t he, Tim?"

"That he will, sor, and here we are."

For they had left the village behind, crossed the rice and fruit
grounds, and there, all at once, without any preparation in the way of
bushes or outstanding trees, was the jungle, with its huge growth rising
up like a green wall shutting in some strange territory. It was even
more formidable looking than the walls that shut in the river, and as
Ned looked to right and left in search of the entrance to the way they
were to take, he quite realised how dangerous it was for the poor folk
who worked in their rice-fields close up to the black jungle and its
lurking creatures.

"There you are," said Frank. "Now then, you must keep your eyes open
for snakes and your ears for tigers. Your uncle will shoot if he gets a
chance; won't he?"

"I don't know," replied Ned. "I don't think he is well, he has been so
quiet lately; but I should hardly believe he would let anything go by."

"Nor I. He's such a shot," said Frank. "My father is pretty good, but
Mr Murray is twice as sure. But we shall see no tigers going through a
wood like this. The worst of it is, they can see you."

For as he was speaking, the first elephant had gone, as it were,
straight into the solid green wall of verdure, and disappeared.

"Now then, Trousers," cried Frank.

"What do you call the mahout Trousers for?" asked Ned.

"I didn't. I was speaking to old India-rubber here."

"Well, why do you call him Trousers?"

"Because elephants always look to me like a big body and two pairs of
trousers. Now then, look out for canes and scratches."

For the elephant they were on shuffled into the narrow track, whose
sides and roof brushed the great cane howdah, and in a few moments they
had passed from the glaring sunshine into the hot dank gloom of the
forest, where the swishing noise of the abundant growth, forced aside
and trampled down by the huge animals, was for a time the only sound.

"I say, he on the look-out, or out you'll go. We're getting into the
wet now."

Frank's words were uttered just in time to make Ned seize hold of the
side of the howdah, for the elephant they were on began to lurch and
roll, as its legs sank deep in the soft mud and water which filled a
series of holes in the track, and the driver turned round to them and
smiled.

"Tell him to guide the elephant better," said Ned, as this rocking
motion went on. "He is letting it put its feet in all these holes."

Frank