er over the bushes in front. At length he saw some
dark objects moving up and down above the tops of the branches directly
in front of him. He crept on and on; getting a little closer he saw
that they were elephant's ears. Ambitious of shooting the true monarch
of the wilds, Ned, regardless of the danger he was running, crept on,
hoping to plant a bullet in a vital part of the animal before he was
discovered. He had got within twenty yards of the huge creature, when
he stepped on a rotten branch, which broke beneath his foot. The noise
warned the elephant that an enemy was near. Up went its trunk. It
began breaking through the intervening brushwood. Ned, retaining his
presence of mind, stood watching until he could get a fair shot,
intending then to follow the advice which Sayd had before given. The
head and shoulders of the animal came in sight. Now was the moment to
fire; he pulled the trigger. Without waiting even to see the effect of
his shot, for had he remained where he was he would the next instant,
should it have failed to take effect, have been crushed to death,
springing on one side he ran for shelter behind a tree which he had just
before noted. The elephant, with trunk uplifted, broke through the
brushwood, trumpeting loudly in its rage. Looking about and not seeing
its enemy it stopped short. Ned in the meantime reloaded as fast as he
could, and stepped out to fire again. The quick eye of the elephant
detected him. To fly was now impossible; he must bring down the
creature, or run a fearful risk of being caught. He fired, when the
elephant rushed towards him with extended trunk. Ned saw that the
branch of a tree hung just within reach above his head. By a desperate
effort, which under other circumstances he could scarcely have made, he
swung himself up on to the bough, and ran, as a sailor alone can run,
along it until he reached the stem, up which he began to climb with the
rapidity of a squirrel. The elephant had, however, seen him; even now
he was scarcely beyond the reach of its trunk, which, looking down, he
saw extended towards his feet. In vain he tried to spring up to the
nearest branch. He felt the end of the creature's trunk touching his
legs; should they once be encircled he would be drawn hopelessly down.
He involuntarily uttered a loud shriek, and endeavoured to draw up his
feet. It was answered by a shout from Sambroko and the other blacks; at
the same instant he heard a s