de a score of times each day to Linde's camp
for the luggage. He also overworked himself terribly, but his iron
constitution endured all toil. Nevertheless, not until the tenth day
were all the packs distributed; those of less value were hidden in
caves, and those of more importance were brought to "Cracow"; the
horses, too, were led onto the promontory and a considerable number of
Remington rifles were carried by them, which rifles were to be borne
later by the King.

During that time in Linde's camp, from time to time, some of the
sleeping negroes would start up in an ante-mortem paroxysm of the
disease, fly into the jungle, and return no more; there were some who
died on the spot, and others, rushing blindly, crushed their heads on
the rocks in the camp itself or in the neighborhood. These Kali had to
bury. After two weeks only one remained, but that one soon died in his
sleep from exhaustion.

Finally the time arrived for blasting the rock and the liberation of
the King. He was so tame now that at Stas' order he seized him with his
trunk and placed him on his neck. He also had become accustomed to
bearing things which Kali pulled on his back over a bamboo ladder. Nell
insisted that he was too heavily burdened, but in truth to him it was
like a fly, and only the luggage inherited from Linde could form a
respectable load for him. With Saba, at the sight of whom in the
beginning he displayed uneasiness, he became quite friendly, and played
with him in this manner: he would overturn him on the ground with his
trunk, and Saba would pretend that he was biting. At times, however, he
would unexpectedly souse the dog with water, which act was regarded by
the latter as a joke of the poorest taste.

The children were principally pleased because the beast, being quick of
comprehension and seriously minded, understood everything that was
wanted of him and seemed to comprehend, not only every order, but even
every nod. In this respect elephants surpass immeasurably all other
domesticated animals, and the King, beyond comparison, surpassed Saba,
who wagged his tail to all of Nell's admonitions and afterwards did
whatever he pleased. The King discerned perfectly, for instance, that
the person whom it was most necessary to obey was Stas, and that the
person about whom all cared the most was Nell. So he most carefully
complied with Stas' orders, and loved Nell the most. To Kali he paid
less heed and Mea he slighted entirely.

St