nearest place,
I should get a good shot in safety. To get to that place I had to
retrace my steps, and make a guess at the whereabouts; so pointing this
out to Blueboy, he at once led the way, and soon pointed out where I
must go. `Fire both at once,' he said, pointing to my barrels. `You
aim well first time, badly second.' I crept to the edge of the bank,
and was almost afraid as I saw the elephant so close to me. I aimed on
the shoulder, just outside his ear, and pulled both triggers. I was
knocked right down by the recoil, and fell among the bushes, and the
elephant went off very fast for nearly a hundred yards. We could see
him plainly, and I began to fear I must have missed him. I didn't know
then how tough elephants were, and how much shooting they required.

"Well, the elephant then stopped, and pulled up some grass, and seemed
to be stuffing it into his wounds, for he was losing strength very fast;
and then he turned and climbed up the bank, and went away through the
bush towards the road we had come with our waggon.

"`He'll take to the old track,' whispered Blueboy; `we shall get him
again at the tree he broke to-day. Come along quick now, and get there
before him. You'll never do any good following, for you will have to
fire at him from behind.'

"I didn't think we should see much of him by going on before, but I
trusted the quick-witted bush-boy, and tried to follow him, but he went
away again so quick I called him to stop.

"`No, no,' he replied; `you must come on, the elephant will get there
first else.'

"I ran on as well as I could, and in time we got to the tree.

"`Is bullet there?' said Blueboy, pointing to the gun.

"I had not had time to load yet, so I set to work, and put in my
remaining bullets. I had scarcely done this before I saw Blueboy point
to the bush before us. He pointed eagerly, and said, `Oliphant kom,
oliphant kom,' and I heard a very slight noise, as of an animal moving
in the bush. I collected my thoughts, and determined to try again what
I could do; and having cocked my gun, stood ready.

"I first saw the elephant's head, but had been taught not to fire at
this, if the elephant was facing me; so I waited, and soon saw the chest
of the great creature. I aimed steadily, and fired at the chest both
barrels, as before. As I fired, Blueboy pulled me on one side. I saw a
mass of bush pressed down, and was knocked down by a branch of a tree;
but though not much hur