suddenly Archie unclosed his eyes and said:

"Are your legs and wrists better now?"

"It's my head that was the worst, sir," was the reply.

"But you said that your legs and wrists were so cruelly tied up that the
canes cut into your flesh."

"Oh yes, sir; that was at first.  But when that Frenchie came in he told
the Malay chaps to untie 'em, so that I could wait upon you--and
precious glad I was."

"But how did you manage to see to give me the water?"

"I couldn't in the night, sir; but I can now.--It's no use to tell the
poor chap that it's quite light, for he's all puzzled-like yet," thought
the private.  Then aloud, "I'd just go to sleep a bit now, sir, if I was
you."

"What for?"

"Rest your head, sir.  You will feel a deal better when you wake again,
and perhaps see a bit clearer."

"Perhaps you are right, Pete," said Archie, with a sigh; "but I am
better now.  Most of the pain seems to be gone."

"Good luck to you, sir!  I wish mine had, for there are times when I
seem as if I could not think straight."

Archie made no reply, and as the young private watched him he saw that
the poor fellow's eyes were once more closed; and the lad half lay on
the crisp leaves, which rustled loudly at every movement, and mused on
their position.

"One would expect," he said to himself, "that at any minute a company of
our swaddies would be here to fetch us out of this.  At the same time,
one ought to be ready to help one's self.  Can't do anything, of course,
with Mister Archie like this; but I have got my ideas about doing
something some night if I can get a chance.--Oh, there you are, my
beauties!  I keep on hearing you, and you set me thinking.  Wonder
whether I could do it if I tried.  I must wait till he comes round a bit
more, and then I mean to try.  Wonder whether they set sentries over us.
Most likely; but if they do they will have to be dodged."

There was a rumbling noise, which came from one of the elephants stabled
near, and Peter Pegg shook his head slowly as if he were imitating the
customary habit of a tethered elephant, and in imagination the private
seemed to see one of the leg-chained beasts softly bowing its head up
and down, and slowly from side to side, swinging it as if it were on
springs.

"If I asked that chap who brings the water to let me see the helephants
he would see through me, so I won't do it--make him 'spicious; and he
wouldn't understand me if I did.  His is an awful foolish lingo.  Might
perhaps get outside the door or window some night and have a look for
them in the dark.  Ah, there's no knowing what I might do when he gets
better."

Private Pegg started violently, for all at once Archie started up
excitedly, and sat with widely opened eyes, gazing wildly straight
before him, his hands extended, and trembling violently; while, as his
fellow-prisoner leaned forward and caught him by the arm to try and
soothe him, believing him to be in pain, he snatched his hand away, and
in a piteous cry uttered the one word:

"Minnie!"

Peter Pegg waited for a few moments, half-stunned by this new form of
trouble, and offered the first palliative that occurred to him.

"Have some more water, Mister Archie," he said huskily.

"No, no!  Don't you see?  Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Tell you what before, sir?"

"About Miss Heath."

"About Miss Doctor, sir?  It was her, then, as was with you in the
boat?"

"Yes, yes!  Why didn't you remind me?"

"Never thought about it, sir.  I never--my word!--I--"

"Yes, yes; I see it all now!  It has all come back.  That blindness and
misery has cleared off like a veil.  Man, man! when those wretches
attacked me she was with me in the boat; and we stop here, helpless and
prisoners, while she--Oh for health and strength!  Pegg, there's not a
moment to be lost!  We must escape somehow, and get back to camp.  Her
poor aunt!  What must she think!"

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

DR. PEGG MUSES.

"Poor chap!" said Pegg, with a long-drawn sigh, as, utterly exhausted,
Archie sank back upon his rough resting-place amongst the palm-leaves,
and fell off at once into a deep, swoon-like sleep.  "Oh! if he only
won't wake again for hours and hours, for all this worrying and talking
must be dreadful for him.  Poor girl!  She must be here somewhere, a
prisoner too.  If I could only find out!"

He had been bending over Archie, and was drawing away as softly as could
be for fear the rustling of the leaf-bed might wake his companion again,
to recommence talking in an excited way about Minnie Heath and her fate,
when he heard the sound of voices, the door of the palm and bamboo
building was unbarred and thrown open, and a fierce, swarthy-looking,
scowling Malay, with the hilt of his kris uncovered, strode swaggeringly
in, accompanied by six spear-armed natives of about his own stamp, their
leader looking sharply at the two prisoners, and then about the place.

