lish thing that followed?

Finding Maharaj had pulled up one of his picket pins, he took a heavy
piece of firewood and dashed it upon his tender toe-nails, while he
shouted all the abuse that elephants know only accompanies severe
punishment. Now Maharaj, who would take punishment quietly from Buldeo,
the old mahout, would not stand it from any other; besides, he was
already excited with all the shouting and tamasha going on, and he had
had a good bit of arrack in his cakes that evening; so when the log
crashed down on his feet he trumpeted with pain, and, seizing Piroo in
his trunk, lifted him on high, preparatory to dashing him to earth and
stamping his life out.

[Illustration: SEIZING PIROO IN HIS TRUNK, HE LIFTED HIM ON HIGH.]

But fortune was in favour of Piroo for a time, and the big cummerbund he
wore had got loose with dancing, so it came undone, and Piroo slipped
down its length to the ground, while Maharaj was left holding the loose
cloth in his trunk.

Then Piroo fled for his life, and ran into a grass-thatched hut that
stood close by; but the elephant, pulling out his picket pins like a
couple of toothpicks, reached the hut in a stride, and, putting his
trunk through the thatch as if it had been a sheet of paper, felt round
for the man inside and, seizing him, dragged him forth. The people
yelled, and some came running with fire-brands to scare him, but before
any could reach him Maharaj had knocked one of his great fore-feet
against the head of the unfortunate Piroo, and he fell to the ground
lifeless.

The villagers were terror-stricken and ran to hide in their huts.
Tippoo, who was nearest the elephant, ran also, and Alec was about to
run when he saw Maharaj single out Tippoo and chase him. The boy fled,
and his flying feet hardly seemed to touch the earth, but Maharaj with
long swinging strides covered the ground much faster, and in a few
moments there followed a shriek of despair and Tippoo was struggling
helplessly fifteen feet in the air in the grasp of that terrible trunk.

"Save me! Sahib, save me!" he shrieked, while Alec looked on powerless
to help.

Maharaj seemed undecided whether to dash him to pieces or not. Alec
seized the opportunity to imitate the driver's voice and cry, "Bring the
boys home safely--very safely--my son." The elephant's great fan-shaped
ears bent forward to listen, and he lowered Tippoo till he hung swinging
at the end of the huge proboscis. Alec felt he dared not r