“Yes,” said Archie, after lying in silence for a few minutes, with the darkness rapidly approaching. “We will worry our brains no more. This plan is simple. We will be prepared, and then good luck go with us. We will make our start.”
“Bray-vo!” cried Peter. “That’s talking like our own old Mister Archie. I say, sir, you are picking up!”
“Am I, Pete?” said the lad sadly. “Feel my arm.”
Pete ran his hand down his companion’s limb from shoulder to wrist.
“Well, sir, that’s all right.”
“All right! Why, I feel like a skeleton.”
“Well, but the bones is all right, sir. You went for ever so long without eating anything at all but water, and there ain’t no chew in that; and when you did begin to peck, what’s it been? Soaked bread, and ’nanas and pumpkins. You couldn’t expect to get fat on them. Just wait till we get back to camp, and you are put on British beef and chicken, and them pheasants as you officers shoot. My,” said the lad, with a smack of his lips, “couldn’t I tackle one now—stuffed with bread-crumbs and roasted! I should be sorry for the poor dog as had to live on the bones. A bit of fish, too, fried, sir—even if it was only them ikon Sammy Langs. Here, stow it! I only wanted you not to fidget about being a bit fine. You get your pluck, Mister Archie; and you are doing that fast. Never mind about the fat and lean so long as you feel that you can hit out with your fist or tackle a kris chap with one of our spears. Doing a thing, sir, is saying you will do it and then doing it in real earnest. I say, how soon it has got dark! Now, what do you say to a bit of supper, and then finishing up our sleep?”
“Agreed, Pete. But what about keeping watch for the tiger if it comes?”
“Ah, I didn’t think about that, sir; but we’ve got to chance getting the elephant here and riding away before the sentry comes.”
“Yes; we’ve settled that we must chance that.”