"Here, I say, don't kick up such a jolly row," said the private in a
hoarse whisper.  "Can't you see that the poor fellow has just dropped
off to sleep?"

The big Malay turned upon him fiercely, and as he took a couple of steps
nearer, the crisp, dry leaves rustled more than ever.

"Will you be quiet?" whispered the private, springing up, and with one
stride planting himself threateningly before the offender, who took a
step back and flashed his naked kris from its sheath, while his
followers lowered their spears for his protection.

"There, put that cook's skewer away," growled the lad, as he pointed at
the kris.  "Can't you be quiet?  Can't you see that I have got nothing
to fight with?  Seven on you to one wounded man!  Nice, plucky lot,
aren't you?  Why, I'm about the youngest chap in my company, but give me
my empty rifle and bay'net and fair-play, and I would take the lot on
you."

Then, placing his open hands on either side of his lips as if he were
about to hail somebody at a distance, he whispered hoarsely:

"Look at him.  Very bad.  Thought he was going to die.  Can't you
understand?"

Lowering his hands, he first pointed to the insensible officer, and
then, treating the bared weapons which menaced him with as much contempt
as if they were not there, he stepped on tiptoe close to his young
companion, and stood pointing down at his terribly swollen forehead,
which was not only cut but discoloured.

He stood waiting, but neither of the Malays moved, only looked at their
leader as if for orders, and then gazed at one another, till he uttered
a low grunt, in response to which the men raised the points of their
spears and planted the butts on the ground.

Peter Pegg gave vent to a low, sneering laugh as he gazed half-jauntily
at the big Malay.

"It didn't skeer me a bit," he said, "queer as I feel; but, between
men--you see how bad my poor officer is--I only want you to keep those
jockeys of yours quiet.  Well, aren't you going to say anything when a
English gentleman addresses you?"

The Malay gazed at him as if wondering at the lad's impudence, and then,
scowling fiercely, he said, in a hoarse, guttural way, and trying to
display his scorn for the sun-burnt, thin-featured lad, "Ingles--
Ingles!"

"That's right, comrade--I mean, enemy.  Well, ain't you going to say any
more?"

The man made no sign, and Peter Pegg continued:

"Can't you understand plain English?  Well, then, take this--_apa boleh
booat_."

"_Apa boleh booat_," said the Malay, with his face relaxing a little;
and he nodded his head slowly, before turning to one of his followers
and pointing to the big water-jar standing near the door, which the man
immediately took up and bore out as if to fill, while his leader pointed
again to a neatly woven bamboo basket in which lay three or four bananas
and a half-eaten cake of bread.

This too was borne out, the contents sent flying amongst the trees close
by, and the basket brought back, like the big jar, replenished.

"_Apa boleh booat_," growled the big Malay, and he bowed his head slowly
at the young soldier.

"All right; I quite agree with you," said Peter; "and now good-morning,
or good-day, and don't come and bother me any more, my Royal Highness,
or whatever you are, for I want to think."

The Malay leader scowled at him again, and then followed his men out of
the door, which was closed loudly, and as heavy bars seemed to be fitted
into sockets, Peter Pegg limped up, as if partly lamed, put his lips
close to a crack, and whispered:

"Thank you.  Much obliged.  A little louder next time, please, for my
officer's asleep."

Then he stood peering through the crack till the footsteps died away.

"Can't see much," he said; "but I wonder what _apa boleh booat_ means.
I meant it for something nasty, but the ugly beggar took it quite
pleasant.  It's what those sampan chaps say when they come back without
catching any fish.  To be sure, and I heard another chap say it when the
Doctor had done strapping up his cut that time when there was a fight
between the two Rajahs' men.  I've picked up a lot more, too, of their
lingo, but it's all mixed up together somewheres, and my head's about as
muddled as poor Mister Archie's.  Poor old chap!  I got it too, but I'd
a deal rather I'd had his topper and he'd had mine, and that's honest;
for though he's a gentleman and I have only been a rough recruity, he's
always been a good chap to me, and I never liked him so much as I do now
when he's in such trouble.  I wonder where poor Miss Minnie is."

_Phoonk_! came from somewhere outside, and there was a rattling as of an
iron chain.

