“Seems hard on a friend, Mister Archie, but I don’t suppose the Rajah minds them being a bit over ripe.”
“Not he,” replied Archie; “but I meant, did you hear anything in the night?”
“Oh, you mean the tiger, sir? Yes, I heerd him three or four times, but I was too comfortable to sit up and bother about him. Did you hear him?”
“I suppose I did, but it all seems as if it was part of a dream.”
“That’s all right, then, sir. I say! Hear ’em? Here’s the helephants coming. You get up and look.”
Archie mounted to the hole, and saw, following steadily one after the other, four of the great beasts, with the little, squat driver seated on the neck of the last; and after they had passed, loafing carelessly along as if he were too important and disdained to be driven, came the Rajah, muttering as if to himself, and walking straight up to the big stable door before going on to take his bath.
Archie dropped down, after seeing that the sentry was quietly rolling up a fresh betel-quid, and Peter stood aside for his companion to take his place by the basket.
“Never mind me, sir. Let him stroke you over as much as he likes; and you mustn’t mind if he smells you too much with the wet end of his trunk. I want you to be as good friends as me and him is.”
The result was that Archie fed the great beast, and was caressed, the sensation being upon the lad, as he listened to the flapping of the elephant’s ears, that the beast’s two little, pig-like eyes were piercing some crack in the door and watching him intently.
Then, as if quite satisfied with his share in the provender, which he must have taken as a dainty addition to the vast quantities of jungle grass and leafage which formed his real support, the elephant swung off, bowing his huge head and muttering softly, to overtake his companions, while Peter gave his officer a very knowing look.