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authornfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org>2025-03-03 11:26:49 -0800
committernfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org>2025-03-03 11:26:49 -0800
commitd5abb97e34cd69a9394bbdf97f9e7605866891b7 (patch)
tree637cfebaa186fc97f62ca19736319ce9cfe424a2 /43595-h/43595-h.html
parent571a6f2a5c42e4e2e779e16d45ad4c7862bb7c62 (diff)
Add files from ibiblio as of 2025-03-03 11:26:49HEADmain
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-<title>ALIVE IN THE JUNGLE</title>
-<meta name="PG.Rights" content="Public Domain" />
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-</head>
-<body>
-<div class="document" id="alive-in-the-jungle">
-<h1 class="center document-title level-1 pfirst title"><span class="x-large">ALIVE IN THE JUNGLE</span></h1>
-
-<!-- this is the default PG-RST stylesheet -->
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-<!-- default attribution -->
-<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
-<div class="clearpage">
-</div>
-<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
-<div class="align-None container language-en pgheader" id="pg-header" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
-<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
-almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
-re-use it under the terms of the </span><a class="reference internal" href="#project-gutenberg-license">Project Gutenberg License</a><span>
-included with this eBook or online at
-</span><a class="reference external" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">http://www.gutenberg.org/license</a><span>.</span></p>
-<p class="noindent pnext"></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<div class="align-None container" id="pg-machine-header">
-<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>Title: Alive in the Jungle
-<br /> A Story for the Young
-<br />
-<br />Author: Eleanor Stredder
-<br />
-<br />Release Date: August 29, 2013 [EBook #43595]
-<br />
-<br />Language: English
-<br />
-<br />Character set encoding: UTF-8</span></p>
-</div>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-start-line"><span>*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK </span><span>ALIVE IN THE JUNGLE</span><span> ***</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-produced-by"><span>Produced by Al Haines.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
-</div>
-<p class="noindent pfirst"><span></span></p>
-</div>
-<div class="align-None container coverpage">
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 70%" id="figure-28">
-<span id="cover"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="Cover" src="images/img-cover.jpg" />
-<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin">
-<span class="italics">Cover</span></div>
-</div>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-</div>
-<div class="align-None container frontispiece">
-<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 73%" id="figure-29">
-<span id="here-is-the-child-mr-desborough-cried-oliver-page-160"></span><img class="align-center block" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="&quot;Here is the child, Mr. Desborough,&quot; cried Oliver. *Page* 160" src="images/img-front.jpg" />
-<div class="caption centerleft figure-caption margin">
-<span class="italics">"Here is the child, Mr. Desborough," cried Oliver. </span><em class="italics">Page</em><span class="italics"> </span><a class="italics reference internal" href="#id1">160</a></div>
-</div>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
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-<div class="align-center auto-scaled figure margin" style="width: 64%" id="figure-30">
-<span id="pre-title-page"></span><img class="align-center block center" style="display: block; width: 100%" alt="Pre-title page" src="images/img-pre-title.jpg" />
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-<span class="italics">Pre-title page</span></div>
-</div>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="x-large">ALIVE
-<br />IN THE JUNGLE</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><span class="large">A Story for the Young</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">BY
-<br />ELEANOR STREDDER</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="italics small">Author of "Jack and his Ostrich,"
-<br />"Archie's Find"
-<br />etc.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="center line"><span>"In the night, O the night.</span></div>
-<div class="center line"><span>When the wolves are howling."</span></div>
-<div class="inner line-block">
-<div class="center line"><span>TENNYSON.</span></div>
-</div>
-</div>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">T. NELSON AND SONS
-<br /></span><em class="italics medium">London, Edinburgh, and New York</em><span class="medium">
-<br />1892</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold large">Contents</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
-</div>
-<ol class="upperroman simple">
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-old-gray-wolf">THE OLD GRAY WOLF</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#in-pursuit">IN PURSUIT</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#how-the-search-ended">HOW THE SEARCH ENDED</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-wolf-s-lair">THE WOLF'S LAIR</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#noak-holly">NOAK-HOLLY</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#away-to-the-hills">AWAY TO THE HILLS</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-rana-s-sons">THE RANA'S SONS</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-invitation">THE INVITATION</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#oliver-and-his-uncle">OLIVER AND HIS UNCLE</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#a-visit-to-the-rana-s-castle">A VISIT TO THE RANA'S CASTLE</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-footprint">THE FOOTPRINT</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#beating-the-koond">BEATING THE KOOND</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#caught-in-a-trap">CAUGHT IN A TRAP</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-homeward-road">THE HOMEWARD ROAD</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#a-little-savage">A LITTLE SAVAGE</a></p>
-</li>
-<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="reference internal" href="#the-conclusion">THE CONCLUSION</a></p>
-</li>
-</ol>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-old-gray-wolf"><span class="bold x-large">ALIVE IN THE JUNGLE.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER I.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">THE OLD GRAY WOLF.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Night was brooding over the wide and swampy
-Bengal plain. The moon had sunk low in
-the west, and was hiding behind a bank of threatening
-clouds. Darkness and shadow covered the sleeping
-world around. But the stilly quiet which marked
-"the darkest hour of all the night" was broken by
-the fierce growling of a tiger and a buffalo, fighting
-furiously on the open highroad, within a dozen yards
-of Mr. Desborough's indigo factory.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The jackal pack were gathering among the distant
-hills, already scenting their prey. On they came,
-rushing down the nearest valley in answer to their
-leader's call—shrieking, wailing, howling in their haste
-to be in time to pounce upon the tiger's leavings;
-an ever-increasing wave of sound that startled the
-weary factory-workers, sleeping in their mud-walled
-huts under the mango trees. The pack sweep round
-the straw-thatched sheds belonging to the factory, and
-gather in front of Mr. Desborough's house.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>This was a large one-storied building, looking very
-much like a Swiss cottage, with its gabled roof and
-white-painted walls. The broad eaves projected so
-far beyond the walls that they covered the veranda,
-which ran right round the house. Like the sheds
-of the factory, it was thatched. Beautiful climbing
-plants festooned the columns which supported the
-veranda, and flung their long trailing arms across the
-pointed gables. A whole colony of wild birds nestle
-in the reedy thatch, and find out quiet corners in the
-cool shadow of that wide veranda. A pair of owls
-are wheeling round and round. Kites, hoopoes, and
-blue jays find such comfortable homes beneath
-Mr. Desborough's eaves, and bring up such numerous
-families, that the whole place seems alive with
-twittering wings and chirping voices. But now the
-flying-foxes, which have hung all day head
-downwards from the trees like so many black bags, are
-screaming and chattering at their shrillest.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The hot May night seems more oppressive than
-ever. There is neither peace nor rest. Every door
-and window in the bungalow is wide open, for within
-the heat is intense.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The youngest child is ill with fever, and cannot sleep.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Like so many English fathers and mothers living
-in India, Mr. and Mrs. Desborough have lost several
-of their children. Grief for those that were taken
-from them makes them watch over the dear ones
-that are left with nervous anxiety. Mr. Desborough
-had put up a tent on the lawn, hoping the little
-sufferer might find rest in the fresher air, surrounded
-by the cool night-breezes and the sweet scent of the
-flowers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The poor child was dozing on its mother's lap when
-the yell of the jackals arose. They were quite safe
-in their tent; for a mat was tied across the door, and
-nothing could get in to hurt them. But how was
-their boy to sleep in such a noise?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The fierce crescendo was reaching its loudest, when
-Mr. Desborough came out with his loaded gun in his
-hand, and fired it into the air, hoping the sound of a
-shot would scare the jackals away. He was right:
-the pack swept past with a mad rush, helter-skelter
-on the tiger's track. He paused on the steps of the
-veranda, and looked cautiously around him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The dark shadows of the trees were thrown across
-the dewy grass. Overgrown bushes, swaying in the
-night-wind, seemed to take to themselves fantastic
-shapes. His garden might well be described as one
-wild tangle of flowers. Roses of every shade,
-carnations, mignonnette, petunias, myrtles, choked each other:
-tall scarlet lilies and pomegranate flowers caught the
-twining honeysuckle, and taught its trailing branches
-to kiss the ground. Amidst this luxuriant profusion,
-in the glamour of a darkened heaven, it was no
-wonder Mr. Desborough did not distinguish the flick
-of a tawny tail, creeping stealthily behind a giant
-rhododendron. At the sound of the shot the old gray
-wolf skulked down amidst the folded flowers; and the
-father, after exchanging a word with his wife, went
-back to his bed comforted, for his darling, his little
-Horace, was conscious—yes, conscious—and crying
-for his twin-brother Carlyon. Racy and Carl, as they
-were usually called, had never before been parted.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Poor little Racy had not known much about it
-when his mother sent Carl into another room, and
-refused to let Kathleen give him one good-night kiss.
-Kathleen was their only sister—a soft-eyed, fragile
-girl, about nine years old. She had wept with her
-father and mother over an empty bassinet; and so,
-when two little brothers were given to her in one
-day, her delight knew no bounds. From the hour of
-their birth she became their devoted slave.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Carl, in the full wilfulness of his second summer,
-was too little to understand the reason why he was
-banished from his mother's lap and parted from Racy.
-He strutted about in his indignant anger, looking as
-red as a turkey-cock; and no one but Kathleen could
-do anything with him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She invented some fresh amusement every time the
-clamour for Racy was renewed. Her last great
-success was the manufacture of a bridle of red ribbon for
-Sailor, a big black retriever, the favourite playfellow
-of the twins.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen, too, was wakened by the yelling of the
-jackals. She heard her father's step in the veranda,
-and listened to the sound of his gun as if it were a
-waking dream.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A voracious mosquito, which had crept inside the
-net curtains which enveloped her little bed, stung her
-cheek. Up started Kathleen, and called to the ayah,
-or native nurse, who slept on a mat by Carlyon's cot.
-Yes, there was something the matter; she was sure of
-it now. A small dusky hand put back the thin
-curtains; a gentle, smiling black face peeped at her; and
-cold water was sprinkled over the flushed forehead and
-burning pillow, until Kathleen felt refreshed. Her
-winged tormentor was caught and killed, and the ayah
-would have left her; but no. Kathleen was broad
-awake now. She was thinking about her father.
-Something was the matter. Racy was worse. She
-begged her ayah to go and see.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Carl was safe in his cot on the other side of the
-room, forgetting his baby troubles in happy slumber.
-So the ayah, who fully shared her little mistress's
-anxiety, ventured outside the curtained screen, or
-purdah, as they called it, which was drawn half across
-the open doorway. The room was large and lofty.
-It was at the corner of the house, with doors opening
-into the veranda on two sides. This helped to keep
-it bearable in a usual way, with the help of a
-great white calico fan fixed to the ceiling. This was
-called the punkah. Two of the native servants were
-kept in the veranda all night to work it by turns.
-They were the punkah coolies. One of them was fast
-asleep on his mat, and the other was nodding as he
-lazily pulled the rope which moved the fan. They
-assured the ayah all was right. No one was afraid
-of the jackals. They seldom hurt any one unless they
-were interfered with.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Whilst she was speaking, Kathleen grew impatient,
-and, persuaded that Racy was worse, she threw aside
-the thin sheet, her only covering, and ran to the other
-door. She was not tall enough to look over the
-purdah, and slipped softly into the bathroom adjoining.
-All the doors had been set wide open, so she made no
-noise to waken her little brother. There was no glass
-in the window of the bathroom. It was latticed, but
-it too was wide open, and the blind was down. These
-blinds, or tatties, are made of grass, and are kept
-damp to cool the air passing through them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The troubled child managed to unfasten it and push
-it just a little aside. There was the tent gleaming
-white beneath the spreading trees. She could hear
-her mother singing some soothing lullaby. The two
-tall carriage-horses were cropping the tender buds
-from the hedge of roses which divided the garden
-from their paddock. She could see the gleam of the
-lilied pool beneath the farthest trees, with the fire-flies
-dancing round its banks like an ever-moving illumination.
-She heard the cries of the tiger and the deep
-bellow of the vanquished buffalo, and ran back to her
-bed in a fright, leaving the blind awry.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They were safe from the tiger; for a tiger always
-turns away from a fence, and Mr. Desborough's grounds
-were surrounded by a high bank, with a low stone
-wall on the top, shutting in garden, paddock, and
-stable-yard, with only one gate for the carriage, and
-that was locked. How had the wolf got in—that
-grim, gaunt creature, which still sat washing its torn
-shoulder behind the rhododendron unseen by any one?
-It had had a round with the buffalo before the tiger
-came out for his midnight stroll, and got that ugly
-scratch from her antagonist's horn.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So the wolf left the buffalo to the tiger, and plunged
-into the stream which fed the pool. The water was
-low, and the wolf was wary. The dive was pleasant.
-A scramble up the opposite bank landed her in
-Mr. Desborough's garden. Kathleen's peep-hole did not
-escape the wolf's observation. She saw the child's
-white face, and thought of her half-grown cubs. She
-dashed through the window, under the loosened blind,
-leaped clear over the row of tall earthenware water-jars
-which stood before it, and followed the child into the
-sleeping-room. Her unerring scent guided her to the
-cot where Carl lay tossing. He had thrown off the
-thin covering, and was fighting away the mosquito-net
-which enveloped his cot. She seized the child in
-her teeth, and was over the purdah with a bound.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen's wild shriek of terror called back the ayah.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The first fault gray of the summer twilight entered
-with her, and rested on Kathleen's long fair hair, but
-the empty bed in the other corner was still in shadow.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Carl! Carl!" gasped Kathleen, and fainted in her
-nurse's arms.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The hubbub that arose among the coolies who
-were sleeping in the veranda, the frantic cries of
-"Sahib! sahib!" brought Mr. Desborough to the scene
-of dismay.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He had reloaded his gun, and snatched it up as he
-came, out of all patience at the ill-timed noise, when
-he had enjoined silence on every one whilst his darling
-boy was sleeping at last—a sleep which, undisturbed,
-meant life.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Seeing nothing to account for the consternation
-among his servants, he was on the point of refusing
-to listen to their entreaty.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Shoot, sahib, shoot! a booraba by the nursery!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A booraba—a wolf!" he repeated, discharging his
-gun into the air with the rapidity of lightning, as
-anger changed to fear.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Unloose the dogs!" he cried, preparing to give it
-chase, as his keen eye detected a break in the bushes
-of the garden, and the trampled heads of the flowers,
-which marked the track of the wolf. He knew very
-well that not one of his Hindu servants would dare
-to kill it, even if they had the chance. It was a
-matter of conscience with them. It was a thing
-they would not, dare not do, under any circumstances;
-but they flew like the wind to obey his commands.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The hounds came bounding round him, and were
-soon on the trail of their midnight visitor. They
-scented the wolf to the edge of the pool, and then
-paused at fault, poking with their noses among the
-water-lilies, and looking round at their master with
-short, angry barks.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Evidently the wolf had once more taken to the
-water, and the scent was lost. Mr. Desborough saw
-something moving on the other side of the pool,
-among the reeds and grasses.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He quickly readjusted the barrel of his gun, and
-was preparing to fire, when his chuprassie, the
-Hindu servant who carried messages in the day and
-watched the premises at night, caught his arm,
-exclaiming, "No, no, sahib! no shoot booraba."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough shook him off angrily, and levelled
-his gun.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Shoot booraba, shoot baby!" cried out another
-of his servants, who had just overtaken him. The
-poor fellow was trembling like a leaf.—-"Come
-to the beebee, Kathleen!" he entreated. "Come
-quickly!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The truth flashed upon the father's mind—the
-wolf had already entered his nursery. He rushed to
-his wife's tent. His servants stopped him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The mem-sahib" (for so they called their mistress)—"the
-mem-sahib knows nothing yet. Spare her till
-we are sure."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>One stride, and Mr. Desborough was over the
-veranda railing, parting the chintz curtains of the
-nursery purdah. The ayah threw herself at his feet,
-and began to tear her hair.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Now Mr. Desborough knew very well that his
-black servants exaggerated dreadfully. Their excited
-imaginations magnified everything. It is the way in
-the East, and a bad way it is. Having had two or
-three false alarms, he never believed more than half
-they told him. Could he believe them now? "Where
-is Kathleen?" he demanded sternly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In another minute Kathleen's face was buried on
-his shoulder, as she sobbed out her piteous story. "A
-dog, papa—a huge, horrid, lean, lank dog—rushed out
-of the bathroom, and ran away with Carl."</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="in-pursuit"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER II.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">IN PURSUIT.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>It was all too true. The punkah coolie was
-fanning an empty cot—the child was gone.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With Kathleen fainting in her lap, even the ayah
-had not missed poor Carl in the moment of her
-return. It was but a moment ere the alarm was raised,
-yet the wolf had carried off her prey.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Charging the servants on no account to let the
-mother discover that her boy was missing, until he
-returned, Mr. Desborough started in pursuit.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Like most English gentlemen in India, he was a
-keen sportsman, and loved to hunt the wild hogs in
-the bamboo swamps, with a party of his friends, and
-plenty of native trackers and beaters to find the game
-and drive it out of the thickets.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But he dare not wait to call his friends to his help.
-He started forth alone with his coolies, to find which
-way the wolf had gone.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tall trees were growing on either side of the
-high-road, upon which his gate opened. A broad ditch
-behind them drained the road in the rainy season,
-when floods arose so easily. It was many feet deep;
-and now the water ran low between its banks, dried
-up by the great heat. The jackal pack had retired
-with the growing daylight; the tiger had slunk
-away before the rising sun. Well might Mr. Desborough
-shudder and turn away from the remnants
-of the dead buffalo, as he trembled for the fate of his
-child. The country all around him was well
-cultivated. Rice and dall (another kind of grain much
-grown by the Hindu villagers) covered large fields
-along the course of the stream. They were interspersed
-by clumps of trees and groves of date-palms
-growing amidst patches of jungle and tangle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But the increasing heat had reduced the watercourse
-to a succession of glistening pools, connected
-by a muddy ditch.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Already the hounds were busy among the fringe of
-bushes which overhung its margin. Mr. Desborough
-mounted his horse, and galloped after them, with the
-broad white hat belonging to the lost child in his hand.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He soon came up with the dogs, and whistling
-them to his side, he leaned down from his saddle, and
-made them smell the hat and sun-veil (or puggaree)
-little Carl had worn the evening before.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They sniffed it well over, looked up in their master's
-face with their keen, intelligent eyes, and started
-once again in swift pursuit.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They had passed the closed gates of the indigo
-factory, but encountered one or two of the native
-workers there, who had risen with the sun, and were
-watering their fields and gardens before the business
-of the day began. The district was studded with wells.
-The water was drawn by bullocks into huge skins.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But they left their skins on the brink of the well,
-and joined the servants, who were throwing stones
-among the bushes, and howling with all their might,
-to make the wolf show.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The noise brought out old Gobur from his little
-homestead by the riverside. Mr. Desborough paused
-by the bamboo paling which surrounded the little
-enclosure, which was neither yard nor garden, but
-partly both. He knew the aged Hindu had been a
-chakoo, or look-out, in his prime. The different
-hunting-parties in the neighbourhood used to hire
-Gobur to go before them into the jungle, to watch
-which way the wild beasts were roaming.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He was the very man to help him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Within the bamboo fence was a tangle of wild
-roses and creepers, twining about the roots of the
-luxuriant fruit-trees shading the low mud hut in
-which the old man lived; a tiny well sparkled like
-crystal in the rosy light.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The old man was gathering sticks to light his fire
-in the one clear space beyond his trees.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He threw them to a graceful dusky figure just
-peeping out of the door of the hut, and came to the
-sahib's assistance. The shouts of Mr. Desborough's
-servants, as they hurled about the biggest stones they
-could raise, had told him only too plainly what had
-happened.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>All the native Bengalese knew well the dangerous
-propensity of the wolves in May, and guarded their
-babies with double vigilance.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He knew the hat in the father's hand, and with
-scant words but many gesticulations tried to make
-him understand the wolf was probably hiding in one of
-the coverts near. If they scared her out, she might
-drop the child; for it was that one dreaded month in
-all the year when the wolves take home their prey
-alive to their half-grown cubs.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There was hope in the old man's words, and the
-father caught at it. Yet he dared not fire into the
-dwarf cypress, where they all fancied the wolf might
-be. No; his gun was useless on his shoulder, for he
-might shoot his child. He could only follow the
-example of his coolies, and join his shouts to theirs,
-until they wakened the echoes. Jackal, wolf, and
-night-hawk had alike disappeared with the rising
-dawn. Gobur warned him a tiger might yet be
-moving, as the morning breeze blew cool and fresh
-after the sultry night.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well, Desborough," demanded the cheery voice of
-an English neighbour, "up with the sunrise, like
-myself, to catch a mouthful of fresher air after frying
-indoors all night? But what on earth is all this row?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The speaker was an English officer who was taking
-his morning ride betimes, foreseeing still greater heat
-as the day advanced. He was followed by his syce,
-or native groom.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The heat has done it," he exclaimed, as he heard
-the father's piteous tale. "The streams are drying up
-among the hills, and the wild beasts are driven to the
-cultured plains to seek for water. I heard a tiger
-grunting all night in the river; many may be lingering
-in the thicket for their mid-day sleep. Poor
-fellow! you'll see your baby no more."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The kind-hearted major turned his head away, he
-could not look the distracted father in the face, as he
-added, "Be a man, Desborough. Thank God for this
-fresh breeze; it will save your other child—think of
-that."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But his syce pressed forward, with a low salaam, to
-the unhappy sahib, to assure him he heard the cry of
-a child from the grass by the river, pointing as he
-spoke to a waving forest of graceful feathery blades,
-full twenty feet high.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Cries of monkeys!" interrupted his master angrily,
-provoked to see his poor friend tantalized with hopes
-which seemed to him so utterly delusive.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He reined in his horse by his side, and tried to
-reason with him on the probable fate of his child.
-They passed a group of sleepy vultures, perched upon
-a boulder stone. If the poor baby had been dropped
-living amidst the fields, how could it escape
-destruction? Even Mr. Desborough was afraid to place
-much trust in the syce's words, with the ever-increasing
-chattering of monkeys and screaming of birds.
-He looked at the wide plains around him, and at the
-great herds of graceful, delicate-limbed, smoke-coloured
-cattle, which were now being slowly driven out to
-pasture. For the brief tropical twilight was over,
-and day had fairly begun. The air was full of cries.
-The voices of the night had but given place to the
-myriad voices of the day. Was it possible for any
-one to distinguish between them? He heard, or
-seemed as if he heard, the shriek of his child
-mingling with every sound, and he knew it was not real.
-He heard it amidst the bellow of the fierce,
-ungainly-looking buffaloes, who were marching forth in troops
-from many a native village, followed by flocks of
-goats and bleating sheep.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With a hope which Mr. Desborough said hoarsely
-"was no hope," he rallied his men to beat the huge
-thicket of grass, and drive out any living thing
-lurking within it. Afraid of hurling stones at a venture
-into such a tangled mass, the coolies armed themselves
-with long sticks, which they struck with a sharp,
-ringing sound on the bark of the nearest trees. A
-scampering was heard. The grass swayed hither and
-thither. There was a cry.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Nothing but the scream of a frightened pig,"
-persisted the major. "It is the very spot for a wild
-boar's lair."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He reined in his horse, and stationed himself where
-he could command a good view of the thicket.
-Mr. Desborough had chosen his post already, on the
-opposite side, and was watching as if he were all eye,
-all ear. Old Gobur had gone round to the back
-of the thicket. Nothing could escape them rushing
-from it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Not too near," shouted the major to his friend.
-"Have a care for your own life! No one knows yet
-what it is we have dislodged."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As they watched the heaving grass, another cry
-arose in the distance, prolonged and hideous. But
-the friends knew well what it meant. A party of
-travellers were approaching, and their tired bearers
-were calling out for a relay of men from the village
-to come and take their places.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Ho, coolie, coolie, wallah! ho-o-o-o-o!" seemed to
-ring through the air from all points, confusing every
-other sound. Mr. Desborough's eye never moved
-from the heaving mass before him. Out rushed a
-whole family of wild pigs—a "sounder," as the
-major called it. They were led by a grim old boar
-with giant tusks, the very picture of savage ferocity.
-He glared around him, ready to charge the enemy
-who had dared to disturb him. He was followed by
-pigs of every age and size, from a venerable sow,
-tottering along from her weight of years, to squealing,
-squeaking infants, who could scarcely keep pace with
-their mothers. Oh, the screaming and the grunting,
-the snorting and chasing, as the whole family of pigs
-rushed across the opening towards the nearest mango
-grove or tope!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aware of the danger of facing such a formidable
-charge, both gentlemen wheeled round, and prepared
-to fire if necessary. The major was inwardly groaning
-for the boar-spear that was standing idle in the corner
-of his bungalow. He looked up, and perceived the
-party of travellers coming along one of the narrow
-paths which divided the rice-fields, just in front of the
-bristling array of fiery eyes and curling tails. He
-saw a lady's dandy—that is, a kind of canoe-shaped
-seat with a canopy—carried on two men's shoulders.
