Catching sight of the
barrel of Frank's rifle as it glanced in the morning sun, he charged
directly at the tree in which he was seated. It was an acacia of
tolerable size, and the branch which bore him was above the reach of the
animal's trunk. But so terrific was the force of his rush, that the
trunk snapped like a rotten bough, and Frank, gun and all, was hurled to
the ground. He sprang up, having been fortunately only bruised by the
fall, and leaving his rifle to take care of itself, took to his heels as
hard as he could.

"Come here, come here!" shouted Nick; "this tree will hold us both, and
it's too big for him to break. Besides, I'm ready for him again now."
Frank cast a rapid glance round him, and saw that Nick was right. The
seringas and oomahaamas near him were thinly scattered, and afforded no
cover at all; and the brute which had now recovered itself from the
effect of the stunning blow it had received, was preparing to charge him
again. Frank flew, rather than ran, to the tree, and springing lightly
up, caught the lowest bough and swung himself on to it. From this he
mounted to those above it with the agility of a squirrel. But the
elephant was upon him, before he could reach the spot where his
companion was seated. On it came, with its trunk stretched to the full
length, and just caught Frank by the toe of the left foot, as he drew
the other out of its reach. Frank thought it was all over with him.
The tip of the trunk had caught firm hold of the shoe; and though it was
only the tip, so that the animal could not exert its full strength, he
felt himself drawn downwards with a force which he could not long
resist. He had thrown both his arms and the other leg round the branch,
so that the elephant had not merely the resistance of the boy's muscles
to encounter, but the solid and massive limb of the great motjeerie.
Nevertheless, all would speedily have given way, if Nick, leaning
forward and resting his rifle on the bough beneath him, had not fired
directly into the monster's eye, as it glared--not two feet below--upon
him. Frank felt the deadly grip relax, as the elephant sank downwards
and rolled over on its side, in its death agony, ploughing up the earth
with its tusks, and presenting to the eye a vast quivering mass of dull
grey hide, that gradually settled down into stillness.

Before Nick could fairly realise to himself his own success, the
Bechuanas had surrounded the carcass, and were g