y different of aspect and ready to sign to the boys to
sit down again as they rose at his entrance.

"A most unpleasant business, young gentlemen," he began, as he seated
himself; and sinking back he removed his spectacles, folded them, and
used them to tap his knee; "but in justice to you I must hasten to say
that this man's coming has given a very different complexion to the
affair. A very strange, uncultured personage, but most straightforward
and honest. I like the way in which he has offered to bear all the
expense of repairing the fences. He speaks most highly of your
gallantry--er--er--er--pluck, he called it--most objectionable phrase!--
in dealing with this savage beast. H'm, yes, what did he say--tackling
it. But I was not aware that you had engaged in roping or harnessing
the animal. He, however, talked of your both managing the monster
wonderfully, and--er--it had never occurred to me before that you had
both had some experience of elephants in India."

"Oh yes, sir," cried Glyn eagerly. "Singh has elephants of his own, and
we often used to go out together through the forest upon one as big as
that."

"Ha! Very interesting," cried the Doctor. "I was under the impression
that your proceedings this morning were--that is--in fact, that you both
did it just for the sake of a ride."

"Oh no, sir," cried Glyn. "The men were all afraid of the elephant, and
Singh spoke to it in Hindustani, and--"

"Yes, yes, exactly," said the Doctor, smiling. "It was very brave,
and--really, I cannot conceal the fact that I felt alarmed myself when
the great furious beast came charging across the grounds. Yes, he
speaks highly in praise of your conduct, and really, young gentlemen,
I--I must apologise for having spoken to you as I did while suffering
from a misunderstanding. Er--hum!" continued the Doctor didactically,
and he rose slowly to stand waving the gold spectacles through the air,
"it is the duty of every gentleman when he finds that he is in the wrong
to acknowledge the fact with dignity and good grace. My dear young
pupils, I hope I have properly expressed myself towards you both; and
let me add that this will be a lesson to us, to me, against speaking in
undue haste, and to you both as--er--

"Well, gentlemen," he continued with a smile, "I don't think I need
detain you longer from your studies--I mean--er--from your pleasurable
pursuits, as this is a holiday, and we will consider the incident as
cl