It was just as the shades of night were coming on that the great
elephant stepped out of the tunnel into comparative light. The wall of
verdure opened out on either side, and a natural clearing lay before the
travellers, while, still bearing what looked like the pale stain of
sunshine, there flowing from right to left was the river.
There was a regular track marked out by the various animals that
frequented it; and the mud-holes formed by the elephants grew deeper and
more given to spurt out water as the great animals passed on till the
edge of the river was reached, when they plunged in on to what now
seemed to be firm, gravelly soil, with the clear stream pressing against
their sides, till the smaller elephant was pretty well breast-deep.
Here Rajah stood, setting the example and drinking deeply, while those
he bore began to suffer the pangs of Tantalus as they saw the clear
stream gliding by.
"I can't stand this much longer, sir," said Peter. "Think there's any
crocs up here?"
"It is impossible to say, Pete."
"Yes, sir; but I am ready to risk it. But what I want to know first is:
are we going back, or is this 'ere a sort of ford, and the path goes on
the other side?"
He had hardly spoken before Rajah uttered a snort and went splashing on
towards the opposite shore, with the water growing shallower and
shallower till the two beasts were walking on firm, gravelly ground, the
water flying up at every step, and they soon stood out on dry ground,
with the dimly seen track going on before them.
Here, at a word from the mahout, both animals stopped short, and Rajah
kneeled, when the mahout descended nimbly and began trotting back to the
water's edge.
"Not going to cut and run, is he, sir?" began Pete. "No; it's all
right. I can't quite see, but ain't that a cocoa-nut he's stooping to
dip?--Yes; that's right. Good old chap! He's bringing us a drink."
This proved to be the case, and the little fellow brought the refilled
half-cocoa-nut-shell he had taken from somewhere in his baju, and it was
handed up to the two lads four times, before the little fellow went back
to the river, filled it for himself, and finally returned to his place
and climbed up once more.
Directly after, the elephant rose and continued along the track to
where, in the darkness, it was evident the marshy land began, and beyond
it seemed the jungle once again.
Peter was ready enough to begin his favourite advice soon after, and bid
his companion chance it, as on this side of the river the open land grew
more moist, and in the darkness the elephant's huge feet sank in deeper
and deeper, till at every step they plunged in quite four feet, and it
needed a sturdy effort to withdraw them. Then all at once the Rajah
uttered a grunt, half-turned as if to retrace his steps, and then stood
fast, while his companion, making use of the prints he had left,
half-turned likewise as if to meet him; and then both stood fast,
pressing their heads together with a grunt.
"What does this mean?" said Archie with a look of wonder.
"I d'know, sir. Looks to me as if they are going to sleep."
It was soon proved that the lad was right, for the animals, after
uttering a low sigh or two, remained perfectly still, with the mahout
dimly seen in his place and his head lowered down upon his chest.
"Well, sir," said Pete, "this is all plain enough, and it looks as if we
may as well go to sleep too."
"Sleep!" said Archie. "With the risk of falling off this pad?"
"Oh, we sha'n't do that, sir. We must take it in turns."
"Will they stand like this till morning?" said Archie.
"Suppose so, sir. They can't fall over sideways, because their legs are
stuck fast in these holes. Here, you have first go, sir, and I'll keep
watch. Think this is a tigery sort of place?"
"They are fond of the river-side, Pete," said Archie sadly; "but I was
thinking about crocodiles."
"Haven't heard anything of them, sir; but, anyhow, we are safe up here,
and we have got to chance it."
"Oh," exclaimed Archie impatiently, "how sick I am of hearing you say
that!"
"Yes, sir; you're a bit sleepy now. Just you slip one arm under this
pad rope, and lie right over on your side, and you will go off. You may
trust me, sir. I won't go to sleep."
Utterly wearied out, the subaltern began to make some opposition, but he
obeyed his companion's order, and five minutes after Nature had asserted
herself and he was fast asleep.
How that night passed he could never afterwards recall, but he had some
dreamy notion that he woke up and took Peter's duties of watchman,
telling him to slip his arm under the pad rope and lie over upon his
side so as to get his turn of rest. But it all proved to be imaginary,
for the poor fellow, weak and still suffering from the effects of his
wound, did not start up until the great elephant had begun to drag his
legs out of the deep holes, when he trudged on towards where the track
ran once more between two walls of densely matted palm growth; and he
stared in wonder at his companion, hardly able to collect his thoughts
so as to put the question that was troubling him and say:
"Have I been asleep all night, Pete?"
"Yes, sir; like a top. Feel better now?"
"No!" cried the lad passionately, for the confusion was passing off. "I
trusted you."
"Yes, sir. All right. I have been listening to one of them great cats
singing and purring right back on the other side of the river, and I
never slept a wink."
"Oh!" ejaculated Archie; but Peter chose to misunderstand him.
"Oh it is, sir," he cried ecstatically. "Take another look before we
are shut in amongst the trees. It's lovely! It's the beautifullest
morning I ever did see."