*CHAPTER XV.*
_*A LITTLE SAVAGE.*_
As the search-party were descending the hills, the Thibetan peeped outfrom the water-shed. The sheen of her resplendent jewels caught Oliver'seye, so he sent his uncle's syce to persuade her to go with them to theBeebee Desborough, who knew her. She was mourning over her lost cows,which she feared some of the wandering robber tribes would drive away ifthey found them straying. They all wore necklets of red cloth, shesaid, which she had sewn with cowries in patterns.
Oliver was counting up his money, to see if he could buy her a cow, whenone of the jogies declared he had seen them rush out from the junglewhen they were beating the second koond. He was certain she would findthem roaming amidst the bushes below the ruins. So on she went, for thevultures and kites were sweeping round and round in great disorder--asure presage of the approach of the storm Tara Ghur had predicted. Agust of cold wind swept down from the highest peaks, driving before it adark and whirling cloud, which covered the travellers with a thick pallof dust.
They groped their way, afraid to linger in the dangerous neighbourhoodof the koonds, and still more afraid of losing each other.
Major Iffley rode about, looking up the stragglers; and making the menclose round the dandy, they marched on. A brooding silence filled theair, only broken at intervals by the vulture's scream or the beat ofretreating wings. Mr. Desborough parted the curtains of the dandy andfelt about, to assure himself both children were safe. Carl waked withthe darkness, and began to howl--the same wild howl which had frightenedthe old shikaree in the morning. He was not there now to point out itsdanger. But the Thibetan put her hand to her ear again and again as shelistened. Was there an answer from the distant koond?
"Do you hear anything?" asked Oliver, as the first returning gleam oflight showed them the gate of Mr. Desborough's compound. They hadreached his home, and might have passed it unawares, so great was thedarkness of the coming storm. The trees in his garden bent their proudheads, and swayed from side to side like jungle grass as the rain camedown at last in a mighty torrent. There was just light enough todistinguish the white columns of the veranda through the open gate.There was a general rush to shelter, for in those brief moments thecarriage drive had become a rushing river. The gleam of the lightedlamps in Mr. Desborough's hall cast a glow of welcome on the soddencurtains of the dandy. Mr. Desborough made his men carry it rightthrough the folding doors, and set it down on the middle of the floor,whilst he carefully closed them behind it. Major Iffley had divined hisintention, and was already shutting every other door which opened intothe hall. Oliver and his uncle were both shut out, and groped their wayto the dining-room window, where Bona was standing watching the storm.
"You here!" they both exclaimed in surprise, as she opened it to letthem in.
"Why, yes," she hesitated. "I grew so impatient I came across to see ifyou had got home. Have you found anything?"
"Yes, yes!" they reiterated, as Mrs. Desborough herself appeared behindher.
"Where is Kathleen?" she asked, looking beyond the deputy--whom shefailed to recognize in the gloom of the storm--to the dripping coolies.The men were crowding in the veranda, rubbing their wet feet andwringing the water from their calico garments.
In the hubble-bubble of the many tongues she failed to understandanything.
"Kathleen is all right," said Bona quickly. "I told you she was withher father."
"Calm your anxiety, my dear Mrs. Desborough," began the deputy, with aseriousness which he intended should prepare the way; but it onlystartled her.
"What does all this mean?" she asked, looking from one to the other.
"It means--well, it means--" and the deputy coughed to gain time.--"Justsee, Oliver," he added aside.
"Bother it!" muttered the boy; "I can't open this door."
Bona hastened to his help; but they pushed against it in vain.
Mrs. Desborough, always apprehensive since Carl was lost, was growingdesperate. "Where is Kathleen?" she reiterated.
"Call her," suggested the coughing deputy to his nephew.
"Kathleen!" shouted Oliver. "Do come to your mother."
"Are the doors all shut?" demanded Mr. Desborough in return.
"Yes, yes!" echoed a chorus of voices as Mr. Desborough walked in,carrying what seemed to his wife to be nothing but a big bundle ofcalico.
Kathleen flew to her side. Mrs. Desborough caught hold of her by bothhands.
"Do not look at me, mamma; look at what we've found," said Kathleenexcitedly.
"A child," continued Mr. Desborough, speaking as quietly as he could."Come and look, my dear."
