A YOUNG SAVAGE
The great elephant approached the group in the courtyard with slow and
majestic step, as if proud of the load he bore, and of now being
surrounded by a little crowd of spearmen, cheering and shouting
loudly.
As they drew near, the two elephants that had been prepared, as was
rightly surmised, to go in search of the wanderers, challenged their
big companion loudly, Sul sounding his trumpet in reply, but without
allowing the excitement around to increase his advance in the
slightest degree.
"The young rascals!" said the doctor to Mr. Kenyon. "It's a
magnificent tiger, apparently."
"Yes, but Harry ought not to have done this," said Mr. Kenyon. "I am
disappointed in him."
"Are you going to give him a talking to now? Rather awkward while he
is being made a hero of by the people."
"I am going to wait till I get him home."
"Well, I'm glad to see them safe back again," said the doctor. "I felt
certain that they must have met with some mishap. But it is hard that
we should be disappointed, and that they should have all the luck."
"Hush!" whispered Mr. Kenyon, for the great elephant had knelt down
before the King, ladders had been placed by the attendants on either
side, the boys had descended, and helped by some of the men, Sree had
slid the tiger off, to be half borne, half dragged, to the King's
feet.
But Phra's father did not even glance at it. He gave Harry an angry
glance as he approached with his companion, and then fixed his eyes
sternly upon his son, who bent down before him.
"You know, sir," he said, in their own tongue, "that it is the duty of
my people to obey my commands."
"Yes, father."
"How can we expect them to do so when my own son sets my orders at
defiance? I told you I wished you not to go in chase of tigers, did I
not?"
"Yes, father."
"Who is to blame for this, you or your companion?"
"Neither of us, sir," broke in Harry, in his blunt, English, outspoken
way. "We only went deer-shooting, sir; but the tiger charged us, and
of course we were obliged to shoot. Old Sul was most to blame."
The King looked more stern that ever, all but his eyes, which refused
to keep his other features in countenance.
"What have you to say, sir?" said the King, turning again to his son.
"The same as Harry Kenyon, father," replied the boy. "The elephant
rushed at the tiger, which had struck down a deer we shot."
"Where is the deer you shot?" said the King.
Phra turned to Harry, for the deer had been quite forgotten, and Harry
turned to the old hunter, who was kneeling by the tiger.
"Here, Sree," he cried, "what became of that deer we shot?"
The man made a gesture with his hands, and shook his head.
"We forgot all about it, sir," said Harry, laughing frankly. "We had
so much to do with killing the tiger and getting it on old Sul's back
that we never remembered it any more, did we, Phra?"
"No," said the latter gravely.
"It was all an accident, sir, indeed," said Harry, who was speaking in
English. "We were obliged to shoot, sir, really. I'm sure you would
have done the same if you had been there."
"That is enough," said the King quietly. "I am glad to hear it was so.
It is a painful thing, Harry Kenyon, to feel that one's own son is not
to be trusted. Your father felt the same."
"Oh, but he doesn't now, sir. Do you, father?"
"No, Hal; I am quite satisfied."
"A very fine tiger," said the King, going close up to the dead beast;
"a splendid specimen. Let it be carefully skinned, and the skin
properly dressed."
Sree bowed his lowest, so that his forehead would have touched the
ground had not the tiger been there. As it was, he thumped his head
against the animal's ribs.
"Who fired the first shot?" said the King, smiling.
The boys looked at one another.
"Both fired together, father," replied Phra.
"Then you will give way to your friend, my son," said the King. "Harry
Kenyon, it is yours."
Harry was about to protest in his blunt way, but his father was at his
elbow.
"Silence!" he said softly. "Now your thanks."
Harry obeyed, and the King turned to where the little party of English
people were standing.
"I am glad it has turned out so well, Kenyon," he said gravely, and
with great dignity, as the eyes of all his people were upon him; "but
it is disappointing for you and the doctor to see these two boys have
such good fortune. You shall have another trial, and we must do away
with our objections now. I think the boys deserve to be admitted to
the ranks of tiger-hunters."
"Oh!" ejaculated Harry, and the King turned to him.
"You make a bad courtier, Harry," he said, with a very faint smile
upon his lip. "I feel that there is no one in my country less afraid
of me than you are."
He saluted them, and making a sign to his son to follow, passed into
the palace, Phra giving his friends a quick nod of the head and a
smile, and then he was hidden from sight by the King's attendants.
"Then we may go back home now, I suppose," said Mr. Kenyon.
"Yes," replied the doctor, "and the sooner the better. As soon as the
sun goes in we seem to be in the shade. All is bright and warm while
the King is near, but when he goes every one seems to scowl."
Mr. Kenyon gave his friend a meaning look as if saying, "No more now,"
and laid his hand upon Harry's shoulder.
"You have had quite an exciting time, then, Hal?" he said quietly, as
they walked away.
"Oh, wonderfully, father," cried the boy.
"Enjoyed yourself?"
"Well, I don't know that it was enjoying oneself, but I liked killing
such a dangerous, mischievous beast."
"And all the time the King and I were fidgeting ourselves and
beginning to think, as it grew so late, that some terrible accident
had happened to you."
"It isn't so late as you and Doctor Cameron were that time."
"Getting on to be, sir."
"Don't you think that poor Phra and I were just as anxious about you
and the doctor, father?" said the boy mischievously.
"No, indeed I don't," said Mr. Kenyon, laughing. "You are both too
thoughtless. And look here, young gentleman, you forget yourself
horribly. I never heard anything like it. You must not speak to the
King in that free and easy way, just as if he were your equal, before
all his people."
"Free and easy?" said Harry, staring. "I thought I was speaking very
nicely, father."
