"I'm afraid I cannot pose as a heroic rescuer. I daresay there might have
been some danger to you, had I not been with them. For one can never tell
what elephants will do. Out of sheer nervousness and fright they might have
attacked you."

"You were with them?" she echoed in surprise. "But you said that these were
wild ones."

"So they are. But this animal we are on is a tame one and was captured
years ago in the jungle about here. I think he must have belonged to this
particular herd, for they accept him as one of themselves."

"Yes; but you?"

"Oh, they have made me a sort of honorary member of the herd for his sake,
I think. He and I are great pals," and Dermot laid his hand affectionately
on Badshah's head. "He saved my life not long ago when I was attacked by a
vicious rogue."

Noreen suddenly remembered the conversation at the club lunch.

"Oh, are you the officer from the Fort up at Ranga Duar?" she asked.

"One of them. I am commanding the detachment of Military Police there," he
answered. "My name is Dermot."

"Then I've heard of you. I understand now. They said that you could do
wonderful things with wild elephants, that you went about the forest with a
herd of them."