he brought it up
again more than half-full.

"Too much," he said softly. "Fair-play's a jewel;" and carefully and
slowly he let a portion of the precious water trickle back into the
bottom of the jar.

"That's about half," he said, with a judicial look. "Now then, sip it,
mate, and make it go as far as you can."

Raising the cup to his lips, he slowly imbibed the tepid liquid till the
very last drop had been drained out of the shell. Then replacing it
where it had been before, he uttered a deep sigh.

"I never used to think water was so beautiful," he said softly. "I
forget what them people asked for when they had three wishes, but I know
what I should wish for now. It would be for that there jar brim-full of
cold water, and me to have a throat as long as a boa-constructor, so
that I could feel it all go gently down."

His eyes fell upon the basket again, and the slight draught of water
having turned his faintness into a strong desire for food, he could
hardly restrain himself from taking one of the remaining bananas. In
fact, after resisting the temptation for some minutes, he darted his
hand down, caught up one of the soft, gold-tinted fruits, raised it
towards his mouth, and dashed it down again.

"Hanged if I do!" he cried angrily; and thrusting his hands deep into
his pockets, he had another look at Archie, and then raised himself up
so as to peer through the opening the elephant had made, and try to get
some better idea of his position.

"Trees, trees, trees," he said; "trees everywhere; but there's a path
off to the left, and one goes off to the right, and there's another goes
straight away. Let's see: off to the right must be down to the river,
because that's where the helephants went; and those other paths must go
to where somebody lives; but there's no sign of a house--nothing but
trees. Not a sound! Oh, what a lonely place it is! And here's all the
long, dark night coming. The sun's going down fast. I sha'n't sleep a
wink to-night after snoozing as I did. And here I'm going to lie
thinking about that upset with poor Mister Archie's boat, and--yes, I
shall be thinking more about what's become of Miss Minnie. Here, I say,
what a row there's going to be when the Major and Sir Charles know of it
all! And me shut up here instead of being with the lads when the
governor lets them slip at these Malay jockeys, for I am a bigger fool
than I thought for if one of these Rajahs isn't at the bottom