The doctor laughed heartily, and Harry's cheeks turned hot with
annoyance.
"Why, what did I say that was wrong?"
"It was not the words but the way, my boy," said Mr. Kenyon gravely.
"Of course one does not look upon the Prince of a barbaric country
like this as one would upon a European monarch; but in the presence of
his followers we must not forget that he is a king."
"I did," said Harry frankly; "I felt as if I were speaking to Phra's
father and your friend."
"Humph!" ejaculated Mr. Kenyon, as he glanced at the doctor.
"That's right enough, Hal," said the latter; "but we must not presume
on the King's kindness to us."
"No, of course not," said Harry thoughtfully. "I'll be more careful,
especially as some of the people seem to be jealous of our being so
much in favour."
"That's right, Hal; be more careful, for all our sakes."
"Do you think there is any danger, father?" said Harry.
"Danger of what?" said Mr. Kenyon sharply.
"Of the people turning against us and the King."
"Hush! Mind what you are saying, my boy. No; I do not think there is
any real danger, and I feel that the best thing for every one is to
completely ignore the unpleasant looks we are getting now and then. We
are in the right, and I want for our conduct to be such as will gain
the respect of the people for our just consideration and honest
treatment of them."
"But there is that second king--I say, father, it seems curious for
there to be a second king."
"It is the custom of the country, my boy, and in every land there are
quaint fashions and I may say parties who are opposed to the ruling
power."
"And jealous of the King?"
"Yes, Hal, and of the people he favours."
"That's not pleasant, father," said Hal sharply.
"Not at all," replied Mr. Kenyon. "But I don't think it need trouble
us, for we are not arrogant to the people because we are in high
favour. I'm sure we do our best, eh, Cameron?"
"That we do," said the doctor heartily. "As for me, I should be a rich
man if I charged ordinary fees for what I do."
"Instead of getting disliked," said Mr. Kenyon.
"Oh, but, father," cried Harry, "I know lots of people who almost
worship Dr. Cameron for what he has done for them."
"Yes, Hal, and so do I; but unfortunately he offends the native
doctors through knowing so much better than they do, and curing
patients whom they have condemned to death."
"It's a pity that people will be jealous of those who are more
clever."
"It's a natural failing, Hal, my boy," said the doctor, laughing. "But
never mind; even those who dislike us are bound to pay us the respect
we have earned."
"But you remember what I told you about the people talking in the
boat?" said Harry.
"Perfectly."
"You don't think that there will be a revolution, and an attack upon
the King and the English people, do you?"
"No, Hal, my boy," said Mr. Kenyon; "I do not, so don't trouble
yourself about it. Let's change the conversation. I'm glad you are to
have the tiger's skin."
"Yes; I don't think Phra will mind."
"It is a beauty. Was he very hard to kill?"
"Horribly, father;" and with plenty of animation the boy related their
adventure.
"We're jealous now, Hal," said the doctor smiling.
"I don't mind that a bit," said the boy. "You must do better, and we
two are to come next time you go."
"Well, I suppose so," said Mr. Kenyon gravely. "By the way, Hal, you
had the chest of bats and balls. How did you get on? You tried
football in the field?"
"Oh, it's a horribly hot, stupid game," said Harry.
"Stupid?" cried the doctor warmly.
"Yes; it's all one or the other. If Phra gets the ball, one does
nothing but run after him; and if I get the ball, he has to run after
me. And oh! wasn't it hot!"
"When did you play?" said the doctor.
"Oh, in the afternoon."
"You are quite right, my lad," said the doctor drily. "A game at
football between two boys with the thermometer standing at over a
hundred in the shade, must be a very stupid game indeed."
"Did you ever play it?" said Harry. "I think I've heard you say you
did."
"Did I ever play it?" said the doctor scornfully. "I should think I
did, and with a couple of good teams. But the thermometer was not at a
hundred in the shade, but thirty-five or forty."
"I wish you would play with us next time, Doctor," said Harry eagerly.
"Thank you, my lad, but I would rather be excused."
"Will you show us how to play cricket, then?"
"Yes, but you must get up your two sides. Have you read up anything
about it in any book of games and sports?"
"Oh yes, and it says you have eleven and an umpire on each side; but
that's nonsense, of course."
"Kenyon," said the doctor with mock solemnity, "do you call this
bringing up an English boy properly? It sounds to me quite dreadful.
He talks like a young barbarian--as if he had never had any education
at all. What did you say, sir?" he continued, turning to Harry.
"What about?"
"There being eleven on a side, and that being nonsense, of course."
"I said so," said Harry, who felt half amused, half annoyed.
"Well, sir, I see that I shall have to take pity on you and young
Phra, and try to make up for your neglected education. We shall have
to make a cricket club, and petition the King for a cricket ground;
but I have my doubts about the game proving popular: the work will be
too hard."
"But you will help us, Doctor?"
"Yes, my boy, and I shall prescribe an occasional game for your
father. A little exercise will do him good."
"A game of cricket?" said Mr. Kenyon, starting out of a fit of musing.
"Why, I haven't had a bat in my hand for twenty years! But I don't
know--well, yes--I might. I used to be a very tidy bowler, Cameron,
and perhaps my hand may be cunning still at delivering twists. But
under this tropical sun? Phew! I'm rather doubtful."
"Never mind the doubts," said the doctor.
"Here, hullo, my boy! where are you going?" cried Mr. Kenyon.
"Only to try and see Phra."
"What! to-night? Nonsense! I daresay he is with his father now, and
the news will keep."
Harry looked disappointed, but he said no more, and directly after
they had to say good-night to the doctor.