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Updated: June 8, 2025
And so, after the first few, heavy, swinging steps, the reflection of the fire behind him showed him the outline of a keddah just in front, and with a shrill roar of rage Rataplan turned suddenly and fiercely round, dashed headlong through the line of fire, and, with a mighty trumpeting, disappeared into the forest.
"I 'spose it's because grammar can't hit back. That's the kind he always picks on," answered Abe. "You'll pay for this," shouted Alspaugh, striding off after the Seargent of the Guard. At that moment a little drummer appeared by the flagstaff, and beat a lively rataplan. "That's for dress-parade," said Kent Edwards, rising. "We'd better skip right over to quarters and fall in."
Then the leader, followed by the remainder of the herd, turned upon him, and for just once in his life Rataplan was frightened, and simply turned tail and ran ran crashing and stumbling through the forest at a terrific speed, making the air resound with his trumpeting. Had it not been that the dense forest was suddenly broken by a river, it would indeed have gone hard with him.
"V'la ce que c'est la gloire au grabat!" said Cigarette, now grinding her pretty teeth. She was in her most revolutionary and reckless mood, drumming the rataplan with her spurred heels, and sitting smoking on the corner of old Miou-Matou's mattress.
"It was very dangerous." They turned in at the Rataplan and drew up at the carriage entrance. Harleston helped Mrs. Clephane from the taxi and they passed into the Club-House. He inquired of the doorman whether Mr. Carpenter was in, and another servant, who overheard the question, added that Mr. Carpenter was in the dining-room. Harleston and Mrs.
But, as Rataplan knew only too well, woe betide him if ever he met that herd again. And so it was that Rataplan, the Rogue, congratulated himself that so far he had never been caught, neither had any other elephant been able to hurt him. But on this particular day he was very miserable and very lonely, and he had a restless, uneasy, wild feeling which inclined him to something daring.
In vain Rataplan butted the tree nearest to him with all his huge strength; it never moved, scarcely even shook, and he rolled again on the ground in despair. He wound his trunk round and round one of the ropes, doing his best to break and split it, but the rope was good and strong and only squeaked dismally.
Once within sight of him she put on a careless, coquettish air, and began to move carelessly towards him, plucking leaves and grass as though perfectly oblivious of his presence. Rataplan suddenly stopped moving his huge head, and his wicked little eyes were bent on her with scrutiny and interest. He was not, however, going to be caught so easily.
The mahout realized that unless he got him into the keddah soon he would be of no use at all, and once more did his best with koomkies and dainty bits of food to tempt him to follow into the keddah. But still Rataplan would not give in: his body was weak and getting visibly thinner, but his spirit was as strong, as wild and as unbreakable as ever.
"It's too fine a day to ride to the Department," said the Secretary. "It's much too fine, really, to go anywhere except to the Rataplan and play golf." Harleston agreed. "I'll take you on at four o'clock," the Secretary suggested. "If that is not a command," said Harleston, "I should like first to consult you about a matter which arose last night, or rather early this morning.
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