A flash of lightning lit up the darkened room for one brief moment, andleft it blacker than before.
"Bring lights," said Mr. Desborough.
"Yes; and order in the roast-joint, for this poor lad has scarcelytasted food all day," put in Major Iffley, laying his hand on Oliver'sshoulder. "Besides," he added in a low aside, "nothing will be soattractive to that young animal as the savoury smell of the roast. Ispeak advisedly."
"Let us have our dinner, my dear," said Mr. Desborough, turning to Mrs.Desborough as she bent over the bundle in his arms.
The lights quickly appeared, followed by the ayah with sponge, soap, andtowel.
He took the sponge from her hand, and gently washed the queer littleface that was hiding itself from the light under his arm. He turnedCarl slowly round towards Mrs. Desborough. But no amount of dirt, noscars, no scratches, could hide the truth from his mother. She claspedhim to her, exclaiming, "It is ours--our own--our Carl!"
"Can it be possible?" cried Bona.
"With God all things are possible," said the deputy reverently. HowKathleen listened! The servants were hurrying in with the steamingdishes of roast-meat, game and fowl. The cloth had been laid an hourago, awaiting the return of the gentlemen. There was little to do, butthey made that little long in their eagerness to catch sight of the lostand found. At last they were all dismissed, and the doors made fast.
"Now, Iffley," said Mr. Desborough; and they began to unwind the lengthof calico with which poor Carly had been fettered. Between them theygot him at last into a clean pinafore of Horace's which the ayah hadbrought.
Then his mother took him on her lap; but how to hold him was thedifficulty. He wriggled and twisted himself into all sorts ofcontortions. He had struck with shoes and socks, and would have none ofthem, and began his fearful howl once more.
"Quiet!" said Mr. Desborough, in a quick, decisive tone; and the noisewas hushed in a moment. But the light was obviously painful to Carl.He put up his hands, flickering his fingers before his eyes.
"He will howl again," said the major, "if we all stand looking at him."
"Give him a bone," suggested Oliver, who was going in for a good feed, alittle quicker and faster than etiquette allowed; but a day's starvationis no joke, and everybody told him to help himself, and he was justdoing it.
Carl slid down from his mother's lap and sat under the table sucking hisbone contentedly. Presently he gave a rough, hoarse cry that soundedvery much like "More." It was his first attempt to speak. The wing ofchicken on Kathleen's plate was in his other hand in a moment.
"We are getting on," said the major, looking down at the two small headsbeneath the table, whilst the deputy was explaining to Mrs. Desboroughwhere and how they had found her child. It was a never-to-be-forgottenhour: the storm was raging without, thankfulness and wonder reignedwithin.
Oliver grew eloquent as he described the amazing sagacity of Rattam'sold hunter. It was happiness now to look back and see how slender wasthe thread on which the poor child's fate had depended, and howsingularly it had been preserved in the midst of unheard-of perils.Mrs. Desborough's eyes were welling over as she thought of her long-lostdarling, in the midst of the wild beasts in a trackless koond, yet fedand cherished! How?
By the mercy of our heavenly Father, as she truly s
aid, in the fervourof her mother's love. But she did not see the way in which thewonderful escape had been brought about. She knew nothing of the doublenature in the wolf; and they told her it was safe in Rattam's cage.That there was any danger yet for her child, from the very love of thewolves, never crossed her mind; how could it?
She had enough to think about. Her child was at her feet, but it hadforgotten its home. She saw it, estranged and wild.
"Call him by his name," said Mr. Desborough. "Call him Carl every timeyou give him anything to eat, and he will remember his name; if not, hewill soon learn it afresh. We must 'gentle' him, as the grooms say, mydear. Never fear; we shall bring him round."
Carl had taken the wing of the chicken Kathleen had brought him, andlaid his other bone on the floor. Kathleen still sat on the carpet byhis side, with a patience she had never shown to any one before. He hadeven rubbed his head against her shoulder, when the moongus, which hadbeen asleep in one corner of the room, aroused, and seeing an invitingbone, stole up to it for a taste. Carl flew at it in savage fury,tearing and raging. The scuffle which ensued before the two were partedfilled Mrs. Desborough with many fears for Horace, who was happily inbed and asleep before his brother was brought home. But to the surpriseof every one present, when Mr. Desborough made his voice heard above thedin of the combatants, Carl was silent in a moment, and dropped back onthe floor in instantaneous obedience. After a little while he camecreeping to his father's feet. Oh, it was piteous to see him so, andyet it was hopeful.
