CHAPTER XXVIII
SAVING THE STORES
There was no sign to be made out of anything in the shape of immediate danger from the top of the palace, and the party soon descended to some of the more immediate trouble.
For there were the wounded to visit and to try to cheer, encouraging them with hopeful words about the future, Mr. Kenyon laying a good deal of stress upon the possibilities of help coming ere long from outside as the result of his message sent by Adong; and as Harry went through the room turned into a hospital, he could not help noticing the effect of his father's words, and the way in which the sufferers' eyes brightened at the very mention of a British man-o'-war.
Then there was another matter to set right. There was an ample supply of provisions in the palace stores, so long as they were not forced by the enemy to keep merely to the one wing; and even if they were, the King had seen that there was a fortnight's provender for all; but there was another little party shut up with them for whom provision had been made, but whose proceedings were so wholesale that it was evident something must be done.
A little council of war was held, the King being careful not to wound the susceptibilities of his English friends by taking any steps without consulting them.
And as the matter in question was discussed he said,—
"I took care to keep the elephants, thinking that possibly we might have to escape to the jungle, when they would be invaluable for the ladies; but on further consideration it seems that they are only a useless encumbrance to us. They eat enormously, and to-morrow we should have to let them commence upon the stores of grain which we may require for ourselves."
"And you propose now, sir, to set them at liberty to shift for themselves?" said one of the gentlemen present.
"Yes, they would get their own living in the jungle, and in happier days to come, perhaps, they might be caught again."
"It is a pity," said Mr. Kenyon. "Let me see; there are ten, and all magnificent beasts."
"Eleven," said Harry promptly.
"Yes—eleven," said the King; "and they are the finest that the wild droves supplied. I think we must let them go at once."
"Yes," said Mr. Kenyon, "and perhaps it is only hastening the loss, for if the enemy gain possession of the grounds and outer court, of course we lose them then."
"Yes, they had better go at once," said the King with a sigh, which was echoed by his son, while Harry directed an angry look at his father.
"What does that mean, Hal?" said Mr. Kenyon.
"I'd sooner go without half my food every day than the elephants should be given up," cried the boy impetuously, "and so would Phra."
"I believe you," said the King, smiling; "but even the whole of your daily food would not go far with one of the beasts. They might be turned into the grounds between the river and the outer wall, but it would only be for them to destroy and starve. They must be set at liberty at once while there is an opportunity. The great gate in the outer wall near the river must be opened. Mr. Kenyon, send men in advance to see if the enemy are away from that part too, and then, with a strong party to guard against surprise, we can have them led out, and the gates re-closed."
Scouts were sent at once, and a strong guard numbered off, while, as the mahouts had fled with the rest, the task of leading the elephants from their great stables was deputed to Sree and his man, Lahn, and in spite of their sorrow at the magnificent troop being sent off to resume their wild state, the two boys eagerly seized upon the event as a fresh diversion from the troubles by which they were surrounded.
Harry was all excitement directly.
"Never mind, old chap," he cried; "let the poor beggars go. It's bad enough to feel hungry for any one my size. As for an elephant who eats so much, it must be quite awful."
"I don't like Sul to go," said Phra.
"I don't either, but cheer up; we shall soon whop the enemy, and make prisoners of Mr. Number Two and the leaders of the riot, and have a good day settling up this little trouble; and then we'll get old Sree and his two boys, and have days and days of elephant catching. Oh, the row will soon be over now."
Phra sighed, but he knew the necessities of the case, and joined in the business heart and soul.
Sree was as ready to perform this duty as to dig and charge mines, and as soon as the guard was ready, and the scouts had returned to announce that the coast was quite clear, a party went to the elephant stables, where Sree and Lahn went busily to work cutting off the shackles from the great beasts' hind legs, where they stood shaking their heads, waving their trunks, and trumpeting in an uneasy way which announced their desire for more food; while as soon as they were all free, Sree and the boys went to Sul's head, the great beast was ordered to kneel, a ladder brought, and the hunter climbed into the mahout's place. Then at a word the great animal rose and started off, with the others following in a docile fashion, which seemed to suggest that they comprehended what was going on.
Harry had provided himself for the occasion, and when the little procession started, he and Phra placed themselves on either side of the great leader's head feeding him with biscuits, his trunk being turned alternately from one lad to the other in search of their offerings as he shuffled away, blinking his eyes and uttering a low "chuntering" sound, as if talking all the time.
"He's asking if we're going out after tigers," said Harry, laughing.
"Not he," said Phra; "he knows he's going off for a run in the forest, and the others know it too."
"Nonsense!"
"I don't care: they do," said Phra. "If they didn't they'd be rushing about here and there to begin breaking off and eating the green boughs."
The first gate was passed, leading from the court into the outer grounds, and almost in silence the great beasts shuffled along in single file, treading with absurd exactness in each other's steps, while the guard on being overtaken, trotted on in advance till the outer wall was reached, with a couple of men perched on the top of the ponderous gates keeping a look-out.
At a word from Sree the great elephant he rode stopped and knelt, extending his trunk for a foothold, so that his temporary mahout could climb down.
