es I did the only
thing feasible, clambered round the trunk as softly as possible, and
keeping one eye on the elephants, whispered to Gobo to bring down the
rifle, and awaited the development of the situation. I knew that if
the elephants did not see me--which, luckily, they were too enraged to
do--they would not smell me, for I was up-wind. Gobo, however, either
did not, or, preferring the safety of the tree, would not hear me. He
said the former, but I believed the latter, for I knew that he was not
enough of a sportsman to really enjoy shooting elephants by moonlight in
the open. So there I was behind my tree, dismayed, unarmed, but highly
interested, for I was witnessing a remarkable performance.

"When the two other bulls arrived the wounded elephant on the ground
ceased to scream, but began to make a low moaning noise, and to gently
touch the wound near his shoulder, from which the blood was literally
spouting. The other two seemed to understand; at any rate, they did
this. Kneeling down on either side, they placed their trunks and tusks
underneath him, and, aided by his own efforts, with one great lift got
him on to his feet. Then leaning against him on either side to support
him, they marched off at a walk in the direction of the village.[*] It
was a pitiful sight, and even then it made me feel a brute.

[*] The Editor would have been inclined to think that in
relating this incident Mr. Quatermain was making himself
interesting at the expense of the exact truth, did it not
happen that a similar incident has come within his
knowledge.--Editor.

"Presently, from a walk, as the wounded elephant gathered himself
together a little, they broke into a trot, and after that I could follow
them no longer with my eyes, for the second black cloud came up over the
moon and put her out, as an extinguisher puts out a dip. I say with my
eyes, but my ears gave me a very fair notion of what was going on. When
the cloud came up the three terrified animals were heading directly for
the kraal, probably because the way was open and the path easy. I fancy
that they grew confused in the darkness, for when they came to the kraal
fence they did not turn aside, but crashed straight through it. Then
there were 'times,' as the Irish servant-girl says in the American book.
Having taken the fence, they thought that they might as well take the
kraal also, so they just ran over it. One hive-shaped hut was turned
quit