Sabu and the Elephants PDF

# Sabu and the Elephants ## Chapter 1 Sabu sat by the river in the blazing sun. He was lonely, for he had no mother, and his father was away all day. Sabu's father was an elephant driver who worked for the Prince of Mysore, in India. He was one of the best of drivers, for his elephant was strong a...

# Sabu and the Elephants ## Chapter 1 Sabu sat by the river in the blazing sun. He was lonely, for he had no mother, and his father was away all day. Sabu's father was an elephant driver who worked for the Prince of Mysore, in India. He was one of the best of drivers, for his elephant was strong and good and gentle, and she was so fond of her master that she would do anything for him. The elephant was called Gudi, and when Sabu had been a baby, she had even rocked his cradle with her great foot. Sabu loved Gudi. He loved all the tame elephants in the Prince's stables, and he longed to have one of his own. ## Chapter 2 "When I grow up," he thought, "I'll save all the money I earn, and I'll buy an elephant. Then I'll be a driver like Father. My elephant will be the best elephant in the stables, and I'll ride it at the head of the Prince's procession." But it would be a long time yet before all that could happen. So Sabu sighed and wondered how he could amuse himself till his father came home. "I know," he thought, "I'll go just a little way into the jungle." He jumped up and wandered through tangled trees, watching the specks of sunlight caught like stars among the branches. Then the trees became thicker so that the sun could not peep through, and it seemed to Sabu like evening instead of day. "I mustn't go too far," he said to himself, for he knew that panthers and tigers lurked in the jungle, and that snakes slid silently by. Suddenly, a little way ahead, Sabu saw something that was a wild elephant moving in the shadows. Sabu stood quite still. Wild elephants in the jungle were very different from the tame elephants in the Prince's stables. An elephant that wandered alone was usually bad-tempered and fierce. Then Sabu saw that this one was not alone. There were several others around him. ## Chapter 3 The chief driver was very kind to Sabu and he let him play with Irawatha whenever he liked. So Sabu often pretended that Irawatha was his own elephant, and he talked to him and sang to him and taught him tricks. He taught Irawatha to curl his trunk round him and lift him high in the air and put him on his broad back. Sabu thought this was very clever, and he knew that none of the other elephants could do it. Now one day Sabu was talking to his friends in the stable yard. They were eating bananas, and laughing and teasing each other, when in came the head driver. "I've news for you boys," he said. "What is it?" they asked, stopping their chatter and looking up at him. "Some strangers have come from Bombay to see the Prince," he replied. "They're making a film—a moving picture—and they've come to take photographs. The film will tell a story called 'Toomai of the Elephants'. It's about a little boy and an elephant, and the film men have come here to choose a boy to act for them." "To choose a boy!" echoed the children. "They might choose one of us!" "Yes," said the chief driver. "They might." There was great excitement. A boy and an elephant! ## Chapter 4 take their cameras there one afternoon and the Prince's drivers to take their elephants. Just as he was leaving the house in his Sabu standing near by. "Do you want to come and watch?" he tried. "Yes, please," answered Sabu. "No Sabu climbed into the car, and though he try him was. He wondered which elephants would graphed, and he wondered if Irawatha would "But "All impatis move f Sabu stood in curled Soon they reached the river. The water was faster than ever, and the elephants and the the camera men were waiting on the bank back. too, was Irawatha. Sabu longed to run and but he knew he must keep out of the way, stood quietly and watched. "Cor across Ever certain "Ready," said the director, and he asked to take the elephants into the water. The wouldn high on their elephants and urged them for the elephants didn't move. The river weet, st raging torrent—swirling, rushing past. aused He s "Come, come," cried the drivers, but the dat he stood firmly and would not move. Qwirled "Oh, dear," sighed the director. "I married picture of an elephant swimming across the time y mo ## Chapter 5 Cience student Each boy hoped that he would be the lucky one, and Which boy would be chosen, and which elephant? that his father's elephant would act with him. Sabu had no father, and he had no elephant, but he hoped and hoped that he would be chosen for Toomai and that Irawatha would be his elephant. A few days later Sabu saw one of the film men in the road, and the man saw him. He stared at Sabu Then he said, ## Chapter 6 "May I try", whispered Sabu. "No. It's so dangerous Yesterday she threw a to the ground and he was badly hurt. We'll have to let her go free." Sabu swallowed hard. It was true. He knew that Gudi would have to be set free, for soon she would become more dangerous still. She might push her stable down and rush madly through