ore five minutes had elapsed Peter Pegg proved the truth of his
assertion by the utterance of a very regular snore, which kept time with
his breath till broad daylight, when he started up.

"_Reveille_, comrade!" he cried aloud; and then, "Blest if it ain't that
helephant again!"

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

MORE ABOUT A FRIEND.

"All right, old man," cried Peter Pegg, as he sprang up and crossed to
the door, where his visitor was chuntering, as the lad called it, and
making a succession of peculiar snorts as he waved his trunk up and
down. "What's the matter? Want some breakfast?" And after a moment's
hesitation he stretched out his hand and began to stroke the great,
prehensile organ that was now passed over his shoulders and down his
sides. "You won't hurt me, will you, old chap? That'll do. Steady,
and I will get you some breakfast."

The quiet, soothing tone of the lad's voice seemed to convey his
meaning, for the elephant curved the end of his trunk right upwards and
began to trumpet.

"Hear that, Mister Archie?" cried Peter, as he made for where the
fruit-basket stood.

"Yes," replied the subaltern, raising himself slowly and painfully. "Is
anything the matter?"

"No, sir; only my friend come to see us."

"Your friend?" said Archie wonderingly.

"Yes, sir; the helephant. Can't you see him?"

"No," said Archie. "Oh yes, I can see its trunk."

"That's right, sir; come for some breakfast;" and the young private
strode back, breaking up the cake and placing a goodly piece within
reach of the extended trunk, for it to be taken and disappear through
the opening, when the trunk quickly returned ready for more.

The business was repeated again and again, and the pieces of bread were
followed by bananas and a fair-sized vegetable which might have been
either pumpkin or melon.

The trunk curled round it directly, but this proved too great in
diameter to pass altogether through the hole, dropping from the trunk
and being dashed at by its donor.

"Well caught!" cried Peter. "You must wait a minute, old chap," he
continued, pulling out his knife, with which he divided the small
pumpkin in four, each portion being quietly taken and drawn through, to
disappear in the monster's cavernous interior, to be followed by several
more bananas, Peter dealing out his gifts deliberately so as to make
more of what in its entirety was a mere snack for the visitor.

"There," he cried at last; "that's all you'll