ssible to man the barge.
They were both dead shots, and the least they could do would be to put
the fight on a basis of equality so far as numbers were concerned.

The colonel forgot all about how weak he was. The rage and despair in
his heart had once more given him a fictitious strength.

"The curse, the curse, always the curse!"

"Don't you believe that, Colonel. It is only misfortune. Now I'm
going to pot Umballa. That will simplify everything. Without a head
the soldiers will be without a cause, and they'll desert Kathlyn as
quickly as our coolies deserted us."

"Where is Ahmed?"

"Ahmed? I had forgot all about him! But we can't wait now. He'll
have to look out for himself. Hark!"

Squealing and trumpeting and thunderous crashing in the distance.

"Wild elephants!" cried the colonel, the old impulse wheeling him
round. But the younger man caught hold of his arm significantly.

The soldiers poled diligently, but against the stream, together with
the clumsiness of the barge, they could not make headway with any
degree of speed. It was not long before Bruce could see them. He
raised his rifle and let go; and in the boat Umballa felt his turban
stir mysteriously. The report which instantly followed was enough to
convince him that he in particular was being made a target. He
crouched behind Kathlyn, while two or three of the soldiers returned
the shot, aiming at the clump of scrub from which a film of pale blue
smoke issued. They waited for another shot, but none came.

The reason was this: the herd of wild elephants which Bruce and the
colonel had heard came charging almost directly toward them, smashing
young trees and trampling the tough underbrush. Some of them made for
the water directly in line with the passing boats. Kathlyn, keenly
alive to the fact that here was a chance, jumped overboard before
Umballa could reach out a staying hand.

To Kathlyn there was only death in the path of the elephants; to remain
on the barge was to face eventually that which was worse than death.
Her arm throbbed painfully, but in the desperate energy with which she
determined to take the chance she used it. Quite contrary to her
expectations, her leap was the best thing she could have done. Most of
the barges were upset and the great beasts were blundering across the
river between her and the barges.

Bruce witnessed Kathlyn's brave attempt and dashed into the water after
her. It took him but a momen