the village, knocking down houses and trampling on anyone who stood in her path. Sabu was very unhappy, but he understood the ways of elephants. So Gudi was taken back to the jungle, and she wandered through the trees and became a wild elephant once more, and Sabu was left alone. * * * After that Sabu spent much more time at the Prince's stables. He talked to the drivers. He romped and fought and chattered and laughed with the other boys, and he played with the elephants. They were beautiful elephants and the one that Sabu began to like best of all was called Irawatha. Irawatha was strong and clever, and he walked at the front of the Prince's procession. ## Chapter 7 were kind to him, but Sabu felt very unhappy for some time. Then he remembered Gudi. Gudi had been Father's elephant. Now of course she would be Sabu's. Sabu began to feel better. He had no mother and no father but he had an elephant. Gudi was his very own. Sabu went at once to the Prince's stables to see Gudi At the stables there were elephants and drivers and drivers' children, some of whom were friends of Sabu And there was Gudi, the great, strong, gentle elephant —Father's elephant—Sabu's elephant. "Gudi, dear, big Gudi," murmured Sabu, stroking the elephant's trunk. ## Chapter 8 distance away, walking slowly and looking for bamboo shoots to eat. Most people would have crept out of the jungle and gone home, but Sabu was very young and he had not yet learnt to be afraid. So he walked forward bravely and spoke to the elephants. They flapped their huge ears and stared at him. "I'm lonely," said Sabu. "Play with me." He put his with me." He pu arms round the first elephant's trunk and rested his face against its hard, grey skin. The elephant didn't seem to mind at all. It even seemed to like this brave little boy. So after that, when Sabu's father was out at work, Sabu used to wander into the jungle and play with the wild elephants. But he never went too far among the trees, and he was always back by evening to see his father and Gudi come home. Then one day Sabu's father died. Sabu was very sad. Now there was no one to look after him—no mother, no father. He sat by the river in the blazing sun, and stared into the blue water. He knew he wouldn't starve, for the Prince had promised to send him two rupees a month. That was very little money, but it was enough to pay for food. The other elephant drivers ## Chapter 9 But Gudi didn't even look at him. She just pulled her trunk impatiently away. "Gudi," said Sabu in a hurt voice. "Don't you RTC know me?" And this time Gudi swished her trunk angrily and stamped her great feet so that the whole stable trembled. "Is she sick?" asked Sabu, turning to the drivers. "No," they replied. "She's missing her master. She loved him so much that she won't do anything for anyone else. She is bad-tempered and miserable, and she won't let anyone ride her." ## Chapter 10 to walk, and he added, RTC Then you'll see a giant who will tell you where to go next, if he feels like it.") "Thank you," replied Hercules, and he went on his way. He walked and walked, over hills and valleys, and through still, silent forests until at last he came to the giant. RIC "Excuse me," said Hercules. "Will you tell me the way to the garden of the Hesperides?" But instead of answering him, the giant rushed upon Hercules and struck him with his club. "Oho!" thought Hercules. "What's a I'm as strong as he is." bravely RIC giant to me? He fought boldly, but he soon found that this was no ordinary giant. For every time the giant fell to the ground, he rose up again, ten times as strong as before. So every time Hercules knocked him down, he sprang up, greater and stronger than ever; and the harder Hercules fought, the harder and fiercer became the battle. Then Hercules had an idea; and instead of knocking the giant down, he suddenly lifted him into the air and squeezed half the breath from his body. ## Chapter 11 free. Hercules knew now why the maidens had warned him not to let go, for the Old Man of the Sea had the power of changing himself into any shape he wished. At that moment the Old Man of the Sea chose to turn himself into an ugly three-headed dog. It barked and snapped at Hercules, but Hercules still held on tightly. Then the dog disappeared, and in its place was a man with six legs. Five of the legs kicked fiercely, but Hercules still clung to the sixth with all his might. After that came a snake, a hundred times bigger than any snake Hercules had ever seen before. It twisted and turned itself in his grasp, but still he held on tightly. Then at last, when the Old Man of the Sea found that he could not free himself from Hercules, he changed back to his own shape, and cried, Ric ("Who are you, and what do you want with me? Let go! Let go!") DC. "My name is Hercules," was Hercules Ric the reply, and I won't let go until you tell me the way to the garden of the Hesperides. The Old Man of the Sea sighed, so that his green seaweed beard shook. He had heard of the strength of Hercules, and he knew that he would have to answer him. So he explained which way Hercules would have ## Chapter 12 crocodiles below who would be only