Kathleen, who was trembling all over, put her moongus out of the room,and ran back with her lap full of playthings. She had brought Carl'sown old drum that he used to be so fond of, and his horse and cart, anda new steam-engine he had never seen. "Perhaps," she thought, "he mayremember these. They were his favourites; and Racy always loves myengine." She set it running on the floor before Carl's feet. The majorlifted up his corner of the tablecloth, that he might watch theproceedings. Carl gave one of his frog-like leaps, pounced on theswiftly-moving toy, and snapped it in two with a cry of delight.
"Never mind, dear," said Mrs. Desborough, turning to Kathleen.
"Mind, mamma!" repeated Kathleen desperately; "can I ever mind anythinghe does, when I know that all this happened because I meddled with theblind? You told me never to touch it, and all my crying would not undothe mischief. Carl is better than I am, mamma, for he has minded everyword papa has spoken."
"This comforts me, Kathleen, more than anything else," answered hermother fondly. "Always to obey is the one great lesson for every childto learn, and it cannot be learned too early. It is thefoundation-stone of all that is good in after life--a young child'ssafeguard and its shield. If you both are careful to obey, we shallsoon bring Carly round, and all be happy again."
Kathleen hung her head in her self-reproachful shame. She did not seethe joy in her mother's eyes; for there is no joy so dear to a mother'sheart as the joy of seeing her children try to overcome their faults,and turn to all that is right and good.
No one else understood the whispered conversation; they were all intenton Carl. Oliver took up the drum and beat a jolly tune.
Suddenly Carl sprang up and listened. Yes, there was a tiny creepingsound. It was only the lizard from behind the picture-frame that hungover the sideboard coming out for its crumbs, which Kathleen gatheredfor it every day after dinner. It was a pretty rose-pink creature, witha sharply-pointed tail and bead-like eyes. It had grown so tame it ranbetween the plates, helping itself as it liked.
"Tic-tickee!" cried Carl, calling it by the Hindu name his ayah hadtaught him, and grabbing at it with both his hands.
Strange that he should remember the lizard, when everything else wasforgotten! Had he played with the lizards in the forest? Oh, horror!he was going to eat it. Bona nearly screamed. In her heart she wasalmost as afraid of him as the Hindu servants, and was thankful when thedeputy talked of going, for the storm was over.
"If you want us, Desborough," said Major Iffley, "we are not so very faraway. But you will tame your young savage all the better when you arealone."
They were careful even in the moment of departure not to leave a doorajar, for fear little Carl should try to rush out.
"Come and look at him to-morrow," replied Mr. Desborough, "when a warmbath and his mother's scissors have had their turn."
"Leave the shoes and socks for a day or two--that is my advice," laughedthe deputy as he rode away, splashing through the flood that stillsurrounded the compound.
The horse which had been found for Oliver was tired with its day's hardwork, and would not keep pace with his uncle's and Bona's. As he laggedbehind he heard a cow lowing in the moonlight. He thought of theThibetan when he saw the horned head drinking at the stream whichdrained the road. He rode up to it, looking for the scarlet necklet shehad described.
There it was, embroidered all over with tiny shells in a most fancifulpattern. Laughing heartily to think of so much ingenuity being wastedon a cow, he drove it before him into the gates of Runnangore, glad tohave recovered one of the scattered herd for their luckless owner. Hewas sure that Mr. Desborough would look after her; but he meant to takeher a new blanket all the same.
*CHAPTER XVI.*
_*THE CONCLUSION.*_
The sunrise found Old Gray Legs roaming through the koond in search ofhis missing mate, whilst the half-grown wolflings sat howling by thekorinda bush until the sun was high. The time for sleep had come. Theylaid themselves down, but not to rest. The most adventurous of them allhad his ear on the ground listening. It heard Old Gray Legs give tongueas he found himself at last on the track of his mate. Out they allrushed, scattering themselves over bush and boulder to join him. Theywere scenting the ground as they ran, and one of them alighted on thepath which Carl had taken with his furry protector. Once on the scent ofhis lost playfellow, the keen young wolf pursued him through all itswindings to the pit, which it had just light enough to avoid, then up tothe heights, and back to the very gate of Mr. Desborough's compound,where it lay crouching among the ferns.