-There it was in the line of the angry pigs. The
-danger to the unwary occupants was imminent. The
-little cavalcade had halted in dismay. The major
-thought of the naked legs of the bearers, who wore
-nothing but their white calico waist-cloths and cotton
-turbans, and galloped to the rescue, firing as he rode,
-to make the old boar change his course.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The weary bearers shrank back in terror, raising
-a wild howl for assistance, when a small lad, who
-was riding a little pony in the rear, pressed forward
-through the standing rice which had hitherto
-concealed him, and planted himself in the front of his
-companions, with no better defence than a huge bough
-he had broken from the nearest tree.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well done, my young hero!" cried the major as
-he rode up to them and waited; for dandy and bearers
-had retreated behind the screen which the green ears
-afforded, and safety was best secured by silence. The
-furious boar came on, foaming and champing his
-enormous tusks; but the well-timed shots urged him
-forward. He crossed the path of the travellers
-within a dozen yards of the hole into which the boy
-had pushed them, with nothing but the growing
-rice-straw for a shelter. The stampede of the pigs passed
-over. The boy still stood sentinel behind his bough.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Trying the trick of Dunsinane," said the major,
-with a laugh he intended to prove reassuring to the
-unseen occupant of the dandy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well content if they do take me for a young
-mango sapling," answered the little stranger, in the
-shy, blunt tones of an English school-boy. His broad
-sun-hat hid every bit of his face except the firm-set
-white lips. The major had seen enough. He
-dismounted, and assisted in lifting the dandy out of the
-rice. The blades were higher than his head, and the
-ground was more than muddy, for the field was
-undergoing its morning irrigation from the nearest tank.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Tie-tara! tie-tara!" cried the black partridges
-they had unceremoniously disturbed. The birds, with
-a tameness which astonished the young travellers,
-fluttered about among the rice-stalks, pecking at the
-curtains of the dandy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oliver, Oliver! where are you?" entreated a
-girlish voice from within.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Safe, my dear young lady, quite safe," reiterated
-the major. "Let me ask if you were intending to
-change coolies at Noak-holly," pointing as he spoke
-in the direction of the village nearest to the indigo
-factory. "You had better join forces with us, as we
-were the unfortunate cause of your alarm, having
-dislodged those pigs whilst searching for a lost child."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A lost child!" re-echoed the voice within. "Oliver,
-Oliver, can we help to find it?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>At that moment a great shout of triumph arose
-around the grass clump, and with one accord the little
-party pressed forward to ascertain its cause.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The sharp report of a gun sent the major spurring
-in advance. Had his friend forgot his caution? How
-had he dared to fire?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Another moment and he saw Mr. Desborough wheel
-round, raise himself slightly in his stirrups, and
-discharge his second barrel at a dusky speck emerging
-from the tufted grass. The tall blades swayed and
-quivered with the report. There was a smothered
-shuffling sound, a heavy thud upon the ground, a
-rustling in the quivering grasses. The native grooms
-ran forward eagerly, and dragged out the body of a
-satiated wolf.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A cool shot, Desborough," observed the major.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It may save another parent such a pang as mine,
-but it cannot give me back my child," groaned
-Mr. Desborough.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="how-the-search-ended"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER III.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">HOW THE SEARCH ENDED.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Their work was not yet done. There were
-many narrow paths leading into the clump,
-which the wild beasts had made for their own
-convenience. Some of the grass had been cut down by
-the wild boar's tusks, and some of it had been trampled
-under-foot. Mr. Desborough dismounted, determined
-to penetrate the tangled mass, to see if any vestige of
-his little darling was to be found there.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The major followed him; old Gobur entered by
-another path.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let me go with you," entreated Oliver, as the
-coolies set down his sister's dandy under a tree, and
-flung themselves upon the ground to rest, waiting
-until some of the men in the nearest village should
-answer their summons, and present themselves
-according to custom, prepared to take their places.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver had already picked up enough Indi to make
-his request intelligible; but forcing his way into the
-twisted grass was very trying. There were sudden
-drops into holes and unexpected scrambles up steep
-banks; whilst the twisted stalks, interlaced with most
-luxuriant wild-flowers, presented an impervious wall
-on either side, diversified by tufts of wild arrowroot
-and an occasional bramble. Now and then old Gobur
-paused to point out a porcupine's burrow, or to drag
-his young companion aside, as a hissing snake wound
-its green length across the path; whilst the impudent
-monkeys chattered and screamed as they swung
-themselves high over Oliver's head, rejoicing in the sudden
-departure of their more formidable neighbours the
-great pig family. Bright and beautiful birds peeped
-at him out of their nests, unscared, with that happy
-boldness common to all the feathered tribes in India;
-because no Hindu boy would ever dream of hurting
-or teasing any living thing. As for old Gobur, he
-darted about like a monkey, dragging Oliver along
-with him until they reached a sort of grassy tent in
-the very centre of the clump. It was the wild-hog's
-lair, which they love to make in the midst of
-"thatching-grass," as Gobur called it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The boy went down on his hands and knees and
-crept inside.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was a sort of grassy tent which its hoggish owner
-had made by cutting down some of the grass with
-his teeth. One half he had trampled under-foot, and
-the other half he had heaved aloft with his head, as
-he walked round and round in a circle, until his grassy
-cave was complete.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>An aspiring porcupine was just disputing with a
-giant rat which of the two had the better right to this
-deserted mansion, when Oliver poked in his head.
-Forthwith the rat, with his twelve-inch length of tail
-switching from side to side, made a grab at his hair;
-and the porcupine, bristling with spears, rushed at him.
-Oliver received the charge on his arm, which he hastily
-extended to save his face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Gobur pulled him backwards; but the resolute boy
-refused to cry out, although the blood was streaming
-from his elbow to his wrist.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver was wofully crestfallen at this unexpected
-disaster. There was nothing for it but to retrace his
-steps.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>His silken shirt was torn to shreds, and his hat was
-left in pawn with the rat. His knees were bruised,
-with slipping into holes and crawling out again.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Old Gobur began to think it wiser to extricate his
-unknown companion than to continue a search which
-he knew to be utterly hopeless. When they got free
-of the grass at last, it was some small consolation to
-Oliver to find they had penetrated farther into the
-thicket than any one else. Mr. Desborough and the
-major owned themselves baffled, and were now trusting
-to the sagacity of the dogs.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Poor Oliver's appearance attracted Mr. Desborough's
-attention.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Who is that boy?" he asked.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A young stranger who joined in the search and
-got scratched by a sahee," explained the grooms.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Such being the case, Anglo-Indian ideas of hospitality
-compelled Mr. Desborough to offer him a bath
-and breakfast if he would return with them to
-Noak-holly and have his arm bound up.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The major turned surgeon, and offered to do the job
-for him on the spot. He had taken to the boy, and
-wanted to know a little more about him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>One of the syces pinned up a large leaf with
-thorns, and fetched some water in it from the nearest
-well. The major tore his own handkerchief into
-strips, and bound up the lacerated arm with a wet
-bandage.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Taking the opportunity to satisfy his curiosity at
-the same time, he quickly ascertained that Oliver
-St. Faine and his sister Bona had come out to join an
-uncle, a deputy-judge, who was to have sent to meet
-them. They had travelled from Calcutta in a big
-box, with shutters in the sides, so the boy asserted,
-with a grimace at the recollection.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, of course," remarked the major; "that was
-what we call a </span><em class="italics">dak-gharri</em><span>, our Eastern equivalent to a
-post-chaise. Why did you leave it?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Because we were to leave at the last government
-bungalow, and take a short cut across the country to
-my uncle's; but it seems to be one of those short
-things which grow longer with cutting," answered the
-boy dryly. "There has been a muddle and a mistake.
-The gentleman who took care of us on our journey
-could come no farther, and some one was to have met
-us. But that some one did not come; so he got the
-pony for me, and hired these fellows to carry my
-sister, and I believe they have lost their way."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then we will put you in it again. Come on
-with us to Noak-holly; and when I have done all I
-can in this melancholy business to help poor
-Desborough, I will take you myself to Judge St. Faine
-in the cool of the evening," said the major.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen was watching for her father's return.
-Her sad eyes grew bright with excitement and hope
-as she heard the gate open. She was sitting by the
-gardener, in the midst of a heap of roses and
-carnations which he had just flung down, on the shady
-side of the veranda; for India is a very land of
-flowers. He had brought in his baskets full, as
-usual, to adorn the rooms, and was sitting
-cross-legged in his snowy turban, weaving them with his
-dexterous fingers into wreaths and bouquets of
-surpassing loveliness. But the sweet perfume and the
-fresh, cool touch of the leaves, which Kathleen loved
-so well, had lost their charm. The roses fell from
-her lap, and she trampled recklessly upon the glorious
-azaleas with which he had been trying to divert her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She sprang into her father's arms. "Horace is
-better!" she cried. "He has slept; he will get well,
-papa. But have you found Carl?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Her father pressed her to him and turned his head
-away as he answered, "We have been searching
-everywhere. No, darling; we have not found him
-yet. These people must all have breakfast. There! go
-to that young lady. In mamma's absence I must
-leave her to you.—I dare not tell her the worst," he
-added in a low aside to the major as he turned
-towards the tent, where the hardest task of all awaited
-him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In shy obedience to her father's wishes, Kathleen
-followed the major to the gate. As Bona St. Faine
-was lifted out of her dandy, she too whispered
-something about the sincere sympathy of a stranger, and
-her exceeding reluctance to intrude at such a time.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The major thought it a pretty little speech from
-a stranger; so he engaged her forthwith to do her
-best to comfort his little fairy Kathleen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Bona promised readily; and Oliver, who gave no
-promise, did still more. They took the little girl
-between them, and would have led her to the house;
-but she hung back, intent upon the coolies, who
-were bringing home the dead wolf. She slipped
-her hand away from Miss St. Faine and ran to the
-gate.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Fetch her back, Oliver," whispered his sister.
-"It is dreadful to let her see that brute. You say
-it has devoured her brother."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But he was too late to prevent it. Kathleen was
-peeping through the iron-work of the gate.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is the wolf," he said gently. "Your father
-shot it. It will never frighten you again. Come
-and tell us all about it."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I can't," persisted Kathleen. "Let me look." She
-laid her hand on the iron. It was so hot to the
-touch in that burning sunshine it almost blistered her
-fingers; but she did not heed that. "Did papa
-shoot the wolf?" she asked, with a painful catch in
-her breath between each word. "Then where is Carl?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver dare not tell her, for he had heard what
-her father had said to the major; and being of a
-straightforward turn of mind, who naturally answered
-yes or no to every inquiry—"I will tell you" or
-"I will not tell you"—he was quite at a loss for a
-reply, not having the least idea how to evade a
-question.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Why don't you speak?" she asked desperately.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver muttered something, and creaked the gate,
-so that she could not hear what he said.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Out she flew panting, Oliver after her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What could he do that for!" exclaimed his sister,
-considerably chagrined. "How just like a boy! He
-always is so stupid. I believe he wanted to have a
-look at the wolf himself."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The syces had laid the dead animal on the bank
-which ran round Mr. Desborough's compound, and
-were standing under the shadow of the garden trees
-considering it. They called to the gardener to bring
-them some fern leaves and bushes to cover the wolf
-from the sun, until they knew whether the sahib
-wished to preserve its skin.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was a savage-looking brute, young, for its
-prevailing colour was a tawny fawn, with a little gray
-on its back and inside its legs.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That is not the horrid dog that ran away with
-Carl!" exclaimed Kathleen. "It was not a buff
-dog; it was a gray dog, with a great scratch on its
-shoulder. I should know it anywhere. I see it
-now—I always see it—stealing out of the bathroom."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The gardener pressed in between and threw his
-load of fern leaves over it, to prevent her seeing any
-more of the fierce booraba. Her own favourite syce,
-who drove her out in her little carriage every evening,
-tried to lead her away. Old Gobur stopped him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let the little beebee [the little lady] look."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It will only terrify her; and the sahib will be
-angry," urged the syce.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Stop!" persisted Gobur, speaking in his soft Indi,
-which Oliver tried hard to follow; and then the old
-man explained—"The colour of a wolf tells its age:
-they all turn gray as they grow old. If a gray
-wolf carried off the child, it has carried it off alive.
-We must search again."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>At this moment Bona St. Faine appeared at the
-gate, and taking little Kathleen's hand in hers, led
-her resolutely away, threatening the servants with
-their master's displeasure for suffering such a child
-to see the dead wolf.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"How wrong of you, Oliver!" she said, glancing at
-her brother reproachfully.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>To avoid her upbraiding, which Oliver felt he
-deserved, he stepped behind old Gobur, who was
-forcing open the wolf's mouth and examining its teeth.
-He sprang up excitedly and pointed to the little bits
-of matted hair sticking about them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What is that?" he asked triumphantly. "Where
-did that come from? The buffalo hide. The wolves
-as well as the jackals follow the tiger to feast on
-what he leaves, as every hunter knows. The little
-beebee is right. We must search again."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>How Oliver listened! These dark-skinned men,
-who were chattering round him so fast, had lived in
-the midst of wild beasts all their lives.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>One was telling of a wolf which had stolen a baby
-from its mother's arm as she lay sleeping.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The gardener hurried away to find his master. The
-coolies who had carried Bona's dandy joined in the
-eager discussion; some were contradicting the old
-man's assertion, others were asking questions none of
-them could answer. Had any one heard the child
-cry? No, not even the coolies in the veranda. Why,
-they kept on fanning the empty cot! The child had
-been spirited away in its sleep. Only a clever old
-wolf could have done it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That scratch on its shoulder—was the blood
-dropping from it?" asked Gobur, almost breathlessly.
-"Wherever a drop has fallen you will find the black
-ants covering it by this time. Run and look."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Up sprang Mr. Desborough's own syce, followed by
-half-a-dozen others, gesticulating and talking all at
-once at the top of their voices.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Stop that row!" exclaimed Mr. Desborough, who
-was bending over the cot of his other little boy,
-trying to prepare its mother for the dread disclosure.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Out went the major. "Two wolves indeed! Preposterous!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The syce pointed to the patches of tiny black ants
-which he had found along the veranda and across the
-grass, as Gobur expected.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sahib," he asked suggestively, "is it from the
-wolf or from the child?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"From the child," answered the major, examining
-the rhododendron bushes, where the crushed flowers
-and broken stalks were thickly covered by the busy
-insects.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Both believed they had found the fatal spot to
-which the wolf had retreated.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver had gone up to the fountain on the lawn,
-and was deluging his bandaged arm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Go indoors, my boy, and rest," said the major, as
-he passed him, "or you will suffer for it with that arm."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver walked slowly on towards the veranda,
-examining for himself the little black patches that
-marked the trail of the wolf. He traced its course
-from the rhododendron to the window of the bathroom,
-then he discovered a second trail leading from
-the veranda to the pool.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He pointed it out to the gardener, who was returning.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Wasn't old Gobur right after all?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The punkah coolie joined them. He was certain
-he must have heard the snap of the wolf's teeth if
-he were behind that bush. For a wolf, they both
-asserted, bites with a snap, and clashes its teeth with
-as much noise as a steel trap. No; it had carried off
-the child alive to its lair.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver bounded up the steps of the veranda, and
-ran into the hall. Kathleen was flitting restlessly
-from room to room.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Be comforted, dear!" he exclaimed; "your brother
-is not killed. We may find him yet, alive in the
-jungle."</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-wolf-s-lair"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER IV.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">THE WOLF'S LAIR.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Yes, it was all true! That grim gray wolf was
-not seeking an early breakfast for herself, but
-a safe plaything for the five young wolflings which
-she loved so dearly. She cared but little for the
-scratch on her shoulder when she thought of their
-delight.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She snatched up Carl so stealthily, and with so
-soft a touch, he never wakened until he felt the cool
-breeze that arose with the peep of day, fanning his hot
-cheeks as the wolf ran swiftly on. It was too dark
-for him to see where he was, or he might have been
-frightened into fits. He put up his two little chubby
-hands and felt the wolf's shaggy coat. He thought
-it was Sailor, and threw his arm lovingly round the
-big throat. He was far too sleepy to take much
-notice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The wolf gave him a gentle swing, as she still ran
-at her fastest pace,—aware, by the way in which she
-looked over her shoulder, that the pursuers were
-already on her track. She could hear the baying of
-the dogs, and darting down the river-bank, hid
-herself in a natural hollow formed by the dripping of a
-little spring. She laid Carl down where the cool
-drops trickled on his head, and he was soon asleep
-again, sounder than before.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The wolf knew well what she was about. In that
-quiet water-cradle, with long trailing creepers for
-fly-curtains, and the softest of mosses for a bed, the child
-never roused to utter a sound.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Many a native mother tries the same plan, and
-puts her little black baby to sleep in a shallow
-watercourse when the heat and the insects become intolerable,
-and so secures a few hours' refreshing sleep for
-it on the most sultry days.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The dogs lost the scent when the wolf stepped into
-the water, and scoured the plain beyond her retreat.
-Then the wary creature took up her prize once more,
-and doubling cleverly upon her pursuers, made her
-way to the hills, where her mate was keeping watch
-over the precious wolflings. A run of five miles
-through the morning air was an invigorating
-experience after his fretful, feverish night, and Carl
-waked up at last, with a stretch and a laugh, quite
-unconscious of his perilous position.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They had entered one of the basins scooped in the
-side of the hills, where the wild beasts made their
-retreat. The gorge was narrow at the entrance, and
-partly filled up by dislodged stones and fallen rocks,
-now overgrown with tangle and jungle, and
-overshadowed by spreading trees.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>These places are called </span><em class="italics">koonds</em><span> in India; and in
-the rainy season are well watered by a mountain
-torrent, dashing and foaming from the heights above.
-Beneath those precipitous rocks, and through the
-dense foliage which clothed them, the hottest rays of
-the midday sun could scarcely penetrate. Now, at
-that early hour, it was so dark Carl could distinguish
-nothing but a dog-like form. He was still dreaming
-of his faithful Sailor, and began to struggle and kick
-to be set on his feet. His hands had dabbled in the
-wolf's blood, and he rubbed his half-open eyes,
-wondering more and more why his ayah did not come and
-make Sailor leave go of him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The rapid exercise had made the wolf's torn shoulder
-burst out bleeding again, and as they forced their
-way through a perfect sea of grass and fern and
-flowers, under bush and over brake, he became smeared
-all over. This was his safeguard. Wolves live for
-the night, and trust to their own keen scent to
-recognize each other, in the blackness of darkness which
-envelopes them, as they penetrate deeper and deeper
-into the innermost recesses of the koond.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It is a well-known fact that when a pack of wolves
-are out hunting, if one of their number gets into a
-fight, and becomes smeared with the blood of their
-prey, the rest of the pack mistake it for the object of
-their chase, and tear it to pieces instead.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>We think only of the savage ferocity of the wolf
-when it is seeking its prey, but it has a warm and
-loving heart beneath its shaggy coat. The nobility
-of the dog is in it; and to each other they are as
-faithful, affectionate, and obedient, and even more
-intelligent.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The gray wolf stopped at last before a luxuriant
-korinda bush. The thick-leaved branches arched
-over until they touched the ground, forming a leafy
-tent so thick and dark and cool no rain could filter
-through, and the brightest sunshine could scarcely
-dart more than a flickering glimmer upon the
-snug nest it sheltered.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Such was the spot the wolves had chosen for their
-nursery. They had dug a hole and lined it with the
-softest moss they could find, and the wolf-mother had
-torn off the hair from her own coat to improve her
-babies' bed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Five little heads popped up to welcome mother, as
-the gray wolf, with Carl in her mouth, pushed her
-way beneath the branches; and the grim, gaunt
-wolf-father, who had been guarding them in her absence.
-got up with a stretch as she dropped the child into
-the midst of the pricking ears and wagging tails.
-She had brought Carl to her wolflings as a cat
-brings a mouse to her kittens, to teach them how to
-kill and to devour; but the savage lesson was yet
-unlearned. They were more ready for play than
-for lessons, and found infinite delight in tearing his
-shirt to pieces, and freeing him from so strange an
-encumbrance.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They rolled over and over together as puppies love
-to do; and when Carl cried, not knowing what to
-make of such strange surroundings, the wolf-father in
-much perplexity sniffed all over him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Could that smooth-skinned, hairless little creature
-be one of his cubs? How he pricked up his ears
-every time the small lips puckered, half in fear, and
-more than half in anger, because nobody came to
-fetch Carl! The deepening sobs ended at last in a
-roar that made the five strong wolflings howl in concert.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The shaggy mother stepped into her nest and
-cuddled her young ones lovingly in her rough paws.
-The sixth little head crept closer and closer until it
-also found a pillow on that hairy shoulder. Sleeping
-in the dark on the dewy moss, Carl dreamed of Sailor
-in a rougher coat, and waked to find his dream a
-reality. But his arms were round his hairy nurse,
-and the pouting lips were kissing her rough cheek,
-as if she really were his own dear old doggie.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Could he have seen the savage face, he might have
-been afraid.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Those who live in the land where wild beasts dwell,
-know that a loving caress will even induce a tiger
-to withdraw its teeth; but few, very few, have the
-courage and presence of mind to try it. It is just
-another proof that love, which is stronger than death,
-is also stronger than the savage instincts of wolves
-and tigers; reminding us of that millennial day when
-the wolf shall lie down with the lamb, and none
-shall hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Rare as such instances are, they do really happen,
-and many a story is told under the banyan trees of
-Bengal of children who have been brought up thus
-in a wild wolf's nest.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>From that hour the grim and savage creature
-looked on Carl Desborough as her own.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He waked up wide at last, hungry and thirsty.
-Old Gray Legs, the fierce wolf-father, cracked a
-marrow-bone with his formidable teeth as a boy
-might crack a nut, and gave it to him to suck. The
-wild honey trickled from the rocks above the korinda
-bush. Ripe mangoes dropped from the trees around,
-and lay ready to his baby hand in the drying grass,
-and other wild fruits ripened and fell around him as
-the summer days went on. It must have worried the
-wolf-mother that he cared so little for flesh, which her
-cubs begin to eat at five weeks. But nothing comes
-amiss to a wolf in the shape of food, so she let him
-help himself to what he liked best.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The wild birds sang overhead; the frogs croaked
-in the grass, and queer-looking lizards basked in the
-chinks of the rock; crawling snakes wound their
-slimy length about unheeded, as they hissed in anger
-or basked in some happy spot into which a straggling
-sunbeam happened to penetrate. Carl might shriek
-with terror when he heard the tigers grunting in
-the bed of the stream, as the search for water grew
-more difficult every day, or the "Ugh! ugh!" of a
-grizzly bear in search of the mangoes in which it so
-delights; but he was really safe, for the wolves never
-leave their young alone. If one parent takes a stroll,
-the other remains to watch over them, and at the
-sound of their cry the whole pack would rally to
-their defence.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Carl was so much weaker and so much more helpless
-than their other wolflings, that Old Gray Legs
-and his mate kept him close beside them when he
-ventured outside his mossy hole.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>No human foot had ever penetrated this forest
-fastness, and if some echo of a hunter's cry did
-occasionally waken its solitudes, it was scarcely heeded.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was as if poor little Carl had been transported
-to another world, beyond the reach of all who loved
-him so dearly. As the weeks went on he forgot his
-home, or remembered it only in dreams. Like a baby
-Robinson Crusoe,</span></p>
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"He was out of humanity's reach;</span></div>
-<div class="inner line-block">
-<div class="line"><span>Must he finish his journey alone—</span></div>
-</div>
-<div class="line"><span>Never hear the sweet music of speech,</span></div>
-<div class="inner line-block">
-<div class="line"><span>And start at the sound of his own!"</span></div>
-<div class="line"> </div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The young wolflings made him run on all fours;
-for if they saw him stand upright, one or other was
-sure to leap on his back and roll him over. Besides,
-it was often much easier to crawl than to walk in
-that trackless wild of fallen rocks and marshy swamps,
-where decaying tree-trunks barred the path, and
-unsuspected burrows perforated what might otherwise
-have been described as solid ground.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Like all wild beasts, the wolves retreated to their
-secret bower for a midday sleep, and took their stroll
-in the moonlight. So Carl was almost always in the
-dark, and his eyes grew so weak he began to blink
-like an owl in the sunshine. For sometimes he waked
-up when his wolfish companions were all fast asleep,
-and at such times he was apt to stray beyond the
-dense foliage of the korinda. Now and then the
-fierce blaze of the noonday sun shot a swift ray across
-the drying watercourse, where a fallen tree made a
-break in the thick masses of leaves that for the most
-part shut out sky and sun altogether. He would
-scramble over the rough ground, attracted by its
-brilliancy, and then, half-blinded by the
-unaccustomed light, stumble and fall. Many a sad hurt
-befell him, and many a time Old Gray Legs fetched him
-home; many a fight he had with chattering monkeys
-and sprightly-spotted fawns—fights which would
-have ended badly for Carl but for the vigilance of
-his foster-parents. But the scars and scratches, the
-bites and stings, taught him at last to find protection
-and safety by the gray wolf's side, until he became
-afraid to lose sight of her, and answered her slightest
-call as dutifully as the five strong cubs, who were now
-his sole playfellows.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He became the old wolf's constant care; for the
-perils which surrounded him increased when week
-after week wore away, and the ever-increasing heat
-dried up the last and deepest pool, which had remained
-to mark the course of the once dashing torrent. The
-blackening grasses rustled as the wolves rushed hither
-and thither, with their tongues hanging out of their
-mouths from thirst; and the young things cried for the
-water they could not find.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When the moon rose behind the rocky steeps
-which shut in the koond with its precipitous wall,
-the patriarch of the pack gave tongue, and called his
-hairy children to follow him out. The time had come
-for those five wolflings to obey the call, and Carl was
-as unwilling to be left behind as the gray wolf was
-to leave him. Out, out he went into the silvery
-moonlight, led by the two old wolves into the very
-midst of the pack, catching something of the
-excitement of the hunt as the wolves swept down the
-dried-up river-bed with an appalling howl, in pursuit of
-their flying prey. To keep up with them was
-impossible, and when he could neither run nor crawl, in his
-terror he scrambled upon his foster-mother's back
-and rode.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When that appalling howl rang through the
-midnight air, every sleeper in Noak-holly wakened in
-trembling fear; and yet a bit of white rag fluttering
-at the end of a tall bamboo would have made so good
-a "scare-wolf" that it would have kept the whole
-pack at a respectful distance.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>After nights like these, Carl grew vigorous and
-strong, bounding into the air, and leaping like the
-young fawn they were pursuing, and running on all
-fours with astonishing swiftness.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Once he was almost left behind, as the whole pack
-scampered off suddenly at the unwelcome sound of
-the hunting-horn of a Rana, or small hill chieftain.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The child was left staring wistfully at the Hindu
-train; for, like the wolves, the Rana had chosen the
-midnight to come out with his hog-spear and beat the
-jungle for his share of the game with which the hills
-abounded. But the sight of the turbaned heads and
-the dusky faces, the bare black arms poising the long
-bamboo-handled spears, and the sound of their
-unearthly cries, aroused no thought of home in the heart
-of the baby hunter. They only terrified him. The
-boy was growing wild. With a leap and a yell he
-bounded into the air, for the Rana's dogs were upon him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Out from the towering moonje grass rushed the
-returning wolves, hemming him round as they would
-the weakest of the pack, and fighting off the hounds.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Carl was down; but Gray Legs stood over him and
-brought him out of the fray unhurt, although the
-Rana's spear stuck in the ground within an inch of
-his naked chest.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There is a boy in the midst of the pack," said the
-Rana's jogie or beater, who had thrown the spear—"a
-child of the fair people"—for so the Hindus amongst
-themselves usually call the Europeans.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="noak-holly"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER V.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">NOAK-HOLLY.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Alive in the jungle. These words, which had
-brought such comfort to little Kathleen in
-her childish simplicity, were torture to Mr. Desborough,
-as he pictured his boy dropped by the wolf
-in the midst of the pathless wilds, the dwelling-places
-of those ravenous beasts, and not of them alone.