too welcome him. Irawatha must get across somehow The director and the camera men were They hadn't realised how strong.the.cuttght wa would be drowned. He would be catco by croco Anxiously they shaded their eyes from the watched the boy and the elephant struggling water. But Sabu wasn't afraid. He held tightly to i and at last Irawatha managed to swim a little tea the other side. The great elephant struggled splashed and swam-nearer and nearer and Then he reached the muddy shallows and walkt on the farther bank, with Sabu high on his back and smiling in the sun. A little later, when he and Irawaths joined the elephants and drivers and camera men again, Sabu ran to the director and looked at him. The director smiled and said, RTC "Well, I've decided which boy I want for my moving picture about Toomai and the Elephants" "Me?" asked Sabu with a grin-"Me-and Irawatha?" "Yes," nodded the film man. "You-and Irawatha." ## Chapter 13 "Thank you," said Hercules: "I'll remember your advice." So Hercules went over hills and valleys and through still, silent forests, until he came at length to the sea- shore. He stood for a moment watching the waves rushing up on the rocks. Then he noticed a patch of grass and sweet-smelling clover between the cliffs and the sea; and there lay an old man fast asleep. Hercule crept closer, and looked at him. He was a very strange old man. His arms and legs were covered with scales like a fish; and his hands and feet were webbed like a duck's. His face was wrinkled and weather-beaten, and he had a small, shaggy beard, like a tuft of green ATL seaweed. "This," thought Hercules, "must surely be the Old Man of the Sea) How fortunate that I should find him asleep." Very quietly he took hold of one of the old man's arms and one of his legs. The old man woke up in surprise. But the next minute it was Hercules who was surprised, for instead of holding the Old Man of the Sea, he found he was holding a struggling stag. Still he held tightly. Then he found that he was holding a huge sea-bird, which was wildly trying to get ## Chapter 14 Hercules there was a lovely garden. It belonged to the there Once upon a time, far away in the west of the word, daughters of Evening, who were called the Hesperides In this garden there was a tree where golden sppis grew. They were large appies, made of shining, lean ing, solid gold. metimes brave young men journeyed from afar gather them, but as yet no one had been strong enoug or clever enough to pick even one of the precious fis For beneath the tree there lived a dragon-a dne with a hundred heads. And if fifty of the heads thog chance to fall asleep, the other fifty would alwa stay awake to keep watch. Now one day a man named Hercules was sent to fo the garden of the Hesperides. He served a king w delighted in giving him the hardest of tasks, and v now had commanded him to fetch three of the g apples. Nothing less would do. Hercules was not at all worried at the thought f So he set out with a great lion skin round his shoulders, and a mighty club in his hand What is a dragon with a hundred heads to me?" he thought. "My strength is as great as his. Did I not strangle two serpents when I was but a babe in a cradle? Did I not kill the lion whose skin I wear, even before I grew to manhood? As he strode along through the countryside, he stopped now and then to ask the way to the garden of the Hesperides, but no one seemed to have the least idea where it was. At last he came upon three maidens, laughing and playing on a river bank. Hercules went up to them. Dic "Can you tell me the way to the garden of the Hesperides?she asked. RL "Yes," they replied. "It's on an island) You must continue on your way until you come to the Old Man of the Sea. He can direct you." "Thank you," said Hercules. "But you must catch hold of him tightly before you dangerous journey or the terrible dragon, for head ask him," added the maidens. "And you mustn't let already done so many difficult things that noc seemed impossible to him. go whatever happens." ## Chapter 15 RD RIC I can make Irawatha do it." said Sabu softly.... "No, no," said the film director. "The driver has gried. wwwths won't do it any more than the other "But he'll do it for my" said Sabu "Please may 1 try him? "All right. All right," replied the film man a little impatiently, but he knew that Irawatha would not move from the bank. Sabu gave a little jump of joy and ran to Irawatha. He stood in front of the great strong elephant, and Irawatha curled his trunk round him and lifted him on to his back. RTC "Come, Irawatha," whispered Sabu. "Take me across the river." Everyone watched and waited. Of course Irawatha wouldn't go. He hadn't gone for his own driver. He certainly wouldn't go for a small boy. But Irawatha paused only a moment. Then he shuffled his great feet, stepped into the water, and began to swim. He swam and swam, but the current was so strong that he couldn't easily swim against it. The water swirled and foamed, and Sabu and Irawatha were arried far, far down the river. Sabu clung on tightly. At iny moment he might be swept away, and there were ## Chapter 16 "Would you like to try driving an