wn, down!" shouted Frank. "Hold tight."

His advice was needed, for the plunging and rolling of the great
frightened animals was terrible, and for a while they tore on along the
narrow track with the mud and water flying, and the growth from the
sides and roof threatening to drag the occupants of the howdahs from
their seats.

At the end of about a mile, the first elephant was checked, and of
necessity the second and third had to stand, which they did with their
heads pressed against the other's tail.

"Any one hurt?" cried Murray, looking back.

"No, all right--all right," cried the boys.

"What was it scared your elephant?"

"Oh murther, don't tell him, Masther Frank," whispered Tim, who then
desperately told the truth.

"It's all right, sor. I sthruck a match to light me pipe. That's all."

"Well then, don't do it again."

"No, sor."

"Go on slowly now," cried Murray, and progress was again made.

"An' I should think we would go slowly," muttered Tim. "I belave I
haven't a whole bone left, and what's more, I didn't light me pipe."

"And you must not now," cried Frank, laughing. "Oh, I did get such a
switch from one of those canes.--How did you get on?"

"Something nearly pulled me out of the howdah," replied Ned, "and I'm a
bit scratched."

"Bit scratched, sor? Look at me," cried Tim, showing his bleeding
hands. "These baskets, if ye are to have a ride in 'em, ought to have a
lid to shut down."

The elephants uttered a low sigh now and then, as they shuffled and
splashed along the muddy track, whose gloomy monotony was so wearisome
that Ned turned at last to his companion.

"I say," he cried, "is it all going to be like this?"

Frank laughed.

"Oh no; only for a few miles. Then we shall get to some open ground."

"You've been along here before, then?"

"Oh yes, twice; but till you get through the jungle it is very dreary."

Ned sat swaying and giving with the movements of the elephant, thinking
what a terrible journey it would be for any one who had to walk, and
looking back from time to time at the spearmen behind, who seemed to get
along lightly enough, when he caught sight of one. Several, however,
had climbed on to the rear elephant, while two had hold of the ropes of
the one he rode.

All at once, just as if seen through a tunnel, there was a patch of
light, and soon after the party emerged into an opening of a few acres
in extent, where the sun had full power, and the growth