“No mistake, Pete. He would have turned savage, and dragged you off as easily as he lifted you up, then knocked you down with his trunk and perhaps trampled you into the mud.”
“Perhaps you are right, sir; and it wouldn’t have been very pleasant. But hark! There’s a helephant coming, and you can hear the suck, suck, suck of his feet in the mud plainer and plainer. I wish whoever they are upon it would holloa again. I want to know how many that helephant’s got on board.”
“I think only one,” said Archie.
“Oh, well, we are not going to give up to one, sir. I was afraid—I mean, ’spected—there’d be a howdah full, all with their spears and krises, and a mahout as well. Have you got any orders to give me, sir, about dismounting?”
“No; we must do the best we can from where we sit. What could we do if we got down into this narrow path full of mud-holes?”
“Nothing at all, sir,” replied Peter. “I think just the same as you do. The helephant’s getting very close now, so keep telling me what you see from up there, for I can see next to nothing where I’m sitting. Now, sir,” whispered the lad, “can’t you see him yet?”
“No; the path bends round.”
“But you must see directly, sir.—Here, you keep quiet, Rajah, and leave them boughs alone.”
“I can see now, Pete,” said Archie eagerly. “It’s the smallest elephant, with a tiger pad on its back.”
“Yes, sir; but who’s on it?”