e must have
used African--"

Further conversation was interrupted by the resounding roar of the
elephant, who, having eaten and drunk his fill, began to trumpet; it
could not be known whether from joy or from longing for complete
freedom. Saba started up and began to bark, while Stas said:

"There you have it! Now he is calling companions. We will be in a nice
predicament if he attracts a whole herd here."

"He will tell them that we were kind to him," Nell responded hastily.

But Stas, who indeed was not alarmed, as he reckoned that even if a
herd should rush towards them, the glare of the fire would frighten
them away, smiled spitefully and said:

"Very well! very well! But if the elephants appear, you won't cry, oh
no! Your eyes will only perspire as they did twice before."

And he began to tease her:

"I do not cry, only my eyes perspire--"

Nell, however, seeing his happy mien, conjectured that no immediate
danger threatened them.

"When he gets tame," she said, "my eyes will not perspire, though ten
lions should roar."

"Why?"

"For he will defend us."

Stas quieted Saba, who would not stop replying to the elephant; after
which he deliberated somewhat and spoke thus:

"You did not think of one thing, Nell. Of course, we will not stay here
for ages but will proceed farther; I do not say at once. On the
contrary, the place is good and healthy; I have decided to stop here--a
week, perhaps,--perhaps two, for you, and all of us as well, are
entitled to a rest. Well, very good! As long as we stay here we will
feed the elephant, though that will be a big task for us all. But he is
locked up and we cannot take him with us. Well then, what later? We
shall go and he will remain here and again will endure the pangs of
hunger until he dies. Then we shall be all the more sorry for him."

Nell saddened very much and for some time sat in silence, evidently not
knowing what reply to make to these just remarks, but after a while she
raised her head and, brushing aside the tufts of hair which fell over
her eyes, turned her gaze, full of confidence, on the boy.

"I know," she said, "that if you want to, you will get him out of the
ravine."

"I?"

And she stretched out her little finger, touched Stas' hand with it,
and repeated:

"You."

The sly little woman understood that her confidence would flatter the
boy and from that moment he would ponder on how to free the elephant.

V

The night passed quie