Phoonk! Then a peculiar squeal and grunting sound, and then once again,
_Phoonk_!
Peter Pegg started up into a sitting position, vacant of face and
staring at the straightly streaked rays of sunshine that made their way
through the plaited and latticed sides of the stable-like building in
which he had dropped to sleep.
"What's all that row?" he muttered. "Where am I?"
He rubbed his eyes; and then, as the grunting, snorting noise continued,
"What does it all mean?" he went on. "Why, I've been asleep, and was
dreaming something about old Bobby Hood's pigs at home, grunting. Am I
dreaming now? Them ain't pigs. Here, I know--helephants!"
He turned his face to the side of the place against which he had been
leaning, drew himself up, and applied his eyes to one of the cracks,
just as a voice seemed to be calling out in the Malay tongue at three of
the great cumbrous-looking beasts which were about a couple of yards
away from the building.
"Driving of them, and they won't go," thought the watcher; and the
speaker, a stunted-looking Malay with a short, iron-spiked implement,
somewhat like the iron of a boat-hook, in his hand, came into sight
between the huge pachyderms and the door, shouting and growling at his
charge as he waved the hook and progged the nearest beast as if trying
to drive them away.
"What a fool I was not to have learned this precious lingo! They want
to come in, and he's telling them to get on. Well, there ain't no room
for them here.--Ah, he don't like that!" For the dumpy Malay made use
more freely of the goad he carried, and the nearest beast gave vent to
an angry half-squeal, half-grunt, as, shrinking from the prod delivered
at its flank, it made a rush at two companions, driving its great head
first at one and then at the other, and with a good deal of grumbling,
squealing, and waving of trunks, they shuffled out of sight.
"Why, I must have been asleep," cried Pegg, as he made for another
opening where the sun streamed in; "but my head--oh, my head, how it
aches! I can't seem to understand what it means. It's all of a--" He
turned slowly round, staring vacantly, till his eyes fell upon the
basket and jar almost at his feet. "'Nanas--water! Why,"--he turned
his eyes in another direction, and then, with a faint cry of dismay, he
shuffled across the place, making the dry leaves with which the floor
was covered rustle loudly, as he sank upon his knees beside Archie.
"I've got it now," he said to himself. "I remember; but my head's as
thick as wool. He went to sleep, and I sat down to watch till he woke.
Nice watch I've kept! Well, it's a good job those great brutes come
along and woke me up. This must have been their old stable, and if I
don't look out, one of these times they will be shoving that door down
and walking in a-top of us. Poor old chap! He's sound enough now.
Mustn't touch him. It would be a pity to wake him. I couldn't have
been asleep many minutes."
Peter drew away silently and stood for a few moments watching the bright
rays of sunshine that streamed in through the side of the building; and
unconsciously he raised one hand and made a peculiar motion with it as
if he were following the streaks of light from right to left with his
index-finger.
"Seems rum," he muttered; "but it's my head being so thick, I suppose.
Oh, there's that banana I began to eat;" and he stooped down, picked it
up from where it lay amongst the leaves, and then dipped the cocoa-nut
cup into the water, and took a deep draught of the refreshing beverage.
"Ah!" he sighed, as he set down the shell. "Seems to wash the cobwebs
out of one's head. Wonder where those helephants were being driven."
As he muttered he stepped to the door and applied his eye to _one_ of
the cracks through which the sun was streaming, and then drew back, for
the glare affected his eye.
"Shines hot," he muttered; "and it wasn't coming in like that when I
looked through just now, before beginning to eat that banana. Well," he
ejaculated, "it's a rum 'un! I've got it now! Why, I must have been
asleep hours and hours and hours. It ain't this evening. When I looked
it was all turning red because the sun was going down. It's to-morrow
morning, and I've been asleep all night. I'm a nice sort of a chap, I
am, to go on duty and leave my officer in the lurch like that! Well, he
must have been asleep too. There's no gammon about it, for it is
to-morrow morning, and he could not have woke up, because I should have
heared him; so that's all right. Poor chap! And it must have done him
good. But now I can think again, and my head don't ache so much. I
feel better, and there's been no old Job Tipsy to drop upon me.--I wish
there was, and a lot of our fellows with him," said the poor fellow
dismally.
He crossed softly to where Archie lay breathing calmly, and then, as if
feeling satisfied, he went back to the great earthen jar, refreshed
himself with another draught of water, and seated himself by the basket,
from which he took one of the bananas and began to eat.
"I'm quite peckish," he said to himself, "and, my word, they are good!
I don't know how long it is since I felt like this. It must be a good
sign. Well, there's plenty of them," he continued, and he took another,
and another. "Not half bad," he went on, "as there's no commissariat
coffee. Must leave plenty for Mr Archie, though. But 'nanas don't
seem the sort of tack for a poor chap with his complaint. Wishing ain't
no good, or I'd do it with both hands, and wish old Jollop was here to
look at his tongue and to strap up that head of his. It ought to have
all the hair cut off, but one can't do that with a blunt knife. Hullo!
what's that?" he muttered, after satisfying himself with the fruit from
the basket. "I believe it's one of those two-tailed pigs grunting and
chuntering."
