Glyn Severn's Schooldays Part 10

The menagerie proprietor hurriedly led the way straight across the cricket-field; for, full of excitement, he was eager to get right away with the depredating animal before the owner of the damaged fence and orchard came upon the scene.

"I can talk to him better when I get on my own ground," he said to himself; and, making straight for the gap in the Doctor's hedge, the elephant, in obedience to word after word from his mahout, followed with long, swinging strides.

There was a crowd outside the hedge in the road, and they would have been across the field long before; but, in obedience to an order from the Doctor, Wrench was on guard and kept them back. His rather difficult task ceased as the elephant drew near, for the crowd scattered to avoid the monster, and the Doctor's man gave way too, the only difference being that the little mob drew away outside the hedge while the man made way in; for, seeing who were mounted on the great animal's neck, he ran towards the house to meet the Doctor, who, followed by the other masters, was now coming toward the gap with a small opera-gla.s.s in his hand.

"Here, Joseph," he cried breathlessly, "am I right? Are those two of my pupils?"

"Yes, sir; a-riding striddling on the elephant's neck."

"Dangerous! Madness! So undignified too! What will people think? Run and tell them to get off directly and come to me."

The man hurriedly retraced his steps; but before he could reach the gap in the hedge the elephant strode through and out into the road, and the Doctor and his aides hurried back into the house to reach one of the front windows just as, headed by the proprietor and followed by a crowd, the elephant strode by, the two boys taking off their caps to salute those at the window.

The Doctor turned with a look of blank amazement upon his countenance, to stare for a few moments at the cla.s.sical and French masters, who had followed him in.

"Gentlemen," he exclaimed angrily, "did you ever see such extraordinary behaviour in your lives? Oh, this must be stopped!"

But it was not stopped, for the elephant was striding away along the main street of the town, with a crowd regathering as they saw that the powerful monster seemed to be well under control; while the boys, now thoroughly enjoying their exciting ride, needed no persuasion from Ramball to keep their places and take their mount right up to the show-field, where several of the yellow vans were already in place, their drivers having commenced the formation of the oblong square which was to form the show.

Here, shortly afterwards, the elephant stopped of its own volition close to a great iron picket which was being driven into the soft earth, and by which a truss of hay had been placed ready for its refection.

Here, as the elephant stood still, it paid no heed to a couple of Ramball's men, who in obedience to their master's orders set to work to fasten a strong chain to the monster's leg and attach it to the iron picket.

For, evidently satisfied with its fruity lunch, and calmed down from the excitement brought on by the accident, possibly too from a certain feeling of satisfaction at hearing the native tongue of some old mahout ringing in its great ears, the huge beast now began to take matters according to its old routine. It commenced by gathering up portions of the hay, which it loosened with its trunk, sniffing at it audibly, and then beginning to scatter it about, the boys making no attempt to quit their lofty perch.

"Here, one of you, bring a bucket of water," cried Ramball. "He ain't hungry now. Don't let him waste that hay. Have you fastened the chain?"

Without waiting for the men to answer, the menagerie proprietor examined the great fetters himself.

"Look sharp," he shouted; "quick with that water before he spoils all the hay."

One man had hurried off to the pump with a couple of empty buckets, while the others seized upon the truss which the elephant was disturbing, but only to drop it directly, for the captive just lightly waved its trunk right and left, and the men were sent flying in different directions.

_Phoompf_ snorted the tyrant, and immediately went on picking up and scattering the hay all around it, thickly covering the gra.s.s.

"Well, I suppose we had better get down now, hadn't we?" cried Glyn.

"Yes, sir--no, sir. Just wait a little bit, please," cried Ramball.

"You're a-keeping of him quiet; only I don't want this 'ere to be made a free gratus exhibition for everybody to see. It's a cutting off my profits. Hi, there, some of you! why don't you shut them gates?" he shouted to certain of his men who were driving in the latter half of the line of yellow vans.

"Can't get the rest in if we do, sir," came back.

"No, of course they can't," grunted their master, looking up at the two lads. "Things is going awkward to-day, and no mistake.--Oh, here comes the water," he continued, speaking now to Singh. "I dare say that will cool him down. Just say a word to him, sir, and tell him to drink."

"Tell the men to put the buckets down before him," replied Singh; and as the water-bearer drew near the elephant evidently scented the refres.h.i.+ng fluid, and uttered a sonorous snort.

Directly after, as the man nervously set down the br.i.m.m.i.n.g buckets, anxiously watching the waving trunk the while, and leaping away as he saw it coming towards him, the tip of the great hose-like organ was thrust into the first vessel, there was a low sound of suction as many quarts were drawn up, and then the end was curled under, thrust right back into the huge creature's mouth, and then there was a loud squirting sound like a fire-engine beginning to play to put out the animal's burning thirst.

