this up with a few friendly
touches, which the monster seemed to accept in a friendly way, before
transferring the bread; the mahout looking on smilingly the while.

The trunk was raised slowly again, and the mahout uttered a few words,
with the result that the private had to make a strong effort over self
to keep from starting away from an expected blow; but in obedience to
the driver's words the great beast slowly passed his trunk over the
young soldier's shoulders and breast, and then, grunting, swung up the
end as if asking for more of the bread.

"Only two bits more," said Peter; and he turned to the mahout and made
signs to him that he should mount to the elephant's neck.

The young soldier hardly expected it, but his meaning was so well
conveyed that the mahout uttered a command, when the elephant passed his
trunk round the driver, swung him up, and dropped him easily into his
seat, raising his ears the while, and then lowering them over the
rider's knees.

"Bravo! Splendid!" cried Pegg, clapping his hands; and the next minute,
after another word or two which the elephant evidently understood and
obeyed, the little mahout dropped lightly down and stood smiling at his
admiring audience.

It was not Peter Pegg's words, but the meaning must have been conveyed
by his eyes to the mahout, for Peter said excitedly:

"There, I'd give a suvron, if I'd got one, to be able to say to our
chaps that I'd had a ride on a helephant like that;" and then, to his
surprise, the mahout looked at him, smiling, uttered a few words to him,
and held out his hand.

"Eh? What?" cried Peter. "Let you hold my rifle? Well, I oughtn't to;
but there aren't no officers near. There, I'll trust you, and I wish I
could tell you what I want."

To his surprise and delight, as the mahout took hold of the rifle and
examined it curiously, uttering another order to his great charge, Peter
Pegg felt the great coiling trunk wrap round his waist, swing him up in
the air, and drop him astride of the huge beast's neck. "Oh, but, I
say, this 'ere won't do," cried Peter; "I am wrong ways on:" and
scrambling up from sitting facing the howdah, he gradually reseated
himself correctly, nestling his legs beneath the great half-raised ears.
"My word! ain't it nice and warm?" cried the young soldier excitedly.
"Shouldn't I like to ride round the camp now!--I say, Joe, ain't this
prime?"

His comrade, who had been looking on admiringly, uttered a grun