ion to ascertain
what had become of us. At last they appeared either to forget us, or to
fancy that we were birds, and had flown away. The biggest elephant,
which had so nearly caught Charley, then led the way down to the lake,
the rest following him. It was with infinite satisfaction that we saw
them go.

"Now, quick, quick! let us get our rifles, at all events, before they
come back," whispered Charley.

Aboh, seeing me about to descend, made a sign that he would go himself,
and, with wonderful agility, he slipped down the tree, while Charley
descended to the lowest bough to reach the rifles as he handed them up.
I followed, keeping a little above my brother, that I might pass them on
to Harry. I felt very thankful when Aboh handed up my rifle to Charley,
who giving it to me, I passed it on to Harry. Aboh then, again slipping
down, handed up Harry's. To our infinite relief neither of them were
injured, though the feet of the elephants must have trampled the ground
on either side.

"Him go get massa officer's rifle," said Aboh, who was delighted to make
use of some of the words with which he was best acquainted; and without
waiting to obtain our sanction, he darted off in the direction from
which Charley came.

"See if you can find Tom anywhere," I shouted.

Aboh turned and made a sign to us to be silent, pointing at the same
time towards the lake, where the elephants were drinking. I regretted
having cried out, lest my voice should have attracted the creatures'
attention, and might cause them to return and look for us. Although
Aboh probably thought that Tom was concealed somewhere in the
neighbourhood, yet, knowing the importance of silence, he did not cry
out to ascertain his position.

We watched him anxiously, for we feared that at any moment the elephants
might come back before he could discover the rifle, which might take
some time to find. We saw him hunting about, but Charley said that he
thought the spot where he had thrown it away was much farther off. At
length he was altogether hidden from our sight by the thick foliage.

"Harry, do you climb up and keep a look-out for the elephants, and Dick
and I will stand by to help up Aboh when he comes back. If you see the
beasts coming, send a shot into the head of the leader; if you don't
kill him, it will probably bring him to a standstill or turn him aside,
and give the black more time to climb up the tree," said Charley.

"Ay, ay!" answered