The native servants were at their usual work. Bene Madho was returningfrom the bazaar, with one or two of the coolies carrying home hispurchases. The dandy-bearers, who went into the patches of jungle to cutgrass for the horses every day, were coming back with their bundles ontheir heads. The Thibetan was with them. She had gone out hoping tosee something of her straying cattle. Oliver, too, had risen early. Hewanted to tell her to come over to Runnangore and claim her cow. Inspite of her rags and her losses she was a rich woman. She had only tosell a few of her beads to buy a new herd. Bona would gladly becometheir purchaser, so he made this a reason for presenting himself at thegate of Noak-holly by five o'clock in the morning. He did not expect tosee either Mr. or Mrs. Desborough at such an hour, but he thought hemight inquire of the servants how the night had gone.
In truth, it had gone queerly enough behind the nursery purdah, whereboth father and mother had been working at their precious little savagewith sponge, soap, and towel. The cutting of his hair was terrible,and, worse than all, the cutting of his nails, which had grown intoveritable claws. The poor wee child, so long a stranger to bath orhair-brush, hated both. If his father had not been there to hold him,it would not have been possible to wash him clean from Tara's bird-lime.Painful as the tedious process must have been, he was singularlyobedient. He seemed to like nothing so well as coiling himself round onhis mother's lap. But to get him to sleep was an impossibility. Oh howhis father longed for the lulling influences of the water-shed on thehills! Carl was continually racing after the toads and spiders, makingall sorts of strange noises, feeling his way about the darkened room,and howling at each unfamiliar sound. But morning dawned, and he beganto yawn and blink in the growing light. Suddenly he gave one of hisfrog-like leaps, parting the chintz curtains of the purdah with hishead, and peeping into the veranda. Mr. Desborough was nodding; butmamma was clo
se beside her boy, wondering what he would do next. Theservants were all astir, and the gate was locked, so she let him takehis first look round by daylight.
Another bound and he was over the veranda railing into the garden, wherehe coiled himself round in the middle of a bed of mignonnette, andsettled for sleep at last.
"Better not disturb him," thought Mrs. Desborough. "After so many monthsin the woods he could not sleep indoors."
So she opened a large white sunshade over his head, and sat down underan acacia tree to watch his slumbers.
Mr. Desborough was sleeping too, having had no rest for two wholenights. She could not bear to wake him, so she called up Kathleen. Itwas early; but the early morning in India is delightful. The ayahbrought her, and returned to Horace, who had not yet seen his brother.
Swarms of young frogs had appeared in the veranda after last night'sstorm. The bhisti was gathering them up, sweeping them into a pail tocarry away and put them somewhere outside the compound. Kathleen amusedherself with watching the round, red insects which covered the grass,looking as if, instead of a hailstorm, there had been a shower of redvelvet buttons, the rain had brought them out in such numbers. Thegardener was hoeing within call.
"Yes," thought Mrs. Desborough; "all safe at home. All danger overnow." Yet she could not take her eyes off the little sleeper in themignonnette.
"When he awakens," she said to Kathleen, "we will let him see Horace atplay in the veranda. I fear they have forgotten each other; but theyare twins, and the old love will revive. It will be safer to have theveranda railing between them at first. Racy is so trying, and if Carlgrew cross he might fly at his brother as he did at your moongus. Wewill put the old red reins on Carl, so that he cannot leap awayunawares. Being with Racy will bring Carl round sooner than anythingelse, if it is but safe to let them be together."
Whilst Mrs. Desborough was speaking the men came in with their bundlesof grass. As the gate opened, in rushed the wolf with a cry. Up flewCarl with a bound of delight to meet it. They tumbled on the grasstogether in a tumult of ecstasy. Mrs. Desborough's first thought was tolift up Kathleen into the acacia under which they were sitting, whileshe shrieked for help. At the sound of her voice and of the runningfeet hurrying towards her from every direction, the wolf stopped in itsgambols, seized Carl in its mouth, and was dragging him away. They werenearly at the gate.
"Come back, Carl! Carl, come back!" cried Kathleen from the acaciaboughs.