elephant for a film we are making?" "Oh, yes, please," replied Sabu "Well, come in the car with me to the house where I'm staying," said the man. "There are some other boys there, and in a few days we shall decide which boy we want to act for us." Sabu was delighted, and in a few minutes he was sitting in the man's car, being driven up to a large and beautiful house. There he found five other boys, some of whom were his friends. At night they slept together in a big tent, and in the daytime they played together. They climbed trees, and chased each other. They fought and romped and chattered and laughed, and most of the time the film man watched them, trying to decide whom to choose. The film man found it very difficult. The six boys were all strong and well and full of fun. They could all jump high and run like the wind. They all loved and understood elephants. He didn't know whom to choose. Now not far away there was a river in flood. The water was flowing fast and the film director thought he would like to take photographs of an elephant swim- ming across the river. So he gave orders for his men to ## Chapter 17 "Certainly," said Atlas. "That's fair enough. I'll hold it for five minutes while you settle yourself." He put down the three golden apples and took the sky back upon his shoulders. He took it just for five minutes—but alas! In one second Hercules picked up the three golden apples and was gone, So the giant Atlas had to hold up the sky for another thousand years. In fact he stands there to this day. Adapted ## Chapter 18 to bed. Peter pulled a blanket over himself and l down on his couch. The city became silent, and the children slept, but Meg and Rafe did not sleep soundly as usual because they were expecting the parents to return. They kept waking up and listening "What a queer smell," remarked Rafe after a while "It's dead cabbage leaves," replied Meg. " for footsteps. Stronas pile of them outside the house." "There's "If smells more like burning to me," said Rafe, and at that moment, in the middle of the night, church belis began to ring-not their usual happy tunes, but a wild clanging, clanging, clanging, ringing. harried "There must be a fire," said Rafe. "Come and see So he and Meg scrambled out of bed and ran down the stairs and along the street to watch. Meanwhile Peter awoke, feeling a little frightened, and wondering at all the noise. He sat up and called to the old woman who looked after him, but she didn't come. Perhaps she hadn't yet returned home. Then Peter called to Rafe and Meg but they didn't answer. Perhaps they were asleep. "Rafe! Meg!" he shouted again. He felt so alone and 70 helpless. There was nothing he could do but wait, and wonder what all the excitement was about. There certainly was excitement farther down the street. Crowds of people had appeared from nowhere, for not only one house was in flames, but the whole row beyond it. The houses were all built of wood, and the fire crackled, flared and spread in no time. The air was filled with shouting and screaming, with the clatter of furniture being thrown out of doors, and with the roar, roar, roar of flanes in the wind. Meg and Rafe clasped each other's hands and stood in silence. Then Rafe said suddenly. "It's spreading our way! We'd better save some of our things." So as the fire rushed nearer and nearer, the children ran back into the house and dragged out chairs and a few possessions. "Blankets," muttered Rafe. "We'll need blankets." Up the wooden stairs he clattered, with Meg close behind him. "Rafel Rafe!" came Peter's frightened voice, and Rafe ran to the window to shout an answer. Meanwhile Meg dragged a blanket to the stairs. But she turned back with a scream. ## Chapter 19 "Peter! Peter!" Sound Meg had done nothing but play hide and seek in the market place. But for Peter the time had passed slowly. He couldn't walk, and life was very dull for him, except when Rafe and Meg were at home. "We've brought something for you," said Meg. "Pull the rope, Rafe." exta Rafe laughed, for he and Peter had fixed up the rope the day before, and they had been longing to use it again. It was a wonderful affair stretched between the two houses. There was an old basket hanging on it, and when the children pulled the rope, the basket swung towards them. So Rafe pulled the rope, and the basket came slowly Rafe and Meg leaned out of the bedroom winds and their voices echoed down the narrow London sure to Sora Actually the houses were so close together that in the days of long ago. supported he and Peter could quite easily have passed the basker to each other with their hands, but that would not They could see Peter propped up on his couch in house opposite. They could see the outline of his pa have been half such fun. face and the shadow of his dark hair. But he seemed be asleep, or busy with his own thoughts. "Peter! Peter!" they called again, and this time heard them. He looked up and his face brightened opened his window and smiled. "I'm so glad youse come back," he said. "It's nearly dark." "We haven't been long," replied Rafe, for he and 66 "Here you are," cried Meg, dropping an apple into the basket as it reached