do it and then doing it
in real earnest. I say, how soon it has got dark! Now, what do you say
to a bit of supper, and then finishing up our sleep?"

"Agreed, Pete. But what about keeping watch for the tiger if it comes?"

"Ah, I didn't think about that, sir; but we've got to chance getting the
elephant here and riding away before the sentry comes."

"Yes; we've settled that we must chance that."

"Yes, sir; and we must chance the tiger if he comes, which maybe he
won't, for we haven't heard much of them chaps before."

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

IN THE ELEPHANT-HOLES.

"Did you hear anything in the night, Pete?" said Archie the next
morning.

"There he is, bless him!" whispered Peter, from where he was peering
through the lookout-hole.

"What do you mean?"

"That Malay chap, sir--the big one with the squint. I should like to
drop upon him and smug that kris of his. Just think of it! As soon as
we made up our minds to toddle the first time we can get the helephant
here before they mount sentry, here he comes, just as if orders had been
given for that to be done regular."

Peter dropped down from his lookout-hole, and began to pick out the
worst of the fruit for the elephant when he came.

"Seems hard on a friend, Mister Archie, but I don't suppose the Rajah
minds them being a bit over ripe."

"Not he," replied Archie; "but I meant, did you hear anything in the
night?"

"Oh, you mean the tiger, sir? Yes, I heerd him three or four times, but
I was too comfortable to sit up and bother about him. Did you hear
him?"

"I suppose I did, but it all seems as if it was part of a dream."

"That's all right, then, sir. I say! Hear 'em? Here's the helephants
coming. You get up and look."

Archie mounted to the hole, and saw, following steadily one after the
other, four of the great beasts, with the little, squat driver seated on
the neck of the last; and after they had passed, loafing carelessly
along as if he were too important and disdained to be driven, came the
Rajah, muttering as if to himself, and walking straight up to the big
stable door before going on to take his bath.

Archie dropped down, after seeing that the sentry was quietly rolling up
a fresh betel-quid, and Peter stood aside for his companion to take his
place by the basket.

"Never mind me, sir. Let him stroke you over as much as he likes; and
you mustn't mind if he smells you too much with the wet end of his
trunk. I want y