Yai ! Kya-a-ah ! '' he would shout , and the big fight between Kala Nag and the wild elephant would sway to and fro across the Keddah , and the old elephant catchers would wipe the sweat out of their eyes , and find time to nod to Little Toomai wriggling with joy on the top of the posts . He did more than wriggle . One night he slid down from the post and slipped in between the elephants and threw up the loose end of a rope , which had dropped , to a driver who was trying to get a purchase on the leg of a kicking young calf -LRB- calves always give more trouble than full-grown animals -RRB- . Kala Nag saw him , caught him in his trunk , and handed him up to Big Toomai , who slapped him then and there , and put him back on the post . Next morning he gave him a scolding and said , `` Are not good brick elephant lines and a little tent carrying enough , that thou must needs go elephant catching on thy own account , little worthless ? Now those foolish hunters , whose pay is less than my pay , have spoken to Petersen Sahib of the matter . '' Little Toomai was frightened . He did not know much of white men , but Petersen Sahib was the greatest white man in the world to him . He was the head of all the Keddah operations -- the man who caught all the elephants for the Government of India , and who knew more about the ways of elephants than any living man . `` What -- what will happen ? '' said Little Toomai . `` Happen ! The worst that can happen . Petersen Sahib is a madman . Else why should he go hunting these wild devils ? He may even require thee to be an elephant catcher , to sleep anywhere in these fever-filled jungles , and at last to be trampled to death in the Keddah . It is well that this nonsense ends safely . Next week the catching is over , and we of the plains are sent back to our stations .
Then we will march XXXXX smooth roads , and forget all this hunting .
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