-He thought of the birds of prey that lodged unheeded
-in those stately trees—the brooding vultures, the
-screaming kites. He seemed to see the poisonous
-hissing snakes, the stinging scorpions, and creeping
-things innumerable, that infest the trackless
-undergrowth of the hill forests.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Tell me anything but that!" he exclaimed,
-shuddering. The search was renewed with an added
-desperation. By the water's edge, among the broad
-crinkly-edged lily leaves which starred the stream
-and formed fairy rafts for innumerable water-wagtails,
-he found a fragment of embroidered muslin, torn off
-by cruel teeth from Carly's tiny sleeve. He saw it
-was blood-stained. He saw no more, for the fierce
-sun shot its hottest rays upon his uncovered head.
-His hat fell as he stooped to secure it, and he sank
-unconscious on the slippery bed of the drying stream.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Dropped with the heat," said the major, who
-thought all further search was vain, and he bade the
-servants convey their master home.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The house was now hermetically closed, every door
-and window shut up to exclude the heat. The
-well-moistened tatties cooled the hot air as it passed
-through them, and kept the darkened rooms just
-bearable.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It is the custom of most families in India to have
-two breakfasts: one quite early; the second, which
-is called </span><em class="italics">tiffen</em><span>, resembles the French </span><em class="italics">déjeûner</em><span>, and is
-ready a little before noon. The early breakfast had
-been forgotten by every one in Noak-holly that
-morning. The black servants were gliding noiselessly
-about; and when the major inquired for his little
-fairy Kathleen, they confidentially informed him that
-the little beebee would not eat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Bring her in to tiffen," said the major; and he
-strolled into the familiar dining-room, where he found
-his new acquaintance of the morning, Miss Bona St. Faine,
-seated in solitary state. At any other time,
-the odd expression of her face would have convulsed
-him with laughter. She was new to Indian ways,
-and was looking very blankly at an empty table to
-which she had been solemnly conducted by Mr. Desborough's
-butler, Bene Madho. She was feeling very
-hungry, understood she was summoned to breakfast,
-and saw nothing before her but flowers. Oliver, who
-had just emerged from the bathroom, appeared at
-another door.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I wish," she said almost petulantly, "you would
-not leave me in such awkward fixes in a stranger's
-house. You might behave a little more like a
-gentleman, Oliver. In such circumstances as these no one
-likes to give trouble, but I am really getting ill for
-want of food."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is coming," said her brother, as the black
-servants, who had only been waiting for the major, made
-their appearance, handing round course after course
-of fish and curry and game.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Down flew a whole troop of impudent young
-sparrows. Some darted after the dishes in the
-servants' hands, and others set to work on the crumbs
-by Bona's plate, quite unabashed by the near
-neighbourhood of her knife and fork.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Little Kathleen was brought in by her ayah, a
-coolie following, anxious to obey to the uttermost the
-incoherent charges of their prostrate master—"Take
-care of my little Kathleen."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The stately Bene Madho brought her plate of
-stewed fowl and rice, the usual diet of children in
-India; but it stood untasted before her. The major
-patted her feverish cheek, afraid to allude to her lost
-brother, for fear of bringing on another passionate
-outburst of her childish sorrow. He sent the ayah
-away, thinking the child would only copy the
-lamentations and cries in which she indulged—a display
-of grief very distasteful to the English officer. His
-young companions sat silent and constrained, watching
-Kathleen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She will fret herself into a fever before night,"
-said the major. "Weeping becomes dangerous with
-the thermometer at 110°. I must intrust her to you,
-my dear young lady. Try and comfort her."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But from all Bona's endeavours Kathleen shrank.
-She did not want the strangers; she wanted her
-own mamma; she longed only to creep into some
-quiet corner and cry unseen. This was just what the
-major was charging Bona to prevent. The shy child
-fixed her large pleading eyes on the old soldier's face,
-and the white lips moved, but there was no word that
-any of them could understand.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They had fetched her away from her ayah, feeling
-as if the nurse must be in some way to blame for the
-catastrophe of the night, and was no longer to be
-trusted.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She ought never to have the care of these
-children again," said Bona energetically. "Stranger
-as I am, I will remain with the little girl, if
-Mrs. Desborough wishes me. I will, indeed, if they are
-going to send the woman away."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What a Job's comforter you are!" muttered Oliver,
-as the spoon fell from Kathleen's fingers in dismay.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It was not my ayah let in the wolf; it was me,"
-Kathleen sobbed. "Let me go and tell mamma all
-about it."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Tell me," suggested the major, drawing her
-between his knees.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"O my dear!" exclaimed Bona, horrified. "Surely
-you never did. How could you be so naughty?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver got up and stood by the major, that he
-might not lose a single word of the faltering confession.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I never can be happy until Carly's found—never,
-never!" murmured Kathleen, putting both
-her little hands into the major's, and repeating
-earnestly, "You will tell mamma it was all my
-doing."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The gravity of the look which stole over the
-major's face as he listened choked Kathleen's voice
-with sobs, for she felt every one would blame her,
-and she was shy and sensitive.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"How could you meddle with the blind?" exclaimed
-Bona. "Only think, my dear, of the terrible
-consequences!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, talk to her, Miss St. Faine," said the major.
-"She must never do such a thing again."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Bona laid her hand on Kathleen's shoulder, but she
-shook it off, and darting away into the darkest
-corner of the hall, hid herself behind her father's
-door, dislodging a whole family of toads, who had
-crept indoors to find a shelter from the heat.
-Kathleen's kitten hotly resented this intrusion, and sprang
-after them with tail erect and bristling hair. The
-toads receiving many sharp pats on their broad backs
-from her uplifted paw, were driven across the hall,
-backwards and forwards, keeping Bona dancing on
-one foot as she tried to follow Kathleen. But at last
-she fled in disgust, as the whole toad family were
-sent leaping into her dress by pussy's officious paw.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oliver! Oliver!" she entreated.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He came to her help with a laugh, which seemed
-so out of place in the mournful house he felt ashamed
-of himself the next minute. He knelt down beside
-Kathleen. "I like you, my little woman," he
-whispered. "You took the blame on your own shoulders,
-like a brick. Oh, what little shoulders they are! Of
-course, a boy would have done so. Don't fret about
-how the wolf got in too much. They are awful
-creatures. I am a sailor boy. Terrible things happen
-at sea. My father was captain of a merchant vessel.
-I have been to Calcutta before with him. He died
-at sea. The mate brought the ship into port. Bona
-is only a school-girl, fresh from England. She was
-coming out to uncle, so they sent me on with her.
-Never mind her, she is such a fuss-fuss!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Awkward as Oliver's attempts at consolation were,
-Kathleen felt they were sincere. She looked into his
-honest brown eyes and repeated her question—the
-question every one shrank from answering—"What
-will the big wolf do with Carly?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Iffley," called Mr. Desborough from the other
-side of the chintz curtain which did duty for a door,
-"stop those children's tongues, or I shall go mad."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The major laid an imperative hand on Oliver's arm
-and marched him off into the veranda, where a mat
-in a shady corner invited him to take the siesta he
-so much needed after his night-journey. The ayah
-carried Kathleen away in her powerful arms.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The stifling, burning heat grew more and more
-intense. The heavy sleep of sorrow slowly stole over
-the desolated household, and the weary day wore on.
-The coolies, who had been abroad since the dawn,
-returned one by one to eat their rice and repeat the
-same tale—"No trace! no hope!" There was
-nothing more to be done. There is no land like
-India for sudden calamity. Those of us who pass
-many years among its rice-fields and banyan trees
-learn a resignation and a promptitude in action not
-common elsewhere. To do quickly all that ought to
-be done, before it is too late, is so imperative that no
-one was surprised when Mr. Desborough announced
-his determination to send Mrs. Desborough and the
-two children still left to them to the hills immediately.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"This very night, if it were possible!" he
-exclaimed, as he caught up Racy, only to grieve the
-more over the loss of poor little Carly. A terrible
-fear of another midnight alarm oppressed the whole
-household. The syces lighted fires close outside the
-compound, to scare away any wild beasts which might
-be prowling about in the groves and thickets. Every
-precaution was taken.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The sun was sinking. The brief ten minutes of
-summer twilight had come when every one in India
-hurries into the open air. The long white line of
-road winding between the shady rows of trees was
-alive with traffic. Bona and Oliver stood ready for
-departure, watching the novel scene.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Straggling groups of workers from the indigo
-factory loitered round the gates of Mr. Desborough's
-compound—hideous-looking creatures with waist-clothes,
-hands and faces all blue: a whole troop of
-Bluebeards, which Bona thought would haunt her
-very dreams. They meekly drew aside and salaamed
-to the ground, as a gilded carriage, drawn by a pair
-of white humped oxen, swept by. A long line of
-carts, creaking under their loads of indigo pulp,
-quickly followed. The scantily-clothed villagers who
-accompanied them were uttering most unearthly cries
-to encourage their weary beasts. A deafening sound
-of splashing of water and stamping of feet told of the
-near neighbourhood of a drove of buffaloes returning
-to their homes for the night.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver looked for them in vain. They were making
-a pathway through the pool, and only the tips of
-their noses were to be seen as they sniffed the evening
-air, or snatched a mouthful of lily-leaves with snorts
-of rejoicing; while groups of merry children on the
-opposite bank were washing all the clothing they
-had—a broad white calico sash or waist-cloth. Their
-washing was a curious performance. They banged
-one end of the sash on a smooth stone, just under the
-water, until it fluttered before them white as snow,
-then they turned it and washed the other end.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A group of travellers, resting under a tree on the
-opposite side of the road, watched the lighting of the
-fires with evident curiosity, as they passed a friendly
-hookah, or pipe, from one to another. They smoked,
-and listened to the remarks of the indigo-workers,
-who were charging the children to hasten home before
-the darkness gathered.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>All were talking, all were discussing the disaster of
-the morning—rejoicing that the wolf had eaten the
-bullet of the sahib, and their children might sleep in
-peace.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Major Iffley was bargaining with a party of coolie
-wallahs, who had come from the village, to carry
-Bona's dandy to the judge's bungalow.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough put back the curtain of her tent,
-and waved a farewell to the brother and sister on the
-eve of their departure, and entreated the major to
-remain with them that night at least.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She was pale and calm, but the havoc which that
-day had made in her appearance had reduced her to
-a shadow of her former self.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Not me only, but my loaded gun," he answered,
-as he hastened to assure her every precaution they
-could devise was already taken.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Bona and Oliver drew a few steps nearer, looking
-the sympathy they knew not how to express in
-words. But the curtain fell suddenly, and they saw
-no more of the mournful mother behind it. Even the
-major, old family friend as he was, would not, could
-not intrude on the sacredness of a grief like hers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He shook hands with his new young friends, hoped
-for a happier meeting before long, and returned to the
-veranda of Mr. Desborough's bungalow. He loaded
-his gun with scrupulous care, and beguiled the weary
-night-watch by smoking an unlimited number of
-pipes, and growling at the numerous inmates of
-sun-cracked walls and retired corners, not to mention the
-disturbances of the punkah coolies, who cried out in
-terror every time a big Langour monkey stole across
-the lawn or a wild-cat leaped from the trees, one and
-all declaring that another wolf had ran away with the
-little beebee.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>To have had a real skirmish with a wolf, a panther,
-or even a tiger, would have been less distasteful
-to the English officer than soothing the midnight
-fancies of the dismayed household, or escaping from
-the unwelcome attentions of Kathleen's pet lizard,
-which had left its favourite retreat behind the
-pictures in the dining-room for a midnight stroll in the
-veranda.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="away-to-the-hills"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VI.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">AWAY TO THE HILLS.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Can you ever love me again, mamma?" asked
-Kathleen when Mrs. Desborough left the
-tent on the lawn for the first time, whilst the ayah
-took her place by baby Horace, who was slowly but
-surely recovering.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>For three whole days, whilst Kathleen was left to
-herself, she had never ceased crying. The servants
-found her continually by the window of the
-bathroom through which the wolf had entered, leaning
-her burning head against one of the huge red
-pitchers which contained the supply of water for the
-day's use. Let no one say cold water, for there
-was nothing cold to be found anywhere. The bath
-towels were as hot to the touch as if they had been
-hanging in front of a blazing fire. The air was thick
-with tawny dust. The oppression was frightful.
-The excessive dryness made every breath feel like
-the blast of a furnace. Insect wings began to drop
-off all over the rooms, and were wafted into drifts by
-the waving fans from the ceiling, and their wretched
-little owners, who had lost them, were wriggling
-about the floor. The thousands of poor white ants
-had already done so much mischief that no one had
-any pity left for their forlorn condition. The bhisti,
-the coolie who does housemaid's work, came and
-swept them away. Wasps, crickets, and enormous
-horned spiders abounded, but were worse in the night
-than the day. Not one of the numerous families of
-birds which made their homes in the veranda would
-sing a note.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Sailor lay at his young mistress's feet, and followed
-her everywhere with a pertinacity that said very
-plainly, "She is all that is left to me."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The ayah had done her utmost to divert the child.
-Her dolls and playthings strewed the veranda.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Bene Madho brought her cakes and sweetmeats
-when he returned from the bazaar, which he visited
-daily. Four or five in the morning is the hour for
-marketing in India, and therefore the busiest time in
-all the day. He virtually kept his mistress's purse,
-and bought everything she wanted. His purchases
-that morning were numerous, for the preparations for
-the removal to the hills were hurried on by
-Mr. Desborough. He wanted to take Kathleen away, for
-in her great sorrow she would not eat or speak, and
-was always slipping off unseen, even from him.
-Children in India who are left to the black servants
-so often grow troublesome.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"See that she eats; mind and send her to sleep,"
-he charged the ayah. But the ayah told him in her
-despair Kathleen would do neither.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The gentle touch of her mother's hand, and the
-fond, sad kiss on her parching lips, at last lifted the
-lead-like load which to Kathleen seemed breaking her
-heart, and she whispered tearfully, "Can you ever
-love me again, mamma?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Love you, my darling!" repeated Mrs. Desborough,
-in surprise at such a question. "Mamma must love
-her little daughter more than ever now, for she may
-soon have no one else to love."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, no, mamma, you do not know. I let the
-wolf in," lamented Kathleen under her breath.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The wolf!" exclaimed Mrs. Desborough. "My
-child, the wolf that killed dear little Carly!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It did not kill him, mamma!" cried Kathleen
-vehemently. "The stranger boy said so. O mamma,
-could not God, who took care of Daniel in the lions'
-den, take care of our Carly in the wolf's mouth?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The bhisti, who was coming in with his water-skin
-to fill up the great red pitchers against which Kathleen
-was leaning, ran to his mistress as she sank on the
-edge of the bath, overcome with the thoughts which
-Kathleen's wild words had suggested. It was the
-first hint which had reached her that there was any
-uncertainty about her poor little child's fate.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She could not in her motherly love take away from
-Kathleen the hope that Carly was still alive, the poor
-little sister's distress of mind was so great. But she
-saw Mr. Desborough's strong motive for hurrying them
-off to the hills. If the wolf which had seized one
-child was still prowling about the place, it might
-seize another in some unguarded moment.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let us take them away to-night," she said to him;
-and the effort to get ready, which had appeared so
-overwhelming when he proposed it, seemed now as
-nothing compared to the fear of the wolf's return.
-Beds were packed up. But beds in India are a simple
-affair. A thick quilted cotton </span><em class="italics">resais</em><span>, as they call it,
-serves for sheets, blanket, and mattress all in one.
-A supply of pillows is all that is necessary; bolsters
-are unused in India. They must also take calico for
-punkahs, and plenty of palm-leaf matting, which is so
-cheap it can be used for anything. Bene Madho had
-bought abundance of all these things, which the
-servants were packing in huge bundles, to be carried on
-poles between men's shoulders.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>How they all worked throughout the day, despite
-the heat, and Mr. Desborough harder than anybody!
-An adventurous kite carried off a fork from the
-dinner-table, and a monkey sprang down from the roof
-of the veranda and snapped up Kathleen's doll, which
-it carried to the tallest tamarind tree in the garden.
-There it sat on one of the topmost branches, cuddling
-the doll in its olive-green paws, as if it were a great
-treasure. Kathleen did not mind it much. The
-gardener assured her he should find it, as he had found
-the fork, dropped among the flowers; and then it
-seemed so easy to Kathleen to think Carly might be
-found in the same sort of way. She never lost the
-hope which Oliver's words had put into her heart.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But to hear her say so was an added grief to Mr. Desborough.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In the evening, when they were dressed for the
-journey, papa took her on his knee and told her not
-to talk about the wolves to mamma any more. Then
-he bade her remember no one must believe all the
-servants were saying, for they were idolaters. They
-thought that monkeys were better than men, and
-that some of them were sacred, and they really
-worshipped them. They did not know any better. No
-one could be sure whether the tales they told about
-the wolves were true or not, so he wished her not to
-repeat them; it would frighten Horace.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Yes, Horace was better—going with them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There he is," said papa, pointing to the ayah, who
-was carrying him up and down the veranda, before
-the windows of the drawing-room where they were
-talking. Away flew Kathleen, holding out her arms
-to take him, and covering him with kisses.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"She will soon be herself again, with change of
-scene, and Horace for a playfellow," Mr. Desborough
-continued, turning to his wife. "Thank God, my
-dear, if the one child has been taken from us, the
-other is left."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>By the close of that busy day everything was ready
-for departure. The long procession passed through
-the gates of the compound just as the glorious sun
-was sinking in its bed of ebony and gold; for deep
-black bars of cloud were crossing the flood of light
-which covered the western sky.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough's horse was prancing in its impatience,
-while the coolies harnessed themselves to the
-curtained dandies. There was one for Mrs. Desborough,
-with Horace on her lap, and another for the ayah and
-Kathleen, so that the children could sleep away the
-greater part of the journey. Until the heaving of
-burdens and the buckling of straps were concluded,
-the ayah amused Kathleen by pointing to the setting
-sun, and gravely assuring her there were twelve suns,
-brothers, who shone by turns. This one was going
-away, and his elder brother, who was so strong he
-could kill a man, would come in his place. The ayah
-was very glad they would all be safe on the hills
-before the strongest of all the twelve took his turn.
-The younger brothers were much weaker; the youngest
-of all was so weak he could hardly melt the snow
-that fell on the mountains.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen thought that this must be one of the tales
-papa referred to.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The syce, who ran by the horse's head with a
-fly-flapper in his hand, was shouting to it to be quiet
-until the sahib was ready to mount. "O son of a
-pig!" he was crying, "O faithless, perverse one! have
-ye never learned to be still?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Away they all went at last, the bearers keeping
-time with a long, monotonous, grunting sort of cry,
-to which the horses were too well accustomed to be
-frightened. They soon left the highroad, going at
-the rate of four miles an hour, by narrow paths, too
-narrow for any cart or carriage. Mounting wave
-after wave of hill, higher and higher, sometimes
-winding by the edge of a precipice, or climbing the steep
-side of a giant cliff, then almost tumbling down some
-mountain valley, on, on they went, with a slow and
-even swing, whilst the coolies laughed and chatted as
-if they were almost enjoying the heavy burdens which
-English arms could never have lifted. Up and up
-once more, as the moon shone forth with its silver
-radiance, bathing the stately forest trees with its soft,
-clear light, and making the dark shadows which rested
-on the deep ravines all the blacker by contrast. They
-were passing the two-storied stone-built castle of a
-mountain chief, perched like a gigantic bird's nest on
-the verge of a tree-crowned height. A bright and
-gurgling mountain stream was dashing and foaming
-by its side as it leaped from height to height. The
-travellers were sprinkled with its flashing spray as
-they crossed the edge of the torrent, little dreaming
-that news of Carl would await them there on their
-return. But now the scream of the night-owls, and
-the flap of the vultures' wings, and the ever-increasing
-cries of the jackals, echoed all around.</span></p>
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"But the darkest hour of all the night,</span></div>
-<div class="inner line-block">
-<div class="line"><span>Is that which brings us day."</span></div>
-<div class="line"> </div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Oh, if Mr. and Mrs. Desborough could have understood
-the silent lesson that midnight journey might
-have taught them, it would have soothed their
-heartache. They could see no ending to their night of
-sorrow; they scarcely thought the soothing touch of
-time would ever dull the sharpness of their grief.
-But every night does end.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The first pale gleam of the coming day showed
-Kathleen the sloping roof of a white-walled bungalow,
-peeping amid a forest of pine trees high up overhead.
-Should they ever reach it? The flowers which covered
-those steep hillsides began to open their petals and
-drink in the drop of dew that was falling for each
-and all.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Racy woke up with laughing eyes and outstretched
-hands, clamouring for the bright, many-coloured dahlias
-which grew by thousands in their path.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The good-natured coolies stopped to gather them
-by handfuls, to Racy's infinite delight. The pleasure
-of pulling them to pieces and pelting the black
-shoulders of their bearers with them, found vent in
-little squeals of merriment that brought the first faint
-ghost of a smile to his mother's lips.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With the daybreak came many changes. Flocks of
-sheep and goats met them in the narrow path, making
-the crossing doubly dangerous. Some asses laden with
-grain were on their way to the Rana's castle, and their
-drivers drew aside to make their salaam to the English
-travellers, and exchange greetings with the coolie
-wallahs, and carry the news to the Rana's castle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A most obstreperous cawing from hundreds of
-cunning-looking crows arose from the forest, whilst a
-regular chorus of wild laughter echoed through the
-darkest ravines. It was the morning song of the
-black-faced thrushes that congregate in unimaginable
-multitudes in these hidden solitudes. But sweeter
-than all was the lengthened flute-like note of the
-black-headed oriole.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Suddenly the path changed. They were going
-downhill beneath magnificent trees, yews and oaks
-rising from an undergrowth of creepers and roses,
-checkered with multitudinous flowers that were
-unknown to Kathleen and her mother. On they went,
-swinging to the bottom of the valley, through whole
-fields covered with pale-blue foxglove, over which
-myriads of bees were flitting.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Horace began to mimic the cry of the black partridges
-which abounded. "Tie-tara! tie-tara!" rang on
-every side, as the footsteps of the coolies disturbed
-them in their lowly nests. One more toilsome hill,
-and then the coolies paused on a small plateau on the
-verge of the dark pine wood. Before them stood the
-pleasant bungalow, with its hospitable doors wide open
-to receive the travellers. Its white-washed rooms
-looked airy and clean. A few native servants who
-belonged to the place hurried out to welcome them;
-and Kathleen, who was leaning eagerly forward, could
-see the graceful figure of a Hindu woman making
-cakes, which she flattened between her hands with
-astonishing celerity, and flung into a brass pan which
-stood near her over a quaint-looking brazier. The
-dandies were set down, and Mr. Desborough came to
-lift his wife out.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Too much cover for snakes," he said, as he cast a
-sharp eye at the thick, tall grass spreading from the
-steps of the veranda to the very edge of the precipice.
-The half-made garden was more indebted to nature
-than art; but that only heightened the peculiar charm
-that overspread the place. Here and there the great
-bauhinia creeper wreathed itself into delightful bowers
-above the moss-covered stem of a fallen pine. Its
-strong tendrils, like furzy brown horns, caught the
-overarching boughs of the tallest trees and bound
-them in leafy fetters. Proud peacocks strutted about
-at will. A stately old stork seemed untiring in its
-endeavours to find the snake Mr. Desborough dreaded
-to discover. But, above all, the fragrant breezes from
-the vast pine forest seemed an earnest of returning
-health.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-rana-s-sons"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VII.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">THE RANA'S SONS.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The first thing which attracted Kathleen's
-attention, when her father lifted her out of her
-swinging carriage, was the sight of a Thibetan woman
-milking the cows. She was dressed in dirty rags,
-with a torn blanket thrown over her head. But
-round her neck she wore three strings of beads, so
-quaint and curious Kathleen could do nothing but
-look at them. The beads were as big as hazel-nuts.
