consult him about this
elephant.

"`Oh yes! take him,' said my father. So, beckoning Blueboy, I told him
I wanted him to come with me, and the little fellow was glad enough to
come, as we always had some sport together.

"`There's the gun,' said my father; `it's loaded with two bullets. I'll
just give you two more bullets, and two charges of powder, for you must
not waste the ammunition. Mind you're back an hour before sundown.'

"This parting advice I hoped to comply with, and Blueboy and I walked
off.

"I kept quite silent till we were away from the waggons, when I
instantly said, `Blueboy, we are after an elephant.'

"`Yes,' said the sharp little fellow in his broken Dutch, `I thought so.
I saw you go into the bush where the tree was broken. When did
elephant break tree?'

"`The marks were quite fresh, Blueboy; I think not long before we got
there.'

"`We shall see when we look,' was his reply.

"We hurried on, and entered the bush, Blueboy going first. He carefully
examined the ground, picked up the grass, and at length rushed at a
small broken branch as though he had seen a treasure. After turning
this over once or twice, he pointed to the eastern part of the sky, and
said, `When sun there, elephant here. He may now be far off, may be
close here; we see soon. Follow me now.'

"I followed him, but with difficulty. He moved like a snake among the
bushes, as noiseless as a bird, and as quick as one. We went nearly a
mile, when we came to a steep bank, at which Blueboy stopped, and
whispered to me, `We find him here; water near, and he very hot.
Elephant love water. Now come slowly.'

"We moved down the bank, and came to a large pool of water, which was
muddy and bubbling. I knew from this the elephant had only just drunk
there. Presently I heard a sound as of water being poured out of a
narrow-necked bottle, when Blueboy, turning quickly, pointed to some
bushes below us, and there was the elephant half buried in bushes, but
his back visible above them. I now felt very excited. I knew it was
very dangerous work, but I fancied I might be successful. All depended
on a surprise. I had heard so much about elephants, and had in
imagination so often shot them, that I knew every vital part, and where
it was best to fire; so, though I had never seen an elephant before, I
knew lots about them. I noticed that the bank was above the elephant,
and about twenty yards from it; so if I could get to the