the window. again. He was grateful for anything Meg and Rafe gave "Thank you," said Peter, pulling the rope his way him, for he had no mother and father; and the old woman who looked after him was always away from early morning till late at night. ## Chapter 20 "Put me downl Put me down!" begged the giant. "I won't put you down," said Hercules, "until you tell me the way to the garden of the Hesperides. This time the giant explained which way Hercules RIC war to go, and he added, "Soon you'll come to the mightiest giant in the world-the giant Atlas, who holds up the sky. He'll tell you the way to the garden of the Hesperides.") "Thank you," replied Hercules. He put the giant down and went on his way. He walked over hills and valleys and through still, silent forests until at last he came to the shores of a measureless sea. Now where was he to go? While he stood wondering, he saw something gleam- ing like gold far out at sea. He watched it as it floated nearer and nearer to him. Then he saw that it was a great cup made of gold. "Surely it must have come to carry me to the 6-9-2824 Mesday garden of the Hesperides," thought Hercules. So he climbed into the huge golden cup. He spread out his lion skin inside it, and lay down to rest. The golden cup rocked gently up and down on the waves, and Hercules was soon fast asleep, sailing far and away across the sea. When Hercules awoke, the golden cup had landed on an island, and there, as he clambered ashore, he saw the strangest thing he had ever seen in his whole life. It was a giant, taller than the tallest mountain. It was a giant so tall that forests grew around his feet, and the sky rested upon his shoulders. ## Chapter 21 The parents of Rafe and Meg were away today too, but Rafe and Meg could look after themselves well enough. So the three children laughed and played and talked through the warm September evening. And Peter munched the apple, and forgot for a while that he couldn't walk, and that he had been lying on his couch for a year or more, and would probably lie there always. unraveling "The rope's fraying!" cried Rafe suddenly. "There's a thin place-look!" theads fold Even as he spoke the strands of rope uncurled broke and the basket went tumbling on to the below. He made a vain effort to save it. Meg shriek mager with delight and Peter laughed so much that couldn't say a word. laughe threw all their rubbish into the streets, and the basket had fallen on to a pile of dead cabbage leaves. Meg looked up at the two boys, and wrinkled up her nose because the smell of dead cabbage leaves was so strong. "I'll get it. I'll get it," giggled Meg, and she hurre down the narrow wooden stairs and out of the fre door. She held up her skirts and stepped over a thio brown stream of dirty water. In those days peop 68 She was used to street smells, of course, but tonight they seemed worse than usual. She picked up the basket and amused herself for a while by throwing it up to Rafe and Peter, and shouting with laughter when they couldn't catch it. Pict e ## Chapter 22 Hercules gazed up and up, until he could see the giant's face above the clouds and his mouth walarge as lakes. His longer still. He looked very, very weary, for the sky was heavy and he had held it up for a thousand years. This," thought Hercules, "must be the giant, Atlas." Just then the giant looked down and saw Hercules. "Who's that standing at my feet?" he thundered. "And where have you come from in that tiny cup? "My name is Hercules," was the reply, "and I want to know the way to the garden of the Hesperides." "Why do you wish to go there?" "Because the king of my country has commanded me to bring him three of the golden apples that grow there." "If you'll climb this mountain and hold up the sky for a while, I'll fetch the golden apples for you," said Atlas. So Hercules climbed the mountain and took the sky upon his shoulders, while Atlas shook his feet free of the forests, and took ten steps across the measureless sea and out of sight. Although Atlas was away only ten minutes, it seemed 42 a very long time to Hercules, for the sky was heavy and made his shoulders ache. "Here I am," cried Atlas, striding on to the island again. "And here are three golden apples. It's a pity you didn't go yourself after all, for the dragon with a hundred heads was well worth seeing." He held up the apples for Hercules to see. They were big. They were made of shining, gleaming, solid gold. "Thank you very much," said Hercules. "Now if you will lift the sky from me, I'll take the apples and go home." But Atlas only laughed and threw the golden apples high up in the air, and caught them again. "Come," said Hercules. "Take the sky from me and let me go home." He shrugged his shoulders im- patiently so that several stars came loose and fell down to earth. "Careful, careful!" murmured Atlas. "I've held the sky for a thousand years. Surely you don't mind having a turn? Perhaps at the end of another thousand years we may change over again." les said to grant "All right," replied Hercules wearily. "But just hold it one second for me while I make my lion skin into a cushion to bear the weight. If I'm to hold up