Gil the Gunner Part 16

"Oh," I said. "Then your master is going?"

"No, sahib; he stays with the men."

"I don't think he does," I said to myself, as I went into my quarters, where I gave orders for all my shooting things to be put out; and then, after making sure that I should be called in time, I dived in behind the mosquito curtains, so as to get all the rest I could, and in half a minute was sleeping heavily, but not until I had repented leaving the mess-room without saying "good night" to Brace, Barton having gone some time before, as he was on duty that evening.

I scarcely seemed to have fallen asleep before a hand was laid upon my shoulder.

"Master's bath and coffee ready," said a voice; and I looked up to see by the light of a lamp that my man Dost was gazing down at me, with the curtains held aside, and a curiously troubled fixed look in his face.

"Time to get up already?" I said.

"Yes, sahib," he said hurriedly. "All the other gentlemen call and get up."

"All right," I said; and springing out, I stepped into my tiled bath-room, and had myself refreshed with some chatties of cold water poured over my head, after which, feeling elastic as steel, I towelled, and began to dress.

"Why, hallo, Dost," I said, as I saw that the man was trembling, "what's the matter? Not ill?"

"No, no, sahib; quite well, quite well!" he cried hastily.

"But you are not," I cried. "You are all of a shiver. Let me give you something."

He shook his head violently, and kept on reiterating that he was quite well.

"Come, out with it, Dost," I said. "You are not deceiving me. What is the matter?"

He looked round quickly, and I could see that the poor fellow evidently was in great alarm about something.

"Master always good to Dost," he said.

"Of course I am, when you are good and attentive to me. Is my rifle ready?"

"Yes, sahib. Dost afraid for his lord."

I laughed at him, though I felt touched, as I grasped what he seemed to mean.

"You coward!" I said. "Do you think the first tiger I see will get into my howdah and maul me?"

He nodded his head, and looked more nervous than before.

"And that I shall be a job for Dr Danby, and you will have to nurse me?"

He bowed his head again.

"Then you would like me to stop, and not go to the tiger-hunt?"

"No, no, sahib," he cried excitedly, and I smiled again at him, as I thought that it was very doubtful whether Ny Deen and his other men were in such anxiety about Barton.

Dost hung about me with the greatest of solicitude as, fully equipped at last, I made my way to where the buggies and their attendants were in waiting. It was very dark, and it was only by the light of the lanterns that I made out who was there, and saw Brace, the doctor, and a quiet gentlemanly lieutenant of ours named Haynes.

Just then the major came bustling up, his genial nature having urged him to leave his comfortable bed, and come to see us off.

"All here?" he cried. "You'll have a glorious day. Needn't have taken rifles; the rajah would have everything for you, and better pieces than your own, I dare say. Wish I was going with you."

"Why not come?" said Brace.

"No, no! Don't tempt me; I've quite work enough. Some one ought to stay."

"I will stop with pleasure," cried Brace.

"No, no, my dear boy; we settled that you should go. I'll have my turn another time."

"But really--" began Brace.

"Be quiet, man!" cried the major. "You are going. Keep an eye on Vincent here, and don't let a tiger get him. He can't be spared."

"I dare say we shall be in the same howdah," replied Brace; and somehow I did not feel pleased any more than I did at the major taking such pains to have me looked after like a little boy.

"These young chaps are so thoughtless," continued the major. "They run into danger before they know where they are, and then, when they are in the midst of it, they forget to be cool."

"Oh, I shall be careful, sir," I said pettishly.

"You think so, of course," said the major. "I suppose you will not be back till quite late. Like an escort to meet you?"

"Oh no, it is not necessary," said Brace.

"Hullo! Where's Barton?" cried the doctor. "Any one seen him?"

"Not coming," said the major quietly.

"Not coming?"

"No; he sent me a line last thing to say he preferred not to go."

I heard Brace draw his breath in a hissing way, and then he hesitated and descended from the buggy to speak to the major, who said aloud--

"No, no! If he likes to turn disagreeable, let him. There, be off, and a good day's sport to you. Here, Vincent, try if you can't manage a skin rug for yourself this time, and don't any of you waste your charges on small game. You are sure to scare the big away."

We promised, and five minutes after were going at a pretty good pace along the main road, each vehicle with a native driver, and a man running at the horses' heads as well.

We had about fifteen miles to go along the road to a point where elephants or horses would be in waiting for us, sent by the rajah from his jungle palace. Then we should leave the buggies and the main road, to follow a track leading up to the rajah's place, where he often went, to be out of the heat and dust of the city, in which every pair of feet was kicking up the dust all day long, till it was as if the lower part of the town was shrouded in a dense stratum of fog twelve or fourteen feet thick.

We had been riding for some time at a rapid rate before we began to note a change in the surroundings. First a tree would stand out in a pale grey ghostly way; then a clump of high cane-like gra.s.s would loom out like something solid, and then, on turning round, I could see a pale grey light in the sky, which rapidly turned to pale crimson, and then to deep ruddy gold, as up came the sun almost at once, the change from night to day being rapid there.

For some little time now we had been ascending; and getting into a part clear of trees, we were suddenly aware of a tent pitched in the shade of a mango tope, and close by, quietly picking up freshly cut green food, and tucking it into their mouths with their trunks, were half a dozen elephants, three of which bore handsome trappings and howdahs, while the others had only the ordinary pads.

A couple of handsomely dressed servants came forward to meet us as we dismounted, and we were ushered into the open-sided tent, where breakfast was waiting, spread on a soft Indian carpet, while the rajah's men waited upon us with the greatest of attention.

But, as the doctor said, we had not come to eat, and very soon expressed our readiness to start, when the elephants were guided to the front of the tent, and we mounted, after giving orders to the drivers of the vehicles in which we had come, to be in waiting for us just at dusk.