Meanwhile four men of the guard had leaned their spears against the wall, raised and swung round the massive bars, and then after a great deal of tugging managed to drag open one of the double gates, beyond which lay open paddy fields, and on the other side the wild jungle, the river being away to their right.
"Good-bye, Sul," cried Harry, and the elephant turned his trunk for another biscuit. "There you are—the last, perhaps, that I shall ever give you."
The elephant turned his trunk under and tucked the biscuit into his huge, wet mouth, then extended his flexible proboscis for more.
But there were no more, and the silent, visible request to Phra made in turn was just as unsuccessful.
"There, Sree," cried Phra huskily, "tell them to go."
Sree took a step forward and repeated a few words in his native tongue, with the result that Sul threw up his trunk and made a peculiar noise, which was responded to by one of the elephants behind, and then he went off with a rush, squealing, trumpeting, and setting up his comical little tail; and the troop followed suit, getting over the ground at a tremendous pace and making straight for the jungle.
"Well, it has made them happy," said Harry, looking after the troop wistfully.
"Yes, they're glad enough to get away from the poor wretches doomed to be killed," said Phra bitterly.
"Doomed to be smothered!" cried Harry sharply. "What nonsense! Look at them. Just like a lot of children let out for a run."
"We shall never see old Sul again," sighed Phra.
"Not if we stand here like this," replied Harry. "Do you see why the elephants rushed off so quickly just now?"
"No. They are glad of their liberty, perhaps, and the chance of getting plenty to eat."
"No; they smelt danger."
"Danger? Where?"
"Out yonder to the left. I caught a glimpse of the tops of spears twinkling in the sun."
"Where? I can see nothing."
"Because you are not looking the right way. Over there, where there must be a deep ditch between two of the rice fields. Yes, there's a long line of twinkling spear tops. They've seen the place opened and the elephants let out, and they're trying to sneak up along that dyke and rush in before we can shut the gate."
"Yes, quick, quick!" cried Sree; and setting the example, which half a dozen followed, amongst them the gate was being pushed to, Harry getting a farewell glance at the troop of elephants as they disappeared through the edge of the jungle.
Those who closed the gate were none too soon, for, unseen, another party had crept up close to the now unwatched wall, the scouts having descended as soon as the guard arrived; and just as the distance between the two great leaves of the gates was being reduced to a mere slit, a spear was thrust through.
Then crack, crack, the edge of the gate caught it and snapped the bamboo shaft in two, the bright, sharp head falling inside.
"More help!" shouted Sree, for there was a rush of men to force the gate open again; but the defenders being reinforced, the leaves were held together till one of the huge bars was thrust into its place, and a savage yelling ensued, followed by a little shower of spears which had been darted nearly straight upward and fell amongst the defenders.
The weapons of these latter were too valuable to be used in this manner; but while the final efforts were being made to secure the ponderous means of exit, two of the men pulled the quivering shafts out of the ground, and sent them flying back in the same way, repeating the act till a sharp cry from outside told that one of the attacking party had been hurt.
"Better run back, sahibs," said Sree now, as the babble of voices outside increased suddenly, telling that the party which had been detected creeping along the dyke had now joined those who came by the wall.
"Yes, there's nothing to be gained by staying here," said Phra. "We couldn't keep them back if they had ladders to climb over."
Just then there was a shot from the direction of the palace, and the puff of smoke showed where it had been fired.
"Fighting begun?" cried Harry.
"No," said Phra; "a signal for us to run back. Come on."
Phra was right, for their proceedings had been watched from the top of the palace by means of a glass, and hence as soon as the gate had been seen to be secure the signal was fired to call them back.
They were met by Mr. Kenyon, glass in hand, as they ran up.
"I was watching you from the top there," he said.
"Didn't you see the spears as the men came along the ditch?" asked
Phra.
"No, or I should have sent help at once. Of course I could not detect the men coming up under shelter of the wall. Well, we have done two good things to-day: got rid of those devourers of our stores, and found out that the enemy are hiding about the country beyond the walls."
"Think they are on this side too, father?" asked Harry.
"I feel sure they are, my boy. They lie all along a loop whose two ends rest on the river's bank, while their boats guard the terrace and landing-place as well. This means fresh attacks as soon as they have recovered from the check they have just received."
"But why don't they attack us from some other side—come over the walls?" said Harry.
"It does not seem to be their way. Yonder is the main way into the palace, and they commenced by attacking there; but perhaps they will try fresh plans now. I am, with the King's permission, going to strengthen one weak part, though, before night comes."
"Which is that?" asked Phra.
"The one where we managed to get in," replied Mr. Kenyon. "Here, Sree, are you willing, if I have you well supported, to get up into that tree and cut off all the boughs which project over the wall?"
"Yes, Sahib," said the old hunter quietly. "I have thought that it ought to be done."
"Yes, and the sooner the better; it will set two men free from keeping watch at the windows overlooking that part of the wall."
"Shall I begin now, Sahib?" said Sree.
"No; not till dark, and I have not yet made my plans."
"Whenever the Sahib pleases," said Sree quietly, "his servant is ready. But why not burn the big tree down?"