CHAPTER V
ON THE ROAD
Naturally when, after an uneventful journey with the shepherd as guide,they reached Prince Askurry's camp that evening, they came to talk overthe incident. Foster-father was not sparing of Head-nurse. The wholetissue of misfortunes, which had ended in Baby Akbar so nearly losinghis life--and that he had been spared was simply a miracle--arose fromher insisting on a Royal Procession. But for that, both she and thechild would have gone comfortably on a camel. They would have kept upwith the other baggage animals and none of the distressful events wouldhave happened. It should not, however, happen again. Of course,Head-nurse tried to brazen it out and assert that the Heir-to-Empirecould always count on a miracle in his favour; but in herheart-of-hearts she knew that Foster-father was right.
So next morning she said nothing when she saw a camel with two pannierskneeling in front of the tent, ready for its load. _That_ had to beendured, but she revenged herself by objecting to the black dog and thewhite cat, who sat expectantly one on either side, evidently preparedfor a start.
"Whose are those uncouth beasts?" she asked of Roy angrily. "Did I nottell those ghosts of the desert who call themselves shepherds to removethem last night? Why have they come back? Take them away! Catch them!Tie them up! Such mean born animals have no right to attend theMighty-in-Pomp, the Lord-of-Light," etc., etc.
She rolled out the titles sonorously, determined that if she was dockedof dignity in one way she would have it in another.
Now it was not very hard to catch the big black golliwog of a dog, eventhough he did snarl and snap and try to bite. There were a lot of campfollowers who were only too glad to have the amusement of capturing him,so, after a very short space poor "Tumbu," for Baby Akbar insisted oncalling him so, was being dragged off at the end of a long rope to hismasters the shepherds, looking very sad, with his tail between his legs.
But it was quite different with "Down," the cat. She had made up hermind to stay where she was, and it is very hard, indeed, to make a catchange its mind when it is once made up.
So she moved about gently, from one place to the other, purring softlyand looking as mild as milk, her blue eye--for real Persian cats oftenhave their eyes of different colours and one of them is alwaysblue--ever so friendly, as if she were just longing to be picked up.Only the very tip of her bushy tail swayed a little, and that is a suresign that a cat is contrary. And contrary Down was. The very instant anyone tried to pick her up--why! she was somewhere else!
Head-nurse ere long joined in the chase, saying all the rest didn'tunderstand cats. But she soon lost patience and declaring that she hadnever been done by a dumb animal yet, started capture by force. A circlewas formed round the point where Down sat blinking in the sunlight, andshawls and veils were held up to make it complete. Then step by stepthey advanced towards the cat, who, in truth, viewed the enclosing wallwith polite indifference. It was really rather a funny sight to seestout Head-nurse without her veil tip-toeing in line towards pussy andshrilling out her orders to the others to close in and be sure to leaveno loopholes. Step by step her voice became more and more triumphant,and it really seemed as if the cat _must_ be caught this time, for Downsat sweetly purring until she was actually hidden from sight behind thehigh-held screening cloths.
"Now then! quick!" shrilled Head-nurse. "Close in--close----"
But her order ended in a scream of fright, for there was pussy in oneflying leap on her bare head, scrabbling up her scanty hair, and withanother away up the hillside leaving nothing but claw-marks behind her!
Head-nurse wept with angry tears; but Foster-father, always sensible,said "Enough! cry on the camel if you will, but now is the time to slipaway before the obstinate animal can return."
There was wisdom in this; therefore Head-nurse composed herselfcomfortably in one pannier while Foster-mother, who was lighter, settledinto the other with Baby Akbar. So off they set at the dignified lollopwhich camels affect, and Head-nurse began to congratulate herself onhaving successfully evaded the "uncouth beasts."
But there is no counting on cats. If they are here one moment and gonethe next, they are also gone one moment and here the next. So, as thecamel was passing under a thorn tree about half a mile out from camp, agreat fluff of white hair sprang from the branches and landed right inHead-nurse's broad lap. And there was Mistress Down looking as if butterwouldn't melt in her mouth, and purring away like a kettle on the boil.
Head-nurse gave in _altogether_ then. "When a cat really makes up itsmind," she said with forced wisdom, "it is little use any one elsemaking up theirs!"
So pussy sat in her lap, and after a while the warmth of the prettycreature and even the very roughness of the small three-cornered redtongue that licked her hand, as half-unconsciously she began to strokethe long soft fur, made her say suddenly:
"Who knows but it is the Will of the Creator! This mean-bornthing may in the future be of use to the Light-of-the-World, theObserved-of-all-Observers," etc., etc., etc.
And her words were to come true, for, as you will see by and bye, Downwas of great use to her little master. Nevertheless when, at the verynext camping ground, a great big black golliwog of a dog with a gnawedend of rope still round his neck was seen calmly awaiting them at thedoor of the tent that was pitched for their reception, Head-nurse becametearful again and said that if Providence intended to send all the wildbeasts of the field to look after Baby Akbar, there was no need for her;so she would give up her place.
But the little Prince himself was delighted. He plumped down on the hotsand beside the dog and hugged it, calling it "Dear Tumbu," and when thewhite cat jealously rubbed her back against his little fat person hehugged her too and called her "Darling Down."
"Hark to the Lord-of-the-Universe giving his creatures names!" saidFoster-mother piously. So after that everybody called the golliwog dogTumbu, and the fluffy cat Down.
This was the beginning of a whole week on camel back; a very pleasantweek too, though the minds of the elders were rather on the stretchconcerning the fate of King Humayon and Queen Humeeda.
