herd came up, surrounding
the tree and all trumpeting together. It was a sound sufficient to make
our hearts quail. Had we possessed our rifles, we might have quickly
put an end to the animals, mighty as they seemed. Fortunately, in their
rage they did not discover them, as they were concealed in the tall
grass and leaves between the roots. We dreaded, however, every instant
that their feet would come down and crush them, when they, in all
probability, would have been rendered perfectly useless.

Our thoughts were now turned towards Tom. Charley said that he had lost
sight of him just before he saw the elephants, but that he trusted he
had sought safety in a tree as we had done. We shouted out, hoping that
he would hear us; but the trumpeting of the elephants drowned our
voices. However, although we did not get any answer, we still hoped
that he might have escaped.

"I wish that I had not lost my rifle," said Charley, "although I think I
should be able to find it again if the beasts did not trample upon it,
and I don't think they did, for I threw it as far from me as I could
into a thick bush."

"If you hadn't thrown it away, both you and it would have been crushed
to pieces," answered Harry. "I think it is fortunate that you had
presence of mind to get rid of it. But, I say, I wonder whether these
beasts are going to lay siege to us all night. I'm getting very hungry.
If they don't go away we shall be starved."

"Perhaps the best thing we can do is to climb up higher and hide
ourselves, and then, when they don't see us, their rage may abate, and
they will go away," I remarked. "They are not likely to remain here all
night, and will probably go to the lake to drink, and give us time, at
all events, to get down and recover our rifles."

"What does Aboh think about the matter?" asked Charley.

I inquired of the black, making the usual signs by means of which we
carried on a conversation with him, and using such simple words as he
was likely to understand. He evidently comprehended what I said, and
highly approved of our plan of hiding ourselves, setting the example by
climbing up and concealing himself from the elephants below. We three
did the same, though I managed still to watch them by peeping through
the leaves of the bough on which I had perched myself. The creatures in
a short time ceased their trumpeting, but still remained walking slowly
round and round the tree, looking up in a sagacious fash