the sky for a thousand years, I may as well be comfortable.!" ## Chapter 23 Soon the streets grew dark, and Meg and Rafe to bed. Peter pulled a blanket over himself and children slept, but Meg and Rafe did not sleep down on his couch. The city became silent, and parents to return. They kept waking up and listen soundly as usual because they were expecting for footsteps. "What a queer smell," remarked Rafe after a whi "It's dead cabbage leaves, replied Meg. "There's pile of them outside the house." "It smelts more like burning to me," said Rafe, of the night, church at that moment, in the middle began to ring-not their usual happy tunes, but a wil clanging, clanging, clanging. Finging harried "There must be a fire, a fire," said Rafe. "Come and see So he and Meg scrambled out of bed and ran down the stairs and along the street to watch. Meanwhile Peter awoke, feeling a little frightened and wondering at all the noise. He sat up and called the old woman who looked after him, but she didn't come. Perhaps she hadn't yet returned home. The Peter called to Rafe and Meg but they didn't answer Perhaps they were asleep. "Rafe! Meg!" he shouted again. He felt so alone and 70 helpless. There was nothing he could do but wait, and wonder what all the excitement was about. There certainly was exciternent farther down the street. Crowds of people had appeared from nowhere, flames, but the whole row for not only one house was in beyond it. The houses were all built of wood, and the fire crackled, flared and spread in no time. The air was filled with shouting and screaming, with the clatter of furniture being thrown out of doors, and with the roar, roar, roar of flames in the wind. Meg and Rafe clasped each other's hands and stood in silence. Then Rafe said suddenly. "It's spreading our way! We'd better save some of our things." So as the fire rushed nearer and nearer, the children ran back into the house and dragged out chairs and a few possessions. "Blankets," muttered Rafe. "We'll need blanke Up the wooden stairs he clattered, with Meg close behind him. "Rafe! Rafe!" came Peter's frightened voice, and Rafe ran to the window to shout an answer. Meanwhile Meg dragged a blanket to the stairs. But she turned back with a scream. ## Chapter 24 The stairs are on fire! The stairs are on car ger down." Rafe looked in horror. It was the Their own home had caught fire. The stairs were lost crackling flames. He was trapped. Meg was trapped Even now the fire was upon them. What could the do? What could they do? He had a sudden idea. Quickly he picked up a wooden bench that stood along the wall, and with Meg's hep he pushed one end through the window. "Peter! Take hold!" he cried above the claner We must make a bridge." 72 Peter saw a mountain of flame rising behind his friends. In a moment their house would tumble to earth. He reached out and caught hold of the bench. He jammed it firmly over the window sill. It made a bridge, high above the street, from their house to his. "Go on, Meg," urged Rafe at the other end. "Oh, I can't," wailed Meg, but she knew of course that she must. So bravely, fearfully, she climbed out of the window, and crawled along the bench. She saw crowds of people in the street below-their faces red and gleaming in the glow of light. She heard church bells clanging, clanging-bells from all the churches at once. ## Chapter 25 She had always thought it was such a little distan from her window to Peter's. Now it seemed a very loy way. Then suddenly Peter's pale face was right front of her, and he was pulling her in through the window. "Now hold the bridge for Rafe," he said. Slowly Rafe crawled along the bench and jumped lightly into Peter's room. They were safe. They could light for a moment on Peter's couch. But only for a moment. "Meg," said Rafe. "We'll carry Peter downstairs in case this house is burnt too. We won't worry about furniture and blankets. I heard a man say that the whole of London would be in flames before daylight. We'll go to the grass by the river. We'll be safe there." "Don't leave me there alone," said Peter anxiously. "No, of course not" replied Rafe. "Meg will stay with you, and I'll try to help in putting out the fires." He paused, then added, "Are you ready, Meg?" Meg nodded and put her arm round Peter. "I haven't been off the couch for more than a year," murmured Peter fearfully. "You'll be all right," said Rafe. "We'll be careful. 74 I don't expect you're very heavy." The noise outside was terrible. The crash of falling beams mingled with the cries of frightened people, and the cruel crackle of fire. And above it all rang the church bells-clanging, clanging, clanging-from all the churches in London Town. Rafe took a deep breath, for he knew that Peter would be heavy. He started to say, "One, two, three, lift-" but he stopped at "two" for at that moment a hundred tongues of flame surrounded the couch. Not for a moment would Meg and Rafe have left Peter-but the terrible heat drove them back, and before they could do anything to help him, he had done something to help himself. Peter who couldn't walk, Peter who hadn't left his couch for more than a year, took a flying leap