CHAPTER XVIII.

THE EAST WIND AND THE WHITE ELEPHANT

“If you take MY advice, you won’t go near the East Wind at present,” said a tiny, familiar voice, “he’s in a terrible rage!”

“Why?” asked the three children together.

“Well, my dears, it’s the old, old story,” said Mr. Atom. “He fell in love, some years ago, with the White Elephant of Amrapure. For long years he has whispered love songs round the folds of her unheeding ears. At length, driven to despair, he asked a friendly Cyclone if he would kindly blow the White Elephant from Amrapure to the Taj Mahal, and there shut her up, a prisoner, until she consented to wed him. Which the friendly Cyclone did, blowing the little elephant along, willy-nilly, past Benares and Allahabad, till they reached Agra. And it so happened----”

“’Es, but who is Willie Nilly?” asked Kiddiwee.

“Don’t interrupt! That’s only an expression,” corrected Tibbs.

“And it so happened,” continued Mr. Atom, “that a great Rajah found the White Elephant there. Thinking it was a gift from some other Prince, he called his retainers, and had the White Elephant removed to his palace, near by.”

“This sounds exactly like an Arabian Nights story,” interrupted Coppertop.

“Perhaps it does, my dear. But it’s perfectly true, I assure you,” said Mr. Atom.

“Of course it is!” cried Tibbs. “Don’t stop him.”

“Now, when the East Wind heard of this, he flew into a great rage. He howled and screamed round the Rajah’s Palace, and finding that this had but little effect, he rustled, he murmured, he implored. But no! The Rajah refused to part with the White Elephant, and shut all his casements to the pleading voice of the East Wind.”

“Is that all?” exclaimed Miss Smiler, when Mr. Atom ceased speaking. “Because,” she continued, “I think I can help that East Wind in his little affair.”

“Can you? Oh, Miss Smiler, tell us how!” cried Coppertop.

“Easy as--smiling,” assured the Camel. “I’ll just push the Rajah’s Palace down, and then sit on the White Elephant till she consents to marry the East Wind.”

“I think that is an excellent plan, my dears!” cried Mr. Atom. “The East Wind will be so grateful to you for your assistance that he’ll surely spare you a December day. He’s in Tibet at present, cooling down after his rage. So if you take MY advice, you’ll carry out your plan at once. Ta-ta!”

“Whatever should we do without him?” remarked Coppertop when Mr. Atom had disappeared. “He’s really a most useful little person, isn’t he?”

“Yes, but he seems to know everything, and makes a fellow feel an awful dunce!” grumbled Tibbs. “But don’t worry about him. This elephant affair is getting exciting. Come along, Smiler, old girl, let us try your plan, it sounds ripping!”

Without any further delay, they made their way to the Taj Mahal.

As they drew near, Miss Smiler lifted her head and tittered.

“There it is!” she cried, “the little White Elephant, out for a morning stroll, with the Rajah on her back.”

“Where?” cried the children.

“There! On the other side of that queer little box you call the Taj Mahal.”

From their great height they could easily see over the building to the jungle beyond. And there they beheld her.

“’Es, but it’s only a tiny wee toy eferlent!” exclaimed Kiddiwee, disappointedly.

“No, it isn’t a bit,” exclaimed Coppertop; “that’s only because we’re so huge. It’s quite the ordinary size. Oh, don’t you understand?”

“’Es, I ’spect I do,” said Kiddiwee, rather doubtfully.

“What are you going to do, Miss Smiler?” inquired Tibbs.

“Oh, call me Smiler, for short!” corrected the Camel. “What am I going to do? Why, I’m going to hop over the Taj Mahal, like a bird, and sit right down on the little Elephant. That’ll surprise the Rajah, won’t it?” and Miss Smiler smiled hugely at the very idea.

In an instant Miss Smiler jumped right over the Taj Mahal, and with one stride reached the White Elephant. Without a moment’s hesitation, she sat down on it, greatly to the terror of the Rajah and his servants, who thought the end of the world had come.

Smiler was in the highest of spirits at the success of her plan, and shook with laughter when she saw the Rajah and his attendants running away like frightened rabbits.

The little White Elephant was most indignant. She was accustomed to be treated with the greatest respect, and she objected strongly to being sat on; in fact, she kicked and struggled, and she raised her trunk and trumpeted her loudest. But it was all to no purpose.

As soon as he saw that the Elephant was secure, Tibbs ran off in the direction of Tibet, to find the East Wind and tell him the good news. Kiddiwee climbed on to the Taj Mahal to watch for his return.

Unfortunately, Miss Smiler had acted rather hastily in jumping over the Taj Mahal, for, in so doing, her hind legs caught against the beautiful central dome, and partly destroyed it; and her shoulder struck against one of the marble towers and broke it in half.

This unlucky accident was the cause of much delay in finding the December day. For it so happened that the rascally Clerk of the Weather was watching from a passing cloud, and saw the whole thing happen, and, in order to upset the plan of Smiler and the children, he rushed off to find the East Wind and poison his heart against them before Tibbs could reach him.