THE KING'S MAHOUT 7 



of his father, Lee Boon Jew, who, although waxing 

 opulent between his own post in the Bird Nest De- 

 partment and the sympathetic co-operation of his 

 wise and understanding friend Ho Pee Peck, the 

 Onion Farmer, was aggrieved to the depths of his 

 frugal Chinese soul by the unexplained falling off 

 in the rattan and bamboo branch of his up-river 

 business. 



But one day, after two years more of mental 

 perturbation y and gradually diminishing rattan 

 profits, the father's heart leaped for joy under the 

 word brought him at Bangkok, that Choo had been 

 summoned into the presence of Krom Mun 

 Monrtee Deeng— another one of the king's mul- 

 titude of cousins, as well as a high man in the 

 Interior Department— and regularly enrolled 

 among the royal mahouts who drive in the period- 

 ical elephant catch or parade on festive occasions, 

 or personally conduct the jaunts of the king's chil- 

 dren when one of his majesty's several dozen goes 

 forth on an official airing. And so ended the 

 double life of Choo Poh Lek ; for henceforth there 

 was no further pretence of attending to the rattan 

 business. Choo's soul was freed from trade bond- 

 age. Incidentally I must however add, because I 

 became much interested in Lee, quite a character 

 in his way, that the honor reflected upon the father 

 through this appointment of his son, and the em- 