"Oh, there you are, are you?" said Peter.  "The Doctor said in that
lecture he gave us chaps that helephants is the most intelligent beasts
there is--more so than dogs--that they get to understand all sorts of
words that are spoken to them.  That there _phoonk_, or whatever it was,
sounded just like an answer to something I had said; but, of course, it
couldn't be.  These 'ere are Malay helephants, and 'tisn't likely they
could understand English.  I wish, though, this was the one that I got
to be so chummy with on the sham-fight day.  I'd give him half these
'ere bananas and some of the cake, for I don't feel ready to eat much,
and I don't believe that when the governor wakes up he will take
anything but some more water.  Well, anyhow, he's better than he has
been since we've been here.  How long is it?"

The lad raised his hand wearily to his aching brow, and held it there
for some minutes, before shaking his head sadly.

"I d'know," he said.  "It's all getting mixed up again.  Oh, my poor
nut!  How it do ache!  I know what would do it good--lie down and try to
go to sleep.  But I can't; for so sure as I did, Mister Archie would
wake up and want some water, and begin to talk about Miss Minnie.  Oh
dear!  It's far worse than mutiny--to go to sleep when you are on
sentry; and it would be ten times worse to begin to snooze now, with
that poor, half-cranky chap in such a state.  So I'll have one or two of
them finger-stall fruit things and a good drink of water, and then lean
back against the side and see how many Malay words I can remember; and
if that don't keep a poor fellow awake, nothing will."

He stepped softly amongst the rustling leaves and bent down over Archie,
to find that he was breathing freely, and evidently plunged in the deep
sleep of exhaustion.

"That's better," he muttered; "but I should like to dip his handkerchy
in that fresh, cold water and lay it on his head."

His hand was reached out to where he could just catch a glimpse of the
scrap of linen in the lad's breast pocket; but he snatched his extended
fingers back, and stepped away to where the basket and jar had been
placed.

"Do more harm than good," he muttered.  "When I was in orspittle, I
remember old Morley said that sleep was the something that did something
to set wounded fellows up again, and if I got sopping his head, poor
chap! it would wake him up as sure as eggs is eggs."  Then he went down
on his knees, picked up the cocoa-nut cup, filled it to the brim, and
very slowly trickled the contents down his throat.  "Hah!" he sighed.
"Lovely!" as he held up the empty cup.  "That's just the sort of stuff
as would do old Joe Smithers a world of good.--Thankye; yes, I will take
another, as you are so pressing;" and with a contented grin upon his
dirty face, grimed with perspiration and the dried stains from a cut, he
refilled the shell cup, drank the contents, replaced the little vessel
balanced upside-down upon the edge of the rough earthen jar, and then
swung himself round into a sitting position, wincing and half-groaning
with pain as he did so, leant his aching head against the thickly
plaited palm wall, and reached out for the basket, from which he picked
one of the largest golden plantains.

"There's plenty," he said softly, "and three of them just about ought to
set me up."

Then methodically breaking off the end of the one he had chosen, he
began to strip off the thick skin, letting each portion hang over his
hand, as the creamy, white, vegetable-like fruit became bared half-way
down; and then, with a sigh, he took a bite.

"That second cup of Adam's ale was better than the first," he said
appreciatively, "and this 'ere's the best banana I ever nibbled.  We
used to say at home that they was like tallow candle and sleepy pear,
but this one--my word, it's heavenly!"

He took another bite, munching it slowly, with his head sinking down
gently as if to meet his hand, which came up with some effort, ready for
the next bite; and then, with his lower jaw impeded by resting upon his
chest, it ceased to move, the hand that held the banana sank into his
lap, the half-peeled fruit escaped from his fingers, and not one of the
many Malay words that he was about to remember obtained utterance, for
after the watching and disturbed sleep of nights, Nature would do no
more, and Peter Pegg was sleeping more deeply than he had ever slept in
his life before.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

PETER'S FRIEND.

Phoonk!  Then a peculiar squeal and grunting sound, and then once again,
_Phoonk_!

Peter Pegg started up into a sitting position, vacant of face and
staring at the straightly streaked rays of sunshine that made their way
through the plaited and latticed sides of the stable-like building in
which he had dropped to sleep.

"What's all that row?" he muttered.  "Where am I?"