Mr. Desborough ran out with his gun. He was levelling it to take deadlyaim, when he perceived the close embrace with which Carl was clinging tothe wolf, and lowered it in despair.
"Shut the gate!" he shouted.
Oliver and the Thibetan rushed into the garden.
Mrs. Desborough saw Carl turn his head at the sound of his sister'svoice, and she repeated the call in her desperation. His name rang loudand clear above the clamour the servants were raising in their usualfashion. Carl came as a well-trained dog obeys his master, and, Ohorror! the young wolf with him. She showered the cakes she had broughtwith her across the grass towards him. Oliver snatched a pitchfork fromone of the grass-cutters and ran; but the Thibetan, who was the nearest,seized the wolf by the hind legs and held it fast. Oliver put thearching tines of the pitchfork over its neck like a collar, and drovethe points into the ground until its head was fixed but not hurt, and heleaned on the handle with all his strength to keep it there. Oh forTara Ghur! but the old shikaree was far away, rejoicing in hiswell-deserved and ample reward. Was there nobody to help?
"Hold hard!" shouted Mr. Desborough, as he rushed up white and resoluteto pull the child away. But Carl clung passionately to his furryplayfellow. The wolf had ceased to struggle, but it held his pinafore ina grip of iron.
Mr. Desborough tore the thin muslin in two, and forced the childbackwards. Mrs. Desborough was close beside him. She pushed thesweetest cake she had into Carl's mouth to try to divert his attention.He threw it to the wolf as he struggled to free himself from hisfather's arm.
"Booraba no hurt child," said the Thibetan, who had watched the wolf andthe child all night in the shikaree's pit. "Young booraba like itsbahee [brother]. Hurt it, and child hate you all its life. Cage it,child stop, feed booraba; no run away from each other."
There was so much sense in what she urged so earnestly, Mr. Desboroughwas afraid to disregard it. He looked around him, not knowing what to dofor the best. Then he shouted to the grass-cutters to fetch the ironhurdles which divided the paddock behind the garden. They ran across,pulled them up, and flung them over the hedge of roses.
Meanwhile Bene Madho had fetched old Gobur to the sahib's assistance.Mrs. Desborough had taken off Kathleen's sash and knotted it roundCarl's waist, so that she could hold him whilst Mr. Desborough fixed thehurdles firmly in the grass.
Gobur came up with another pitchfork and put it over the wolf's hindlegs, fixing them to the ground, as Oliver had fixed its head, torelease the courageous Thibetan. It was a trying moment for Oliver whenMr. Desborough put down the fourth hurdle and shut him in with the wolfand Gobur. It was a tremendous effort to hold the wolf down, and he wasgetting exhausted.
Mr. Desborough saw this, and leaving his men to make a threefold fenceround the wolf, he leaned over the hurdle and took the handle of thepitchfork from him. The boldest of the syces followed his example, andreleased Gobur. It was a moment of intense relief to Mrs. Desboroughwhen she saw them both safely outside. The Thibetan was helping her tocontrol Carl, who was struggling to get free. Five or six men weredriving in the hurdles as fast as they could, and in the noise of theirhammering Mrs. Desborough could no longer make herself heard.
By Mr. Desborough's orders every hurdle on the place was brought, untila perfect pyramid of iron was piled over the prostrate wolf. After thethree-fold fence a row of hurdles were set endways between the lines,slanting inwards, and over these another tier was laid to form a roof,and another and another, crossing each other in every direction. Beforethe last corners were shut in the pitchforks were slowly withdrawn, andyoung Fawnie was left unhurt to examine the iron house which had beenbuilt over him.
One hurdle at the top was so placed that it could be withdrawn a littleway, like a window-shutter. Gobur climbed up and let down a pail ofwater.
All the while the men were at work, Carl and the wolfling were crying toeach other.
The wolfling was not yet six months old, and had not learned to be sowary as its mother. Yet it was strangely quieted when it found itself aprisoner. Not so Carl: he stamped, and sobbed, and kicked in an agony ofdistress, because he was shut out.
"Give him his liberty," said Mr. Desborough. "Let him run up to it ifhe likes."
