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!”