d with a
crash that shook the very earth beneath them the rogue elephant toppled
forward.

Something long and white flashed past, and from behind came a sudden
scream of pain. Whirling, Charlie saw Amir Ali, who had stuck to them
bravely, stagger away and sink down. As the elephant dropped, his
impetus and the tremendous weight of his gigantic body had snapped off
short one of the ends of his tusks, the severed ivory flying forward and
striking the Gurkha in the head.

Charlie ran to the man's side, but at a shout from Jack left him and
sprang up. The rogue was not dead yet. Fighting to the last, he was
trying to rise to his shattered knees, trumpeting till the woods rang
again with the horrible screams. Jack was dashing around to his side for
a finishing shot, and Charlie watched. Despite himself, he could not
help feeling a throb of pity for the great animal, rogue and destroyer
though he might be, struggling there so desperately to rise.

And, impossible though it seemed, the elephant actually regained his
feet. But even as he did so the shattered fore-legs crumpled up again,
and with a low muttering moan of pain he went down. A moment later Jack
fired, twice, placing each bullet behind the left shoulder.

Charlie saw the mighty trunk go up, but no sound issued forth. The red
eyes seemed to meet his as with one tremendous effort the rogue lurched
up once more, then the huge ears sagged down, the trunk frothed forth
bloody foam and fell in the dust, and with a single groan the elephant
went over on his side, dead.

Charlie's first thought was for Amir Ali. Reaching the man's side, he
pulled the stopper from his canteen and poured water over the Gurkha's
head, which was flowing with blood. The wound, however, proved to be
slight and the man was but stunned. Charlie gazed down at the foot-long
sliver of ivory, and rose. He felt unable to do more, and glanced around
for Jack. The other was sitting in the grass, gazing at the dead rogue.

Feeling his knees growing weak with the reaction, Charlie staggered to
his side and sank down. For a few moments neither boy spoke. There was
something terrible about having killed such an animal, something that
oppressed them both with a feeling that it was not yet over, that at any
moment he might rise and come at them.

Charlie tried to speak, but his throat was dry. He had emptied his
canteen over Amir, and caught that of Jack. Taking a swallow, he forced
the water on Jack, a