.--I wish
there was, and a lot of our fellows with him," said the poor fellow
dismally.

He crossed softly to where Archie lay breathing calmly, and then, as if
feeling satisfied, he went back to the great earthen jar, refreshed
himself with another draught of water, and seated himself by the basket,
from which he took one of the bananas and began to eat.

"I'm quite peckish," he said to himself, "and, my word, they are good!
I don't know how long it is since I felt like this. It must be a good
sign. Well, there's plenty of them," he continued, and he took another,
and another. "Not half bad," he went on, "as there's no commissariat
coffee. Must leave plenty for Mr Archie, though. But 'nanas don't
seem the sort of tack for a poor chap with his complaint. Wishing ain't
no good, or I'd do it with both hands, and wish old Jollop was here to
look at his tongue and to strap up that head of his. It ought to have
all the hair cut off, but one can't do that with a blunt knife. Hullo!
what's that?" he muttered, after satisfying himself with the fruit from
the basket. "I believe it's one of those two-tailed pigs grunting and
chuntering."

He went to the opening through which he had peered before, and looked
out.

"Can't see anything," he muttered, "but it sounds like one of them
coming back. Yes, I can! It is--just coming through the trees. Why,
he's all wet, and dripping with mud and water. That's it. They have
been driven down by their keeper to the river. Yes, there must be a
river; and I say, lad, there's something to recollect. This 'ere place
is somewhere up the river, or down it. Yes, down it, because up the
river the water's clear, and down it, it gets muddy. Oh, I don't know.
I dare say there's muddy places up the banks. There, stop that
chuntering row. Just like a drove of pigs. He's coming back to his
stable somewhere. Why, he's coming straight here, just as if he meant
to knock the door down and get in. Well, if he did he wouldn't hurt us.
He's only a tame one. That little chap made three of them shuffle off.
But what a chance to cut if he opens the door! Oh dear!" he added,
with a sigh. "Talk about cutting, with the young governor like he is!
And even if he could walk, we don't know the way. Wonder where we are.
It must be the Rajah's place somewhere right up in the jungle where he
keeps his helephants, and that there Frenchman put him up to keeping his
hostriches, as he called them, u