-One row was of coral and turkois; in another the
-beads were of a greenish hue, spotted all over like
-thrushes' eggs; the third was coral, with silver tags
-between. So the ayah took her to beg a cup of milk,
-whilst the breakfast was preparing. They made her
-a cup with a leaf and a thorn; and as the
-queer-looking milkmaid twisted it into proper shape round
-her slender fingers, she noticed the child's red eyes
-and colourless cheeks and heard the story of the
-lost brother. "O children of pigs!" she exclaimed.
-"To think a wolf in May would eat him up! No,
-no. There has been many a child brought up by
-the wolves, as I've heard tell. Perhaps it was its
-grandfather; who knows? It would not hurt it
-if it were."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She caught up Kathleen in her arms, and carried
-her to the edge of the cliff, pointing downwards to the
-tops of the mighty trees growing in the dark ravines
-between the hills they had been crossing—hills below
-hills, stretching away beneath their feet, so grand and
-vast and wild. The gray mud walls of the little
-Hindu village looked like an ant-hill in their midst.
-Kathleen felt dimly how the timid, gentle, imaginative
-Hindu men and women, who have lived all their
-lives within reach of the formidable beasts that range
-at will through those forest-glades, grow so afraid
-that their fear almost changes to reverence. They
-say they are all God's creatures, mightier and stronger
-than themselves. They dare not hurt them for the
-world; and they think when they die they shall be
-changed into them. They mix their fancies with all
-they see and hear, as her father had told her; but yet
-she could not help listening when the weird-looking
-milkmaid entreated her not to cry any more, but to
-see the glorious places where the wild wolves slept in
-the sunlight, and to think her little brother was there
-among them. Oh no; she did not believe he would
-want to come back. He would grow into a wolf, and
-be happy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen felt frightened, for she saw that the ayah
-believed her. Then the Thibetan unloosed the
-wonderful beads from her neck and let Kathleen examine
-them. They were heirlooms which had been handed
-down for many generations. The coral and turkois
-had been worn by her great-grandmother; the coral
-with the silver tags came from her father's people.
-She always wore them; they were safer round her
-neck than anywhere. The ayah agreed with her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen carried her leafy cup indoors, to show to
-her mother. A hasty breakfast was preparing—fowl
-and eggs, but no bread anywhere, only chupatties, the
-thin round cakes which the woman outside was
-making when they arrived. They very much resembled
-a dry crisp pancake. The fresh hill air gave the
-children an appetite, and they ate heartily.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Papa," whispered Kathleen, "may I talk about the
-wolves to you?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Better not, darling," was the quick reply; "father
-is too busy to talk now."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Away went Mr. Desborough, ordering and arranging
-everything to insure the comfort of his wife and
-children; for he knew that he must soon leave them
-to enjoy their three months' gipsying among the hills.
-He trusted that picking flowers and chasing butterflies
-would soon occupy all his little fairy's thoughts, if he
-could but keep her from dwelling on the terrible
-remembrance.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Horace was soon fast asleep on his mother's lap,
-and Kathleen's eyes were blinking.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There were chairs and tables and charpoys in the
-bungalow, kept ready for the use of visitors. So as
-soon as breakfast was over, the ayah put Kathleen and
-Horace to bed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The rooms were all on one floor, and as every door
-stood wide open, they were not out of Mrs. Desborough's
-sight a single moment.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The charpoy, or Indian bedstead, is only a wooden
-frame with cross-bars of webbing, and on this a mat
-or a resais is laid. The ayah fetched the pillows Bene
-Madho was unpacking, and all was ready. Going to
-bed is such a simple affair in India, for nobody
-undresses as we do in England. Dressing and undressing
-belong to the bath. The ayah covered the children
-with a large mosquito-net, and then flung herself on
-the matting beside them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A few hours' refreshing sleep made them feel like
-different beings. But they were still very tired, and
-were quite content to sit together on the steps of
-the veranda, watching the mowers cutting the grass.
-It was happiness to Kathleen to have her little brother
-once again, and she devoted herself to the delightful
-task of making Racy laugh. There was a bird a little
-bigger than an English starling, with shining wings of
-copper colour, violet and blue, which hopped about their
-feet, and then flew off to perch on the cow's back, and
-good-naturedly catch the insects which were teasing it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Presently they saw a curious procession coming up
-the hill—two Hindu boys riding on donkeys, with
-syces running beside them carrying scarlet umbrellas
-over their heads, ornamented with deep gold-fringes.
-Behind them rode their tutor, and after him four
-native Hindus, carrying trays on their heads,
-tastefully piled with fruit and vegetables and flowers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Early visitors," exclaimed Mr. Desborough, who
-was walking about directing the mowers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The boys proved to be the two young sons of the
-Rana of Nataban, or "the brook of the forest," whose
-castle they had passed by the way.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Look! look!" cried Racy, clapping his little
-hands, and making such a noise that all the strangers
-turned their heads and regarded him. The two
-young chieftains alighted, and advanced to Mr. Desborough,
-who held out his hand to the eldest, English
-fashion. The boy took it between both his own and
-dropped into it something which felt very like a
-little ball of cobwebs, but was in reality a tiny bag of
-musk. He then directed his servants to place their
-trays on the ground at Mr. Desborough's feet. They
-were a present from his father, the Rana. They
-were bright-eyed, intelligent boys, but as delicate and
-graceful as girls. Their tutor was a clever young
-Brahmin, who had been educated in the government
-schools, and longed, above all things, to visit London.
-He could speak English, and was teaching it to his
-pupils.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>This was quite a relief; and when the formal
-greetings were well through, and the boys were seated
-one on each side of Mr. Desborough, he sent Kathleen
-to fetch the jar of English sweets which Bene Madho
-had bought for her consolation. It was just unpacked,
-and stood on the table near the window by which
-they were seated, and he perceived the large, dreamy
-eyes of his youngest visitor rested upon it very
-curiously.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Whilst she was gone for it, Horace came and stood
-between his father's knees. He certainly mistook the
-two young ranas for big dolls, as they sat as stately
-and grave as they could in their saffron-coloured
-dresses, embroidered belts, and heavy silver bracelets.
-Horace, with his curly flaxen hair and blue eyes, was
-equally interesting to them, and the drum with which
-he was playing still more so.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The old trouble had returned to Kathleen's eyes as
-she ran in for her jar of peppermint lozenges. She
-was thinking of the Thibetan woman and all she had
-said. "Oh, if Carl were alive in the jungle, could
-not they find him and bring him home?" Her little
-heart was full. She longed to pour it out to her
-mother, but her father's words restrained her.
-Mrs. Desborough looked so ill, so sadly worn, and kissed
-her so fondly, Kathleen could only venture to entreat
-her to come and look at the strange milkmaid, with
-her wonderful necklaces. She was hoping the Thibetan
-would repeat to her the strange things she had
-said about Carl.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough promised at once; she had not
-the heart to refuse her darlings anything, for fear
-they, too, should be stolen from her. She followed
-her little daughter into the veranda, putting on her
-gloves. They were black. The youngest boy, Aglar,
-had never seen a lady's glove before. He watched
-her intently, as if he thought her hands had suddenly
-changed colour. He spoke to his tutor in his soft,
-musical Indi; who gravely informed her the young
-Rana had such a longing to feel the lady's hand,
-might he be permitted to touch it?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough smiled, and held hers out to him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Aglar rose, made his salaam, and softly felt her
-fingers all over. It seemed to afford him infinite
-delight. So, to amuse him, Mrs. Desborough took off
-her gloves and put them on again. The long row of
-buttons pleased him exceedingly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Give them to him," suggested Mr. Desborough,
-who was wondering how he could return the Rana's
-present, having nothing with him but just the
-necessary things his family required.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The transfer was made; the mystery of the buttons
-made easy, too, by the addition of a tiny button-hook.
-The little fellow was in ecstasies. Not so
-Horace, who set up a clamour to have his mother's
-gloves back, which amused them all.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough was talking to the elder, whose
-name was Rattam, about his lessons. He was fond
-of reading, had made some way in English and
-Persian, and was much gratified with the gift of an
-English book on botany, which Mr. Desborough had
-brought with him, hoping to interest his wife in the
-lovely plants and flowers she was sure to find among
-the hills. It was very doubtful whether the new
-owner could possibly understand it, but he liked to
-examine the plates.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough thought they were getting on,
-when Horace renewed his clamour, pointing at Aglar,
-and declaring, "He is nobody but a native. He shan't
-have my mamma's gloves. He shan't!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough grew pink with annoyance, for
-she knew their young visitors would be highly
-offended, if they really understood English well enough
-to know what the child was saying. In vain his
-father frowned. He would not be quieted. Kathleen
-slipped round and filled his mouth with her
-peppermint, to stop his tongue.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We are all spoiling him as fast as we can,"
-muttered her father, with a bitter sigh, as he sent her
-across to Rattam, who regarded Horace with pure
-amazement. No Hindu child is ever permitted to be
-rough or rude. Kathleen shyly offered Rattam her
-jar, trying to make up for Racy's naughtiness by
-behaving as prettily as she could. Rattam examined
-her peppermints curiously, and then drew back, afraid
-to touch one, for it might be degrading to himself.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He dare not taste one, he said, for fear of losing
-caste by eating anything which might be improper
-for a Brahmin.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>This horror of losing caste—that is, of forfeiting
-his position as a Brahmin, one of the highest class
-of Hindus, to whom all the others look up with
-reverence—is the bugbear of a Hindu gentleman's life, and
-Rattam was fully impressed with its importance.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Yet he was gratified; and although no persuasion
-could induce him to touch the peppermint, he
-expressed his thanks with the air of a prince, adding,
-"You must permit me to send you a bird of my own
-training, to be my vakeel" ("Ambassador," interpreted
-the tutor), "and remind you of me," Rattam went on;
-"and, I assure you, he is a very amusing fellow."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He spoke so carefully and so correctly, it made
-Kathleen think he had learned his English sentences
-ready before he came. She wished she could ask her
-ayah how she ought to answer him in Indi; but that
-was out of the question. If he understood not her
-reply, he knew by her shy little smile she was pleased.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is a hill-mina from Nepaul, with a remarkably
-good, rich voice—" He looked to his tutor, perplexed
-for the next word. It was not forthcoming.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Does the little beebee understand Persian?" he asked.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough shook his head, relieved to find
-his guest's English was not yet perfect.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Persian is our French," said the tutor, making a
-sign to Aglar, who had not yet finished his
-examination of Mrs. Desborough's hands; but when he caught
-his tutor's eye, he dropped down on the ground by
-her side, sitting cross-legged, as still and stately as a
-little statue. He never raised his eyes or uttered a
-single word until a second sign gave him permission.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When the ayah appeared with the children's box of
-playthings, the two young visitors forgot themselves
-and their grand manners in the wonders of Kathleen's
-magic top, and behaved with an easy grace which was
-natural to them, and much more prepossessing.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let Aglar take it away with him, Kathy,"
-whispered Mr. Desborough; "I will buy you another."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mamma had slipped out during the exhibition of
-the playthings to consult with Bene Madho about
-the tiffen. She thought he might know better than
-she did what such fastidious young princes would
-condescend to eat.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He told her they never touched anything but
-butter, sweetmeats, and vegetables or fruit. Butter
-Mrs. Desborough could procure in plenty, but the
-sweetmeats ran wofully short. Salad and syllabub, with
-some of their own beautiful fruit, had to suffice.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The amount of butter the little princes consumed
-was something astonishing. No wonder Rattam was
-so fat. Aglar's hoarse cough distressed Mrs. Desborough.
-She always carried a well-filled medicine-chest
-about with her, for the sake of her own delicate
-children. So she found him some cough-drops, and
-a porous plaster for the chest, to lay on the empty
-trays her husband was trying to refill.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen relinquished a great many of her toys
-to please their dusky visitors. Rattam liked
-everything in pairs. He was highly delighted with her
-doll's tea-cups, as he said "there were three pairs." But
-he returned her the teapot. One of a sort
-looked mean in his eyes.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When tiffen was over, their interesting neighbours
-rose to depart, with the demure gravity of old men.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-invitation"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VIII.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">THE INVITATION.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The night before Mr. Desborough's return to
-Noak-holly, he called Kathleen to him as he
-sat dreamily watching the glorious landscape as if he
-saw it not.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Can my darling sing to me?" he said, softly
-humming the first notes of a tune she had heard him sing
-in the old times, when Kathleen was "her daddy's ae
-bairn," and the cot stood empty.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He put his arm round her waist, and taught her as
-he used to do, beating time with his other hand.</span></p>
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"Go bury thy sorrow, the world has its share,</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>Go bury it deeply, go hide it with care."</span></div>
-<div class="line"> </div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>She turned and looked in his face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Go on," he said, in the quiet, decided tone
-Kathleen always obeyed.</span></p>
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"Go think of it calmly, when curtained by night;</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>Go tell it to Jesus, and all will be right."</span></div>
-<div class="line"> </div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>She sang it after him, drawing a little closer, for
-her father was not often like this, until they came to
-the last verse—</span></p>
-<blockquote>
-<div>
-<div class="line-block outermost">
-<div class="line"><span>"Hearts growing a-weary with heavier woe,</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>Now droop 'mid the darkness—go, comfort them, go!</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>Go bury thy sorrows, let others be blest:</span></div>
-<div class="line"><span>Go give them the sunshine, tell Jesus the rest."</span></div>
-<div class="line"> </div>
-</div>
-</div>
-</blockquote>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"Is my little girl too young to understand what
-that means?" he asked, stroking her hair.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, I do understand, papa," she answered thoughtfully.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Your mother's sorrow is heavier than ours," he
-went on, "just because she was Carly's mother; and
-Racy is pining for his twin-brother, just because he
-was his twin. It is that which makes him so techy
-and troublesome. Will my Kathleen try to comfort
-them when I am gone?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Instead of the promise he expected there came a
-rush of tears, so hot and bitter he was taken aback.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What is the matter, my love?" he asked.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"The dreadful misery to think I let the wolf in!"
-she sobbed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We will bury all that," he answered. "It will
-not bring sunshine to mamma to see you crying.
-Think! what ought you to be to poor mamma?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Carly and Kathleen, too," she murmured. "But
-I can't undo it."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>His arm went round her very closely; it answered
-her better than words. No fear of Kathleen talking
-to poor mamma about the wolves after that night.
-A new object was before her—how to give others
-the sunshine.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Her father had scarcely left them when Rattam's
-messenger arrived with the promised bird, and an
-invitation to the Sahib Desborough to visit the Rana
-at his castle. Aglar's mother, the Ranee, added her
-entreaties that the beebee, who had given her youngest
-son the little breastplate against the weather (which
-was endued with such a wonderful charm it had hushed
-the noise in his breast and given him the vivacity
-of a panther) would let a grateful mother look upon
-her face and beg a similar charm for her other son.
-"The women of your people, sahib," said the letter,
-which was evidently written by the tutor, "can come
-and go. It would demean ours to descend the stair
-of their own home; but they are dying to see more of
-the wonderful magic the beebee Desborough possesses."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The Rana's peon or foot-soldier, who had brought
-the letter, stood watching Mrs. Desborough as if she
-were some superior being. He had shuffled off his
-shoes as a mark of respect before he approached her,
-and now stood before her salaaming at every interval
-when she happened to raise her eyes.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Of course there were a few crows strutting about
-the veranda, and little fretful Racy was afraid of
-their sharp beaks. Kathleen was trying to tempt
-them away by scattering crumbs. They were so
-tame they soon ran after her to get them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"More magic," thought the peon, bowing himself to
-the ground, as she came near to him to look at the
-wonderful bird Rattam had sent her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was jet black, with a coat as glossy as satin, and
-a lovely dark eye, full of fun and intelligence. Its
-beak and claws were deep orange. It was looking
-about very curiously, pricking its ear to every sound.
-Kathleen drew her finger across the gilded wire of its
-cage, and it called out in a rich, sweet voice—a
-wonderfully rich voice, and yet an odd one—"Ram, Ram,
-baher!" just as he had heard Rattam and Aglar call
-to one another. The ayah told her it meant "God,
-God, brother!" which is the Hindu way of speaking,
-just as English boys would say, "Good-morning,
-brother!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>With her nurse and her bird talking Indi, Kathleen
-thought she should soon learn enough to understand
-Rattam if he came again.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough wrote her reply, and promised to
-visit the Ranee when her husband returned.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Little mischievous Horace was fitting on the peon's
-slippers, and quite ready to dispute possession with
-the "man in petticoats," as he called the peon.
-Kathleen and the ayah pursued him half round the veranda.
-They would not have got the slippers away then
-without a roar, if Kathleen's wonderful bird had not
-begun to make a creaking sound, like a rusty hinge,
-which it imitated exactly, and then as suddenly
-changed its note to the cheerful crowing of a cock.
-This diverted Horace amazingly. The peon recovered
-his slippers, put up his umbrella, and departed with
-the English beebee's answer.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But there was many a long day to wait before the
-visit could be paid. Mrs. Desborough was glad, for
-she had no heart for visits, although she thought it
-only right to go, as no one but a lady is scarcely ever
-permitted to enter the homes of the higher classes of
-Hindus. In the meanwhile the invigorating air of
-the hills was restoring the children to health and
-spirits. Mrs. Desborough hoped Horace would forget
-some of his provoking sayings, which he had caught
-up on the journey.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The Thibetan milkmaid had gone away to her own
-people before Kathleen could persuade her mother to
-go and talk to her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Kathleen would describe the dark-skinned
-woman, with her dirty rags and glittering beads, so
-earnestly and so frequently, that her mother began to
-suspect there was something more she had not told
-her. "Well?" she would say questioningly; and
-then Kathleen would stop short, remembering her
-father's words.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough asked the ayah what the Thibetan
-had said.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Nothing, nothing," was the quick reply. "We
-only tried to comfort the little beebee, and stop her
-tears, that fell like evening rain."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The ayah was frightened, for her mistress turned
-pale and faint at the most distant allusion to her
-dreadful loss. So she led the children away, and
-filled their pinafores with rice to feed the fishes.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Whilst Horace was throwing it by handfuls into
-the basin of the fountain, which was soon a moving
-mass of heads and tails, the ayah drew Kathleen away.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Look at the mem-sahib," she whispered, so that
-Horace should not hear. "It is the cry for the lost
-one shut in her heart that hurts. Don't wake it."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen hung her head; for the first time in her
-life it seemed wrong to speak out all her thoughts to
-her mother. But the hope still lived on—Carl would
-some day be found. It helped her to fulfil her father's
-parting charge, and try to give the sunshine to Horace
-and her mother. The dry heat of May gave place at
-last to the sultry, oppressive damp of the rainy season;
-and Mrs. Desborough began to long for home.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="oliver-and-his-uncle"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER IX.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">OLIVER AND HIS UNCLE.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>When Mr. Desborough returned to fetch his
-wife and children, he found his little fairy
-half a head taller and twice as strong as at the
-never-to-be-forgotten singing-lesson the night before he left.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well! and what have you been doing?" he asked,
-when he found himself seated once more, with a child
-on each knee. "Setting traps to catch the sunbeams
-to give away, eh, my precious?" he continued.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But I think Racy got them all," Kathleen answered.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"</span><em class="italics">Via</em><span> Racy is one of the best of roads to reach
-mamma," smiled her father, as he stroked her hair
-fondly, and turned to his boy, who was clamorously
-demanding all his attention.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A game at horses round the white-washed sitting-room
-assured Mr. Desborough that Kathleen's traps
-had not been set in vain. Horace was riding
-triumphant on his father's shoulder, shouting at him
-after the fashion of the native drivers, in high glee,
-when the card of an English gentleman was brought
-in by Bene Madho.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Who should it be but the deputy-judge, who was
-going on circuit, and had just arrived to hold a "bed
-of justice," as the natives say, in the neighbourhood of
-Nataban.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well set to work, Desborough!" he exclaimed.
-"Have I followed my bit of pasteboard too quickly?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, no," retorted Mr. Desborough warmly. "We
-are going away to-morrow. There are rooms enough
-here to accommodate all for a night."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"My fellows can sleep anywhere," continued the
-deputy, chucking Kathleen under her chin, and
-pointing to his train of servants, who were chattering
-without. "I and my nephew will do our best not
-to interfere with the ladies' comfort. Only say the
-word, and we will make quick work here, and hurry
-forward to our next station."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oliver!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough scrambled to his feet, and with
-Horace still tugging at his watch-chain, held out his
-hand to the boy without recognizing him; but
-Kathleen knew him again in a moment.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mr. Desborough has forgotten you, my boy,"
-whispered the deputy. "Do not refresh his memory;
-it will only revive a painful recollection."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver nodded; and they all went in together to
-congratulate Mrs. Desborough on the improvement in
-her children.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When old neighbours meet there is no lack of
-conversation. The gentlemen sat long over the dinner,
-discussing the recent rains, the present attitude of
-Russia, and the success of the government schools for
-Hindu boys, in which the deputy was greatly interested.
-Kathleen sat beside her father, forgetting to
-eat. At the first movement she glided round to her
-mother's chair with a breathless request.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"May I show my bird to Oliver? and may we
-go for a walk—a long walk?" she asked.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Certainly, my love, if he wishes," answered
-Mrs. Desborough.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen tripped on. A gentle pull at Oliver's
-sleeve made him look round. He was too
-good-natured to decline the shy invitation.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Life was very free and easy at the little hill-station.
-The whitewashed bungalow was neither inn nor
-lodging-house, but something between. When one
-party went away, there was usually another
-waiting to take their place, so that the servants who
-were stationary there were not disconcerted by the
-deputy's arrival. They were laughing and singing as
-they hurried about, contriving to make an unusual
-hubbub, as a sort of tribute to the dignity of the
-Stunt Sahib, as they called the deputy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Some of the newly-arrived were seated in groups,
-cross-legged, on the grass, smoking a friendly pipe
-with their old acquaintances of a previous year.
-Oliver would willingly have lingered to watch them,
-so he divided his attentions between them and
-Kathleen's wonderful bird.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was crying so like a child as they drew near its
-cage, Oliver was looking about for some squalling
-baby among the dusky smokers. Then it changed
-its note, and imitated the soft musical tinkle of the
-temple bell, where Rattam and Aglar went to see the
-sacrifices to their idol-gods. Oliver was enchanted.
-"It beats the parrots hollow!" he exclaimed. "It is
-something like a bird."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I have not much left to give away," said Kathleen,
-thinking a little regretfully of all the toys she had
-bestowed upon the young princes; "but I'll give you
-my beauty mina, if you will take me for a walk, a
-very long walk."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You!" he repeated in astonishment. "Which
-way do you want to go?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She tripped down the veranda steps, and pointing
-to the wilder part of the ground, ran eagerly forward,
-looking back every now and then to see if Oliver
-would follow.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The ground around the house was partially gardened,
-but the further they went the wilder it grew.
-All path was lost. Arrowroot and ginger plants
-sprang up spontaneously. By one of their tall green
-sheaths, with its droop of snow-white bells like a
-magnified Solomon's seal, Kathleen paused panting
-until her companion overtook her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Off she started again.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Is it a jolly game at hare-and-hounds or
-follow-my-leader that you are starting?" asked Oliver.
-"You are not quite right for either. We boys never
-played just so. In the first place, you should start
-fair."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is not play at all," answered Kathleen, slipping
-her hand into his and looking up beseechingly. "You
-do not mind, do you?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Not a bit," he retorted, holding back a mimosa
-bush to let her pass. She had led him on to a
-dangerous spot, where the ground sloped steeply down to
-the bottom of a ravine.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Dark shadows of bushes and plants unknown to
-him obscured its depths. A sound of gurgling water
-met his ear, but the gloom was so profound he could
-distinguish nothing.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Is not that a place where the wild beasts sleep?
-Now will you take me as far down as you can?"
-asked Kathleen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No," answered Oliver bluntly—"no, indeed; you
-must be crazy!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She drew her hand away, and leaning over the
-edge of the precipice, called, "Carl, Carl, are you
-there?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver caught hold of her dress and pulled her
-back. "You absurd little creature, you'll slip and fall
-if you do so!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, never mind that. If I could make him hear
-me—if I could but make him hear!" she wailed.
-"But I am not to talk about the wolves—I'm not to
-talk."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, you may to me; you may say anything you
-like to me," interposed Oliver, resolutely turning her
-round and walking back towards the house.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Do you speak the truth?" asked Kathleen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I tell you what, young lady: I don't admire
-your ways one bit. If you had only been a boy, I'd
-have bowled you over for that in less than a minute.
-What do you mean by asking me such a question?"
-he retorted in hot indignation.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then I may believe what you tell me, and you
-said he was alive in the jungle!" she exclaimed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver gave a long-drawn "Oh!" adding slowly, in
-a considerate tone, "Yes, I did. I said so because I
-thought so."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And the milkmaid thought so!" she cried. Then
-for the fiftieth time she pictured the dusky face, with
-its rags and beads, and repeated the soft Indian
-words until the white walls of the bungalow were
-once again in sight.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now we must not talk any more," she exclaimed,
-"for fear mamma should hear us. There she is!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver looked up, and saw Mrs. Desborough seated
-on one of the fallen trees, talking to his uncle. The
-ayah was taking Horace for his evening walk. Being
-new to Indian life, Oliver stared in astonishment at
-the strange way in which she carried the child.
-Instead of taking him in her arms, as an English nurse
-would do, she had a nice little soft saddle strapped
-round her waist, on which he was riding. Her arm
-was round him, to keep him from falling, whilst his
-own clasped her neck, and his little feet were kicking
-her back and front. For Horace was as restless and
-fidgety as a young elephant, which every mahout
-(elephant-driver) knows never is at peace a single
-moment. It is always shaking its flapping ears, or
-switching its tail, twisting and untwisting its trunk,
-or stamping with one or other of its big feet. But
-the ayah was patience itself in her untiring devotion
-to her white baby.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Look at that nephew of mine," laughed the deputy.
