Noreen watched him with curiosity and marvelled at his courage
in handling the dead bodies.
He returned to the kneeling elephant and took his place on the neck.
"Hold on now, Miss Daleham," he said. "Badshah's going to rise. _Uth_"
Noreen gripped the surcingle rope tightly as the elephant heaved up his big
body and set off along a track through the jungle at a rapid pace.
"Now we are safe enough," said Dermot, turning towards his companion. "I
have not asked you yet about your adventures. Tell me all that happened to
you, if you don't mind talking about it."
"Oh, it was awful," she answered, shuddering at the remembrance. "And it
was all so sudden. There was a fire in the jungle near the garden, and Fred
went with the others to put it out. He wouldn't let me accompany him, but
told me to go for my ride in the opposite direction. I didn't stay away
long. I had just returned to the bungalow and dismounted and was giving my
pony a piece of sugar, when several Bhuttias rushed at me from behind the
house and seized me. Poor Lalla, my _syce_, tried to keep them off with his
bare hands, but one brute struck him on the head with his sword. The poor
boy fell, covered with blood. I'm afraid he was killed."
"No, he isn't dead," remarked Dermot. "I saw him, and I think that he'll
live."
"Oh, I'm so glad to hear it," exclaimed the girl.
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