He rubbed his eyes; and then, as the grunting, snorting noise continued,
"What does it all mean?" he went on.  "Why, I've been asleep, and was
dreaming something about old Bobby Hood's pigs at home, grunting.  Am I
dreaming now?  Them ain't pigs.  Here, I know--helephants!"

He turned his face to the side of the place against which he had been
leaning, drew himself up, and applied his eyes to one of the cracks,
just as a voice seemed to be calling out in the Malay tongue at three of
the great cumbrous-looking beasts which were about a couple of yards
away from the building.

"Driving of them, and they won't go," thought the watcher; and the
speaker, a stunted-looking Malay with a short, iron-spiked implement,
somewhat like the iron of a boat-hook, in his hand, came into sight
between the huge pachyderms and the door, shouting and growling at his
charge as he waved the hook and progged the nearest beast as if trying
to drive them away.

"What a fool I was not to have learned this precious lingo!  They want
to come in, and he's telling them to get on.  Well, there ain't no room
for them here.--Ah, he don't like that!"  For the dumpy Malay made use
more freely of the goad he carried, and the nearest beast gave vent to
an angry half-squeal, half-grunt, as, shrinking from the prod delivered
at its flank, it made a rush at two companions, driving its great head
first at one and then at the other, and with a good deal of grumbling,
squealing, and waving of trunks, they shuffled out of sight.

"Why, I must have been asleep," cried Pegg, as he made for another
opening where the sun streamed in; "but my head--oh, my head, how it
aches!  I can't seem to understand what it means.  It's all of a--" He
turned slowly round, staring vacantly, till his eyes fell upon the
basket and jar almost at his feet.  "'Nanas--water!  Why,"--he turned
his eyes in another direction, and then, with a faint cry of dismay, he
shuffled across the place, making the dry leaves with which the floor
was covered rustle loudly, as he sank upon his knees beside Archie.
"I've got it now," he said to himself.  "I remember; but my head's as
thick as wool.  He went to sleep, and I sat down to watch till he woke.
Nice watch I've kept!  Well, it's a good job those great brutes come
along and woke me up.  This must have been their old stable, and if I
don't look out, one of these times they will be shoving that door down
and walking in a-top of us.  Poor old chap!  He's sound enough now.
Mustn't touch him.  It would be a pity to wake him.  I couldn't have
been asleep many minutes."

Peter drew away silently and stood for a few moments watching the bright
rays of sunshine that streamed in through the side of the building; and
unconsciously he raised one hand and made a peculiar motion with it as
if he were following the streaks of light from right to left with his
index-finger.

"Seems rum," he muttered; "but it's my head being so thick, I suppose.
Oh, there's that banana I began to eat;" and he stooped down, picked it
up from where it lay amongst the leaves, and then dipped the cocoa-nut
cup into the water, and took a deep draught of the refreshing beverage.

"Ah!" he sighed, as he set down the shell.  "Seems to wash the cobwebs
out of one's head.  Wonder where those helephants were being driven."

As he muttered he stepped to the door and applied his eye to _one_ of
the cracks through which the sun was streaming, and then drew back, for
the glare affected his eye.

"Shines hot," he muttered; "and it wasn't coming in like that when I
looked through just now, before beginning to eat that banana.  Well," he
ejaculated, "it's a rum 'un!  I've got it now!  Why, I must have been
asleep hours and hours and hours.  It ain't this evening.  When I looked
it was all turning red because the sun was going down.  It's to-morrow
morning, and I've been asleep all night.  I'm a nice sort of a chap, I
am, to go on duty and leave my officer in the lurch like that!  Well, he
must have been asleep too.  There's no gammon about it, for it is
to-morrow morning, and he could not have woke up, because I should have
heared him; so that's all right.  Poor chap!  And it must have done him
good.  But now I can think again, and my head don't ache so much.  I
feel better, and there's been no old Job Tipsy to drop upon me.--I wish
there was, and a lot of our fellows with him," said the poor fellow
dismally.

He crossed softly to where Archie lay breathing calmly, and then, as if
feeling satisfied, he went back to the great earthen jar, refreshed
himself with another draught of water, and seated himself by the basket,
from which he took one of the bananas and began to eat.

