o," smiled von Hofe. "We shall
all go out this morning, no?"

"You don't have to go, Doctor," said the explorer earnestly. "At best
you could only take one of the rifles, for we'll have to carry the big
guns."

"Pouf!" grunted the German. "It is my party, and I shall go."

"We might as well go on foot," declared the American. "Now, boys, we can
put a little tracking into play. The Masai won't do us any good. As
near as I can see, we'll have to catch that fellow when he isn't looking
for trouble. And remember, under no circumstances fire at his head."

"How about the bull you killed back at Kenia?" objected Charlie. "You
put a bullet in each eye, an' laid him out cold."

"He was within ten feet of me then, and I had no choice in the matter.
No, when we do get a shot just you aim to cripple him--in the shoulder
or leg. If he charges, hit his trunk or break his leg. One of those
bullets, big as they are, would simply flatten out on his skull and stun
him."

Von Hofe, who still wished to kill one of the giant buffalo himself,
took a 30-30, and Akram Das had perforce to take his Snider or go
weaponless. The three hunters carried their own heavy guns, for they
might be needed at an instant's notice, and filled their bandoliers to
the limit. Gholab Singh was left in charge of the camp with five Masai,
Bakari and the other five accompanying the party as flankers and scouts.

An hour after sunrise they waded across the strip of water between the
island and shore, and turned toward the head of the lake, as it was in
this direction that the explorer had heard the elephant during the
preceding night. There seemed to be no sign of any game around them, for
once, at which Jack wondered.

"Scared out," said the explorer grimly, "if that rogue was around."

Ahead, the country did not appear so densely wooded as they had thought.
It ascended toward the hills beyond in gentle, rolling swells, and they
had no difficulty in advancing through the knee-deep grass. On every
hand were trees in clumps or singly, but no sign of elephant spoor could
they see.

"Maybe we'd better strike in a little from the river," suggested
Charlie. "Jack and I could have a look, anyhow, an' we might pick up a
trail."

"I don't think there's much danger that he'd be here, so go ahead,"
returned Schoverling to their delight. "Circle around for a couple of
hundred yards, but don't get out of sight. If he was here last night, he
was probably drinking,