ight was too much for Marut. He sprang up and ran for his life
towards the lake, purposing, I suppose, to take refuge in the water.
Oh! how he ran. After him went Jana like a railway engine--express this
time--trumpeting as he charged. Marut reached the lake, which was quite
close, about ten yards ahead, and plunging into it with a bound, began
to swim.

Now, I thought, he may get away if the crocodiles don't have him, for
that devil will scarcely take to the water. But this was just where I
made a mistake, for with a mighty splash in went Jana too. Also he was
the better swimmer. Marut soon saw this and swung round to the shore, by
which manoeuvre he gained a little as he could turn quicker than Jana.

Back they came, Jana just behind Marut, striking at him with his great
trunk. They landed, Marut flew a few yards ahead doubling in and out
among the rocks like a hare and, to my horror, making for where I lay,
whether by accident or in a mad hope of obtaining protection, I do not
know.

It may be asked why I had not taken the opportunity to run also in the
opposite direction. There are several answers. The first was that there
seemed to be nowhere to run; the second, that I felt sure, if I did run,
I should trip up over the skeletons of those elephants or the stones;
the third, that I did not think of it at once; the fourth, that Jana
had not yet seen me, and I had no craving to introduce myself to him
personally; and the fifth and greatest, that I was so paralysed with
fear that I did not feel as though I could lift myself from the ground.
Everything about me seemed to be dead, except my powers of observation,
which were painfully alive.

Of a sudden Marut gave up. Less than a stone's throw from me he wheeled
round and, facing Jana, hurled at him some fearful and concentrated
curse, of which all that I could distinguish were the words: "The
Child!"

Oddly enough it seemed to have an effect upon the furious rogue, which
halted in its rush and, putting its four feet together, slid a few paces
nearer and stood still. It was just as though the beast had understood
the words and were considering them. If so, their effect was to rouse
him to perfect madness. He screamed terribly; he lashed his sides with
his trunk; his red and wicked eyes rolled; foam flew from the cavern
of his open mouth; he danced upon his great feet, a sort of hideous
Scottish reel. Then he charged!

I shut my eyes for a moment. When I opened them