CHAPTER VIII
DOWN'S STRATAGEM
Now the terrible thing that happened was one which Foster-father mighthave expected, but for two things.
One was the sentry who walked up and down all night long below the highsecond-story windows of the central room. He would be bound to see anyattempt to gain an entrance through them, even if they were wide enoughto admit the entry of a grown man, which they were not.
The other was the fact that he, Old Faithful, Meroo and Roy all slept inthe outer room, into which the only door opened, so that any intruderwould have to force an entrance over their bodies; for they slept withdrawn swords beside them.
So as the days passed on Foster-father's vigilance--though he knew thatcruel brother Kumran's agents were on the lookout for any opportunity ofkidnapping the Heir-to-Empire--slackened somewhat, especially when theafternoons drew in, the fire in the big hall was made up, the quilts putdown and Baby Akbar, surrounded by his admiring circle, listened toRoy's stories or tumbled about with his playmates, Tumbu, the dog, andDown, the cat.
One day, however, Down did not appear until little Akbar was having hissupper, and then she came in a great hurry out of a small archway by thebig fireplace, which led to a sort of cupboard in the masonry, wherecharcoal had been kept, gobbled up a plate of bread and milk, andhurried in again as if she had to catch a train.
"She has had kittens," said Foster-mother; "I wonder if they are whiteor black."
"Black!" sniffed Head-nurse. "What else could they be in that hole? Havea care, woman! or the Heir-to-Empire will be blacking himself, too. Thearchway is large enough for him to creep in, and Heaven only knowswhither it might lead."
"That is true," replied Foster-mother, alarmed, as she distracted thechild's attention.
But in a day or two his quick ear caught the sound of a feeble mewinginside the arch, and, of course, he wanted to know what it was. So hewas told that kittens had to be kept quiet and that Down would be veryvexed if her kitten was disturbed; but that by-and-bye she woulddoubtless bring it out for him to see, and then, of course, he couldplay with it. Now, Baby Akbar was always a reasonable little fellow, sohe waited patiently; though every night when he went to bed and Downcame out for her supper, his little mouth would go down and he wouldhold up his little hands and twiddle them round and say mournfully:
"Kitty not 'weady. Kitty not 'weady."
Now, one night there was a great festival in the palace, and theHeir-to-Empire had to go and pay his respects, after the Indian manneron feast days, to his aunt and uncle. Then, when he returned, they senthim, after Indian wont, trays full of fruit and sugar-toffee made in theshape of animals, and a few pieces of muslin and stuffs to make newdresses for the party. In addition to this there was a trayful ofsupper, which came afterward, when daylight had gone, with the PrincessSultanum's best compliments. At least so said the man who brought it;but he did not wait to be questioned, and disappeared so soon as Meroohad taken the tray from him.
But it was full of the most delicious dainties, including a bowl ofsweet milk made with almonds and honey and rice meal for Baby Akbar.
Head-nurse, however, would not let him eat it. She was always afraid ofthe little lad being poisoned, so Meroo always cooked with his own handseverything the child ate. Therefore they gave it to Tumbu instead; for,having been brought up by shepherds, he loved milk, and he licked hislips after it and was soon sound asleep by the fire.
The lamb stewed with pistachio nuts and full of saffron looked, however,so delicious that after Meroo had tasted it and pronounced it quitesafe, since all knew that saffron would not go with real poison, theyset to work and finished the platter.
They were all as jolly as could be afterward, though the heat of thefire and their heavy supper made them sleepy; so Head-nurse, declaringit was far too cold in the inner room, dragged her bed andFoster-mother's close to the fire, the others retired to the outer room,and before long they were all snoring away quite happily.
For if the supper had not truly been poisoned, it had been drugged.Drugged with sleep-bringing drugs.
So, as the firelight flickered over the room faintly, it showedHead-nurse's face and Foster-mother's face and even Tumbu's black muzzlein a dead sleep that was almost unconsciousness. And in the outer roomFoster-father snored, and even Roy's keen, hawk-face lay like one dead.Only Baby Akbar tossed and turned in his comfortable nest between histwo nurses.
Save for this, due to Head-nurse's precaution in not allowing theHeir-to-Empire sweet milk for supper, all was as cruel brother Kumran'sagents had planned when they had sent the pretended messenger from thepalace with the platter of delicacies. Even the sentry below wassleeping sound after his share of kid curry.
Thus, those who were on the roof waiting until the moon had set and theycould without fear of discovery lower the young lad, who was to stealBaby Akbar, down to the window (through which, being slender, the thiefcould slip easily), felt that their task was almost done.