"I'm quite peckish," he said to himself, "and, my word, they are good!
I don't know how long it is since I felt like this.  It must be a good
sign.  Well, there's plenty of them," he continued, and he took another,
and another.  "Not half bad," he went on, "as there's no commissariat
coffee.  Must leave plenty for Mr Archie, though.  But 'nanas don't
seem the sort of tack for a poor chap with his complaint.  Wishing ain't
no good, or I'd do it with both hands, and wish old Jollop was here to
look at his tongue and to strap up that head of his.  It ought to have
all the hair cut off, but one can't do that with a blunt knife.  Hullo!
what's that?" he muttered, after satisfying himself with the fruit from
the basket.  "I believe it's one of those two-tailed pigs grunting and
chuntering."

He went to the opening through which he had peered before, and looked
out.

"Can't see anything," he muttered, "but it sounds like one of them
coming back.  Yes, I can!  It is--just coming through the trees.  Why,
he's all wet, and dripping with mud and water.  That's it.  They have
been driven down by their keeper to the river.  Yes, there must be a
river; and I say, lad, there's something to recollect.  This 'ere place
is somewhere up the river, or down it.  Yes, down it, because up the
river the water's clear, and down it, it gets muddy.  Oh, I don't know.
I dare say there's muddy places up the banks.  There, stop that
chuntering row.  Just like a drove of pigs.  He's coming back to his
stable somewhere.  Why, he's coming straight here, just as if he meant
to knock the door down and get in.  Well, if he did he wouldn't hurt us.
He's only a tame one.  That little chap made three of them shuffle off.
But what a chance to cut if he opens the door!  Oh dear!" he added,
with a sigh.  "Talk about cutting, with the young governor like he is!
And even if he could walk, we don't know the way.  Wonder where we are.
It must be the Rajah's place somewhere right up in the jungle where he
keeps his helephants, and that there Frenchman put him up to keeping his
hostriches, as he called them, up here too."

Peter Pegg's mutterings and musing were brought to a sudden end by the
elephant, which seemed to be quite alone, coming close up to the
doorway, grunting and chuntering, as the young private called it, just
as if the animal were talking to itself, mingling its remarks with a low
squeal which might have meant either anger or satisfaction.

"I believe," thought Peter, "it's one of them that came to the
sham-fight, and I could almost fancy it's the chap I had a ride on.  But
they are all alike, only one's bigger than another, and t'other's more
small.  If he had got his toggery on with gold fringes and the big
bamboo clothes-basket full of cushions on his back, I should know him
directly.  But he's what they call disguised in mud.--Here, I say,
don't!  What you doing on?"

It was plain enough, for the great elephant had seized hold of a portion
of the woven, basket-like wall, which began to crack and give way as a
piece was torn out.

"I say, don't--don't be a fool!  You'll wake the poor governor,"
whispered Peter, who began to tremble now with alarm.--"Oh, don't I wish
I could remember what the mahout said to him!--Here, I say, don't!--I
believe he's gone mad, and if he gets at us--Here, I say, what shall I
do?"  And he backed away from where the light was beginning to show more
brightly through the woven wall, and took up his position as if to
protect his wounded officer.  "If I had only got my rifle and bayonet, I
could keep him off, perhaps, with a good dig.  Here, they have left me
my knife, though," he said joyously, as he drew it out and opened the
blade.

The possession of even this contemptible weapon seemed to give the poor
fellow some confidence, and he took three or four steps towards the hole
the huge beast was making, just as there was torn away another piece of
the elastic palm or bamboo of which the wall between the uprights was
formed.

And then the light opening was suddenly darkened.

"Blest if it ain't just like a great horse-leech such as we used to find
in the water-crease beds, only about ten million times as big;" and the
lad stood helplessly staring as he saw the monster's trunk thrust right
in through the wall and beginning to wave up and down and from side to
side, wondrously elastic, the nostrils at the end in this semi-darkness
looking like a pair of little wet eyes, between which the prehensile
part moved up and down like a tiny pug-nose.

_Sniff, snuff, snort_, and then a little squeal as, after waving here
and there for a few moments, the curious member was stretched out
straight in the direction of the lad, emitted a deep, damp sigh, and
then began to wave up and down and to and fro again, before curling up,
to some extent uncoiling, and shooting out straight and stiff again in
the same direction.

