de open space, with no bush near enough to afford
effective cover for the hunters within range of their rifles. It would
be necessary, therefore, for the animals to be stalked. But there
happened to be a large clump of bush about a mile directly to leeward of
the timber, extensive enough almost to conceal the _Flying Fish_ behind
it, while affording those on her deck a very clear and uninterrupted
view of the movements of both hunters and hunted; and it was therefore
decided to head the ship for this. Von Schalckenberg accordingly
retired to the pilot-house to navigate the craft to the chosen position,
and Mildmay joined the ladies, while the three sportsmen went below to
complete their final preparations and hold themselves ready to issue
forth by way of the diving-chamber as soon as they should feel the ship
take the ground.

At a low rate of speed, and keeping the ship dead end-on to the clump of
timber--to avoid alarming the elephants--the professor deftly manoeuvred
her into the berth chosen for her, and brought her gently to earth on a
spot which afforded those on her deck a clear view over the top of the
bush, while concealing practically the whole of her hull from the
keen-sighted pachyderms; and, a few minutes later, the three hunters
emerged from underneath the ship and waved a silent adieu to the little
group who stood on deck watching them.

During the first five minutes of their tramp no special precautions were
necessary on the part of the trio, for during that time they were
screened from the view of their quarry by the intervening clump of bush;
but upon reaching the extremity of this they were obliged to crouch low,
and sometimes even to go down on their knees in the long grass to avoid
detection. The elephants were still busily feeding, as could easily be
seen by the occasional violent movement of the branches of the trees,
while one or another of them occasionally gave vent to his feelings by
trumpeting, the sound of which was distinctly audible on the deck of the
_Flying Fish_.

The little party of five there gathered were all now comfortably
ensconced in basket chairs, from which, under the grateful shadow of the
awning, they were able to watch at their ease for developments, with the
aid of their powerful binoculars. For a quarter of an hour nothing
interesting happened. The stalking party were still hidden from sight
of the others by the intervening bush; then their heads and shoulders
em