-"I shall have to start him off again to England, for
-a couple of years at the East India College, before I
-put him into harness. But Iffley has taken to him
-wonderfully. Now his sister—"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Bona's perfections were cut short by a squall
-from Horace. The Rana's peon was approaching with
-renewed invitations to the whole party.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We must go," said the deputy, who was bent upon
-cultivating friendly intercourse between himself and
-his dusky neighbours.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He had won their respect by his uprightness—perhaps
-even their esteem; "but to get a step beyond
-that beats me," he declared. "You must know as
-well as I do, Desborough, how these Orientals hedge
-in their private life with their ceremonies and
-formalities, and keep us all at a distance. Here I have
-been coaxing them out of their shyness and reserve
-for years. What way have I made? One-half the
-pains I've taken would have brought these monkeys
-from the woods around me as tame and affectionate as
-the kitten in your veranda at home. Now you ladies
-have a chance. The door of the zenana opens to you.
-That is why I want my niece. I want her to take her
-share in the Englishwoman's mission to her dusky
-sisters. You will go with us, Mrs. Desborough?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes," she replied. "I had intended to do so;
-but," she added, turning to Mr. Desborough, "we
-must take the children with us." The fact was, she
-dare not leave them behind.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No objection to that, as far as I can see,"
-returned the deputy; and so it was settled.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As Oliver was falling asleep that night, he seemed
-to hear nothing but the little sister's passionate cry,
-"Carl, Carl, come back!" How she had clung to the
-lingering hope his words had implanted! He almost
-wished he had never said them. Did he and Bona
-love each other like that? He saw nothing but the
-fluttering of Kathleen's sash and the flapping of her
-broad sun-hat as she rushed before him to the very
-edge of the precipice. How she must have longed to
-get there! and it was such a dangerous place. Oh the
-innocence of the thought! The brave, faithful heart!
-Yes, that was it. Oliver hated himself for having
-spoken those misleading words. "But then I
-believed it after what old Gobur had said."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He tossed and slept, and dreamed of Romulus and
-Remus, and the old Roman fable of the she-wolf.
-When he waked at last, the day was well begun, and
-everybody around him was busy preparing for the
-visit to the Rana's castle. He wished his
-schoolbooks had not all been left behind him in another
-hemisphere. There was no Roman history to be
-found in the hill bungalow, or he would have
-refreshed his memory about that old-world tale of the
-founders of Rome. His uncle thought him unusually
-moody as he mounted his little pony and rode after
-him. It was a glorious morning. Mrs. Desborough's
-bearers were chanting gaily. Mr. Desborough, who
-rode behind her, turned his head to make some
-remark upon the indigo crops to the deputy, who was
-still descanting about "that fog-bank which always
-rises between us and the people of the land, do what
-we will."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver yawned, feeling quite sure beforehand he
-should detest a fat boy who ate nothing but butter
-and sugar, and wouldn't and couldn't run a race if it
-were to save his life, whatever his colour might be.
-He was thinking of Major Iffley's impatient interruptions,
-when his uncle started his favourite topic before him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let the natives alone, St. Faine. They are the
-most exclusive set on earth. It is all labour in vain,
-I tell you."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The road by which they reached the Rana's castle
-was very picturesque, shaded here and there by grand
-old forest trees and great clumps of waving bamboos.
-The village houses were very low, and their peaked
-thatched roofs covered with a climbing plant with
-melon-like leaves. Clusters of tamarind trees secured
-the necessary shade. Two men were ploughing in a
-field, and three more were idly watching their work.
-Several women were scouring their brass pans; at
-their feet lay their babies, cooing or fretting. Some
-graceful girls were drawing water at the village
-well. There was a native musician with his sitar,
-and a group of listeners round him, some smoking,
-and others playing a native game with little bits of
-wood.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They lifted up their eyes and saw the English
-party approaching. The women snatched up their
-infants and ducked under the mats, which serve for
-doors to their huts, as if to be seen were to be killed.
-The girls by the trickling water under the tamarind
-trees muffled up their faces and waddled away as
-fast as they could. To walk like a goose is a Hindu
-girl's desire. The very children, intent upon the
-manufacture of dust-pies, jumped up and hid
-themselves; whilst the men started, gave a pull at their
-clothes, pushed the sitar out of sight, threw away
-their pipes, and stood in a row, bowing like so many
-machines, humble, shy, and mute.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The deputy's benevolent face wore nothing but
-smiles; but the poor creatures had received little but
-cruelty from the hands of foreigners for so many
-generations, they could hardly believe in a stranger's
-kindness. The headman of the village had bustled
-off to put on his company clothes, which he kept
-very carefully for state occasions.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He looked as if he had wrapped himself in a clean
-sheet; all his dignity lay in his belt, which had
-served his grandfather before him. However, he had
-found his tongue, as the children say, and came to
-meet the deputy with a string of compliments as
-extravagant as they were meaningless. Just then the
-long-drawn, quavering notes of some huge horns,
-drawing nearer and nearer, announced the approach
-of the Rana, who was coming to meet his visitors.
-Presently they saw him sweeping down the castle
-hill in his bullock-chariot, all brightness and gilding.
-Four of his men were holding over his head a huge
-scarlet umbrella with long glittering fringes; several
-more were running by his side. A small band of
-horsemen preceded this stately chariot, sounding their
-big brass trumpets from time to time; and behind
-it came a motley procession of his chief followers
-and relations. In the midst of them Oliver detected
-that fat boy he was so certain he must dislike.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="a-visit-to-the-rana-s-castle"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER X.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">A VISIT TO THE RANA'S CASTLE.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The deputy being the chief of the English
-party, was pressed to take a seat in the
-chariot by the Rana's side. Then the runners and
-the riders turned their faces, and the long procession
-wound its way up the castle hill. All the dogs
-in the village collected to bark at the heels of the
-departing horsemen, and bright little eyes peeped
-round the corners to see them go. Then the girls
-returned to their pitchers, and the men to their music
-and play.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The strong and time-worn castle was all of stone,
-with rich, deep balconies and oriel windows. The
-carving of the stone screens which protected them
-was as delicate as point lace. Behind those splendid
-screens the ladies of the family were peeping as
-furtively and shyly as the village children, and quite as
-anxious to see without being seen. All Kathleen's
-attention was taken up by the dear little gray
-monkeys, who were playing at hide-and-seek with each
-other through the beautiful tracery. Some noise
-within sent them off with a scamper. Their leader
-called them round him; and Kathleen soon saw them
-busy as ever in the court below, turning over stones,
-and hunting out beetles and scorpions, which they
-caught by the tail. The biggest of them was about
-the size of a bull-terrier; and their babies were the
-dearest little sweets in the world.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was slow work defiling one by one across the
-bridge which spanned the stream in front of the
-castle. Mrs. Desborough and the children had entered
-the large, untidy court some minutes before Mr. Desborough
-and Oliver arrived; so they waited, looking
-round them at the novel scene. In the centre of the
-court there was a large group of horses picketed,
-who seemed very much annoyed by the descent of
-the small gray plagues from the balcony, who showed
-no respect for stamping hoofs or kicking heels. All
-round the court there were rows of straw-thatched
-huts and sheds, where the servants lived, next door
-to the animals in their charge. There were lynxes,
-kept for hunting hares; and splendid spotted leopards,
-tamed, and tied to strong posts, each with a leather
-hood over its eyes, to keep it from springing
-unawares. More than a hundred dogs of different
-kinds were kennelled in their midst. The yelling
-and the barking which arose on all sides so terrified
-Mrs. Desborough, that she positively refused to get
-out of her dandy or suffer Horace to be taken from
-her arms, although he roared in concert with all his
-might; so her bearers rested in front of the flight of
-white steps leading to the porch of the castle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A group of servants had gathered round them—looking
-very haughty in their clean white dresses
-and turbans—who were announcing the arrival of
-the guests with eager cries.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When Mr. Desborough's puggaree appeared beneath
-the gateway arch, one of the peons stepped forward
-with his mace in his hand to meet him; and behind
-the peon, on the topmost step, stood the
-guest-receivers of the Rana—two fat little old men,
-dressed all in white—bowing low, and inviting him
-to enter.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But no; Mr. Desborough must first of all reassure
-his terrified wife and pacify his screaming boy.
-Oliver thought it only manly to follow his example,
-and stepped up to the other dandy, expecting to find
-Kathleen in a similar state. The ayah was leaning
-forward, with her finger on her lips to enjoin
-silence, and Kathleen was gazing breathlessly in her
-face.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Hush!" she whispered, pointing to one of the
-Rana's men, who stood staring at Horace, as
-Mr. Desborough lifted him up, with a scared, startled
-look, as if he had seen some marvellous prodigy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>What was the fellow saying? The ayah knew,
-and Kathleen more than guessed. She had been
-learning Indi from her ayah ever since Rattam's visit.
-She understood it better than Oliver; a great deal
-better than her mother. She was trying to get out
-of the dandy in her impatience.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let me go! let me go!" she entreated. "I must
-go to papa."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough was looking round to see if she
-were all right. He relinquished Horace to the ayah,
-and gave his arm to his wife.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I'll take care of Kathleen," said Oliver, with the
-air of a grandfather. But she tried to escape from
-him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I must tell papa," she persisted.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Nonsense!" he urged; "you can't."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He led her up the steps resolutely.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Which are the Ranee's apartments?" asked
-Mr. Desborough of the servants.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"They are in that direction looking east; but we
-cannot point them out," was the deferential reply,
-with a horrified look, as if to be guilty of such
-rudeness as pointing out the window of a lady's room
-would indeed have been unparalleled.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But then they all entertained a private opinion
-that these English sahibs were utterly incomprehensible,
-and on some points downright lunatics.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen turned round, and pointing to the jogie,
-who still stood staring after them, she whispered to
-Oliver, "That is the man. He was looking at
-Horace, and he said, 'I saw that child last night
-come down the koond on a booraba'—that is a wolf,
-you know."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Is it?" said Oliver, who did not happen to know
-that booraba was Indi for "wolf." "Well," he
-continued, "it is certain he did not see your brother
-there."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, not Horace," she cried, clasping her hands
-passionately; "but could it—could it be Carl?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She was forced to be silent now. They were
-entering the Rana's hall of audience, a huge room,
-thirty feet high, with a gallery at one end, and at the
-other a much smaller, narrower room, with carved
-marble arches and glittering walls.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Here they saw the Rana himself, seated upon a
-large, low sofa, with the deputy by his side; and
-Aglar, as still and motionless as a lizard, was sitting
-cross-legged at his feet. A few stout old gentlemen,
-swathed in costly shawls, looked as if they were
-propped up against the wall, on English chairs. They
-had come to see the sahibs, and the Rana thought it
-only complimentary to provide English seats when
-English visitors were expected; but his uncles and
-brothers seemed to find them singularly uncomfortable.
-They balanced themselves on the edge of the
-chairs, and threw their heads back with great
-solemnity. But what to do with their arms seemed the
-difficulty. One old gentleman stuck his against his
-sides, and spread out all his fingers; another was
-vainly trying to rest his hands on his knees without
-leaning forward.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Horace began to point at them and laugh, and
-Oliver was nearly as bad, in spite of his uncle's frown.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Beneath the marble arches there were long flights
-of steps leading down to the gardens, which were
-overlooked by the back of the zenana, or ladies'
-rooms. The carefully-screened balconies looked like
-one splendid mass of stone lace. In the centre of the
-gardens there was an artificial lake, fed by the
-mountain stream, where golden fish were leaping in
-the sunlight, and stately swans were gliding. Around
-its banks, and almost built out into the water, at
-equal distances, there were white marble kiosks, or
-arbours; and high above the stately trees and
-luxurious wealth of flowers the jagged red cliffs were
-frowning. Mrs. Desborough was lost in admiration
-as she was pompously conducted down the snowy
-steps, across the velvet grass, to a low door leading
-to the Ranee's apartments, the ayah following with
-Horace, riding on his little saddle, and Kathleen
-shyly tripping by her side.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The low door was unfastened, and they entered a
-dark passage, with an earthen floor, leading to a long
-staircase, which was very dirty. The contrast to the
-hall of audience was so great, Mrs. Desborough
-thought there was some mistake, when out they
-stepped upon the cool and shadowy balcony. Little
-dark heads, with snowy whiskers, came poking
-through the interstices of the stone-work, to watch
-the English children, and absurd-looking monkey
-mothers tossed up their babies and jabbered unceasingly.
-The folding-doors of the Ranee's sitting-room
-stood wide open. Its Eastern loveliness was spoiled
-by some smart-looking English tables and
-looking-glasses, of which the Ranee was very proud. She
-was seated upon a velvet cushion, with her little girls
-by her side, and her servants standing round her.
-The Hindu lady looked so stately and calm and stern,
-as she surveyed her visitors with a fixed, cold stare,
-Kathleen was almost afraid of her. Her long black
-hair was twisted into a sort of coronet, fastened by a
-silver buckle, and set with large silver bosses. Her
-fixed and haughty eyes were dark with excessive
-brightness. Her proud, curving lips and set white
-teeth seemed as if they could scarcely permit the
-word of welcome to pass between them. A little
-girl, as beautiful as her mother, was leaning against
-her, and on the other side an elder sister sat with her
-arm round her mother's waist, embowered in shawls
-and her own long, dark, waving curls. They were
-still more fascinating children than their brothers.
-All the force and fire of the family seemed to have
-centred in its females. But the youngest girl hid her
-face in her mother's lap, and the other only ventured
-on a sidelong glance at the strangers—evidently
-terrified at Horace, who was manfully kicking at his
-ayah's waist. The sight of a splendid doll Mrs. Desborough
-was unpacking drew the shy little Orientals
-from their mother's side. The ayah was interpreter.
-Whilst the ladies were admiring each other's children,
-Kathleen took the doll on her lap, and showed the
-little sisters how to dress and undress it. Then they
-sent for their own dolls, and displayed the mystery of
-their tinselled robes and gossamer veils. Here at
-least was common ground. And perhaps those little
-Hindus loved their dolls even more than Kathleen
-did, for they had scarcely any other pleasure in their
-dull life; for while their brothers were made so
-much of by every one, nobody wanted them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The gentlemen remained in the hall of audience,
-where the cup-filler and the hookah-filler were in
-attendance. Oliver had the best of it; for although
-he could do nothing but laugh at Rattam, in his
-saffron-coloured satin dress, and flowered silk trousers,
-and his turban hung round with tigers' teeth set in
-gold, not to mention his bracelets and chains, he found
-him a cleverer boy than himself. They went together
-into the Rana's armoury; and whilst Rattam was
-showing him swords of fabulous value, from the jewels in
-their hilts, and helmets of the strangest shapes
-imaginable, Oliver decided he was not half a duffer after all.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They were entering the room where the Rana kept
-his clocks; for he had a perfect passion for clocks, and
-had accumulated some dozens—French, Dutch, English,
-and American, all ticking. Oliver thought this a bit
-of a bore. "Couldn't we have a stroll out of doors?"
-he asked. Rattam agreed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver gave a tug at his own hair. It was a habit
-of his when he felt uncertain what to do. But the
-momentary hesitation passed over. He turned to
-Rattam and said, "Do you know that Mr. Desborough
-lost a child a month or two ago? it was carried off by
-a wolf."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Ah!" interrupted Rattam.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"One of your fellows was saying something about
-a child in the jungle as we rode into your court. I
-want to ask him what it was," continued Oliver. "I'll
-tell you all about the loss of the poor little thing as
-we go along."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Leave that to me," replied Rattam, waving his
-hand with the air of a prince. "You would scarcely
-understand the jogie's tale if you heard it. Our
-people are very imaginative. It may be nothing but
-moonshine and shadow. Leave it to me. Before you
-quit the castle, all he has to tell shall be known."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The boys had broken the ice of ceremony in which
-their elders were freezing, and agreeing that it would
-be cruelty to raise false hopes by speaking a word too
-soon to either Mr. or Mrs. Desborough, they parted.
-Oliver returned to the hall, to sit in irksome silence,
-while Rattam speedily vanished. The old gentlemen
-by the wall looked as if they were longing to slip off
-their chairs on to the floor, and take a rest after their
-own fashion. The appearance of the attendants with
-trays of sweetmeats was a welcome diversion.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The five shawl bundles munched contentedly,
-mumbling a word or two now and then, when another
-servant appeared carrying a vase of most overpowering
-scent. He made a dart at Mr. Desborough's handkerchief
-and deluged it. Oliver's not being quite so
-handy, he received a dab on the sleeve of his jacket,
-where it remained to torment him for many a long
-day, by its overpowering perfume, which nothing could
-get rid of. The deputy's handkerchief was forthcoming
-in a moment. Like a prudent man who knew
-what he had to expect, he had provided himself with
-a second; and when he received it again well saturated,
-he quietly dropped it on the floor. Aglar was at play
-with his ball in the gardens, tossing it up to the
-balcony through which his little sisters and Kathleen
-were peeping, when Rattam reappeared.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He was anxious to show the young sahibs the wild
-beasts in the gardens; not only Oliver, but Horace also.
-That unmanageable young gentleman was clamouring
-for the ball, which bounded high over Aglar's head;
-so that Rattam's proposition was thankfully acceded
-to by all parties. The boys visited the dark dens,
-with their paved floors, well sluiced with water from
-the lake, which were built at intervals in the midst
-of myrtle bowers and clustering roses, and watched
-the fierce striped tigers, growling behind the strong
-iron bars which enclosed the front of the dens.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Rattam drew Oliver aside. "It is a tale of magic,"
-he whispered, "in which all our people believe, but
-yours do not. Yet the beebee Desborough must possess
-some powerful charms. Think of the breastplate she
-gave my brother! A bit of sticky paper, but
-possessing such virtue."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Bosh!" muttered Oliver. "It was a plaster, wasn't
-it?" and he laughed heartily.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"These charms that I wear," continued Rattam, touching
-the loops of tigers' teeth in his turban and the silver
-chains round his neck, "will keep me from all evil,
-unless I destroy their power by some act of my own."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then," retorted Oliver, "I should call them
-reminders to do right and fear no evil."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Ah, you English have such different ideas to ours!"
-said Rattam. "But I have sent for an old man from
-the village—a hunter who has roamed the forests all
-his life. He knows the footprint of every animal
-that lives in them. I will send him into the jungle
-to see if there is a wild child about; such things do
-occasionally happen, as our people know."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Rattam had been working hard at his English since
-he brought the fruit and flowers to Mrs. Desborough,
-and he was an apt scholar; but he learned it all from
-books. As they were speaking, a remarkable old man
-entered the gardens, and approached Rattam, bowing
-to the ground.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-footprint"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XI.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">THE FOOTPRINT.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>"There he is!" said Rattam, waving his hand
-grandly. "Look at him well. Did you
-ever see such eyes? He is Tara Ghur, the oldest
-shikaree, or hunter, among the hills, and he does what
-few beside himself would dare to do. He goes alone
-into the forest for days, marking the tracks of the
-game, that he may know which way to lead the
-hunting-parties. He was ready to start when I sent
-for him."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver looked curiously at the wiry figure before
-him, so unlike the rest of the Rana's servants. His
-eyes were light blue, with a piercing glance and a
-flash like burnished steel. His cap and waistcloth
-were a dull greeny brown, that yet approached to
-yellow in the sunlight. In fact, it was so exactly
-the same hue as the parched and dying leaves in the
-drought of summer, that when he was creeping among
-the bushes he could scarcely be distinguished from
-them. He carried a light bamboo over his shoulder,
-with a small water-pot slung at one end, and a skin
-of atta, or meal, at the other. This was all the food
-he took with him. His hunting-knife was in his
-hand, as if he had been trying its edge, but he stuck
-it in his belt and lowered his rusty matchlock to do
-honour to the son of his chief.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"He has the true Tartar eye," continued Rattam,
-"gifted with a power of sight that can detect the
-smallest speck in the distance and recognize it at
-once, no matter how far off it is or how queer it
-looks. He is never deceived, and we have never
-known him make a mistake. Now tell him what
-you like."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver did not trust much to his own scant stock
-of Indi. He caught up the ball and sent it bounding
-before him. This, as he expected, set off Horace
-running after it, whilst Aglar called out to his bearer
-to pick up his "golee."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Down tumbled Horace. Oliver pulled him up, and
-taking off his hat, showed him to the shikaree. The
-old man surveyed him curiously.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Child like this carried off by booraba. Search
-for any trace of it. Reward sure," said Oliver,
-asking Rattam to repeat his words for fear old Tara
-should not understand.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He did so, adding, "Search in the koonds by the
-ruined temple."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The old man's keen eye glittered as he salaamed to
-the very ground.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver turned round to the fat boy in his silks and
-satins, and shook him warmly by the hand until he
-made the twining, serpent-shaped bracelets jingle.
-"We are going to be chums after this," he said.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Chums!" repeated Rattam; "what are they?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Friends, if you like it better," retorted Oliver.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Friends! ah, that I understand. That is good,"
-replied the young chieftain, taking Oliver's hand
-between his own in his Eastern fashion. Happily for
-Oliver, no little bag of musk was near to drop into
-it. He was perfumed past all endurance already by
-"that beggar with the scent-bottle."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now," cried Oliver, "I should like to be off with
-the old man. I'm good for a ten-mile walk any day.
-What say you? Could we be back again before my
-uncle starts?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Rattam drew himself up with dignity. "It would
-hardly become me to walk," he said with emphasis.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver's impatient shrug was cut short by a
-summons to the hall of audience. The deputy was going.
-It was Rattam's turn to sigh, for he was as weary
-of perching on a chaukee, or chair, as Oliver was of
-the scent-bottle. He managed to draw up one leg
-unseen by his tutor.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough was amused to discover the
-fabulous powers attributed to her, and soothed the Ranee's
-disappointment by sketching the three little girls as
-they stood together in the flickering light and shade
-cast from the fretwork of the balcony.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But now the word passed round that the sahib was
-going. A breath of life entered into the five shawl
-bundles. Rattam's other foot found its way to the floor.
-In walked the two stout gentlemen in white with a
-tray of wreaths. Oliver espied the scent-bottle in the
-back-ground, and thought about flight. The Rana took
-up a splendid wreath of weeping jessamine, with its
-pure white blossoms trailing loosely over his outspread
-arm, and dropped it solemnly over the deputy's head.
-He, poor man, was doing his utmost to preserve his
-gravity, and half succeeded. But Mr. Desborough's
-utterly failed when a superb circlet of white and
-orange </span><em class="italics">immortelles</em><span> found its way to his neck. He
-took refuge in a fit of coughing, which approached
-strangulation when he caught sight of Horace's face.
-The little fellow was just brought in from the gardens,
-and stared with wide-open eyes, literally struck dumb
-by his father's absurd appearance. For the five by
-the wall gravely left their chairs and followed the
-Rana's example, until Mr. Desborough's shirt front
-was lost to sight beneath the multitude of garlands.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The band was gathering in the porch, and the
-pompous peons were waiting.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Good-night, gentlemen," said the deputy, shaking
-hands all round.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"By your honour's condescension, may your slaves
-be reserved in health," replied the five, salaaming to
-the ground, and they followed him to the top of the
-steps, where the Rana was standing.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The tomtoms and trumpets struck up with a sudden
-blare as the horses were led forward.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver squeezed Rattam's hand as he whispered his
-last question, "When will the shikaree get back?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I shall send him to you," answered Rattam; and
-they parted.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough and the children were already in
-their dandies, crossing the bridge, as the horses
-cantered out of the castle gate sniffing the cool hill
-breezes.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"In pity, free me from this rubbish, boy," sighed
-the deputy, turning to his nephew; when he beheld
-ten coolies running behind them, carrying between
-them jars of sweetmeats slung upon bamboos—a
-parting gift from the Rana.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Uncle," said Oliver in a low voice, "I have
-something to tell you."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Whilst Mr. Desborough shunted wreath after wreath
-into his wife's lap, shaking himself after each surrender
-like a dog emerging from the water, Oliver was
-explaining to his uncle about Rattam and the shikaree.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Horace was fast asleep, and Kathleen's eyes were
-blinking, when they reached the bungalow.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Cheer up, little woman!" whispered Oliver, as he
-bade her good-night; "Master Gravity, in his saffron
-satin, is going to find out what his fellows have really
-seen."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You shall have my bird!" she exclaimed in her
-rush of gratitude.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Nonsense, you silly little goose! You must not
-give away a keepsake. Do you think I am like those
-dusky beggars on the hill? My hands are empty
-enough, ready for work, and I mean to keep them
-so," retorted Oliver, stretching them out with intense
-satisfaction to prove the truth of his words.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He did not see her again, for by daybreak the
-Desboroughs were all </span><em class="italics">en route</em><span> for home, sweet home.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>How happy the children were to see the many-gabled
-roof once more, embowered as usual in an
-ever-increasing mass of foliage and flowers, and
-replete with joyous life in every corner! The owl still
-sat in the entrance of his hole, blinking benevolently
-at Kathleen and Horace as they took their first run
-round the wide, cool veranda hand in hand, just to
-see if all the old pets were safe. Kites and hoopoes
-and blue jays were screaming and croaking to their
-hearts' content.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The ayah called Kathleen to look at her billee, as
-she called the kitten, which had grown immensely in
-their absence. Then she lifted up Horace to watch
-the gitchree, or squirrel, leaping from bough to bough
-among the garden trees, and to listen to the cooing of
-the jangalee, or wood-pigeon.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The dark faces of the gardener and the bhisti
-appeared at unexpected corners, with new treasures they
-had been saving for the little beebee.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>One had tamed a moongus, a cat-like creature as big
-as a greyhound, and excellent for rats and mice, and
-equally good for cockroaches and many another insect
-pest which life in India knows only too much about.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Its soft gray coat and arching back, and all its
-amusing ways, won a smile from mamma as it ran
-about the house, sniffing at every new thing, and
-examining every hole and corner with the greatest
-curiosity. Finally, it set to work with teeth and
-claw, and dug itself a subterranean retreat by the
-door-step, where it could munch its dinner undisturbed
-by the liberties of its many neighbours. It was so
-clean, mamma had not a word to say against it. So
-with that and Kathleen's mina, who was trusted to
-leave his cage whenever he liked, the children had
-plenty of amusement, and the first few days at home
-sped rapidly away.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>One evening, when they were returning from their
-walk, Kathleen with Sailor by her side, and a coolie
-holding an umbrella over them both, they were hailed
-by Oliver, who was driving in his uncle's boondee (a
-hooded gig drawn by two oxen) to the gates of the
-indigo factory. A long train of native carts, creaking
-under their load of indigo pulp, were waiting to enter.
