it be when it's dark?"

"Why dark?" cried Frank, laughing. "Oh, you needn't mind. There's no
fear of the elephants taking the wrong turning, because there isn't one.
If the drivers keep them going, we shall be sure to get back home."

Then the monotonous slush slush of the elephant's tread began, mingled
with the squeaking of the strong basket-work howdah, and an occasional
snort from one of the great animals, as it found the task of extricating
its legs harder than usual. For a time the Malays had kept up their low
murmuring conversation, but this soon dropped off as the darkness
increased, and they crept up close, as Frank had suggested, to the heads
of the elephants, contriving so that one of the animals should form the
rear-guard, and thus protect them from attack.

It was not long before the conversation between those on the two leading
elephants dropped off, so that by the time it was quite dark the journey
was being continued in almost absolute silence, as far as talking was
concerned.

And it was dark: so black that the occupants of the howdahs could not
see each other when close together, and the only way to avoid the boughs
which brushed against them constantly was to crouch as low down as was
possible.

Ned had been sitting silently for some time thinking all kinds of
horrors, and of how huge serpents might be hanging from the boughs, or
tigers watching them in the darkness, ready to spring in among them,
when suddenly he started, for there was a low guttural sound like a
suppressed roar close at hand, and directly after, a cold chill ran
through him, for as the elephant went on with its slow swaying motion,
something which seemed to be long and round glided past his face, passed
over his shoulder, and then swept about his neck.

The scene up the river came back instantaneously, and in those moments
Ned mentally saw a creature like that at which his uncle had shot,
hanging from somewhere above, and seeking to coil round his body to
crush him in its folds.

It was all momentary, but in that brief space of time Ned sat
motionless, and then his breath escaped with a low hiss, as he felt that
it was Frank's arm feeling for him, and directly after the boy's lips
touched his ear.

"Ned," he whispered, "here's a game. Oh Tim's asleep and snoring."

"Well, I don't see any game in that. I wish I was."

"Don't be snaggy. I mean to have a bit of fun with him."

"What could you do?"

"You know how h