28 THE KING'S MAHOUT 



of patient toil and a successful drive might be lost 

 by mishap in getting the herd across the river and 

 the remaining couple of miles. The king's mahout 

 prepared for the test with the apparent confidence 

 and thoroughness that had stamped all his work 

 on the drive. First he put two men on each of 

 his score of tame elephants, the second carrying 

 a bamboo pole; then he sent three of the tuskers 

 thus equipped into the side of the herd nearest 

 the river. These made their way slowly, never 

 hurriedly, yet always determinedly, among the 

 wild ones, cutting out a group of eight which they 

 headed riverwards. Then two other tuskers en- 

 tered the herd and began similar tactics ; and 

 simultaneously the tuskers guarding the outer 

 circle, and the beaters crowded forward. Some- 

 times one of the wild ones, being moved outside of 

 the herd in the lead, would escape and return. 

 Then shone out in bold relief Choo's unflinching 

 grasp of his business. There would be no chasing 

 of that escaped elephant, no hustling movements 

 by any one to suggest that the unusual had oc- 

 curred; but three other mounted tuskers would 

 work into and through the herd in apparent aim- 

 lessness, yet always toward the truant. The es- 

 caped one might shift about among its fellows, 

 might dodge, but sooner or later it found itself 

 between two of the tuskers, with the third at its 



