“It will be necessary also, Nessus, if you do hit upon some plan for getting me out, to arrange a hiding place in the city.”

“That will be easy enough,” Nessus replied.  “My friends have many relations in the Arab quarter, and once free, you might be concealed there for any time.  And now I will wait no longer, for last night visits were made in all the barracks and stables by the agents of the law, to see that every man was asleep in his place.  Therefore I will return without delay.  In two days I will be here again; but should anything occur which it is needful to tell you I will be here tomorrow night.”

Malchus watched for the light on the following evening with but faint hope of seeing it, but at about the same hour as before he saw it suddenly appear again.  Wondering what had brought Nessus before his time, he paddled to the stairs.

“Well, Nessus, what is your news?”

“We have hit upon a plan of escape, my lord.  As I told you my friend and I are in the stable with the elephants, our duties being to carry in the forage for the great beasts, and to keep the stables in order.  We have taken one of the Indian mahouts into our confidence, and he has promised his aid; the elephant of which he is in charge is a docile beast, and his driver has taught him many tricks.  At his signal he will put up his trunk and scream and rush here and there as if in the state which is called must, when they are dangerous of approach.  The mahout, who is a crafty fellow, taught him to act thus, because when in such a state of temper the elephants cannot be worked with the others, but remain in the stables, and their drivers have an easy time of it.

“On the promise of a handsome reward the mahout has agreed that tomorrow morning, before the elephants are taken out, you shall be concealed in the bottom of the howdah.  He will manage that the elephant is the first in the procession.  When we get out into the courtyard he will slyly prick the beast, and give him the signal to simulate rage; he will then so direct him that, after charging several times about the court, he shall make a rush at the gate.  You may be sure that the guards there will step aside quickly enough, for a furious elephant is not a creature to be hindered.

“When he is once down to the foot of the hill the driver will direct him to some quiet spot.  That he will find easily enough, for at his approach there will be a general stampede.  When he reaches some place where no one is in sight he will halt the elephant and you will at once drop off him.  I shall be near at hand and will join you.  The elephant will continue his course for some little distance, and the mahout, feigning to have at last recovered control over him, will direct him back to the citadel.”