scattered dwellers in the jungle and the Bhuttias on the hills, his fame,
already widespread, increased enormously; and these ignorant folk, partly
devil-worshippers, looked on him as half-god, half-demon.

Dermot's feelings towards the gallant animal deepened into strong
affection, and the perfect understanding between the two made the sympathy
between the best-trained horse and its rider seem a very small thing. The
elephant loved the man; and when the Major was on his neck, Badshah seemed
to need neither touch of hand or foot nor spoken word to make him
comprehend his master's wishes.

Such a state of affairs was very helpful to Dermot in the execution of his
task of secret enquiry and exploration. He was thus able to dispense with
any attendant for the elephant in his jungle wanderings, which sometimes
lasted several days and nights without a return to the Fort. He wanted no
witness to his actions at these times. Badshah needed no attention on these
excursions. The jungle everywhere supplied him with food, and water was
always to be found in gullies in the hills. It was unnecessary to shackle
him at night when Dermot slept beside him in the forest. The elephant never
strayed, but stayed by his man to watch over him through the dangerous
hours of darkness. He either stood by the sleeper all night or else gently
lay down near him with the same consummate carefulness that a cow-elephant
uses when she lowers her huge body to the ground beside her young calf.
When Badshah guarded Dermot no harm from beast of prey could come to him.

While the forest provided sustenance for the animal, the soldier,
accustomed though he was to roughing it, found it advisable to supplement
its resources for himself. But with some ship's biscuits and a few tins of
preserved meat he was ready to face the jungle for days. Limes and bananas
grew freely in the foothills. Besides his rifle he usually carried a shot