-One ghareewan, or carter, had brought a rumour that
-a fair child had been seen by some hunters in the
-jungle. The tale had passed from lip to lip, until it
-had reached Mr. Desborough, who was pacing his
-office floor in unwonted agitation.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver sprang out of the chaise and made his way
-through the press with most unusual energy for India.
-He entered the labyrinth of straw-thatched sheds,
-passed the great crushing-mill, which a party of
-half-dressed men were treading, and got splashed by the
-dark-blue stream issuing from it. Never mind; on
-he pressed, inquiring for the sahib. He was almost
-deafened by the hissing and sputtering of the steam
-from the huge boiling vat, when he became aware
-that on all sides the men were rushing from their
-work, and pointing to a dark reddish cloud that had
-suddenly appeared in the north.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He could not tell in the least what all this uproar
-could mean, so he tried to edge his way through the
-crowd of hideous blue figures who were gesticulating
-and screaming at their loudest. Then they began to
-snatch up the stones around them, which they poised
-in their hands as if prepared to hurl them at the skies.
-Oliver thought of a riot, and was thankful to
-perceive Mr. Desborough himself step out from one of
-the numerous sheds and glance hurriedly around.
-Just then a stick struck Oliver on the head. He
-looked round; a second was thrown at him. The men
-had not sent it, for it came from an opposite direction.
-He glanced upwards; another was hurled at his back.
-He did not like that at all. In spite of the agitation
-visible in Mr. Desborough's manner, he began to laugh
-as Oliver tried to run from his unseen persecutors, and
-pointed to the roof of a great shed out of which the
-busy workers were rushing pell-mell. Oliver looked
-up, and saw a troop of black-faced monkeys, big
-fellows three or four feet high, clambering over it. They
-caught his eye at last, and then the shower was
-renewed in earnest. He saw their switching tails and
-grinning teeth. And oh, the chattering and jabbering
-from five-and-twenty monkeys in a passion was
-something very tremendous indeed! Oliver gathered
-up a handful of the sticks which were showered around
-him, and shied them back again.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Stop, stop, my lad!" shouted Mr. Desborough.
-"Throwing at monkeys will not do. Come in here."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver darted into the counting-house, fully
-believing the riot he had been anticipating among the men
-was already in full swing among the monkeys.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"They are hunimans, my boy, the most sacred of
-all the monkey tribe. Had you hurt one of them you
-might have paid for it with your life. Timid and
-peaceable as my men appear, they would have mobbed
-you in a moment," exclaimed Mr. Desborough.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Peaceable!" repeated Oliver; "why, they are
-yelling like furies."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, they are watching the locusts. Can't you see
-them coming?" replied Mr. Desborough, pointing to
-the rapidly-moving cloud, which seemed extending
-itself in every direction, darkening the air as it came.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Strange," said the boy; "but I have something
-here for you that is stranger still."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As he was speaking Oliver unpacked a lump of
-clayey earth, and showed it to him with an elation he
-could scarcely conceal.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Look at that, Mr. Desborough. Do you see those
-marks? What are they?" he demanded breathlessly.
-"The print of a child's foot," he added, after a
-momentary pause. "The most sagacious hunter among
-the hills dug it up two nights ago at the entrance of
-the koond by the ruined temple. It is proof positive
-that a wild child is wandering in the jungle. Can it
-be your lost little one?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The father's hand trembled as he held up the lump
-of earth to the fast-decreasing light.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Send for Iffley!" he exclaimed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"He is waiting for you, Mr. Desborough—waiting
-at my uncle's with the wonderful old man who dug
-up the footprint. We have gathered the most
-experienced beaters and trackers from the villages round.
-By the time we reach my uncle's bungalow he will
-have everything ready to beat the koond."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough waited to hear no more. He was
-already striding across the open space between the
-sheds towards his home. Oliver hurried after him.
-The sky above them was darkened by a fluttering host
-of beating wings. Look which way they would, the
-air was thick with locusts, appearing like dark-red
-spots in the increasing gloom, but white as snowflakes
-where the sunlight still lingered.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The fearful hullaballoo the factory-workers were
-making to prevent the locusts settling down was
-caught up and redoubled by every ghareewan at the
-factory gate. The living cloud that now completely
-overhung the place was slowly and surely descending.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Up went the shower of stones, forcing it to rise
-some feet into the air and flutter further.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The men knew well if the locusts were once permitted
-to settle, not a green leaf would be left in the
-village, and the sahib's garden would become a barren
-waste before sunrise.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The exceeding singularity of the sight, which held
-Mrs. Desborough spell-bound on her veranda, was
-altogether lost upon her husband, who saw nothing but his
-children slowly returning from their evening stroll,
-like all the rest of the world, gazing upwards. Oliver
-alone cast a wary eye at the monkeys, who, having
-given the young stranger notice to quit in their most
-peremptory fashion, were making off again to rob the
-nearest fruit-shop whilst its owner stood gazing at the
-wondrous insect army hovering in mid-air.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough snatched his boy from under the
-ayah's arm, pulled off his shoes and socks, and bade
-him stamp his feet with all his might on the garden bed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough called out in horror, for she thought
-some one of the myriad insects in earth or air would
-be sure to dart a fiery sting into the pretty "pink,
-five-beaded sole."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Determined to spare her the burning suspense which
-Mr. Desborough was telling himself was sure to end
-in the bitterest disappointment, he would not let
-Oliver enter the compound.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Iffley has sent for me," was all the explanation he
-volunteered as he seized the gardener's spade, and dug
-up the clod upon which Horace had been stamping.
-He dared not tell her more, for he saw too plainly her
-grief for the missing little one was sapping her life.
-Any sudden shock and a spasm at the heart might
-snatch her from him in a moment.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="beating-the-koond"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XII.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">BEATING THE KOOND.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>As the boondee, with its two Mysore oxen, came
-in sight, Major Iffley, who had been watching
-for it at the gate of the deputy's compound, rode out
-to meet it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Come, old boy," he said to Mr. Desborough; "we
-are only waiting for you. Marching orders have been
-out an hour or more. Come in and change your coat.
-No use going on an errand like ours in any colour
-but dead-leaf brown. St. Faine has got one waiting
-for you. Only be quick, for the brutes have not yet
-left their lair, and we have a four-mile ride to reach it."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Out sprung Mr. Desborough. Dare he put so much
-faith in a few faint marks on a crumbling clod? Yet
-he was the first in the saddle as the hunting-train
-set forth from Runnangore. A most singular sight
-awaited them. As they looked down into the
-valleys they saw them filled with fluttering wings, and
-every mountain height encircled by its reddish cloud.
-All locusts, and nothing but locusts. Vultures and
-kites flew about in great disorder. A cold breeze
-from the hills told of the probability of a coming
-storm. In sheltered places the oppression in the air
-was awful. The locusts called off the attention of the
-men, but they also concealed them from the keen,
-bright eyes that were waking up with thoughts of
-evening prey.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>As they drew nearer the hills, the ground became
-so rough and broken the horses began to stumble.
-There was nothing for it but to dismount, leave the
-horses with the grooms, and proceed on foot. Tara
-Ghur, the old hunter with the wonderful Tartar eye,
-took the lead. On, on they crept in perfect silence,
-until they perceived the sheen of a pool of water
-sparkling at their feet. It lay at the base of a
-projecting spur of rock, and was overlooked by the
-picturesque ruins of a native temple. It was small, and
-overgrown with tall tropical weeds. The flight of
-steps to the temple court was half buried in mud.
-The white pillars of the colonnade which surrounded
-it were still unbroken, but the dome above the shrine
-had fallen in. Yew and cypress flourished on the
-spot where Hindu suppliants were used to bring their
-offerings to Mata Devee, the dreaded goddess of
-destruction.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>How strange Oliver felt it to be living in a land
-where idols abound! One by one they climbed the
-broken stair, and gathering round the prostrate figure
-of the fallen idol, arranged their plan. From this
-ascent they looked down upon the sombre depths of
-the rugged koond. Round the shoulder of the hill, on
-the other side, was the entrance to a similar gorge.
-Tara Ghur led them towards the one in which he had
-dug up the footprint. He sent the jogies forward
-one after the other, like a living ladder, until they
-reached the topmost height of the precipice at the back
-of the koond.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Another division, who were to act as scouts, climbed
-the trees, some of them warily venturing further and
-further into the leafy abyss, leaping like monkeys
-from bough to bough.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough, the deputy, and the major took
-up their position where the opening was the narrowest,
-so that no living thing hiding within the darkest
-recesses could rush out unseen. Mr. Desborough and
-the deputy were on one side; the major, Oliver, and
-the old shikaree on the other. The space between
-them was scarcely more than fifty yards across. Old
-Tara had marked the trees commanding the surest
-outlook. Mr. Desborough was the first to mount to
-his post of observation. The hunter handed him up
-his loaded gun.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, no," said the father; "no firing."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No firing!" repeated the major. "Then how do
-you expect to recover the child from a pack of raging
-wolves? Face the truth like a man, Desborough.
-If your boy is alive in this jungle, some wolf has
-adopted him, and it will guard that child with all the
-affectionate fidelity of a noble-hearted dog."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Ah! but you need the true, clear eye and unerring
-hand of a William Tell. Not one of us possesses them.
-No, no; I dare not suffer a single shot to be fired,"
-answered the father desperately.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Well," interposed the deputy soothingly, "nothing
-of the sort may be necessary. We are not yet sure
-this child, if child there be, is yours. Trust us, we
-have come to save it, not to hurt it. Still, I say, we
-must rescue it at all risks."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Time, sahib, time presses," urged the shikaree.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They climbed into their appointed places. The
-deputy and Mr. Desborough on their side commanded
-the better view. Then the jogies began their work
-at the back of the koond, hurling down fragments of
-rock and stones, striking and crashing among the
-trees, beating tomtoms and howling with all their
-might. The terrific row they made was repeated by
-the hollow echoes from the opposite side of the
-winding gorge, and was enough to scare even bears and
-tigers from their sleep.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The shouts redoubled. A tiny white flag, waving
-on the top of a long bamboo, fluttered above the
-tree-tops. It was the signal from the jogies on the heights.
-Something had been viewed. All the father's life
-seemed centring in his eye and ear. The cry of the
-jackals was beginning. The scream of the owls was
-echoed back from the temple ruins, where the bats
-were wheeling in endless circles. Then up rose the
-moon, flooding the temple hill with its silvery
-radiance, and giving an exaggerated profundity to the
-depths of the ravine. The pool, or jheel, below the
-overhanging rock shone like a burnished shield. In
-the open ground between, which the beasts must cross
-as they were driven out of the koond, any object could
-be clearly seen. Then the scouts who were posted in
-the trees by the sides, each with his matchlock, blazed
-away with powder only, to prevent any of the beasts
-rushing up the steep, and turn them back towards the
-watchers by the entrance. There was a crashing and
-heaving in the thick underwood. A tiger showed and
-hid again in the jow.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver's heart gave a great bound. Oh no, it was
-not fear! But he felt the presence of danger, and his
-cheek grew pale with excitement. Not a shot was
-fired; not a sound escaped them. There must be
-nothing to intimidate the other inmates of the koond
-which might be following. The dead silence was
-broken only by the tiger's grunting. Did it scent its
-foes in the trees around? It did what nothing but
-a tiger could ever do—sent its innocent young cub
-before it into the danger. What a contrast between
-the tiger and the wolf! But for once the unsuspecting
-young one did not fall a sacrifice to its mother's
-selfishness. It ran towards the water, crouching in
-the moonje grass which tigers love so well. Another
-furious onslaught from the jogies, and the mother
-flashed past like lightning, rearing up and roaring as
-it plunged into the jheel. The scouts came down from
-the trees and began to talk. They were half afraid
-the tiger was the only game that would show that
-night. Should they move on to the second koond
-to seek for the wolves? Then Tara Ghur bade all be
-still. His ear detected a movement in the distance—a
-tremor among the leaves, which no one else would
-have perceived. The scouts changed their places,
-flying back to the trees, and blazed away as before.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They were near to that korinda bush, but they did
-not know it. The tiger had started, and the patriarch
-of the wolves gave tongue from the other koond.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough turned away from the darkness
-of the koond to watch the gaunt, lean, savage forms
-that were gathering on the moonlit ground to follow
-the track of the tiger. A movement in the tangle
-around escaped him. But Tara Ghur was aware of
-it. Oliver saw him bend forward, and his eye was
-quick to follow the hunter's. Tara knew that
-something was coming along the track where he dug up
-the footprint.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>That footprint! The father was thinking of it.
-The trace was so slight, yet it was exactly like
-Horace's. His heart was sickening with suspense.
-Were they on a wrong scent, after all? thought the
-major, when out leaped the family from the korinda,
-with answering cries to the leader of the pack, who
-was rushing down the slope. The appalling howls of
-his following, as they gathered from brake and bush,
-might have chilled the stoutest heart. No child was
-there. The tall grass bent and swayed about the tree;
-then a small white form bounded from the midst of it
-like a kangaroo, but the old gray wolf was beside it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Shouts from opposite sides of the ravine gave
-warning that something had been sighted. The small
-white thing dropped in the towering grass. A gun
-was fired. It was Major Iffley's. The wolf had
-pounced upon her nursling. The gun was loaded
-with small shot for the purpose. The major fired
-along the ground. The wolf received the charge in
-her shoulder. They could see her clawing the earth as
-she felt the pain, and then dropped down as if she
-were dead in the tufted grass. They could hear the
-screams of the terrified child.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Carl! Carl!" Mr. Desborough called in coaxing
-tones of fatherly endearment, which rose to command
-as he met with no reply. The scouts were darting
-from point to point, as far as ground and jungle
-permitted. The three friends sprang down from the
-trees, only charging Oliver to stay were he was. They
-loaded their guns with ball, and advanced cautiously
-to within a yard or so of the giant grass tuft. They
-stationed themselves at even distances, that whichever
-way the wolf leaped out they might be ready to
-shoot him sideways through the head, so that the
-ball should not enter the tuft of grass. Their first
-object was to rouse the wolf and make it show. They
-trusted that terror would prevent the child leaving
-the shelter in which it lay concealed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara Ghur had broken off a tall branch from the
-tree in which he had remained, and creeping along
-one of its mighty arms, peered down into the grass,
-but could see nothing. He stirred it up with the
-broken branch, but roused nothing except a screaming
-pea-hen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He leaped to the ground. "The wolf is gone!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"But the child—the child!" gasped Mr. Desborough,
-laying down his gun and forcing his way into the
-tangled mass. No child was there. The wolf had
-doubled upon them so swiftly and so stealthily, it
-seemed as if the ground had opened to swallow it up.
-The scouts jumped down from their trees, and all
-separated, taking different paths, to try and find which
-way the wolf had gone,—all but the old shikaree
-and Oliver, who was still aloft. Mr. Desborough was
-foremost; he no longer waited for the hunter's
-guidance. Yes, he had seen his child. He believed now
-it was his fair-haired boy. He had seen him and lost
-him again. The thought was madness. The major,
-gun in hand, kept close beside him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara Ghur, who seemed, like the owl, to possess the
-power of seeing in the dark, was tracing the way the
-wolf had come, not the path by which it had fled from
-them.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver, beginning to be afraid of being left behind
-in so wild a spot, climbed down again and followed the
-hunter, who was the last to leave it. The sailor-boy
-had climbed so high into his tree, thinking to gain
-a more commanding view, that he had not seen all
-that was taking place at its foot. Having first met
-Oliver in the company of the Rana's son, old Tara
-Ghur regarded him with something of the devotion
-and respect he felt for his native chief. He knew
-the boy was safest by his side, and invited him by
-gesture to follow. So the two crept on through the
-pathless wild no foot but theirs had ever penetrated.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>If Oliver had found it hard work forcing his way
-with Gobur through the grass clump by the river, it
-was nothing to the task before him now. There were
-sudden drops into unseen nullahs, or watercourses,
-and a dangerous climb in the darkness up the steep
-bank, facing rolling stones from the jagged heights
-above. Now and again their only course was to climb
-the trees, and swing themselves from bough to bough.
-But through it all the hunter traced out the path
-of the wolf with an unerring dexterity that was
-perfectly marvellous to Oliver, tracking its course to the
-sweeping boughs of the deserted korinda bush.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The bones about the gray wolf's home were gnawed
-and dry. It was evident the hungry mother had
-suppered her young family on snails and field-mice;
-and she must have gone far afield for these, for the
-hunting-grounds about the hairy nest had been
-clearing fast of late. Old Tara tried to explain his
-purpose, but Oliver did not half understand. He could
-only watch what the hunter was doing, and second
-his efforts whenever he could.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Child been here, sahib!" exclaimed Tara Ghur
-suddenly, after carefully groping round and round
-the well-made lair.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But their object was to capture, not to kill, and
-Oliver began to wonder more and more how this
-could ever be effected.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The shikaree paused in perplexity. He had passed
-his life among the wildest fastnesses of the district.
-He had watched the ways of the living creatures who
-lorded it there. He had studied the tastes, habits,
-and disposition of every creature in the forest. He
-was well aware the wolves would draw to their lair
-with the return of day, and prepared to watch the
-night out by the korinda bush. Then a sudden
-thought seemed to strike him. He sprang up and
-began anew to examine the ground around the path
-the wolf had chosen. A deep hole, the burrow of
-some wild animal, gave him intense satisfaction. He
-heaved aside the decaying arm of a tree which had
-fallen across it. Oliver came to his help, and adding
-his strength to that of the wiry hunter, they dislodged
-it altogether, and laid the burrow open.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver saw that it was a dangerous pitfall, and
-wondered what was to be done with it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara leaped down and began to enlarge it with the
-hunting-knife he carried in his belt. Then he tore
-off a huge piece of bark from a neighbouring tree,
-and pulled up a shrub by the roots. With this
-impromptu shovel and broom he set himself to clear
-out the loose earth and stones which had collected in
-the bottom of the hole.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver meanwhile was keeping guard over the shikaree's
-skin of meal and the earthen pot, which on this
-particular occasion did not contain water. What it did
-contain he could not imagine, for the edge was sticky
-in the extreme. Before the moon began to wane the
-burrow was enlarged to a good-sized pit. The
-shikaree grew exultant. He beckoned to Oliver to follow
-him, and the two wandered about among the trees
-until they found some giant leaves of a bauhinia
-creeper.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They stripped the stem as far as they could reach,
-and returned with their load of leaves to the edge of
-the pit.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The shikaree spread them on the ground before it.
-Then he smeared them over with the contents of his jar.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What is it?" thought Oliver—"bird lime?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then he saw what the clever old man was about—making
-a wolf-trap.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="caught-in-a-trap"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XIII.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">CAUGHT IN A TRAP.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>Whilst Oliver and the old shikaree were
-working hard in the moonlight, Mr. Desborough
-and his friends were in hot pursuit of the
-flying wolves.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The major, who was the keenest sportsman of the
-three, gave it as his opinion that their wisest course
-was to keep the pack in sight. The wolf with the
-child was rushing from its covert in answer to the
-patriarch's call, and would be sure to join the others
-sooner or later.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Up came some of the jogies, breathless and panting,
-to declare they had heard the cry of the child far up
-the hill, toward the temple ruins. If so, the wolf
-must have been retreating to the second koond, on the
-other side of the hill. The deputy, who was anxious
-to pick up his nephew, turned back to beat it with
-another party of the jogies, who were examining the
-tracks about the jheel.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mind you beat up stream," shouted the major, as
-he sprang into his saddle, prepared to give chase to
-the wolves.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They came up with the pack at the head of a
-valley, where they were picking the bones of a spotted
-deer some tiger had brought down. But no child was
-among them. In a country so full of cover it was
-impossible to say where the little fugitive might be
-hiding. So they posted chakoos, or lookouts, all about,
-to give instantaneous notice if anything showed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In the gray of the dawn, disheartened and weary,
-the friends drew together once again. Hunting-flasks
-were taken out, and counsel held in the weed-grown
-court of the temple.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Our hour is coming," said the major cheerily.
-"Wait until the day is well up, and we shall find the
-child asleep under one of these bushes. Now for
-some lure to make it show. We must beat them all."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"And frighten him into idiocy, if his dawning sense
-has not been scared away already! He knew me no
-longer," exclaimed Mr. Desborough.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Surely he would recognize his mother's voice,"
-put in the deputy.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I dare not risk the torture of suspense like this
-for her; but we might have Kathleen. If he remembers
-anything, it would be Kathleen," answered Mr. Desborough.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Send for her at once without alarming Mrs. Desborough,"
-said the deputy, taking out his pocket-book;
-and scribbling a note to his niece, he despatched his
-syce with it to Runnangore.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>At a very early hour, Bona's dandy appeared once
-more at the gate of the compound at Noak-holly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I have come in the cool of the morning," she said,
-"to fetch your little girl to spend the day at
-Runnangore. You must not refuse her to me, dear
-Mrs. Desborough, for Mr. Desborough wishes her to accept
-my invitation."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But Kathleen did not much like Bona, and did not
-want to go, until Bona whispered, "Hush! not a
-word; but come you must. They are searching for
-Carl in the jungle."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oh how tedious it seemed to wait until the little
-beebee was bathed and dressed!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In the meanwhile Oliver was nodding in his tree,
-waiting for the shikaree's signal. The old man was
-listening for the faintest sound. Not a quiver in the
-bush below escaped him; not the beat of a weary wing
-as the night-birds drew to their haunts; not a tremble
-in the grass at his feet, where the children of the day
-were awaking.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The wind changed with the daybreak, and the wary
-hunter changed his position with it. He swung
-himself from tree to tree, leaving no footprint on the
-ground that the keen scent of the wolf might detect.
-Avoiding the trees where the branches grew low to
-the ground, he stationed the boy at a far greater
-distance than before. Again they watched and
-waited. A few sharp, trotting steps went by, and a
-dhole sprang from the thicket.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Bear," murmured Tara, as the creature turned
-aggressive, and dashing out with a rush upon the
-wild dog, charged him fiercely.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In the noise of their scuffle other sounds were
-lost. But the flap of the vulture's wing, the scream
-of the kite, and the hoarse gobble-gobble of the still
-more numerous turkey-buzzards grew more and more
-distinct as the red light of morning painted the
-eastern sky.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The sun arose, and the furry tyrants of the
-midnight fled before it. The tiger was slumbering in
-the moonje grass he loves so well; the spotted
-leopard chose out his favourite tree, uprising from the
-thickest underwood, and coiled himself up for his
-mid-day rest; the bear trotted off to his den behind the
-fallen rock; the spotted deer roamed freely; and the
-peacocks, with which the jungle abounded, spread
-their glorious tails in the sunlight.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Tara Ghur descended his tree, and signing to
-Oliver to follow, stealthily approached the pit.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The large leaves of the bauhinia creeper and the
-pranes tree, a kind of sycamore, with which he had
-carpeted the path of the wolf, had been trampled
-down and displaced. Some had altogether vanished.
-The old man's eyes were flashing with their steeliest
-blue as he felt success was sure.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Avoiding the remnants of the bird-lime leaves, which
-were strewn about in all directions, he led his young
-companion to the other edge of the pit. Something
-had been caught. The sombre gloom around, the
-perpetual twilight which reigned all day in those deep
-recesses, prevented him from telling what it was. It
-seemed like blanket, not hair, that was covering a
-dark heap in the corner, besmeared with many a leaf.
-There was more than one denizen of the pit. How
-he smiled as he was bending over it! Oliver was
-watching a foolish hare, which came with a light
-bound across the treacherous pathway. As its feet
-touched a well-smeared pranes leaf, they were set
-fast, and not all its frantic endeavours could free
-itself. It rolled over and over, lifting the leaf high
-into the air, as far as its paws could reach. It bit it
-frantically; lips and paw were glued together. It
-struggled harder still to regain its liberty, until it
-became a rolling ball of dirt and leaves, every movement
-bringing it nearer and nearer to the sloping edge
-of the pit, into which it must have fallen if Oliver
-had not caught it in his arms and set it free.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The hunter recalled his attention. A faint sound
-was audible, like the feeble fret of a weary child.
-Oliver's cap went high into the air. Tara reminded
-him of the necessity for silence by laying his finger
-on his lips. Then he took the hunting-knife from his
-belt and felt its edge.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver's eyes were growing more accustomed to the
-all-pervading gloom, and he began to see more clearly.
