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 on smooth roads , and forget all this hunting . But , son , I am angry that thou shouldst meddle in the business that belongs to these dirty Assamese jungle folk . Kala Nag will obey none but me , so I must go with him into the Keddah , but he is only a fighting elephant , and he does not help to rope them . So I sit at my ease , as befits a mahout , -- not a mere hunter , -- a mahout , I say , and a man who gets a pension at the end of his service . Is the family of Toomai of the Elephants to be trodden underfoot in the dirt of a Keddah ? Bad one ! Wicked one ! Worthless son ! Go and wash Kala Nag and attend to his ears , and see that there are no thorns in his feet . Or else Petersen Sahib will surely catch thee and make thee a wild hunter -- a follower of elephant 's foot tracks , a jungle bear . Bah ! Shame ! Go ! '' Little Toomai went off without saying a word , but he told Kala Nag all his grievances while he was examining his feet . `` No matter , '' said Little Toomai , turning up the fringe of Kala Nag 's huge right ear . `` They have said my name to Petersen Sahib , and perhaps -- and perhaps -- and perhaps -- who knows ? Hai ! That is a big thorn that I have pulled out ! ''
The next few days were spent XXXXX getting the elephants together , in walking the newly caught wild elephants up and down between a couple of tame ones to prevent them giving too much trouble on the downward march to the plains , and in taking stock of the blankets and ropes and things that had been worn out or lost in the forest .
So as at in into of on that to with