Carl flew to the hurdles and tried to push between their rails, whilstFawnie, as Oliver called the wolfling, worked at them from the inside.But the iron walls of his prison were too firmly built to be shaken. Afrog leaped out of the grass. Fawnie snapped it up, and brought it togive to Carl through his prison bars.
Then Mrs. Desborough realized how her darling had been fed and keptalive in the trackless jungle.
Oliver was telling her of the old gray wolf now in Rattam's cage, andthe Thibetan repeated her story.
The mother's feelings can be better imagined than described when she sawthus clearly that the love of the wild wolves had saved her child.Could she doubt it?
"Ought we to think it impossible?" urged Oliver. "In spite of all itssavagery, the dog's nature is in the wolf. It is the strong familyfeeling amongst them which makes the pack. You see, I have heard agreat deal about them from Tara Ghur; and I shall never forget that oldwolf's face as she turned to Carl in the pit."
Gobur and the gardener were cutting off some long branches from thenearest trees, to thatch poor Fawnie's pyramid and shelter him from thesun.
Oliver ran to help them, until Fawnie's den looked like a gigantic heapof boughs. Then Oliver fetched the gardener's syringe and drenched it.
When Fawnie found it growing d
ark and cool as the nest beneath thekorinda bush, he laid himself down and fell into the sound mid-day sleepof the wild beast.
But nothing short of force could drag Carl away, and that was not to bethought of. Mr. Desborough saw it would only embitter the child, androuse and exasperate the wolfling. He was hoping that if Carl were leftto himself he too would fall asleep. But no; all sleep was gone. Carlkept on raging round and round the pyramid, tugging with all his mightat the boughs which hid his furry friend.
Mr. Desborough lifted Kathleen down from the acacia. Her presence hadhelped him so much in getting Carl safely through his journey home. Buther brave little heart was failing her; she had been terribly frightenedat the sight of Fawnie, and she clung to her mother, trembling.
"Fetch Racy," said Mr. Desborough in despair. "The sight of histwin-brother may draw the child away. We must try something."
Mrs. Desborough went herself, not daring to trust any one else with therebellious Racy in such circumstances.
She soon reappeared, driving him before her on his pretty bicycle-horse;while the ayah crept beside her, her black face puckered with anxietyand fear as she looked at the group on the lawn, and above all at theportentous pyramid.
Horace, who could not understand what had happened, flourished his whipand shouted to his heart's content. He was highly delighted at havinggot mamma to be his syce. She slowly drove him round the lawn. Ofcourse, he wanted to gallop off at once to his father and Kathleen; butMrs. Desborough turned him back, so that Carl might see him. The twinsperceived each other at last, and drew together, staring.
"Look, Racy, who is that sitting on the grass? Can it be Carl--Racy'sown lost Carl--come home at last?"
Carl's eyes followed every movement of the pretty brown horse with astrange bewilderment.
Kathleen, with her father's arm round her, felt her courage revive. Sheglanced up at him inquiringly. He nodded. Away she ran to meet theyoung equestrian, calling Carl to follow. Again he obeyed.
"O Racy!" she exclaimed, "we've found poor Carl. Let us put him on yourhorse, and you and I will drive him home, for fear we should lose him.You push, and I will hold him on. Quick, dear, quick!"
"God bless her," said Mr. Desborough; "she has done it again."
Racy tumbled out of his saddle. Mrs. Desborough and the ayah liftedCarl into his place. He made no resistance, but laid his face down andbegan to bite the horse's ears. Kathleen seized the bridle. Racypushed manfully behind. Mrs. Desborough held one arm and the ayah theother. Up ran the bhisti, who stretched over Horace's head and liftedthe horse and its rider right up the veranda steps. As usual, the halldoor stood wide; in rode Carl, and Mrs. Desborough locked it behind him.
"What is up now?" exclaimed Major Iffley, as he stopped at the familiargate. "You have found out something wrong about the place?"
"Yes, an imperative necessity to leave it. I want to make over theindigo factory to you for at least a twelvemonth, whilst I take holidaywith my wife and children. We should never have rescued Carl if he hadnot learned to obey, and now distance is our best defence," said Mr.Desborough gravely.
"Done!" answered the major gaily.
"If you go," put in Oliver earnestly, "give Fawnie over to me. He isyoung enough to tame and train, and I should be proud to own him. Witha stout chain and collar he will prove a noble dog."
THE END.
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