“No. I was creeping along like an old tom-cat to get round to the back, and, my word, ain’t I scratched! Talk about thorns!”
“Oh Pete, how you frightened me!” said Archie faintly.
“Frightened you, sir? Well, didn’t he frighten me?”
Chapter Twenty Six.
Must chance it.
The sound of a step outside made Peter Pegg throw himself quickly down in a pile of the crushed leaves, burying his face in his hands, while Archie began to walk slowly up and down, conscious the while, through the shutting out of the morning light, that their guard had come up to the side of their prison and looked in, before going back to the sheltering tree, where he squatted down, to watch carelessly the coming of the elephants, one of which made for the hole, and was in the act of thrusting its trunk through, when it was charged by its big companion, the Rajah, who uttered a fierce squeal and drove the intruder away, before inserting his own trunk as usual, making no scruple about taking his customary refreshment from Archie’s hand, having during the past few days grown accustomed to the subaltern’s presence, and ending by giving the lad a few of the friendly touches that he was in the habit of bestowing upon Peter Pegg.
As soon as the elephant had gone, and after giving a glance at their guard, Archie, who was burning to listen to what his fellow-prisoner had to say, lay down beside him, under the impression that weariness had kept him from rising to attend to the elephant’s visit.
He found him so soundly asleep that he did not even respond to a sharp shake of the arm which Archie gave him on receiving no reply to his whispers; and then he had to contain himself till evening, when their usual visitors came; and it was not till long after, when they were once more alone, that the young private suddenly started up.