nd the burden it bore.

"Cut me loose!" roared Jack to the half-caste. "What chance have I
got, tied to this howdah?"

But Saya Chone, ashen with fear, clung to the edge of the car, and had
eyes and ears for nothing save for the great beast charging full upon
them. Jack hurled himself to and fro, trying to slacken a little the
bonds which held him a prisoner under such fearful circumstances. If
the pad-elephant would only make a fight of it, there would be a
chance for its riders to slip down and escape, but how could Jack help
himself?

As the "rogue" made his last few sweeping strides upon them, the
pad-elephant seemed to pluck up the courage of desperation. He was a
fine, big, powerful fellow, though not equal in size to his wild
enemy, and now he took a step or two forward, threw out his huge
forehead, and met his enemy in full career.

The crash as the two huge beasts charged into each other was
tremendous. The pad-elephant was driven back half a dozen yards, but
he kept his feet. Then the two immense creatures, head braced to head
and tusks locked in tusks, began a steady trial of strength, each
striving to force the other back.

Now Saya Chone plucked out his heavy revolver, and, leaning over the
edge of the howdah, began to fire swiftly into the head and body of
the savage "rogue." But though the bullets cut deeply into the flesh,
and the blood spouted freely, the big brute troubled nothing about
that. As far as reaching any vital part went, the revolver might have
been a pop-gun, and the wild elephant gave himself up entirely to the
struggle with his tame brother.

In a few minutes it was seen that he was carrying the day. The
pad-elephant, with deep grunts of anger and fear, began to give way
before the fierce strength and impetuosity of his terrible opponent.
Jack looked round and saw that they were alone; the Malay and the
fourth attendant had fled from the place.

Then, at the next moment, the elephant under them gave up the fight.
He suddenly backed off, turned, and lumbered across the clearing in
full flight. The "rogue" threw up his trunk, and trumpeted a roar of
victory, then dashed after the pad-elephant in savage pursuit. He was
much swifter, and soon came up on the flank where Jack, by turning his
head, had him in full view. Jack saw the small, fierce eyes burning
with fury, and then the head was bent and the great forehead was
driven against the flying enemy. The shock was such that the
pa