At the next moment Jack found himself in a most extraordinary
position, his elephant being surrounded by the wild herd, whose trunks
ran here and there over their tame brother like so many hands being
stretched out to examine him. One big bull put his trunk into the
howdah and ran it over Jack, who remained perfectly still, knowing
that an incautious movement might arouse the animal's anger. But these
creatures seemed as mild and gentle as the "rogue" had been ferocious.
Before long their curiosity was satisfied, and they strolled away to
crop the young bamboo shoots.

At last Jack breathed a little more freely. His wild ride had been a
terrible business for him. A hundred and a hundred times had his heart
come into his mouth when the great beast that bore him had plunged
through groves where it seemed that over-hanging boughs must sweep
howdah and rider from the elephant's back. But he had come through all
these dangers safely, and now the "rogue" had gone back to the jungle
and the pad-elephant was at peace.

Presently Jack underwent an odd experience. His elephant walked down
to the river and took a long drink. Jack envied the lucky brute; he,
too, was parched with thirst. But in another moment he had water
enough and to spare, for the elephant, filling his trunk with water,
began to cool himself by spouting it over his body, and in a very
short time Jack was drenched to the skin.

"It's refreshing, at any rate," thought Jack, as he shut his eyes
against a fresh deluge of yellow water. "I wish to goodness I could
only work myself free. I've got clear away from Saya Chone and the
Strangler, and that's something to the good."

He began again to work himself about in his bonds, but he was soon
obliged to desist. He was already stiff, and he soon became very sore
as he struggled with his fastenings, which seemed to be eating into
his very flesh.

"It's no go," he said half-aloud. "I cannot shake myself loose," and
he fell back into his corner.

His elephant now came out of the river, and looked around eagerly for
food. The herd of wild ones was already deep in a large bamboo
thicket, and the tame one went at once after them and began to crop
and munch the bamboo shoots. The wild elephants, feeding as they went,
plunged farther and farther into a region of wild jungle, far from any
habitations of men, and the tame one steadily followed them, bearing
on his back the young Englishman, a prisoner, and forced to acco