He went to the opening through which he had peered before, and looked
out.
"Can't see anything," he muttered, "but it sounds like one of them
coming back. Yes, I can! It is--just coming through the trees. Why,
he's all wet, and dripping with mud and water. That's it. They have
been driven down by their keeper to the river. Yes, there must be a
river; and I say, lad, there's something to recollect. This 'ere place
is somewhere up the river, or down it. Yes, down it, because up the
river the water's clear, and down it, it gets muddy. Oh, I don't know.
I dare say there's muddy places up the banks. There, stop that
chuntering row. Just like a drove of pigs. He's coming back to his
stable somewhere. Why, he's coming straight here, just as if he meant
to knock the door down and get in. Well, if he did he wouldn't hurt us.
He's only a tame one. That little chap made three of them shuffle off.
But what a chance to cut if he opens the door! Oh dear!" he added,
with a sigh. "Talk about cutting, with the young governor like he is!
And even if he could walk, we don't know the way. Wonder where we are.
It must be the Rajah's place somewhere right up in the jungle where he
keeps his helephants, and that there Frenchman put him up to keeping his
hostriches, as he called them, up here too."
Peter Pegg's mutterings and musing were brought to a sudden end by the
elephant, which seemed to be quite alone, coming close up to the
doorway, grunting and chuntering, as the young private called it, just
as if the animal were talking to itself, mingling its remarks with a low
squeal which might have meant either anger or satisfaction.
"I believe," thought Peter, "it's one of them that came to the
sham-fight, and I could almost fancy it's the chap I had a ride on. But
they are all alike, only one's bigger than another, and t'other's more
small. If he had got his toggery on with gold fringes and the big
bamboo clothes-basket full of cushions on his back, I should know him
directly. But he's what they call disguised in mud.--Here, I say,
don't! What you doing on?"
It was plain enough, for the great elephant had seized hold of a portion
of the woven, basket-like wall, which began to crack and give way as a
piece was torn out.
"I say, don't--don't be a fool! You'll wake the poor governor,"
whispered Peter, who began to tremble now with alarm.--"Oh, don't I wish
I could remember what the mahout said to him!--Here, I say, don't!--I
believe he's gone mad, and if he gets at us--Here, I say, what shall I
do?" And he backed away from where the light was beginning to show more
brightly through the woven wall, and took up his position as if to
protect his wounded officer. "If I had only got my rifle and bayonet, I
could keep him off, perhaps, with a good dig. Here, they have left me
my knife, though," he said joyously, as he drew it out and opened the
blade.
The possession of even this contemptible weapon seemed to give the poor
fellow some confidence, and he took three or four steps towards the hole
the huge beast was making, just as there was torn away another piece of
the elastic palm or bamboo of which the wall between the uprights was
formed.
And then the light opening was suddenly darkened.
"Blest if it ain't just like a great horse-leech such as we used to find
in the water-crease beds, only about ten million times as big;" and the
lad stood helplessly staring as he saw the monster's trunk thrust right
in through the wall and beginning to wave up and down and from side to
side, wondrously elastic, the nostrils at the end in this semi-darkness
looking like a pair of little wet eyes, between which the prehensile
part moved up and down like a tiny pug-nose.
_Sniff, snuff, snort_, and then a little squeal as, after waving here
and there for a few moments, the curious member was stretched out
straight in the direction of the lad, emitted a deep, damp sigh, and
then began to wave up and down and to and fro again, before curling up,
to some extent uncoiling, and shooting out straight and stiff again in
the same direction.
"Oh Lor'!" groaned Peter, "it's just like one of them there big
boa-constructors, and he's coming for me. He means me. There's a
sniff! And this knife not a bit of good. If I cut it off it would only
make him more wild. Look at it, with its two little eyes seeming to
stare at me. Boa-constructor! It's more like an injy-rubber pipe gone
mad."
There was another faint squeal, and the great trunk slowly changed its
position, and stretched itself out in the direction of the bamboo
basket.
"Here, I say," thought Peter, "does he mean them?"
The lad hesitated for a minute or two while the elephant continued its
low, almost purring, muttering sound, as the trunk turned once more in
his direction, and then became stiffly pointed out again towards the
basket, while the wall about the height of the elephant's head gave
forth a loud crack.
"He's a-leaning ag'in it, and it's coming through!" gasped Peter.
"Here, there's nothing for it.--All right, mate; wait a minute: you
shall have the whole blessed lot. Murder! Don't!" roared the poor
fellow; for as he made a dash to reach the basket, as quick as lightning
the trunk was curled round his neck, and held him fast as he dropped
upon his knees.
