“Yes, and waiting for you,” was the reply as the captain entered the lad’s quarters and looked round critically.
“Humph! you’ve got better rooms than I have.”
“Not I. So long as I’ve a good bed I don’t mind. Bless us! how smart the boy looks! Shall I do?”
“Do? Yes; you always look well and manly, sir. But how are we going to find our way?”
“Oh, I’ll find the way; but I wish we were not going to walk through the dust, on account of one’s shoes.”
They were not going to walk, for there was the trampling of horses and jingling of accoutrements heard in the courtyard, and Hakim entered.
“The sahib’s elephant is waiting,” he said.
“Eh?” cried the captain. “What elephant?”
“Hah! that’s something like a host.” cried Hulton.
“I was just going to see if we couldn’t have palanquins.”
They recognised the elephant as the one the Rajah had ridden that day, but the howdah and trappings were changed, though they were magnificent enough as it was; and as soon as they appeared, the great beast was guided forward from where it stood in company with a dozen of the Rajah’s mounted guard, who saluted the officers.
At a word from the mahout and a flourish of his ankus the elephant knelt, a ladder was placed by a couple of servants, and the two officers mounted. Two of the guard placed themselves in front as the elephant rose, and the rest formed up behind as they set off across the courtyard and through the gate, riding in state through the streets, with the people collecting on either side to see them pass.
“It’s a much finer city than I expected to see, Darrell,” said the captain. “Plenty of temples—a pretty good sign that the Brahmin priests have a strong hold over the people. Look; there are a couple coming along. Humph! Scowls for us instead of welcome salutes. That means something.”
“Yes, that is evident. Look here, Darrell; I want you to keep your eyes and ears open while we are at the palace, so as to pick up all you can, and then we will compare notes afterwards. Look at that, too.”
This remark was made as they passed a crowd at the entrance to what appeared to be a temple. Up to this point, saving the two priests, every one they passed had given them a smiling welcome, or gazed with eager curiosity at the new-comers; but now it was evident, from the scowling looks which greeted them, that the crowd was inimical.