iver will direct him
to some quiet spot. That he will find easily enough, for at his approach
there will be a general stampede. When he reaches some place where no
one is in sight he will halt the elephant and you will at once drop
off him. I shall be near at hand and will join you. The elephant will
continue his course for some little distance, and the mahout, feigning
to have at last recovered control over him, will direct him back to the
citadel."

"The idea is a capital one," Malchus said, "and if carried out will
surely succeed. You and I have often seen during our campaigns elephants
in this state, and know how every one flies as they come along screaming
loudly, with their trunks high, and their great ears out on each side
of their heads. At any rate it is worth trying, Nessus, and if by any
chance we should fail in getting through the gate, the mahout would, of
course, take his elephant back to the stable, and I might slip out there
and conceal myself till night, and then make my way back here again."

"That's what we have arranged," Nessus said. "And now, my lord, I will
leave you and go back to the stables, in case they should search them
again tonight. If you will push off and lie a short distance away from
the steps I will be here again half an hour before daybreak. I will
bring you a garb like my own, and will take you direct to the stable
where the animal is kept. There will be no one there save the mahout
and my two friends, so that it will be easy for us to cover you in the
howdah before the elephants go out. There is little chance of anyone
coming into the stables before that, for they have been searched so
frequently during the last two days that Hanno's agents must by this
time be convinced that wherever you are hidden you are not there.
Indeed, today the search has greatly relaxed, although the vigilance
at the gate and on the walls is as great as ever; so I think that they
despair of finding you, and believe that you must either have made your
escape already, or that if not you will sooner or later issue from your
hiding place and fall into their hands."

Malchus slept little that night, and rejoiced when he again saw
Nessus descending the steps. A few strokes of his paddle sent the raft
alongside. Nessus fastened a cord to it to prevent it from drifting
away.

"We may need it again," he said briefly. Malchus placed his own clothes
upon it and threw over his shoulders the bernous which Nessus ha