-He leaned over the edge of the pit. There was the
-wolf crouching in one corner, and a shapeless bundle
-in the other. Many a treacherous leaf was sticking
-fast about the shaggy coat, and one hind leg was
-evidently broken by its fall. Was that a bundle of
-leaves it was cuddling between its fore paws, and
-washing so lovingly despite its pain?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Child found—found!" whispered the old man
-triumphantly, as he returned his knife to his belt and
-began to descend.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Swift as lightning the young sailor-boy slid down
-before him. He guessed the hunter's purpose. He
-saw the gleam of the sharpened blade, and seized the
-old man's arm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No, no; don't kill the wolf!" he entreated.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Maro! maro!" shrieked a voice behind them, and
-a woman's face peeped out of the dirty blanket. The
-jewels round her neck shone like stars in the darkness.
-"Maro!" she reiterated.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Maro." Oliver knew that word—"Kill it." The
-old shikaree was muttering the same. But Oliver
-only grasped his arm the tighter. "Should we be
-harder-hearted than a wolf?" he urged. "What are
-we, if we reward the generosity that spared the
-victim in her very teeth, with the knife?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara Ghur looked at him in astonishment. "But
-the mighty lords that are coming will make it eat
-their bullets," he answered under his breath.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver knew he was arguing with a man who bent
-the knee to hideous idols without number. Yet he
-was a man, and deep down in his heart the law of
-God was written, "Do as you would be done by"—a
-law that is never quite obliterated in any human
-breast, however persistently disobeyed. Although of
-another race, Tara had learned something of the Hindu
-tenderness for animal life, and he listened when
-Oliver still went on: "You have caught the wolf so
-cleverly, Tara. If there is not another hunter in all
-the hills that could do it, I am sure that you can get
-the child away without killing the wolf, if you will
-only try. I want it for Rattam," he added. The last
-argument was all-prevailing. The knife went back
-into the old man's belt. They looked around. Their
-first endeavour was to reassure the unfortunate woman.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She was crossing to Nataban, and had lost her way
-in the jungle, where she had been wandering about all
-night. Her feet slipped on the bird-lime, and she
-fell, as the wolf had fallen, into the hunter's trap,
-where she was forced to remain huddled up in her
-blanket, expecting every moment the brute would
-turn and devour her. But deliverance had come
-with the morning. Her gratitude knew no bounds.
-Oliver scrambled out of the pit, and gave her a hand
-from above, while Tara lifted her up on his shoulder;
-and so between them they dragged her back to the
-daylight, if daylight it might be called.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The dirty blanket was dropped in the pit, and the
-Thibetan woman stood before them in her necklaces
-and rags. Oliver had not forgotten little Kathleen
-and the mountain milkmaid. Could those three
-strings of beads belong to any one else? But he
-dared not stay to question. He left her seated and
-trembling on the root of a tree, and leaped down into
-the pit again. The wolf was blinded by the birdlime,
-but she had heard their voices. Like all wolves
-when caught in a pit, she was completely cowed.
-Instead of offering the least resistance, she stretched
-herself at the bottom of the pit, as if she were dead,
-with her fore paws over her nursling, hiding him all
-she could.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The hunter, who knew what wolves will do under
-such circumstances, guessed it was only pretence.
-She could not get out of the pit herself; and he had
-known wolves artful enough to let him drag them
-out, without showing the slightest sign of life, and
-when he had left them lying on the ground, believing
-they were dead, they would suddenly start up and
-run away.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara Ghur explained this to Oliver as well as he
-could, assuring him in this state she would submit to
-be handled. It was clear she had not attempted to
-touch the woman. Under any other circumstances
-she would have torn her to pieces.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The boy's heart gave a great leap of joy. He saw
-a baby's foot twitching between the outstretched paws.
-Old Tara saw it too. He took from the bosom of his
-loose brown vest, which is the Hindu's pocket, a coil
-of rope, and was tying a slip noose at one end, when
-Oliver guessed his purpose. In another moment the
-noose would have been round the gray wolf's throat.
-Oliver knew the old man was only doing his duty to
-those who had employed him to find the child and
-destroy the wolf, but he could not bear to see him
-kill the noble-hearted creature with the child in her
-paws—the child she had spared and cherished and
-guarded from unimaginable perils all those months!
-"We must, we ought to spare her in our turn," he
-cried, pushing back the noose as far as her jaw.
-"We will muzzle her; that's enough."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But the collar to fix the muzzle was wanting. Oliver
-was wearing knickerbockers and a loose brown blouse,
-belted round his waist. He tore off his belt and
-slipped the buckle down: there was the collar they
-wanted. Whilst Tara still held the ends of the rope,
-securing the wolf's mouth, Oliver slipped his belt
-under her chin, and buckled it firmly at the back of
-her neck. Then they drew the two ends of the rope
-over her forehead and knotted them to the belt, and
-the wolf was securely muzzled. With the end of the
-rope which he still held Tara pulled her backwards,
-and Oliver snatched up the child, all sticky with
-the bird-lime, and covered with the dust and dirt in
-which it had been rolled; but its limbs were warm
-and strong, for it resisted his attempts to hold it.
-He was by far the stronger of the two, but the
-struggle might rouse the wolf to animation. Oliver
-slipped two fingers into his pocket, which he was in
-the habit of filling from the Rana's jars, and pushed
-a bit of the beautiful sweetmeats with which they
-were filled into the tiny mouth. The little creature,
-so long a stranger to the taste of sugar, sucked its
-lips with pleasure. It must have been hungry. He
-fed it with all he had, until Tara came and took it
-from him to carry it out of the pit. Oliver watched
-him scramble to the top with the child in his arms,
-but he did not follow when he saw them safely on
-the bank. There was something else he wanted to
-do. He was not going to leave the wolf down there,
-with a broken leg, to perish slowly from hunger and
-thirst: that would be cruelty indeed. He stood a
-while considering the broken limb.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sahib! sahib!" called the hunter. Oliver's plan
-was made; so he grasped the dusky hand which was
-stretched out to him, and clambered up.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The ragged woman had taken the child in her
-arms, and was trying to rub off some of the dirt
-which covered it with the corner of her chuddar,
-the loose garment the Hindu women wear. Her own
-had once been pink, but had now lost all trace of its
-original colour.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>What child had they found? Was it black or
-white? Who could answer the question in its state
-of dirt in that dim twilight? Had it been so long
-with the wolves that it had learned their ways, or
-had it become dumb with terror? No sound came
-from its lips but a low fret.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Old Tara drew his fingers over its shock of matted
-hair and parted its toes; but its shape was enough
-for him—it was no Hindu. Not one white spot was
-to be seen about it. No matter; the old man was
-confident he had found the lost one.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They were now at the very head of the koond, far
-away from the rest of their party, who were vainly
-beating the bushes about the sloping ground below
-the temple. The long night-watch had made them
-hungry. Tara looked about for a breakfast for his
-companions. The chasm which divided the koond
-had changed to a rushing torrent during the rains,
-and he searched along its banks for the nest of the
-black goose.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Date-trees, which abound in every part of Bengal,
-were not far to seek. He quickly wove himself a
-basket of leaves, and brought back his spoil in
-triumph. He found Oliver cutting up a strip of
-bark with his penknife, talking to the woman as best
-he could.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He had discovered that her name was Kopatree.
-She had been tending cows among the hills. A
-buffalo had attacked them; she fled for her life, and
-lost her way. If they could only guide her back to
-the road or to the village by the Rana's castle, she
-could find her way.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Have you been working at the sanitarium high
-up on the hills?" asked Oliver.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes; before the rains began." She remembered
-the weeping beebee, and her distress for the lost one.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>All agreed it would not be safe to take the long
-walk through the jungle towards the ruined temple,
-as the child might set up screaming any moment, and
-bring the wolf's mate upon them, with the whole
-pack at his heels. No; they must steal away while
-the wolves were well settled in their mid-day sleep.
-Better climb the rocks under which they were
-resting, and seek hospitality at the Rana's castle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When this decision was reached, Oliver slid down
-into the pit, with his strips of bark in his pocket.
-He had no scruple about appropriating the dirty
-blanket, resolving to buy its luckless owner a better
-in Noak-holly bazaar.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>His father's sailors had so often brought back some
-strange pet from foreign parts, to amuse them on
-their homeward voyage, that he was not so afraid of
-touching the wolf as many boys would have been.
-Once they had had a lion cub, and twice a bear, so
-that he had had a little training as a menagerie-keeper.
-He tore off a strip of the blanket, and knelt
-down, with his little bundle of splints by his side, and
-set the poor broken leg as well as he was able,
-keeping the splints in place with his blanket-bandages.
-This done, he clambered out of the pit with the end
-of the rope in his hand, and tethered the wolf to the
-nearest tree, for the rope uncoiled to a considerable
-length.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara Ghur was impatient to be gone, for he knew
-that a storm was impending, was stealing over them,
-with the growing heat of the day. Suddenly in a
-moment the mighty trees of the forest swayed hither
-and thither, bowing their giant heads as a furious gust
-of wind swept through their leafy arcades; and he
-knew it was time to be gone.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Making prize of the remainder of the dirty blanket,
-he slung the child to his back. The bag of atta
-and the pot of bird-lime were left behind under a
-heap of stones. The old man led them by a path
-the wild goats had made. As they began to climb
-the steep ascent, he grasped Oliver by one hand,
-Kopatree seized the other, and so between them they
-almost carried him along, until the topmost height
-was reached.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-homeward-road"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XIV.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">THE HOMEWARD ROAD.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The old hunter's forethought was apparent now;
-for the child at his back began to howl most
-dismally as poor little Carl became aware that he was
-being carried away from his forest home. Oliver's
-sweetmeats were exhausted, and words, entreaties, and
-caresses were lavished on him in vain.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Through his wonderful power of observation, and
-the experiences of his adventurous life, old Tara knew
-as accurately as any scientific professor how surely
-sound descends. Ah, what if the wolves should
-awaken!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He knew the whole pack were sleeping in the dark
-shadows of the gorge where he had found the child,
-and he knew also that nothing makes a wild beast
-so angry as being wakened from its mid-day sleep.
-Carly's wild howl grew louder and louder—it might
-bring death upon them all—and nothing would
-still it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But for the sudden breeze which had tempered the
-air, Oliver would have dropped with the noonday
-heat. As it was, he found it almost impossible to
-keep up with his companions. His thirst was becoming
-unbearable, when Tara espied in the distance one
-of the water-sheds which are built all over the sides
-of the hills where there is water. The little party
-made their way towards it, grateful for the refreshing
-shade its roof afforded. In the shed there was a
-range of stone troughs, filled from the running stream
-by which it was built; and round these troughs
-were a row of pipes, some made of reeds and some
-from hollow trees. It was a curious sight to see
-them spouting out water with a gentle, trickling fall.
-A native hill-man had brought up his oxen to drink,
-and whilst they slaked their thirst, he was smoking
-his pipe in the cool, damp shelter. Two women were
-filling their pitchers, and after the fashion of
-hill-mothers, they had laid their babies to sleep under the
-water-spouts. The Thibetan caught sight of the little
-black faces sleeping so peacefully, and ran to place
-their howling burden beside them. She laid little
-Carl down, with his head within a few inches of a
-spouting reed. The effect was instantaneous. The
-eyes and mouth closed slowly, and the child fell into
-a profound, sweet sleep, which she knew would last
-as long as they left him under the spout.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara Ghur was talking to the herdsman, who lent
-him his pipe. Oliver begged a draught of water from
-one of the women's pitchers, and washed his face and
-hands at one of the many rills that were flowing so
-prettily around him. He was thinking that Bona
-would consider herself a queen in the plainest of the
-necklaces worn by the ragged and dirty creature
-before him. He was wondering whether it would be
-safe to leave her with the sleeping child whilst he
-went on with the shikaree to the Rana's castle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But no; he decided Mr. and Mrs. Desborough would
-never forgive him if he lost sight of their scarcely
-recovered treasure. No; he must wait until Carl was
-so soundly asleep that they could take him up and
-carry him away without waking him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Rest, sahib," urged the hunter, pointing to the
-trickling reeds.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Hungry as he was, Oliver laid himself down,
-intending to watch, not to sleep. But the heat and the
-drowsy influences of the gentle shower-bath overcame
-the boy, and he was soon as fast asleep as the child.
-After his night's adventures in the forest, the
-sensation was most delightful. Care and fear seemed to
-vanish, and his dreams transported him to the beauties
-of fairy-land. The horned heads of the oxen came
-alarmingly near, but they did not disturb the blissful
-tranquillity in which he lay, as if he were spell-bound.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara's hand upon his shoulder roused him at last.
-He heard the faint, low musical tinkle of a distant
-bell from the idol-temple, where the Rana worshipped
-his monkey-headed divinity; where he took his
-young sons to be sprinkled with consecrated water,
-and have their limbs touched with all imaginable
-substances, until Rattam was thoroughly cross. He
-was crosser than usual this morning, being bored out
-with the tedious childish ceremonies which he had
-had to sit through in stately silence.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>It was delightful to receive a message from a
-native woman, as he came out of the temple, to tell
-him the hunter had returned, and was waiting with
-the young sahib at the water-shed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When the shikaree touched Oliver on the shoulder,
-the milk-white ass, the gold-fringed umbrella, and
-the crowd of dusky attendants were advancing with
-Rattam across the intervening plateau.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What does my brother in so mean a place," he
-asked, "when tiffin waits him in our castle-hall?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver stretched himself and rubbed his eyes, not
-at once remembering all that had happened. Then
-recollection came back, and he sprang to his feet,
-pointing to the sleeping child, and gave Rattam's hand
-a hearty Yorkshire grip.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The girlish young Oriental smiled, although he
-felt as if his fingers would all be out of joint: and
-pointing to a led ass behind him, signed to Oliver to
-mount.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The Thibetan had hid herself in the shed. But
-Rattam would not come near poor Carl. "He will
-bite," he said warningly, and his attendants shared in
-his belief. Not one of them dared touch Carl.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Give him to me," shouted Oliver; for it was easy
-to see the Thibetan was growing fearful by contagion.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver tumbled into the saddle. The hunter gently
-lifted up the child and laid it across his knees. A
-running syce led the ass, and another carried an
-umbrella over it, shading Oliver and his novel burden
-from the dazzling sun. Rattam rode beside him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara Ghur came up, bending to the very ground
-before them. He was anxious to be the first to carry
-the good news to the search-party below the koond.
-He was thinking of his well-earned reward, and he
-did not want another messenger to share it. So they
-bade him go.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Rattam called to his attendants to halt under the
-leafy arches of a banyan tree, that they might watch
-Tara leaping down into the koond, springing from
-bough to bough, as if food and sleep were luxuries,
-to be enjoyed in leisure hours alone. Then Oliver
-blamed his sleepy head that he had not spoken again
-about the wolf.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"O Rattam," he urged, "you have one empty den
-in the corner of your lovely gardens; will you have
-it there? Think of the love that could transform a
-wolf! You should have seen its face as I did, when
-we first looked down into the pit. It made me feel
-there is nothing in the world so beautiful as
-love—nothing so strong. And when we had got the child
-away, I could not bear to let Tara hurt the wolf. The
-same God who made us made it. God is love. Does
-not he care for the whole world around, for everything
-he has made? How will he look on the cruelty
-of leaving the noble brute to perish in the pit?—and
-I've done that."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Forget it," said Rattam; "remember only you
-have rescued the child."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver hugged the sleeping bundle of life in his
-arms. "Oh, don't mistake me!" he said passionately.
-"But now we have got him away, it is such cruelty
-to leave the wolf tied as I have tied it. Surely you
-must see it is. And I have let the hunter go."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Perhaps Rattam did not see just what Oliver
-desired he should; but the young idolater was struck
-by his companion's earnestness. With all a Hindu's
-reluctance to take the life of the animals around him,
-he had no care for the cruelty of leaving the wolf to
-perish; yet, like a flash in the darkness, a sense of
-the difference between him and the English boy was
-stirring in his heart.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It is too much like striking a fallen foe," urged
-Oliver, as they resumed their journey.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Nay," returned Rattam; "I accept the gift: the
-wolf is mine. There is my father."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The Rana in his everyday dress of ordinary white
-cotton could only be distinguished from the headman
-of his village by the silver ring on his finger and the
-fineness of the shawl about his waist. He was driving
-back from the village when he encountered his son.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Meanwhile the old shikaree had raised the signal
-of success agreed upon. He had sent up a tall column
-of smoke whilst Oliver slept, by setting fire to a patch
-of grass. The nearest scout had seen and repeated it.
-The tiny flags on the long bamboos which his
-companions carried had waved the good news from the
-jagged cliffs across the temple ruins, from point to
-point along the broken ground, until it reached the
-father's ears.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The boys glanced round, and saw the wearied
-jogies swarming up the steep ascent above the
-koond, towards the slip of table-land on the verge
-of the forest behind the Rana's castle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Foremost of all came Mr. Desborough up the precipitous
-path, until the footing for the well-trained
-mule he rode became too precarious. Then he sprang
-to the ground, flung the bridle to his syce, and
-hurried along on foot. The two friends following
-copied his example.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Rattam and Oliver turned back to meet them; then
-they perceived the old shikaree running before them
-as their guide. His tattered garments were so
-exactly the colour of the waving grass and scattered
-bushes through which he was leading them, that he
-looked more like some huge grasshopper than a
-living man.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They saw him pointing to the castle wall and
-gesticulating frantically in all the pride of his
-hardly-earned success, counting on the moment when he
-should lay the rescued little one in its father's arms.
-Then far down behind the lingerers of the scattered
-party they heard the echo of the dandy-wallahs'
-song. Despite the stubborn temper of the thing
-he was riding, Oliver did manage to press forward,
-and lifting up the sleepy child, he held it
-conspicuously before him. Of course he waked up Carl, and
-the howling wail again began.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Was ever any sound so grateful to Mr. Desborough's
-straining ears?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"There, there; listen!" he exclaimed, as he cleared
-the ground between them and came up panting.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext" id="id1"><span>"Here is the child, Mr. Desborough!" cried Oliver.
-"Now tell us, is he yours?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Turned nurse, my boy?" laughed the major.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver answered with a shrug and a grimace, growing
-ridiculous, as he felt their task was accomplished.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough sat down with the child on a
-lichen-covered stone. Where were the clear blue
-eyes? Gummed up.—Where was the soft fair hair?
-A shock of dirt.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The child snapped savagely at the hand that was
-fondling him, and renewed his wail.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Take care," said Rattam. "I warned you it
-would be dangerous," backing his ass as he spoke.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Quiet!" The single word fell from the major's
-lips in the stern tones of military command. The
-howl ceased, and the child lay passive in
-Mr. Desborough's arms. They soon found out how well it
-had learned the all-important lesson of obedience in
-the wild wolf's nest.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A good scrub would be an improvement, I am
-thinking," remarked the deputy, with more drollery
-in the corner of his eye than Oliver had imagined
-him to possess.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The whole party were gathering now. They drew
-together under the banyan tree. In its grateful
-shadow there was room for all; for its arching
-branches had struck root as they touched the ground,
-forming a succession of leafy cloisters, until a grove
-had grown from a single tree. The overwhelming
-thankfulness in Mr. Desborough's heart lay far too
-deep for words as he looked the child well over,
-and felt it was his own—his Carl.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There were laughter and rejoicing all around him;
-but his brow was grave with the depth of his
-gratitude when the dandy-wallahs came up. As Kathleen
-peeped from her swinging carriage, she saw but one
-face, and that was her father's.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>What did it mean?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He looked up and smiled at her. His eye was
-off the child just for one moment. Carl sprang into
-the air with a bound, leaping off like a frog to the
-tufted grass. Everybody ran—even Rattam. But
-Kathleen and her bearers faced him. They set the
-dandy on the ground, and ran round and round,
-scaring the queer little creature back, but not daring to
-touch him. Kathleen, peeping through the curtains
-of her dandy, saw it all. The great love that was
-throbbing in her childish heart shut out every thought
-of fear. The strange wild thing gave another leap.
-She tumbled out of the dandy, and as it touched the
-grass, with hands outspread, she caught it in her
-arms. The thing seemed nothing better than a
-human frog, with half-blind eyes and champing teeth.
-Save where the leaves clung to it, as if they had been
-glued, the little figure was completely naked and
-covered with slimy dirt. What did it matter? she
-loved him the more.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You will have hard work to get the child home
-in safety yet," said Major Iffley; "you will have to
-secure it somehow. Borrow a cummer-band and
-swathe it round and round like a mummy."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"No bad thought," added the deputy; "something
-must be done."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough was kneeling by his children.
-Before the major had finished speaking, an elderly
-bearer in Rattam's train, who looked as if he had
-huddled himself into a clean sheet to attend his young
-chieftain at the temple service, threw off this
-additional covering at a sign from his master and laid it
-at the sahib's feet.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Put it round us both, papa," said Kathleen, "and
-then Carl won't mind it." Mr. Desborough thought
-the sunbeam she had been trying to entrap had made
-its home in the happy eyes uplifted so pleadingly
-to his. "He will be good with me, papa; he always
-was," she added.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The deputy was searching in his niece's dandy.
-Yes; Bona had understood all his hasty directions.
-At the back of the cushions there was the store of
-cakes, sufficiently English-looking to delight a child.
-"Here, Oliver," he said; "feed it."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It." The word jarred on Kathleen's ears. "It
-is not it," she persisted indignantly; "it is my pretty
-Carl."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough took the cake from Oliver's hand
-and fed Carl himself.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The cake was devoured; and whilst he filled the
-hungry mouth, the major passed the long length of
-calico quickly round Carl's neck, enveloping arms and
-feet, until the wild little harlequin was reduced to a
-great white ball, at least in appearance. How fast
-the cakes were vanishing!</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"O Bona!" muttered Oliver, too proud to take
-the share he was longing for, "she might have sent
-us more."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>No one but Rattam heard the low-voiced grumble.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sahib," he said, "my father awaits you," waving
-his hand in the direction of the castle wall.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But home was the word. "Yes, home," repeated
-Mr. Desborough—"home to his mother."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Try a tub first," suggested the major.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Rattam was speaking to his shikaree.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You have done my bidding, and you have done it
-well," he said like a prince. "Now bring me home
-the wolf you have caught. Bring it home alive to
-the vacant den in the castle gardens."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Tara Ghur salaamed before his chieftain till the
-dust rose up in a cloud between them. Oliver grasped
-the hand of his dusky friend once more. How was
-it he was always feeling Rattam more of a man than
-himself, or far too much of a girl?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Now that poor little Carl was made safe, so that
-he could not hurt any one, Rattam alighted, and drew
-nearer to the group on the grass.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Talk to Carly again, Kathleen," Mr. Desborough
-was saying; "I believe he knows you. But you must
-not kiss him until I tell you it is safe," he added
-quickly, as she threw her arms around her long-lost
-brother.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen paused, and looked up in her father's face,
-bewildered for a moment.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then I will not do it, papa. I'll never forget
-again to mind what you say."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The hand which had snatched her back patted her
-fondly on the cheek, and the bitter pain which
-Kathleen had felt so long vanished altogether as her
-father answered,—</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes: I can trust you now, and I am going to
-trust you to take Carl home, my darling."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He put them both into the dandy, and drew the
-curtains closely round, so that nothing could be seen
-by the children. Bona's great bag of cakes was on
-Kathleen's lap, and her father showed her how to
-give Carl a bite without letting her fingers go near
-enough to his teeth to be in danger of an angry snap.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough had left himself a peep-hole, so
-that his eye was never off his children for a moment
-as he walked by the side of the dandy. Had ever
-father such a journey before?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now, Kathy," he said cheerily, "you can do what
-no one else can do: you can make Carly listen.
-See how his eyes follow yours! Try and waken up
-his old love; you were with him to the last. Think
-of all that he was fond of in his nursery days; no
-one knows but you."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Sahib! sahib!" entreated the coolies round, "no
-trust it with the little beebee—no trust it; grow
-angry, tear and bite."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Even the major and the deputy looked on doubtfully.
-They had known Kathleen only as a little
-wilful, heedless thing; but now they saw the better,
-higher nature in the child, expanding through the
-sorrow and the joy she had felt so deeply,—just as
-young plants grow and blossom when sunshine follows rain.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"I should think myself a happy man, Desborough,
-if I had such another fairy to call me father,"
-observed the major, as they listened to Kathleen's cooing
-voice as she chattered on.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"O Carly, don't you know your own, own sissy?
-Now eat this, you dear, and Kath will give you
-plenty more, all so nice. There, there!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"That sahib would blow the conch shell for a
-daughter," remarked Rattam thoughtfully. "I
-remember how our people blew it loudly for joy when
-Aglar was born; but when my little sister Deodee
-came, they all began to sigh and lament. I really
-think it would be well for us if that were changed."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Then change it all you can," retorted Oliver.
-"Some day you and I will be men. But you need
-not wait for that; you are a brother now."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Rattam went home with a shadow on his brow,
-and a hunger in his heart for better things. We
-know of the promise that such hunger shall be
-satisfied at last; but Rattam knew only the favourite
-Hindu saying, "As it has always been, so it always
-will be," which fell like a wet blanket on his
-new-born wish to try. Yet that one day had not been
-lived in vain.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="a-little-savage"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XV.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">A LITTLE SAVAGE.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>As the search-party were descending the hills, the
-Thibetan peeped out from the water-shed.
-The sheen of her resplendent jewels caught Oliver's
-eye, so he sent his uncle's syce to persuade her to go
-with them to the Beebee Desborough, who knew her.
