“Let the young sahib run before the evil-born beast with a miserable tail slays him by putting him under his foot!” cried the man.
“He won’t hurt me,” said Dick gently. “Will you, old chap? There, I haven’t got anything for you.”
Dick raised his hand and rubbed the monster’s corrugated trunk, moving gently out of its way as it came forward to where the men who looked on had set down their buckets of water, and now fled hastily.
“Why, he’s thirsty,” said Dick.
So it proved, for the elephant reached out its trunk, which looked like a gigantic leech, curved its end down into the nearest pail, sucked up a third of the contents, withdrew it, turned it under into its mouth, shot the water down its throat, and went on repeating the process till both the pails were empty, when it raised its trunk in the air, blew a wild, weird blast, and then turned to Dick again, touched him softly with its trunk, and then stood gravely swaying its head from side to side.
“Hah!” ejaculated the sergeant; and Dick turned sharply from watching the elephant, for his companion’s exclamation seemed to be echoed.
“Good-morning,” said Dick. “I didn’t know you were there, Mr Wyatt.”
“I didn’t dare to stir,” replied that gentleman. “Why, Darrell, my lad, I’ve been standing there ever so long, with my heart in my mouth.”
“Oh, I don’t think there was anything to mind.”
“I don’t know. These beasts can be very awkward sometimes, and kill their mahouts. I say, didn’t you feel frightened?”