Still the sky was as blue as blue could be, the sun shone bright and theair was crisp with coming winter. Head-nurse spent most of her daysdozing and mumbling long strings of titles in one pannier, while Downslept and purred on her lap. In the other pannier were Foster-mother andBaby Akbar. The little fellow did not sleep much, but spent most of histime craning over the pannier side to see everything there was to beseen. But what amused him most was to watch Tumbu, who would look up andbark and gambol for hours to attract his little master's attention.Whereat Down would become impatient and come over the camel's hump fromthe other pannier, rub her back against the little Prince and watch,too, with a sort of dignified contempt. It was the way of dogs to beloud and effusive, and gushing; but it didn't mean much. Tumbu, forinstance, despite his display of affection, would leave his post to runafter every wild thing he saw; and though he always came back to it, hewas so helplessly breathless, with half a yard of red tongue hangingout, that he would have been little use had an enemy turned up and hisprotection been needed.
Cats were far wiser. They sat still and watched; so they were alwaysready.
And one evening Down watched to some purpose. Baby Akbar was asleep onsome quilts and Down, as usual, lay keeping his feet warm, her eyesclosed, purring away like a steaming kettle.
You would have sworn she was half asleep, but in a second there was onespring, something reared itself at her to strike, but her paws were tooquick. One, two, three, came the blows swiftly like boxes on the ears,and there was a snake squirming and helpless in the dust. Old Faithful'sarmoured feet were on its head in a second and the danger was over.
"Truly a cat is a terrible thing," said Head-nurse in a twitter. "Thereis no fear in them. The reptile had not a chance."
But Down was back on her young master's feet, her eyes closed, purringaway as if nothing had happened.
Tumbu was in favour, however, next evening, but for a different caus
e.He appeared with a great prickly porcupine held gingerly in his mouthand laid it before Baby Akbar.
"Ohi! Porcupine for supper!" cried Meroo, the cook boy, who knew what adelicacy it was; but Head-nurse shrieked, "Take it away quick--theHeir-to-Empire will prick himself with the quills and they arepoisonous. Take it away at once, I say."
But alas! The Heir-to-Empire was wilful, like all Eastern Princelings,and he shrieked to match at the suggestion. So there arose such ahubbub, which was only calmed by Baby Akbar being allowed to do as hechose.
"Poor! Poor!" he said as his little hand touched the sharp prickles andno one found out, till Foster-mother came to put him to bed, that hereally _did_ scratch himself. There was quite a little runnel of bloodon the palm; but Akbar, even when he was a baby, was proud. He knew howto bear discomfort and punishment when it was his own fault.
They were all rather merry that night, for they had roast porcupinestuffed with pistachio nuts for supper. And afterward Roy sat by BabyAkbar's pile of quilts and sang him to sleep with this royal lullaby:
"Baby, Baby-ling, You are always King; Always wear a crown, Though you tumble down; Call each thing your own, Find each lap a throne; Dearest, sweetest King, Baby! Baby-ling!"
When the child had fallen asleep Roy sat at the door of the tent andlooked at the stars, which shone, as they do in the East, all colours,like jewels in the velvety sky. They seemed so far away, but not fartherthan he seemed to be from himself. For Roy's head had been dreadfullyconfused by that sunstroke in the desert. Only that morning somethinghad seemed to come back to him in a flash, and he had so far forgottenhe was only a page boy as to call the little Heir-to-Empire "Brother,"but Head-nurse's cuff had brought him back to reality in double quicktime. And as he sat there in the dark he saw a man creeping stealthilyto the tent. He was on his feet in a moment challenging him.
"Hush!" whispered the newcomer, "I bring a message from King Humayon. Imust see Foster-father at once."
The good man was already between the quilts, but he got up quickly, andwhen he had heard the message he sent for Head-nurse and Foster-motherand Old Faithful, for he felt that a most momentous decision had to bemade. Yet the message was a very simple one. Those in charge of thechild were to creep away that very night with the messenger, who wouldguide them in safety to King Humayon, who had found help and shelter inPersia.
Head-nurse and Foster-mother wept tears of joy at the glad news, andproposed at once that they should wrap the child in a blanket and start.But Foster-father was more wary.
"You come as a thief in the darkness," he said. "Where is your tokenfrom the king, that I may know who you are?"
But there was no token.
"Then the child stays where he is," asserted Foster-father boldly. "Am Inot right oh! Faithful?"
"Assuredly my lord is right. Who knows but this man may be an emissaryof those who would wile away the little lad from his uncle, PrinceAskurry's protection. His other uncle, Kumran, is not so kind."
The messenger scowled at the old man. "As you please," he beganblusteringly, "but those who disobey the King's order may find theirlives forfeit."
"Mine is forfeit already to the child's service," replied Foster-fatherwith spirit. "And without a token I stir not--Peace! woman," he added toHead-nurse, who would fain have sided with the messenger, "and go fetchthe Heir-to-Empire's cap. That shall go as sign that he is his father'svassal, to do what he is told when the order comes accredited. So takethat as my answer to those who sent you, sir messenger!"
So despite Head-nurse's protestations the man went off with nothing butthe little gold-laced skull cap. And he had not to go far; only into atent on the outskirts of the camp. For Foster-father's suspicions hadbeen correct, and he had been sent to try and entice the child by someof Prince Kumran's partisans who, booted and spurred, and with a swiftpacing camel for the child, were waiting eagerly for the return of theirmessenger.
Their faces fell as he flung the little cap upon the ground.
"The old fox is too wary," he said. "We must get at the child some otherway."
One of the party took up the cap and fingered it, half idly. "He has alarge-sized head for his years," he remarked; "if it be full of brains,hereafter he may do well."
The Adventures of Akbar Page 8