"Oh, do stay, Major Dermot. We'd be delighted to have you."

Dermot needed but little pressing, for the plan suited him well.

"Excellent," said Daleham. "You'll meet Chunerbutty at dinner then. You'll
find him quite a good fellow."

"I'd like to meet him," answered the soldier truthfully. He felt that the
Bengali engineer might interest him more than his host imagined.

"I'll tell the boy to get your room ready," said Noreen. "Oh, what will you
do with your elephant?"

"Badshah will be all right. I'll send him back to the herd."

"What, will he go by himself?" exclaimed Daleham. "How will you get him
again?"

"I think he'll wait for me," replied Dermot.

They had finished breakfast by now and rose from the table. The Major went
to Badshah, touched him and made him turn round to face in the direction
whence they had come.

"Go now, and wait for me there," he said pointing to the forest.

The elephant seemed to understand, and, touching his master with his trunk,
started off at once towards the jungle.