stared at
Critch, who nodded.

"That's what. We're over east near the pigmy country, 'stead of being up
in the higher country where we ought to be. We'll be in the jungle in
another day, your uncle says."

"What's he going to do about it?" asked Burt. "Here, take this blamed
thing back." And he very gingerly deposited the arrow-point in the bit
of skin.

"Nothing," replied Critch. "He says to lay low and keep your eye peeled.
He ain't going very far into the jungle either."

Whether Montenay noticed anything in their attitude the next morning or
not, he was as gay as ever when they started out after their first
elephant. In fact, he had never appeared more open, frank and merry than
he did this morning and Burt found himself involuntarily siding against
his uncle.

They were accompanied by a large force of trackers from the town. After
a stiff two-mile walk into the deep forest toward the denser jungle one
of these trackers returned with word that a herd was not far ahead. Soon
afterwards the party came upon the spoor. In low places the tracks were
big holes three feet in depth. They were always marked by shattered and
broken smaller trees and torn branches.

Suddenly an elephant trumpeted close by and the boys jumped. Now they
stole along quietly in single file, while they could hear the great
beasts feeding and crashing among the trees not a hundred yards away.
The party moved noiselessly in the tracks of the elephants, for their
great weight had left no sticks or leaves to crack. Birds flew up in
flocks and monkeys chattered all around. Then as the trail twisted about
the boys saw their first wild elephant--a good deal closer than they
could have wished.

Without the least warning the bushes and mass of tangled creepers at
their left parted with a tremendous crashing and a big bull surged out
twenty feet away. He was as much surprised as they and stood looking
while the blacks fled. Mr. Wallace and Captain Mac fired almost
together, one bullet taking him in the shoulder and the other just above
the eye. Neither wound was fatal but for an instant the great beast was
stunned by the shock and stood reeling. Then as he lifted his trunk,
flapped his ears forward with his great in-curving tusks half raised and
took a step toward the party, both men fired again and the immense bulk
quivered and crashed down dead.

The blacks raised a shout of joy but only for an instant. At the sudden
firing shrill trumpeting and