-She was mourning over her lost cows, which she feared
-some of the wandering robber tribes would drive
-away if they found them straying. They all wore
-necklets of red cloth, she said, which she had sewn
-with cowries in patterns.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver was counting up his money, to see if he
-could buy her a cow, when one of the jogies declared
-he had seen them rush out from the jungle when they
-were beating the second koond. He was certain she
-would find them roaming amidst the bushes below
-the ruins. So on she went, for the vultures and
-kites were sweeping round and round in great
-disorder—a sure presage of the approach of the storm
-Tara Ghur had predicted. A gust of cold wind swept
-down from the highest peaks, driving before it a dark
-and whirling cloud, which covered the travellers with
-a thick pall of dust.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They groped their way, afraid to linger in the
-dangerous neighbourhood of the koonds, and still
-more afraid of losing each other.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Major Iffley rode about, looking up the stragglers;
-and making the men close round the dandy, they
-marched on. A brooding silence filled the air, only
-broken at intervals by the vulture's scream or the
-beat of retreating wings. Mr. Desborough parted the
-curtains of the dandy and felt about, to assure
-himself both children were safe. Carl waked with the
-darkness, and began to howl—the same wild howl
-which had frightened the old shikaree in the
-morning. He was not there now to point out its danger.
-But the Thibetan put her hand to her ear again and
-again as she listened. Was there an answer from the
-distant koond?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Do you hear anything?" asked Oliver, as the
-first returning gleam of light showed them the gate
-of Mr. Desborough's compound. They had reached
-his home, and might have passed it unawares, so
-great was the darkness of the coming storm. The
-trees in his garden bent their proud heads, and swayed
-from side to side like jungle grass as the rain came
-down at last in a mighty torrent. There was just
-light enough to distinguish the white columns of the
-veranda through the open gate. There was a general
-rush to shelter, for in those brief moments the
-carriage drive had become a rushing river. The gleam
-of the lighted lamps in Mr. Desborough's hall cast a
-glow of welcome on the sodden curtains of the dandy.
-Mr. Desborough made his men carry it right through
-the folding doors, and set it down on the middle of
-the floor, whilst he carefully closed them behind it.
-Major Iffley had divined his intention, and was already
-shutting every other door which opened into the hall.
-Oliver and his uncle were both shut out, and groped
-their way to the dining-room window, where Bona
-was standing watching the storm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"You here!" they both exclaimed in surprise, as
-she opened it to let them in.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Why, yes," she hesitated. "I grew so impatient
-I came across to see if you had got home. Have you
-found anything?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, yes!" they reiterated, as Mrs. Desborough
-herself appeared behind her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Where is Kathleen?" she asked, looking beyond
-the deputy—whom she failed to recognize in the
-gloom of the storm—to the dripping coolies. The men
-were crowding in the veranda, rubbing their wet feet
-and wringing the water from their calico garments.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In the hubble-bubble of the many tongues she
-failed to understand anything.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Kathleen is all right," said Bona quickly. "I
-told you she was with her father."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Calm your anxiety, my dear Mrs. Desborough,"
-began the deputy, with a seriousness which he
-intended should prepare the way; but it only startled her.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What does all this mean?" she asked, looking
-from one to the other.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"It means—well, it means—" and the deputy
-coughed to gain time.—"Just see, Oliver," he added
-aside.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Bother it!" muttered the boy; "I can't open this door."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Bona hastened to his help; but they pushed against
-it in vain.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough, always apprehensive since Carl
-was lost, was growing desperate. "Where is
-Kathleen?" she reiterated.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Call her," suggested the coughing deputy to his nephew.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Kathleen!" shouted Oliver. "Do come to your mother."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Are the doors all shut?" demanded Mr. Desborough
-in return.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, yes!" echoed a chorus of voices as Mr. Desborough
-walked in, carrying what seemed to his wife
-to be nothing but a big bundle of calico.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen flew to her side. Mrs. Desborough caught
-hold of her by both hands.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Do not look at me, mamma; look at what we've
-found," said Kathleen excitedly.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"A child," continued Mr. Desborough, speaking as
-quietly as he could. "Come and look, my dear."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>A flash of lightning lit up the darkened room for
-one brief moment, and left it blacker than before.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Bring lights," said Mr. Desborough.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes; and order in the roast-joint, for this poor
-lad has scarcely tasted food all day," put in Major
-Iffley, laying his hand on Oliver's shoulder.
-"Besides," he added in a low aside, "nothing will be so
-attractive to that young animal as the savoury smell
-of the roast. I speak advisedly."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Let us have our dinner, my dear," said Mr. Desborough,
-turning to Mrs. Desborough as she bent
-over the bundle in his arms.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The lights quickly appeared, followed by the ayah
-with sponge, soap, and towel.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>He took the sponge from her hand, and gently
-washed the queer little face that was hiding itself
-from the light under his arm. He turned Carl slowly
-round towards Mrs. Desborough. But no amount of
-dirt, no scars, no scratches, could hide the truth from
-his mother. She clasped him to her, exclaiming, "It
-is ours—our own—our Carl!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Can it be possible?" cried Bona.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"With God all things are possible," said the deputy
-reverently. How Kathleen listened! The servants
-were hurrying in with the steaming dishes of
-roast-meat, game and fowl. The cloth had been laid an
-hour ago, awaiting the return of the gentlemen.
-There was little to do, but they made that little long
-in their eagerness to catch sight of the lost and found.
-At last they were all dismissed, and the doors made fast.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Now, Iffley," said Mr. Desborough; and they
-began to unwind the length of calico with which poor
-Carly had been fettered. Between them they got
-him at last into a clean pinafore of Horace's which
-the ayah had brought.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then his mother took him on her lap; but how to
-hold him was the difficulty. He wriggled and twisted
-himself into all sorts of contortions. He had struck
-with shoes and socks, and would have none of them,
-and began his fearful howl once more.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Quiet!" said Mr. Desborough, in a quick, decisive
-tone; and the noise was hushed in a moment. But
-the light was obviously painful to Carl. He put up
-his hands, flickering his fingers before his eyes.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"He will howl again," said the major, "if we all
-stand looking at him."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Give him a bone," suggested Oliver, who was
-going in for a good feed, a little quicker and faster
-than etiquette allowed; but a day's starvation is no
-joke, and everybody told him to help himself, and he
-was just doing it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Carl slid down from his mother's lap and sat under
-the table sucking his bone contentedly. Presently
-he gave a rough, hoarse cry that sounded very much
-like "More." It was his first attempt to speak.
-The wing of chicken on Kathleen's plate was in his
-other hand in a moment.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"We are getting on," said the major, looking down
-at the two small heads beneath the table, whilst the
-deputy was explaining to Mrs. Desborough where and
-how they had found her child. It was a never-to-be-forgotten
-hour: the storm was raging without, thankfulness
-and wonder reigned within.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver grew eloquent as he described the amazing
-sagacity of Rattam's old hunter. It was happiness
-now to look back and see how slender was the thread
-on which the poor child's fate had depended, and
-how singularly it had been preserved in the midst of
-unheard-of perils. Mrs. Desborough's eyes were
-welling over as she thought of her long-lost darling, in
-the midst of the wild beasts in a trackless koond,
-yet fed and cherished! How?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>By the mercy of our heavenly Father, as she truly
-said, in the fervour of her mother's love. But she
-did not see the way in which the wonderful escape
-had been brought about. She knew nothing of the
-double nature in the wolf; and they told her it was
-safe in Rattam's cage. That there was any danger
-yet for her child, from the very love of the wolves,
-never crossed her mind; how could it?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She had enough to think about. Her child was at
-her feet, but it had forgotten its home. She saw it,
-estranged and wild.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Call him by his name," said Mr. Desborough.
-"Call him Carl every time you give him anything to
-eat, and he will remember his name; if not, he will
-soon learn it afresh. We must 'gentle' him, as the
-grooms say, my dear. Never fear; we shall bring
-him round."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Carl had taken the wing of the chicken Kathleen
-had brought him, and laid his other bone on the floor.
-Kathleen still sat on the carpet by his side, with a
-patience she had never shown to any one before. He
-had even rubbed his head against her shoulder, when
-the moongus, which had been asleep in one corner
-of the room, aroused, and seeing an inviting bone,
-stole up to it for a taste. Carl flew at it in savage
-fury, tearing and raging. The scuffle which ensued
-before the two were parted filled Mrs. Desborough
-with many fears for Horace, who was happily in bed
-and asleep before his brother was brought home.
-But to the surprise of every one present, when
-Mr. Desborough made his voice heard above the din of
-the combatants, Carl was silent in a moment, and
-dropped back on the floor in instantaneous obedience.
-After a little while he came creeping to his father's
-feet. Oh, it was piteous to see him so, and yet it
-was hopeful.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen, who was trembling all over, put her
-moongus out of the room, and ran back with her lap
-full of playthings. She had brought Carl's own old
-drum that he used to be so fond of, and his horse and
-cart, and a new steam-engine he had never seen.
-"Perhaps," she thought, "he may remember these. They
-were his favourites; and Racy always loves my engine." She
-set it running on the floor before Carl's feet.
-The major lifted up his corner of the tablecloth, that
-he might watch the proceedings. Carl gave one of
-his frog-like leaps, pounced on the swiftly-moving
-toy, and snapped it in two with a cry of delight.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Never mind, dear," said Mrs. Desborough, turning
-to Kathleen.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Mind, mamma!" repeated Kathleen desperately;
-"can I ever mind anything he does, when I know
-that all this happened because I meddled with the
-blind? You told me never to touch it, and all my
-crying would not undo the mischief. Carl is better
-than I am, mamma, for he has minded every word
-papa has spoken."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"This comforts me, Kathleen, more than anything
-else," answered her mother fondly. "Always to obey
-is the one great lesson for every child to learn, and it
-cannot be learned too early. It is the foundation-stone
-of all that is good in after life—a young child's
-safeguard and its shield. If you both are careful to
-obey, we shall soon bring Carly round, and all be
-happy again."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen hung her head in her self-reproachful
-shame. She did not see the joy in her mother's eyes;
-for there is no joy so dear to a mother's heart as the
-joy of seeing her children try to overcome their faults,
-and turn to all that is right and good.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>No one else understood the whispered conversation;
-they were all intent on Carl. Oliver took up the
-drum and beat a jolly tune.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Suddenly Carl sprang up and listened. Yes, there
-was a tiny creeping sound. It was only the lizard
-from behind the picture-frame that hung over the
-sideboard coming out for its crumbs, which Kathleen
-gathered for it every day after dinner. It was a
-pretty rose-pink creature, with a sharply-pointed tail
-and bead-like eyes. It had grown so tame it ran
-between the plates, helping itself as it liked.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Tic-tickee!" cried Carl, calling it by the Hindu
-name his ayah had taught him, and grabbing at it
-with both his hands.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Strange that he should remember the lizard, when
-everything else was forgotten! Had he played with
-the lizards in the forest? Oh, horror! he was going
-to eat it. Bona nearly screamed. In her heart she
-was almost as afraid of him as the Hindu servants,
-and was thankful when the deputy talked of going,
-for the storm was over.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"If you want us, Desborough," said Major Iffley,
-"we are not so very far away. But you will tame
-your young savage all the better when you are alone."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>They were careful even in the moment of departure
-not to leave a door ajar, for fear little Carl should try
-to rush out.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Come and look at him to-morrow," replied
-Mr. Desborough, "when a warm bath and his mother's
-scissors have had their turn."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Leave the shoes and socks for a day or two—that
-is my advice," laughed the deputy as he rode away,
-splashing through the flood that still surrounded the
-compound.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The horse which had been found for Oliver was
-tired with its day's hard work, and would not keep
-pace with his uncle's and Bona's. As he lagged
-behind he heard a cow lowing in the moonlight. He
-thought of the Thibetan when he saw the horned
-head drinking at the stream which drained the road.
-He rode up to it, looking for the scarlet necklet she
-had described.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There it was, embroidered all over with tiny shells
-in a most fanciful pattern. Laughing heartily to
-think of so much ingenuity being wasted on a cow,
-he drove it before him into the gates of Runnangore,
-glad to have recovered one of the scattered herd for
-their luckless owner. He was sure that Mr. Desborough
-would look after her; but he meant to take
-her a new blanket all the same.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst" id="the-conclusion"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XVI.</span></p>
-<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics large">THE CONCLUSION.</em></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
-</div>
-<p class="pfirst"><span>The sunrise found Old Gray Legs roaming through
-the koond in search of his missing mate, whilst
-the half-grown wolflings sat howling by the korinda
-bush until the sun was high. The time for sleep had
-come. They laid themselves down, but not to rest.
-The most adventurous of them all had his ear on the
-ground listening. It heard Old Gray Legs give tongue
-as he found himself at last on the track of his mate.
-Out they all rushed, scattering themselves over bush
-and boulder to join him. They were scenting the
-ground as they ran, and one of them alighted on the
-path which Carl had taken with his furry protector.
-Once on the scent of his lost playfellow, the keen
-young wolf pursued him through all its windings to
-the pit, which it had just light enough to avoid, then
-up to the heights, and back to the very gate of
-Mr. Desborough's compound, where it lay crouching among
-the ferns.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The native servants were at their usual work.
-Bene Madho was returning from the bazaar, with one
-or two of the coolies carrying home his purchases.
-The dandy-bearers, who went into the patches of
-jungle to cut grass for the horses every day, were
-coming back with their bundles on their heads. The
-Thibetan was with them. She had gone out hoping
-to see something of her straying cattle. Oliver, too,
-had risen early. He wanted to tell her to come over
-to Runnangore and claim her cow. In spite of her
-rags and her losses she was a rich woman. She had
-only to sell a few of her beads to buy a new herd.
-Bona would gladly become their purchaser, so he made
-this a reason for presenting himself at the gate of
-Noak-holly by five o'clock in the morning. He did
-not expect to see either Mr. or Mrs. Desborough at
-such an hour, but he thought he might inquire of the
-servants how the night had gone.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>In truth, it had gone queerly enough behind the
-nursery purdah, where both father and mother had
-been working at their precious little savage with
-sponge, soap, and towel. The cutting of his hair was
-terrible, and, worse than all, the cutting of his nails,
-which had grown into veritable claws. The poor wee
-child, so long a stranger to bath or hair-brush, hated
-both. If his father had not been there to hold
-him, it would not have been possible to wash him
-clean from Tara's bird-lime. Painful as the tedious
-process must have been, he was singularly obedient.
-He seemed to like nothing so well as coiling himself
-round on his mother's lap. But to get him to sleep
-was an impossibility. Oh how his father longed for
-the lulling influences of the water-shed on the hills!
-Carl was continually racing after the toads and spiders,
-making all sorts of strange noises, feeling his way
-about the darkened room, and howling at each
-unfamiliar sound. But morning dawned, and he began
-to yawn and blink in the growing light. Suddenly
-he gave one of his frog-like leaps, parting the chintz
-curtains of the purdah with his head, and peeping
-into the veranda. Mr. Desborough was nodding; but
-mamma was close beside her boy, wondering what he
-would do next. The servants were all astir, and the
-gate was locked, so she let him take his first look
-round by daylight.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Another bound and he was over the veranda railing
-into the garden, where he coiled himself round in
-the middle of a bed of mignonnette, and settled for
-sleep at last.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Better not disturb him," thought Mrs. Desborough.
-"After so many months in the woods he could not
-sleep indoors."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>So she opened a large white sunshade over his
-head, and sat down under an acacia tree to watch his
-slumbers.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough was sleeping too, having had no
-rest for two whole nights. She could not bear to
-wake him, so she called up Kathleen. It was early;
-but the early morning in India is delightful. The
-ayah brought her, and returned to Horace, who had
-not yet seen his brother.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Swarms of young frogs had appeared in the
-veranda after last night's storm. The bhisti was
-gathering them up, sweeping them into a pail to carry away
-and put them somewhere outside the compound.
-Kathleen amused herself with watching the round,
-red insects which covered the grass, looking as if,
-instead of a hailstorm, there had been a shower of
-red velvet buttons, the rain had brought them out
-in such numbers. The gardener was hoeing within call.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes," thought Mrs. Desborough; "all safe at
-home. All danger over now." Yet she could not
-take her eyes off the little sleeper in the mignonnette.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"When he awakens," she said to Kathleen, "we
-will let him see Horace at play in the veranda. I
-fear they have forgotten each other; but they are
-twins, and the old love will revive. It will be safer
-to have the veranda railing between them at first.
-Racy is so trying, and if Carl grew cross he might
-fly at his brother as he did at your moongus. We
-will put the old red reins on Carl, so that he cannot
-leap away unawares. Being with Racy will bring
-Carl round sooner than anything else, if it is but safe
-to let them be together."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Whilst Mrs. Desborough was speaking the men
-came in with their bundles of grass. As the gate
-opened, in rushed the wolf with a cry. Up flew Carl
-with a bound of delight to meet it. They tumbled
-on the grass together in a tumult of ecstasy.
-Mrs. Desborough's first thought was to lift up Kathleen
-into the acacia under which they were sitting, while
-she shrieked for help. At the sound of her voice and
-of the running feet hurrying towards her from every
-direction, the wolf stopped in its gambols, seized Carl
-in its mouth, and was dragging him away. They
-were nearly at the gate.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Come back, Carl! Carl, come back!" cried
-Kathleen from the acacia boughs.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough ran out with his gun. He was
-levelling it to take deadly aim, when he perceived the
-close embrace with which Carl was clinging to the
-wolf, and lowered it in despair.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Shut the gate!" he shouted.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver and the Thibetan rushed into the garden.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough saw Carl turn his head at the
-sound of his sister's voice, and she repeated the call
-in her desperation. His name rang loud and clear
-above the clamour the servants were raising in their
-usual fashion. Carl came as a well-trained dog obeys
-his master, and, O horror! the young wolf with him.
-She showered the cakes she had brought with her
-across the grass towards him. Oliver snatched a
-pitchfork from one of the grass-cutters and ran; but
-the Thibetan, who was the nearest, seized the wolf by
-the hind legs and held it fast. Oliver put the arching
-tines of the pitchfork over its neck like a collar,
-and drove the points into the ground until its head
-was fixed but not hurt, and he leaned on the handle
-with all his strength to keep it there. Oh for Tara
-Ghur! but the old shikaree was far away, rejoicing
-in his well-deserved and ample reward. Was there
-nobody to help?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Hold hard!" shouted Mr. Desborough, as he
-rushed up white and resolute to pull the child away.
-But Carl clung passionately to his furry playfellow.
-The wolf had ceased to struggle, but it held his
-pinafore in a grip of iron.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough tore the thin muslin in two, and
-forced the child backwards. Mrs. Desborough was
-close beside him. She pushed the sweetest cake she
-had into Carl's mouth to try to divert his attention.
-He threw it to the wolf as he struggled to free
-himself from his father's arm.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Booraba no hurt child," said the Thibetan, who
-had watched the wolf and the child all night in the
-shikaree's pit. "Young booraba like its bahee
-[brother]. Hurt it, and child hate you all its life.
-Cage it, child stop, feed booraba; no run away from
-each other."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>There was so much sense in what she urged so
-earnestly, Mr. Desborough was afraid to disregard it.
-He looked around him, not knowing what to do for
-the best. Then he shouted to the grass-cutters to
-fetch the iron hurdles which divided the paddock
-behind the garden. They ran across, pulled them up,
-and flung them over the hedge of roses.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Meanwhile Bene Madho had fetched old Gobur to
-the sahib's assistance. Mrs. Desborough had taken
-off Kathleen's sash and knotted it round Carl's waist,
-so that she could hold him whilst Mr. Desborough
-fixed the hurdles firmly in the grass.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Gobur came up with another pitchfork and put it
-over the wolf's hind legs, fixing them to the ground,
-as Oliver had fixed its head, to release the courageous
-Thibetan. It was a trying moment for Oliver when
-Mr. Desborough put down the fourth hurdle and shut
-him in with the wolf and Gobur. It was a
-tremendous effort to hold the wolf down, and he was
-getting exhausted.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough saw this, and leaving his men to
-make a threefold fence round the wolf, he leaned over
-the hurdle and took the handle of the pitchfork from
-him. The boldest of the syces followed his example,
-and released Gobur. It was a moment of intense
-relief to Mrs. Desborough when she saw them both
-safely outside. The Thibetan was helping her to
-control Carl, who was struggling to get free. Five
-or six men were driving in the hurdles as fast as
-they could, and in the noise of their hammering
-Mrs. Desborough could no longer make herself heard.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>By Mr. Desborough's orders every hurdle on the
-place was brought, until a perfect pyramid of iron
-was piled over the prostrate wolf. After the
-three-fold fence a row of hurdles were set endways between
-the lines, slanting inwards, and over these another
-tier was laid to form a roof, and another and another,
-crossing each other in every direction. Before the
-last corners were shut in the pitchforks were slowly
-withdrawn, and young Fawnie was left unhurt to
-examine the iron house which had been built over him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>One hurdle at the top was so placed that it could
-be withdrawn a little way, like a window-shutter.
-Gobur climbed up and let down a pail of water.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>All the while the men were at work, Carl and the
-wolfling were crying to each other.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The wolfling was not yet six months old, and had
-not learned to be so wary as its mother. Yet it was
-strangely quieted when it found itself a prisoner.
-Not so Carl: he stamped, and sobbed, and kicked in
-an agony of distress, because he was shut out.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Give him his liberty," said Mr. Desborough. "Let
-him run up to it if he likes."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Carl flew to the hurdles and tried to push between
-their rails, whilst Fawnie, as Oliver called the wolfling,
-worked at them from the inside. But the iron walls
-of his prison were too firmly built to be shaken. A
-frog leaped out of the grass. Fawnie snapped it up,
-and brought it to give to Carl through his prison bars.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Then Mrs. Desborough realized how her darling
-had been fed and kept alive in the trackless jungle.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver was telling her of the old gray wolf now
-in Rattam's cage, and the Thibetan repeated her
-story.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>The mother's feelings can be better imagined than
-described when she saw thus clearly that the love of
-the wild wolves had saved her child. Could she
-doubt it?</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Ought we to think it impossible?" urged Oliver.
-"In spite of all its savagery, the dog's nature is in
-the wolf. It is the strong family feeling amongst
-them which makes the pack. You see, I have heard
-a great deal about them from Tara Ghur; and I shall
-never forget that old wolf's face as she turned to Carl
-in the pit."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Gobur and the gardener were cutting off some long
-branches from the nearest trees, to thatch poor Fawnie's
-pyramid and shelter him from the sun.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Oliver ran to help them, until Fawnie's den looked
-like a gigantic heap of boughs. Then Oliver fetched
-the gardener's syringe and drenched it.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>When Fawnie found it growing dark and cool as
-the nest beneath the korinda bush, he laid himself
-down and fell into the sound mid-day sleep of the
-wild beast.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>But nothing short of force could drag Carl away,
-and that was not to be thought of. Mr. Desborough
-saw it would only embitter the child, and rouse and
-exasperate the wolfling. He was hoping that if Carl
-were left to himself he too would fall asleep. But
-no; all sleep was gone. Carl kept on raging round
-and round the pyramid, tugging with all his might at
-the boughs which hid his furry friend.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Desborough lifted Kathleen down from the
-acacia. Her presence had helped him so much in
-getting Carl safely through his journey home. But
-her brave little heart was failing her; she had been
-terribly frightened at the sight of Fawnie, and she
-clung to her mother, trembling.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Fetch Racy," said Mr. Desborough in despair.
-"The sight of his twin-brother may draw the child
-away. We must try something."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Mrs. Desborough went herself, not daring to trust
-any one else with the rebellious Racy in such
-circumstances.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>She soon reappeared, driving him before her on his
-pretty bicycle-horse; while the ayah crept beside her,
-her black face puckered with anxiety and fear as she
-looked at the group on the lawn, and above all at the
-portentous pyramid.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Horace, who could not understand what had happened,
-flourished his whip and shouted to his heart's
-content. He was highly delighted at having got
-mamma to be his syce. She slowly drove him round
-the lawn. Of course, he wanted to gallop off at once
-to his father and Kathleen; but Mrs. Desborough
-turned him back, so that Carl might see him. The
-twins perceived each other at last, and drew together,
-staring.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Look, Racy, who is that sitting on the grass?
-Can it be Carl—Racy's own lost Carl—come home at
-last?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Carl's eyes followed every movement of the pretty
-brown horse with a strange bewilderment.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Kathleen, with her father's arm round her, felt
-her courage revive. She glanced up at him
-inquiringly. He nodded. Away she ran to meet the
-young equestrian, calling Carl to follow. Again he
-obeyed.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"O Racy!" she exclaimed, "we've found poor Carl.
-Let us put him on your horse, and you and I will
-drive him home, for fear we should lose him. You
-push, and I will hold him on. Quick, dear, quick!"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"God bless her," said Mr. Desborough; "she has
-done it again."</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>Racy tumbled out of his saddle. Mrs. Desborough
-and the ayah lifted Carl into his place. He made no
-resistance, but laid his face down and began to bite
-the horse's ears. Kathleen seized the bridle. Racy
-pushed manfully behind. Mrs. Desborough held one
-arm and the ayah the other. Up ran the bhisti, who
-stretched over Horace's head and lifted the horse and
-its rider right up the veranda steps. As usual, the
-hall door stood wide; in rode Carl, and Mrs. Desborough
-locked it behind him.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"What is up now?" exclaimed Major Iffley, as he
-stopped at the familiar gate. "You have found out
-something wrong about the place?"</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, an imperative necessity to leave it. I want
-to make over the indigo factory to you for at least a
-twelvemonth, whilst I take holiday with my wife
-and children. We should never have rescued Carl if
-he had not learned to obey, and now distance is our
-best defence," said Mr. Desborough gravely.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"Done!" answered the major gaily.</span></p>
-<p class="pnext"><span>"If you go," put in Oliver earnestly, "give Fawnie
-over to me. He is young enough to tame and train,
-and I should be proud to own him. With a stout
-chain and collar he will prove a noble dog."</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
-</div>
-<p class="center pfirst"><span>THE END.</span></p>
-<div class="vspace" style="height: 6em">
-</div>
-<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
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