e now, feeling sure that they would
not return, descended. Our first care on reaching the ground was to
reload our rifles.

"I wish that we could carry off the tusks," said Harry. "I'm sure they
would be worth no small number of dollars if they were safe on board."

"It is very certain that we cannot get them down to the sea at present,
and probably before we can return to fetch them some other hunters will
have carried them off," observed Charley.

While we were discussing the subject, Aboh had got out his knife and was
working away at one of the animal's feet, which he succeeded in cleverly
amputating.

"Him good eat," said the black pointing to the foot he had just cut off.

Although we certainly could not agree with him, we did not contradict
his assertion. He then cut some slices out of the back, which had not a
more attractive appearance than the foot. The black, however, seemed to
think that we had now an ample supply of food. We should have camped on
the spot, as the shades of evening were already coming on, had we not
been anxious to discover Tom.

"We must find him before nightfall," I observed; "for even although the
creatures may not have killed him, he may be injured and unable to
rejoin us."

"Certainly, unless he has got to a considerable distance, he must have
heard our shouts," remarked Harry.

Charley agreed with us, and we accordingly proceeded in the direction of
the spot where Charley had left our companion. As we went on we shouted
out his name, while we looked carefully on either side, dreading at any
moment to discover his mangled remains. Aboh hunted about with great
care, but for some distance the ground was so trampled by the elephants'
feet, and the trees and shrubs so torn, that any footsteps of a human
being must effectually have been obliterated. Presently, however, we
crossed the path formed by the herd as they had made their way towards
us, and all traces of them ceased. A short time afterwards we saw Aboh
examining the ground, then he pointed ahead and went on at a rapid rate,
we following his footsteps. Again he stopped, and stooping down picked
up a rifle. We recognised it as Tom's. What had become of its owner?
Still Aboh went on.

By this time the forest was so shrouded in the gloom of approaching
night that we could with difficulty see anything before us. Again Aboh
stopped and cried out, "Him here! him here!" We hurried forward. There
was our poor friend