d the manioc root was baking under the heap of
hot embers, the Elephant dug with his tusks for the juicy roots of his
favourite trees round about their camp, and munched away contentedly.

The next morning, all three, after a bathe in the river, set out on
their journey more familiar with one another, and in a happier mood.

About noon, while they were resting during the heat of the day, two
lions came near to roar at them, but when Dudu was drawing his bow at
one of them, the Elephant said:

"You leave them to me; I will make them run pretty quick," saying which
he tore off a great bough of a tree, and nourishing this with his trunk,
he trotted on the double quick towards them, and used it so heartily
that they both skurried away with their bellies to the ground, and their
hides shrinking and quivering out of fear of the great rod.

In the afternoon the Elephant and his human friends set off again, and
some time after they came to a wide and deep river. He begged his
friends to descend while he tried to find out the shallowest part. It
took him some time to do this; but, having discovered a ford where the
water was not quite over his back, he returned to them, and urged them
to mount him as he wished to reach home before dark.

As the Elephant was about to enter the river, he said to Dudu, "I see
some hunters of your own kind creeping up towards us. Perhaps they are
your kinsmen. Talk to them, and let us see whether they be friends or
foes."

Dudu hailed them, but they gave no answer, and, as they approached
nearer, they were seen to prepare to cast their spears, so the Elephant
said, "I see that they are not your friends; therefore, as I cross the
river, do you look out for them, and keep them at a distance. If they
come to the other side of the river, I shall know how to deal with
them."

They got to the opposite bank safely; but, as they were landing, Dudu
and Salimba noticed that their pursuers had discovered a canoe, and that
they were pulling hard after them. But the Elephant soon after landing
came to a broad path smoothed by much travel, over which he took them at
a quick pace, so fast, indeed, that the pursuers had to run to be able
to keep up with them. Dudu, every now and then let fly an arrow at the
hunters, which kept them at a safe distance.

Towards night they came to the City of the Elephants, which was very
large and fit to shelter such a multitude as they now saw. Their
elephant did n