did," said Archie peevishly; "what's that got to do
with our position here? Where is your chummy friend?"

"That's what I want to tell you, sir. He found me out here, and he
comes and shoves his trunk through that hole as you can't see now
because it's dark. `How are you, old man?' he says. `Who'd have
thought of seeing you here? Tuck one or two of them bananas in the end
of my trunk and see me eat them, and I will show you;' and I did. Then
he says, `Give us a drink of water;' and so I did, and he played it into
himself just as if he was a portable fire-engine. What do you think of
that?"

"I think," said Archie faintly, "that if I was like I was in the old
days, Peter, I'd punch your great, stupid head. What do you mean? Do
you think I'm as weak as a child, and that you must try and please me by
telling me all that flam?"

"Haw, haw!" laughed Peter Pegg softly. "I knowed you'd say that. But
it's all as true as true. I don't mean to say that he talked to me like
that in plain English, but he chuntered and grunted and squealed, and
ate nearly all the bananas and bread, and drank up the water before he
went away, and come again for more."

"Oh, I could believe that. But what makes you think it's the same
elephant as the one you saw before?"

"Oh, I did doubt it at first, sir; but I am sure now."

"Why?"

"Because of his size. He's the biggest one that came to the camp; and
he knowed me again by the smell."

"Bah! He smelt the fruit."

"But the smell of the fruit wouldn't make him stroke me down all over
and talk to me in his way. You wait a bit till he comes next time. He
will soon show you how friendly he is to me. Why, it was only
yesterday, I think--though the time goes so rum here, where one sleeps
so much--he come to see me, and one of the Malay chaps as was taking him
to the water tried to drive him away, and, my word, you should have seen
him chivy the chap off and call him a hinterfering blackguard, in
helephant! He's my friend, sure enough, sir; and it will take a bit of
time to settle matters, but I think I can make him understand what he's
got to do, and start off some night and carry us to Campong Dang."

"Ah, if you only could, Pete!" said Archie faintly; "but it all sounds
to me like a dream, and--"

There was a deep breath, and silence.

"And what, sir? What were you going to say?--Why, I'm blessed if he
ain't asleep!" muttered Peter. "Well, so much the better. Now I'm