Part 4 (1/2)

Then the shepherds began to look grave and ibberish are they talking?” shrilled poor Head-nurse, trying to keep hope alive by being angry The man who spoke Persian looked at her cheerfully

”Only that perhaps the dog has eaten the child We keep it hungry that it may chase the wild animals”

This was too much for the womankind They simply rent the air with heartbroken sobs

But Foster-father, grave and silent, would not give up hope Every foot of the ravine must be searched, first doards, as, had the child really fallen into the stream it must have been carried with it Then as a last forlorn hope upwards So, peering down carefully fro shallower, less steep, it n Then sadly they coh cliff whence the streaushed out Here they found that the ravine ider, and at the bottom of it a patch of sand and boulders showed that there was foothold beside the roaring torrent

”I will cliht,” said Roy; ”it is easier here--if he had fallen here, he ht--” the tears in his voice prevented arments preparatory to the difficult descent

But the shepherds raised an urgent outcry There was a demon in the cavern, they said, whence the water ca another life

Roy struggledhands, but Old Faithful and Foster-father looked at each other Whether there was a demon or not it was a risk to another life and that should not be a young one

”No, boy!” said the old warrior stoutly ”This is in with, and demons--if there be any--like not a clean sword thrust Also I have been pilgriri his draord in his teeth, since both hands were needed for the parlous descent, he coerly

About half way down he paused, looked up and called back; but they could not hear what he said

”Take thy sword out of thy rief and rage; ”it isn't h, but Old Faithful had soed to steady himself for a moment on his two feet; so sword in hand he bawled back

”'Tis true! There _is_ a deo on, secure in my sword and Holy----”

Here a foot slipped and he went sliding, slithering, slipping down to the botto in front of him

And then there echoed up to the listeners the , that ever was heard!

”The demon! The demon!” yelled the shepherds in terror, and ran for their lives

But Roy, ear over the cliff, listened for a second, and the next had followed Old Faithful Foster-father was not long behind him, and Meroo was close on his heels Foster-mother and Head-nurse were not to be left out, and soet down in safety

And then they all stood and sat silent and agape with surprise and delight

For what they saas this A low cavern in the rock, and on a shelving bank of dry sand Baby Akbar sitting up and rubbing his eyes, while on one side of hi, his white teeth glea as he filled the air with furious barks; while on the other was the white fluff of a cat, her back arched, her tail the size of two, spitting and growling fiercely

How had he got there? Foster-father looked at Foster-mother, Head-nurse looked at Old Faithful, and Roy looked at Meroo, and they all looked at each other

But Baby Akbar only put out one fat hand towards the black dog and said ”Tumbu,” and the other fat hand towards the cat and said ”Down,” and that was all he would say

He had tu and the cat came to be with him no one ever knew from that day to this

CHAPTER V