d with darts or long knives. Chando, being the
most experienced elephant hunter, was sent ahead to look out for game.

The nature of the forest caused the party to become somewhat separated.
Ned kept as close as he could to Sayd. Some time had elapsed, when Ned
heard a loud trumpeting coming from the forest in front of them.

"That's an elephant," shouted Sayd, who was some distance off. "Move
carefully forward, and when the creature appears fire steadily, and then
spring on one side, but beware lest he sees you, or he may make a rush
at you."

Ned resolved to follow this advice. Again they advanced. Ned saw Sayd
enter an open glade. He had got but a few yards along it, when a
crashing sound from the opposite side was heard, followed by a loud
trumpeting. With trunk erect and open mouth a huge elephant dashed out
of the cover, catching sight as he came into the open of the Arab. Ned
had his gun ready, and, as the animal drew near, steadying his weapon
against the trunk of a tree, he fired. The bullet struck the creature,
but still it advanced, trumpeting loudly, its rage increased, with its
keen eyes fixed on Sayd. The Arab saw it coming, and knowing that, if
its progress was not stopped, his destruction was certain, fired at its
head, and then, his courage giving way, turned round to fly. Ned gave
up his friend for lost. The huge brute would break through all
impediments to reach his victim. Just then Ned saw a black form
emerging from the wood and springing over the ground at a rate
surpassing that of the elephant, against whose thick frontal bone Sayd's
bullet had been ineffective. With trunk uplifted the animal had got
within ten paces of the Arab, when the black overtook it, a sharp sword
in his hand; the weapon flashed for an instant, and descended on the
elephant's left hinder leg; then springing on one side the black
inflicted another tremendous gash on the right. The monster staggered
on, and was about to seize the Arab with its trunk, when, uttering a
shriek of pain and baffled rage, down it came with a crash to the earth.

Sayd, stopping in his flight, turned and saw that his deliverer was the
pagazi Chando, while Ned at the same moment springing forward
congratulated him on his escape. Chando, without speaking, plunged his
sword in the neck of the elephant. The rest of the party on hearing the
firing made their way up to the spot, and complimented Chando on his
achievement.

"I am grate