"Oh Lor'!" groaned Peter, "it's just like one of them there big
boa-constructors, and he's coming for me.  He means me.  There's a
sniff!  And this knife not a bit of good.  If I cut it off it would only
make him more wild.  Look at it, with its two little eyes seeming to
stare at me.  Boa-constructor!  It's more like an injy-rubber pipe gone
mad."

There was another faint squeal, and the great trunk slowly changed its
position, and stretched itself out in the direction of the bamboo
basket.

"Here, I say," thought Peter, "does he mean them?"

The lad hesitated for a minute or two while the elephant continued its
low, almost purring, muttering sound, as the trunk turned once more in
his direction, and then became stiffly pointed out again towards the
basket, while the wall about the height of the elephant's head gave
forth a loud crack.

"He's a-leaning ag'in it, and it's coming through!" gasped Peter.
"Here, there's nothing for it.--All right, mate; wait a minute: you
shall have the whole blessed lot.  Murder!  Don't!" roared the poor
fellow; for as he made a dash to reach the basket, as quick as lightning
the trunk was curled round his neck, and held him fast as he dropped
upon his knees.

"It's all over, Mister Archie, sir," he groaned.  "And you lying there
asleep and taking not no notice!  Wouldn't have catched me 'listing if
I'd ha' known it meant coming to this!--Oh, I say, do leave go!"

As if his captor thoroughly grasped the meaning of his piteous appeal,
the trunk began slowly to loosen its hold; and then, as the poor fellow
prepared himself for a dash to get beyond its reach, he found it begin
to smooth him over and stroke him gently down from shoulder to arm,
playing about as if caressing him, after the fashion in which he had
seen the animals treat their mahout when about to be fed.

"Oh dear!" groaned Peter; "I thought it was all over with me.  Does he
mean he wants one of them bananas?"

The lad's hand trembled as he reached out, picked up one of the
bananas--the largest he could see--and held it in the direction of the
end of the trunk.

There was a loud sniff; the trunk curled round the fruit, curved under,
and was drawn back through the hole.  The sun shone brightly in, and
Peter felt conscious that the banana was disappearing into the great
brute's wet mouth.  Then in the most deliberate manner the end of the
trunk reappeared, gliding towards him like some serpent.  The light was
pretty well shut out, and as the wall creaked again, Peter somehow
omitted to dash right off as far away as he could go, and found himself
picking up another banana, which was deliberately taken, disappeared
slowly to make way for the light to pass in, and then the process was
repeated once more.

"Here, who's afraid?" said the lad, mastering the oppression and panting
from which he suffered, as he picked up a fourth banana.  "He means
friends, and I'm blessed if I don't believe it's the same one as I
tackled at the sham-fight, I wish I knew.--Want another, mate?" he
continued, as the trunk-end curled towards him again; and as it slowly
took the banana from his hand, he passed his fingers beyond the grasped
fruit, and gave the quivering member a quick stroke or two.

To his surprise, the trunk remained motionless, and a faint snorting
sound or grunt came from beyond the wall.

"All right.  Paid for!" said Peter as he withdrew his hand, and the
trunk disappeared.  "I do believe it's the same one," repeated the lad,
"and I shall be all right as long as these 'ere 'nanas last; but when
they are done, suppose he comes through to see why the rations have
stopped.  Well, I must make them last as long as I can; and he's very
cool over it, and not in a hurry.  Wonder whether it is that one I knew,
and he smelt me and come to see.  Yah!  Stuff!  He smelt the fruit.  Oh!
here he is again."

The next time the trunk reappeared Peter Pegg was ready with one of the
oat-cakes broken in half.  This was taken just as readily, and was being
drawn through the hole when its awkward semicircular shape caused it to
be caught against the sides, and it dropped inside instead of
disappearing like the fruit.  The trunk was withdrawn unsupplied, and
Peter was in the act of stooping to pick up the piece of cake, when the
light was obscured again, making the lad glance upwards and catch sight
of the serpent-like, coiling member descending slowly upon him.

"Here, no larks!" cried the lad, dropping upon his knees and preparing
to crawl out of reach; but the thought of what he had suffered before
unnerved him for the moment, and he could not stir.

He uttered a faint cry as he felt the touch of the elastic organ; but it
only began to stroke him caressingly, and recovering himself, he drew a
deep breath, held out the piece of cake, which was smelt directly,
taken, and this time disappeared in safety.