"It's all over, Mister Archie, sir," he groaned. "And you lying there
asleep and taking not no notice! Wouldn't have catched me 'listing if
I'd ha' known it meant coming to this!--Oh, I say, do leave go!"
As if his captor thoroughly grasped the meaning of his piteous appeal,
the trunk began slowly to loosen its hold; and then, as the poor fellow
prepared himself for a dash to get beyond its reach, he found it begin
to smooth him over and stroke him gently down from shoulder to arm,
playing about as if caressing him, after the fashion in which he had
seen the animals treat their mahout when about to be fed.
"Oh dear!" groaned Peter; "I thought it was all over with me. Does he
mean he wants one of them bananas?"
The lad's hand trembled as he reached out, picked up one of the
bananas--the largest he could see--and held it in the direction of the
end of the trunk.
There was a loud sniff; the trunk curled round the fruit, curved under,
and was drawn back through the hole. The sun shone brightly in, and
Peter felt conscious that the banana was disappearing into the great
brute's wet mouth. Then in the most deliberate manner the end of the
trunk reappeared, gliding towards him like some serpent. The light was
pretty well shut out, and as the wall creaked again, Peter somehow
omitted to dash right off as far away as he could go, and found himself
picking up another banana, which was deliberately taken, disappeared
slowly to make way for the light to pass in, and then the process was
repeated once more.
"Here, who's afraid?" said the lad, mastering the oppression and panting
from which he suffered, as he picked up a fourth banana. "He means
friends, and I'm blessed if I don't believe it's the same one as I
tackled at the sham-fight, I wish I knew.--Want another, mate?" he
continued, as the trunk-end curled towards him again; and as it slowly
took the banana from his hand, he passed his fingers beyond the grasped
fruit, and gave the quivering member a quick stroke or two.
To his surprise, the trunk remained motionless, and a faint snorting
sound or grunt came from beyond the wall.
"All right. Paid for!" said Peter as he withdrew his hand, and the
trunk disappeared. "I do believe it's the same one," repeated the lad,
"and I shall be all right as long as these 'ere 'nanas last; but when
they are done, suppose he comes through to see why the rations have
stopped. Well, I must make them last as long as I can; and he's very
cool over it, and not in a hurry. Wonder whether it is that one I knew,
and he smelt me and come to see. Yah! Stuff! He smelt the fruit. Oh!
here he is again."
The next time the trunk reappeared Peter Pegg was ready with one of the
oat-cakes broken in half. This was taken just as readily, and was being
drawn through the hole when its awkward semicircular shape caused it to
be caught against the sides, and it dropped inside instead of
disappearing like the fruit. The trunk was withdrawn unsupplied, and
Peter was in the act of stooping to pick up the piece of cake, when the
light was obscured again, making the lad glance upwards and catch sight
of the serpent-like, coiling member descending slowly upon him.
"Here, no larks!" cried the lad, dropping upon his knees and preparing
to crawl out of reach; but the thought of what he had suffered before
unnerved him for the moment, and he could not stir.
He uttered a faint cry as he felt the touch of the elastic organ; but it
only began to stroke him caressingly, and recovering himself, he drew a
deep breath, held out the piece of cake, which was smelt directly,
taken, and this time disappeared in safety.
It was all done very slowly, and poor Peter thought to himself, "I
suppose he's enjoying of it all--but think of me!" He grew more
confident, however, and went on and on, presenting the generous supply
of bananas till only four were left, and these and the other cake he
thrust farther away, and stripping off his flannel jacket, he covered
the remainder in the bottom of the basket.
This he had just done when the trunk reappeared as usual, and summoning
up his courage to meet the disappointment and perhaps anger of his
visitor, Peter cried aloud:
"There! All over, comrade! No more to-day. Off you go!"
Just as if the huge beast understood him from the tone of his voice, it
raised its trunk and passed it about his shoulders and breast; and then
the poor fellow uttered a faint groan of despair.
"What a fool I was!" he thought, for he felt the trunk curl round his
neck and tighten gently; and his heart began to fail, when it was
uncurled, and stretched out again; the wall overhead creaked loudly, and
the end of the trunk was dipped in the big earthen jar.
There was a sucking noise, the trunk disappeared slowly, and Peter drew
the jar so that it stood just below the opening the elephant had made.
As this was done there came the loud squirting sound of the water being
sent down the huge beast's throat.
Then the trunk descended, to be recharged and disappear again, and
Peter, as the trunk was withdrawn, seized the supply-vessel and drew it
right away.
"Don't believe there's half a pint left," he grumbled. "What about
Mister Archie?--There, no more!" he cried aloud, as the trunk was thrust
back, passed over his shoulders again, and finally withdrawn, Peter half
climbing up to peer through the hole and see his visitor go slowly
muttering away.
"And him grumbling, too," said the lad--"ungrateful beast! He did give
me a fright. But, my eye, what a game! Look at him!" he continued, as
the hind-quarters of the monster concealed the rest of its form. "Just
like an awful great pair of trousers walking by theirselves!"