me what we are to do."

"Find means for us to escape."

"That's what I want, sir, so as just to have the way ready. But it's no
use to get out and me to have to carry you on my back."

Archie sighed, for he was forced to accept the truth of his companion's
words. He lay thinking then of his interview with the Doctor, and he
said to himself:

"I wanted something to take the boyishness out of me, and this has come
and swept it away at one stroke and for ever.--Look here," he said
aloud; "look round and see whether it is possible for you to get out--I
mean, just think the matter over so that you may be able to contrive to
get outside after dark and examine our surroundings a bit."

"That's all settled, sir. There's no breaking through the door, but I
have been thinking that I might climb up inside here, sir, get as far as
them bamboo rafters, and squeeze a way out on to the roof through them
palm-leaf mats. Pst!"

"What is it?"

Peter Pegg held up one finger, and then pointed sharply towards the
door.

"Some one there? I don't hear anything."

"No, sir. That topper you got seems to have made you a bit deaf," said
the lad, as he crouched close up to his companion's head. "I don't
suppose if we spoke loud that any one would understand us; but there's
some one outside there, and after a bit I am going to look if he ain't
gone."

The lad waited for a while, and then rose and began to pace slowly up
and down the front of his prison, and ended by climbing quickly up by
the door and peering out through the hole the elephant had made.

He only gave a glance, before descending quickly, to continue his
marching up and down for a time, when he ended by throwing himself
beside his companion and settling down as if for a nap. The lad
preserved silence, lying with his eyes closed, while Archie watched him
anxiously.

"Did you see anything?" whispered the young subaltern at last.

"Yes; a chap there in a yellow-and-red sarong, and as I was looking out,
the ugly, black-looking beggar was squinting in. I wasn't sure at
first, but it's like this 'ere: when they thought we was too bad they
didn't trouble about us, but somebody must have been watching, and seen
you beginning to pick a bit, and that's made them think that it's time
to look after us, so they have planted a chap outside as a sentry."

"How horrible!" whispered Archie.

"Well, it's bad, sir; but it's good too. He's got a big spear and one
of them cr