It was all done very slowly, and poor Peter thought to himself, "I
suppose he's enjoying of it all--but think of me!"  He grew more
confident, however, and went on and on, presenting the generous supply
of bananas till only four were left, and these and the other cake he
thrust farther away, and stripping off his flannel jacket, he covered
the remainder in the bottom of the basket.

This he had just done when the trunk reappeared as usual, and summoning
up his courage to meet the disappointment and perhaps anger of his
visitor, Peter cried aloud:

"There!  All over, comrade!  No more to-day.  Off you go!"

Just as if the huge beast understood him from the tone of his voice, it
raised its trunk and passed it about his shoulders and breast; and then
the poor fellow uttered a faint groan of despair.

"What a fool I was!" he thought, for he felt the trunk curl round his
neck and tighten gently; and his heart began to fail, when it was
uncurled, and stretched out again; the wall overhead creaked loudly, and
the end of the trunk was dipped in the big earthen jar.

There was a sucking noise, the trunk disappeared slowly, and Peter drew
the jar so that it stood just below the opening the elephant had made.
As this was done there came the loud squirting sound of the water being
sent down the huge beast's throat.

Then the trunk descended, to be recharged and disappear again, and
Peter, as the trunk was withdrawn, seized the supply-vessel and drew it
right away.

"Don't believe there's half a pint left," he grumbled.  "What about
Mister Archie?--There, no more!" he cried aloud, as the trunk was thrust
back, passed over his shoulders again, and finally withdrawn, Peter half
climbing up to peer through the hole and see his visitor go slowly
muttering away.

"And him grumbling, too," said the lad--"ungrateful beast!  He did give
me a fright.  But, my eye, what a game!  Look at him!" he continued, as
the hind-quarters of the monster concealed the rest of its form.  "Just
like an awful great pair of trousers walking by theirselves!"

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

PRISONERS.

"There's a pretty go!" he cried, as he lifted the now light basket and
put it down again, and peered once more into the earthen jar.  "Suppose
they meant the rations and water to last for two or three days!  There
was a good supply, and that great beast has wolfed and drunk all.  Well,
it has made him friends, anyhow.  He will be coming again.  Yes; but who
wants a friend like that to keep coming again?"

The lad glanced in the direction of his fellow-prisoner, to find that he
was still sleeping; and his next proceeding was to go gingerly about,
disturbing the dry leaves as little as possible, and making a more
thorough examination of the place.

"Must have been a helephant stable once upon a time," he concluded at
last, "for here's the great post that one of the big pigs was chained to
by the leg so that he could not get at the walls.  Walls!  They are
nothing better than so many fences.  Talk about shutting up a helephant!
Why, I could pull them down myself if I wanted to get away--leastways I
could climb up the side and make a hole through the roof.  Can't call
one's self a prisoner.  Yes, I can, because I am regularly chained by
the leg; for who's going to leave his comrade?  Poor old chap!"

At that moment there was a deep sigh, followed by a loud rustling
amongst the leaves, as Archie made an effort to change his position,
slightly raising his head, but letting it fall back with a low groan,
while the young private stepped softly to his side, knelt down, and bent
over him.

"Hurt you much, Mister Archie, sir?" the lad whispered quietly, and one
hand played over the injured head, hesitated, and was then withdrawn.
"Hurt you, Mister Archie, sir?" he said again, a little louder, for
there was only a weary sigh.  "Wish he'd speak," said the lad to
himself, "for he ought to have something, if it's only a drop more
water.  What a fool I was to let that great indiarubber thing suck it
all up!  Why, I couldn't even use some of it now to bathe his poor
head."

The poor fellow seemed to Pegg to be sleeping as heavily as ever, and
after he had looked at him carefully for a few minutes, there was a
deep, buzzing hum as of some insect, and a great fly flashed across the
golden rays which streamed in through the thatch, and hovered around for
a few moments as if about to settle upon the sleeping lad's head.

"Would you?" ejaculated Peter Pegg, striking out so fiercely and exactly
that he struck the insect with a sharp pat and drove it against the
woven wall, with which it was heard to come in contact, to fall
directly, buzzing and rustling among the dried leaves.  "That's settled
you," said Peter.  "I know your little game--lay eggs and make a poor
fellow's wound go bad.  Not this time!"

"Cowards!" came excitedly from Archie, and he once more tried to raise