Мауглі

           PetersenSahibhadspenteighteenyearsincatchingelephants,andhehadonlyoncebeforefoundsuchadance-place.MachuaAppahadnoneedtolooktwiceattheclearingtoseewhathadbeendonethere,ortoscratchwithhistoeinthepacked,rammedearth.

           "Thechildspeakstruth,"saidhe."Allthiswasdonelastnight,andIhavecountedseventytrackscrossingtheriver.See,Sahib,wherePudmini’sleg-ironcutthebarkofthattree!Yes;shewastheretoo."

           Theylookedatoneanotherandupanddown,andtheywondered.Forthewaysofelephantsarebeyondthewitofanyman,blackorwhite,tofathom.

           "Fortyyearsandfive,"saidMachuaAppa,"haveIfollowedmylord,theelephant,butneverhaveIheardthatanychildofmanhadseenwhatthischildhasseen.ByalltheGodsoftheHills,itis—whatcanwesay?"andheshookhishead.

           Whentheygotbacktocampitwastimefortheeveningmeal.PetersenSahibatealoneinhistent,buthegaveordersthatthecampshouldhavetwosheepandsomefowls,aswellasadoublerationofflourandriceandsalt,forheknewthattherewouldbeafeast.

           BigToomaihadcomeuphotfootfromthecampintheplainstosearchforhissonandhiselephant,andnowthathehadfoundthemhelookedatthemasthoughhewereafraidofthemboth.Andtherewasafeastbytheblazingcampfiresinfrontofthelinesofpicketedelephants,andLittleToomaiwastheheroofitall.