Besides danger from human enemies the two men were menaced by peril from wild beasts as well.  Panthers prowled among the hills, great Himalayan bears, a blow from the paw of one of which would crack a man’s skull, wandered on the jungle-clad slopes and, though not carnivorous, were always ready to attack human beings.  Herds of wild elephants, which had scaled the mountains into Bhutan at the beginning of the Monsoon to reach the northern face of the Himalayas and escape the heavy rains that deluge the southern slopes and also to avoid the insects that plague them in the jungle at that season, were commencing to return to the Terai.  Often Wargrave and Tashi had to climb trees to let a herd go by; and each time as he watched them the subaltern thought longingly of Colonel Dermot and Badshah.  If he had them to help him how easily he could burst the barrier between him and the land that held the girl whom he loved and who needed him so!

Late one afternoon, as the two men were making their way through bamboo jungle at the foot of high cliffs close to a pass into Ghutan which they had not yet attempted, they blundered into the middle of a herd of elephants feeding.  There was no tree in which they could take refuge, and before they were able to make their escape they found themselves surrounded on every side.  A number of cow-elephants, which, having young calves with them, were very savage, pressed threateningly towards the men, who tried to force their way into the dense growths of the bamboos and so put a frail barrier between themselves and the menacing beasts.  They knew that their pistols would be useless, and they had already given themselves up for lost when the huge animals which were apparently about to charge them, suddenly stopped and drew aside to allow a monstrous bull-elephant to pass through.  It was a single-tusker, and it advanced steadily towards the men.  Frank stared at it incredulously.  Could it be——?  Yes, it was.  He was sure of it.  It was Badshah.

And the elephant knew him and came towards him.  In the sudden revulsion of feeling and his relief at knowing that they were safe Frank almost lost his head.  A mad hope surged through him.  He stretched out his arms imploringly to the great beast and cried impulsively: 

“Oh, Badshah! Hum-ko madad do! (Help us!)”

To his amazement the animal seemed to understand.  It sank slowly to its knees as though inviting him to mount it.

“Sahib!  Sahib!  He offers us his aid,” cried Tashi excitedly, and he scrambled up after Wargrave who had climbed on to the broad shoulders.

The subaltern leaned forward and, touching the huge forehead, pointed in the direction of Bhutan.  Badshah turned and moved off towards the pass through the mountains, while the herd followed; and Frank thrilled with the hope that at last he was about to break through the barrier of foes between him and the girl he loved.

CHAPTER XIV