ep me up, Peter."

"I ain't, sir; I ain't. Look! Look! You can see for yourself now.
There, them's the big trees where all the helephants sheltered at the
review, and--brave old Rajah! He's making for it straight. There's a
peep of the river too, and you can see the hut above the landing-place
where I kept guard that night and listened to the crocs. Now then, what
do you say to that? Am I right?"

Archie made no reply that was audible, but his lips parted as he
muttered two words in fervent thanks; and the next minute Rajah had
increased the rate at which he made his strides upon hard ground, and
the open space before them was becoming dotted with moving men in their
familiar white jackets, in consequence of an order that had been passed
after a glass had been directed at the advancing elephant; while, as the
great beast, as if quite accustomed to the place, strode in beneath the
sheltering trees and stopped short, to stand with slowly swinging head
on the very spot where Peter had first made his acquaintance, a burst of
cheers rang out from officers and comrades, who came up at the double to
welcome back those who had been given up for lost.

One of the first to reach the elephant's side was the Doctor.

"Archie, my lad!" he cried. "Minnie! My poor girl! Speak, lad--
speak!"

Archie's lips parted, and his old look of despair deepened as he tried
to answer; but no word passed his parched lips, cracking now with fever
and exhaustion. He only looked wildly in the Doctor's imploring eyes
and shook his head.

The Doctor uttered a groan, and then, as the elephant knelt in response
to the mahout's order, the Doctor's despair died away to make room for
duty.

"Now, my lads," he cried, "half-a-dozen of you help them down and carry
them carefully into hospital.--Cheer up, boys! I'll soon put you
right.--Ah, Sir Charles! You here? I can't go.--Hold up, man!--Go up
to my place and speak to my wife. But after this--be a man, sir!--
there's hope for us still."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

IN THE DOCTOR'S HANDS.

"Lie still. What have you got to fidget about? I have done all I can,
and made a decent job of your head. It looks quite respectable now,
after what I have done with the scissors. That hair ought to have been
cut close off first thing, so as to afford a place for decent bandages,
and I feel quite astounded to see how kindly Nature has treated you. It
must have been an awful blow, my boy, and if