houts and chants, the two boys in
silent wonder.

"You chaps'll have to give me lessons in shooting," laughed the General.
"See here--my first bullet missed her shoulder, and my second likewise.
She couldn't have gone far, though; but she could have finished us right
enough. That was good shooting, boys."

"Wouldn't have been," admitted Charlie, "if she hadn't lifted her head.
Jumping Sandhills! How that fellow did go up!"

"Lucky he wasn't killed," added Jack. "I got her with both bullets,
right in the shoulder. Chuck's bullet must have gone clear through to
her tail."

It proved that the bullet fired by Charlie through her throat had
penetrated to the spine, thus paralyzing her. But as the honors were
equal, it did not matter greatly. The Masai took possession of the hide,
while the Kikuyu bore off the flesh to their village.

"I guess that ends our trip for to-day," said Schoverling ruefully, as
Gholab was directing the re-ordering of the camp. "Everything is badly
mussed up; even the men are demoralized. Well, no matter. We can leave
the camp in better shape, perhaps."

So, content with their conquest of that day, they gave all their
attention to putting the camp in better order. Jack learned how the
thorn zareba was built, and Charlie visited the Kikuyu village with his
camera. The elephant trip was to take place the next day, and guides
came over that night, with a fresh party of natives.

CHAPTER VII

ELEPHANT

The start was made early. First went Schoverling, von Hofe and the boys,
with the guides and gun-bearers. Then the Masai marched along, followed
by the crowd of natives. So far they had not struck the mountain slopes,
and the Kikuyu led them deeper into the great African forest.

The sun was shut out above by the dew-wet foliage,--twisted vines, trees
and bushes all matted together. The party traveled by means of old
elephant trails, which alone made the jungle passable to man. Hour after
hour they walked through the tangle of vegetation, striking into fresh
paths, twisting and turning until the boys felt hopelessly lost.

Great ferns and mosses grew about them. Mighty trees with trunks
corrugated and knotted towered overhead, draped with Spanish moss and
filled with scampering, chattering monkeys. Into and across tree-ferned
ravines, through dashing streams of icy water, past cataract and
morass, the party plowed its devious way until long past noon.

Suddenly one of the guides held