brained us as we slept. However, it seemed doubtful whether he had been
able to get more than his legs at liberty. The strap which secured his
elbows was nowhere to be seen. We traced his spoor, but this
disappeared along an elephant track--for even Jan failed to discover the
marks of his footsteps. The night was approaching, and we lost all hope
of discovering him. We therefore took up our position in the thicket we
had selected, close to the path the elephants pursued when going down to
the pool. We here fully expected to shoot two or three animals. We
then proposed returning next morning to the camp, in order to bring two
or three of the men with us to make further search for Hans.

We had not long taken up our position, when we caught sight of the huge
forms of several elephants coming through the forest, along the path
which we had discovered. We saw them sweeping their trunks backwards
and forwards over the ground, evidently suspecting something wrong.

Thirst impelled them forward, however. They approached close to where
we lay hidden, and I was just about to fire at the leader, who had
magnificent tusks--Harry having agreed to take the next in order--when a
loud shout rent the air, and a figure started up directly in front of
the animal. It was Hans. His arms were still bound, but he kept
leaping about, utterly fearless of the elephants before him. I
hesitated for a moment, when the thought struck me,--should I kill the
elephant, I might save the life of the unhappy being who seemed to be
courting his fate. I pulled the trigger. I could hear the ball strike,
but what was my horror to see the animal rush forward, and the next
moment trample Hans Scarff beneath his feet. A single shriek escaped
the miserable man, and then all was silent. Excited as I was, I did not
notice that Harry fired at the second elephant at the same moment. His
bullet must have entered the animal's brain, for it sank a helpless mass
on the ground. The rest of the herd, alarmed by the fate of their
leaders, turned round, and with loud trumpeting rushed away into the
forest.

The first elephant, in the meantime, lifted up the body of his victim,
whom he dashed violently to the ground; and then, staggering a few
paces, came down with a crash and lay motionless.

We hurried out of our ambush to render assistance to Hans; but he was
dead, every bone in his body being broken; even his features could not
be recognised. We cou