Back went the trunk into the bucket again, the curving inward followed for a second discharge, there was repet.i.tion, till in a very brief s.p.a.ce the first bucket was empty, and then, with a disdainful swing of the trunk, the vessel was sent flying, and the emptying of the second commenced, to be ended by the satiated beast picking it up to hold it on high as if to drain out the last drops, and then begin to swing it to and fro as if to hurl it at its master.

"Hah-h-h-h-ah!" cried Singh, and the great creature ceased swinging the bucket to and fro, and dropped it on the hay.

"Come, Singh, we have had enough of this," cried Glyn impatiently.

"Let's get back, or we shall be having the Doctor sending to see what has become of us."

"Don't you be afraid about that, young gentlemen," cried Ramball. "I'll speak up for you both."

"Thank you," said Glyn drily; "but you've done with us now."

"Done with you, young gentlemen! I only wish you'd stop and join my troupe. I'll make it right and pleasant for you, and be glad too. Pay you better, too, than any one else would when you leave school. Why, bless your heart, you--the dark one I'm talking to--if you like to come I'll spend any amount up to a hundred pounds for getting you a thorough Indian corstume all muslin and gold, and a turban with jewels in it-- imitations, of course, it wouldn't run to real, but the best as is to be had--with a plume of feathers too, ready for you to ride in procession same as you did to-day. What do you say?"

"Yes, Singh," cried Glyn laughing, as he sat close behind his companion, and catching him by the shoulders he began to shake him to and fro.

"There's an offer for you. What do you say?"

"I am going to get down," said Singh with a haughty curve to his lip.

"Well, I won't tell him I'm not an English boy." Then sharply resuming his native tongue, he uttered an order which made the great beast kneel down in the hay with its trunk stretched straight out before it, and raising its ears a little, ready for its two riders to climb down forwards and spring off.

"Ha!" cried Singh, as he approached close to the elephant and planted his right foot upon the upper portion of its trunk. "I should rather like to have you," he said, speaking softly, so that his words only reached his companion's ear. "You are the first in England to show me that you know what I am."

"But you can't have him, Singh," said Glyn laughing. "No more elephants till we get back to Dour, and that won't be for years to come."

"No," said the boy sadly; "that will not be for years to come.--Huh!" he cried to the elephant, as he removed his foot and drew back. "You're a fine old beast after all."

The monster rose at his command, and stood blinking at him and swinging his trunk to and fro.

"Mind, sir!" shouted Ramball, who had been looking on anxiously. "Don't you trust him. He's brewing mischief. He always is when he looks quiet like that; and the way he can knock you over with that trunk--my word!"

"Oh, he's not going to knock me over with his trunk," said Singh, smiling; and, uttering a few words in Hindustani, he stood close up to the elephant and reached one hand up to its great ear and laid the other upon its trunk.

"Salaam, Maharajah!" he cried, and the animal threw up its head, curled up its trunk, and trumpeted loudly, before going down upon its knees before the lad.

"Good! Up again!" cried Singh in Hindustani, and added a few more words, the result of which was that the monster stood calmly by its great picket-peg, making its chain jingle as it began slowly swaying its head from side to side again.

"Well done, sir!" cried Ramball. "Thank you, sir. You'll shake hands with me, won't you?"

"Oh yes," said Singh quietly; "I'll shake hands," and he extended his own.

"You are a gentleman and no mistake," cried the man. "I say, think that offer of mine over. I'll make it worth your while. I will, honour bright!"

Singh shook his head gravely, and there was a mocking smile upon his lip.

"No, no, thank you," he said. "I am going back to school, and some day back to India; but I should like to come and see you and the elephant again."

"Of course you would, sir, and come you shall," cried Ramball.

"Perpetual pa.s.ses! You don't want no pa.s.s. Just you show your face here, both of you, whenever you like, and bring as many of your schoolmates with you too, and you will be as welcome as the flowers of May. Look here, young gentlemen, I am going to keep the show open here for three days, and then we go off to my farm three miles out of the town to lay up for a bit of rest and do repairs, and get the animals into condition, before we take the road again. You come and see me there, and pick out what you'd like to have, monkeys or parrots, as I said. I don't offer you anything big, because I don't suppose you could keep it at school; but I have got some of the amusingest little monkeys you ever see, and a parrot as can talk--when he likes, mind you,"

continued the man, laying a fat finger against his nose, "and that ain't always. But when he is in the temper for it he can say anything, and you wouldn't know but what it was a human being.--Going, gentlemen?"

"Yes, we are going now," said Singh.