tread on a
snake.

Early on the following Monday morning Wargrave, dressed in khaki
knickerbockers, shirt and puttees, and wearing besides his pith helmet
a "spine protector"--a quilted cloth pad buttoned to the back--as a
guard against sunstroke, went down to the Dermots' bungalow. In the
garden the Colonel, also prepared for their shooting expedition, stood
talking to his wife, while their children were trying to climb up
Badshah's legs. The elephant was equipped with a light pad provided with
large pockets into which were thrust Thermos flasks, packets of
sandwiches and of cartridges. Close by two servants were holding guns.

"Good morning, Wargrave," said the Colonel, as the subaltern greeted him
and his wife. "You're in good time."

Eileen, deserting Badshah, ran to Frank and demanded to be lifted up and
kissed. When he had obeyed the small tyrant, he said:

"I haven't brought a rifle, sir."

"That's right. I have one and a ball-and-shot gun for you. We'll walk
down to the _peelkhana_ by a short cut through the hills to look for
_kalej_ pheasant on the way. Take the gun with you and load one barrel
with shot; but put a bullet in the other, for you never know what we may
meet. Badshah will go down by the road, as well as one of the servants
to bring the rifles and tell the _mahouts_ to get a detachment elephant
ready. It will follow us in the jungle to carry any animals we kill,
while we'll ride Badshah."

Kissing his wife and children the Colonel led the way down the road,
followed by Frank and the servant, Badshah walking unattended behind
them.

"Good sport, Mr. Wargrave!" called out Mrs. Dermot, as the subaltern
turned at the gate to take off his hat in a farewell salute; and the
little coquette beside her kissed her tiny hand to him.

After they had gone half a mile the two officers, carrying their
fowling-pieces, turned off along a footpath through the undergrowth,
leaving the servant and the elephant to continue down the road. The
track led steeply down the mountain-side, at first between high,
closely-matted bushes, and then through scrub-jungle dotted with small
trees, among the foliage of which gleamed the yellow fruit of the limes
and the plantain's glossy drooping leaves and long curving stalks from
which the nimble fingers of wild monkeys had plucked the ripe bananas.
Here and there the ground was open; and the path following a natural
depression in the hills gave down the gradually widening v