“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.