But they reckoned without a great white fluff which after a time showeditself at the entry to the charcoal bunker, yawning and stretching andblinking its eyes. Head-nurse had been quite wrong in saying Down'skitten must be black in that hole! Its mother, anyhow, was beautifullywhite, perhaps because Down was a sensible cat and had only chosen thecharcoal bunker because she had found a lot of old straw and a blankettucked away in its farther corner. Besides, as she only had one kitten,she could spend all her time in licking it and cleaning it with herrough, red tongue, after the manner of cats. Anyhow, there it lay, rightout of reach of any one, a little bundle of white fluff, and Down wasjust beginning to feel that there were other things in the world besideskittens. For instance, was that scratching on the roof, think you, amouse? If so--? She passed to the fire. It was warm and nice; just thevery place for a kitten's first look at the world, and there were notroublesome people about; not but what she was anxious to show herkitten to Baby Akbar. But who knew if horrid Head-nurse might not try tocatch it? But Head-nurse was asleep. Down whisked her tail, disappearedthrough the archway, and reappeared again gingerly, carrying the kittenin her mouth. It sprawled in the firelight and mewed piteously. Andthere was that scratching on the roof again ... really, kittens were abore when one wanted to mouse....
So far it is easy to follow Down's thoughts. What came next is moredifficult. No one can say whether the cat had _really_ any notion thatdanger to her young master was abroad, or whether she only wanted toshow him her kitten, or whether she wanted it taken care of--for Persiancats, if they kill a rat at night, have often been known to jump ontheir master's bed and insist on his taking custody of their prize lestit should somehow come to life again if they left it alone--only thiswas certain, Baby Akbar woke with a rough, red tongue licking his nose,and there, on the quilt, was Down beside the fluffiest, darlingestlittle kitten that ever was!
He made a grab at it with his little fat hands. Whether this frightenedits anxious mother or whether Down really had a purpose in view, who cansay? Only this is sure: she was off the bed in a second, Miss Kitten inher mouth. A minute afterward Baby Akbar was off it also with a littlecrow of delight. But the drugged nurses did not stir; they were away inthe Land of Dreams. And hark! what was that curious noise outside thewindow, as if something was slipping down the wall? Perhaps it was_that_ that frightened Down once more; for just as Baby Akbar's handreached out to lay hold of the kitten, which she had set down by thefire, Down snatched it up again and was off with it back to thecharcoal bunker, with Baby Akbar after her, his face full of solemnresolve. He meant to play with that kitty.
And play with her he did. At least, after he disappeared down thearchway by the fireplace he did not come out again. Only Down reappearedand seated herself at the entrance, her ears cocked, her eyes fixed onthe window.
For something very funny had happened there, which, though the flickerof the fire had died down, she could see with her cat's eyes.
A lad had slipped in, carrying the end of a rope, to which was atta
cheda network bag. And now, since it was dark, he was striking a light. Afeeble little glimmer, but sufficient to show the two sleeping nursesand the comfy little nest of quilts between them. But it was empty!
The boy seemed puzzled, and went into the inner room, only to returnwithout what he sought. Then he stole into the outer room, but came backsoftly with a puzzled look on his face. Then he began to peer about himon the floor, and in the corners, holding the feeble light in front ofhim. Whereupon Down, apparently to satisfy herself that her kittenreally was safe in the corner of the charcoal bunker where she had leftit, retreated for a moment, so that as the searcher came round he sawnothing but the low, round arch. The next he gave a stifled yell, forsomething white that was all claws leaped right in his face, over hewent and out went his light.
"I look no more," he said, shivering as, after five minutes' hastyretreat, he stood on the roof among those who had sent him down. "Letsome one else go; but I tell you the child is not there."
But one of the crafty, cruel men had sharp wits. "Could he have creptinto the charcoal bunker?" he suggested, and the faces round him lit up.But the lad's remained sullen, as he wiped the blood from Down'sscratches.
"Mayhap," he said. "_But I go not near that cat again!_"
So, as no one else was small enough to slip through the narrow slits ofwindows, the conspirators could only curse their bad luck.
Thus it came to pass that the hours passed by without further attempt atbaby-theft, while Foster-father snored and Head-nurse dreamed the mostheavenly dreams of wonderful court ceremonials, and all the others werewrapped in the profoundest slumbers.
But they all woke at last, and once more there was the most terriblehullabaloo until Foster-mother recollected the kitten in the charcoalbunker. Whereupon every one in turn flattened themselves on the floorand reached in, and Roy actually got his head and one shoulder in; butno one could feel anything or find out how big it was or anything aboutit. Whereupon the two women began mutual recriminations and the menstood helpless, when suddenly Down appeared with the kitten in hermouth, and Baby Akbar, who had evidently been comfortably asleep on theblanket amid the straw, came crawling after his new pet.
"So far so good!" said Foster-father, who, noticing a fallen piece ofmortar at the window-sill, had been carefully examining certain signsand scratches both without and within, "but if I be not much mistaken,some one hath been through here this night. And that we were all druggedye must know if the inside of your mouths be like mine! So we have tothank Heaven and the cat for an escape!"
And so they had, though it was a sore trial once more to the women tohave nothing but guesswork to go upon.
"I wish I knew," murmured poor Foster-mother mournfully, as she watchedBaby Akbar, and Down, and the kitten, and Tumbu, all playing togetherbefore the fire.
But once more Baby Akbar was silent, and Down told nobody--unless it wasTumbu. Perhaps he _did_ know, because he allowed Down's kitten to playwith his tail!
The Adventures of Akbar Page 11