e waiters who had
come into the hall, "whether my mate came home safely with the clover
cart?"

"Bah!" cried Ramball. "With your giant indeed! Which way did he go?"

"I dunno, sir; it was too dark. But it were a giant. I could swear to
him if I saw him again. I should know him by his trowges."

"Know him by what?" cried the Colonel, laughing heartily.

"By his trowges, sir. I was down in the mud close behind him, and I
could see right up his great legs to his waist. I couldn't see any
farther, he was so big. Awful giant, he was. You may take my word,
sir, for that."

"Bah!" roared the proprietor. "Here, my lads, he's frightened this poor
lad nearly into fits, and we are wasting time. Off with you, and follow
his track from the spot where you found the man. Run him down, and then
don't do anything more to scare him or make him turn nasty; but one of
you stop and watch, and t'other come back here and tell me where he is."

The two keepers obeyed promptly, and hurried away, while one of the
waiters sent the scared carter out into the kitchen.

"That's 'im, sir," said Ramball; "and if the young gents would just give
me a hand to make things easy--"

"Yes, yes," said the Colonel; "but from what I know of elephants, that
great brute may go wandering about through the country for half the
night. You'd better go after your men and track him. He'll be most
likely in some turnip-field having a gorge, and if you can't get him
quietly back come to me again and I'll see what I can do."

"Beg pardon, sir," said Ramball quietly, "I am ready for anything now,
cunning as I used to think myself. But does your honour understand
elephants?"

"Does he understand elephants, Glyn!" cried Singh.--"Why, Mr Ramball,
my friend's father has trapped scores out in the Terai."

"Of course he has, sir," said Ramball.--"Thank you kindly, then, sir.
I'll have my pony put to and go after him at once."

Ramball hurried out of the hall, and the Colonel with his young guests
was about to return to the dining-room when they found that Morris and
Professor Barclay were standing close behind them.

"Quite a succession of adventures, Mr Singh," said Morris.

"Yes," said the Professor, "and most interesting your knowledge of the
habits of those great beasts."

"Yes, exactly," said the Colonel drily. "They are rather difficult to
deal with.--Come boys," and he led the way into the dining-room.
"There, sit down for a bit," he said