Page 119 - Adventures in Africa

distance off, the branches of which would afford an

easy ascent. Wishing- to follow his advice, I was
running along, when my foot caught in a creeper and
I fell to the ground with considerable force, letting
my rifle drop as I did so, but in vain attempted to

regain my legs, so severely had I sprained my ankle.
I naturally called to Toko to come to my assistance*

He did not move or reply, but continued shouting
and shrieking at the top of his voice. What was; my
horror just then to see a huge elephant, with trunk
uplifted, burst out from among the trees on one side,
while, at the same moment, a large lion approached

with stealthy steps on the other. I gave myself up
for lost, expecting to be carried off in the jaws of the
Hon, or trampled to death by the feet of the elephant.

Toko sat immovable, with his rifle levelled at the
lion's head, and just as the brute was about to make
its fatal spring he fired. As he did so, I saw the
elephant, startled by the sound, swerve on one side,

its feet passing close to where I lay, but it did not
appear even to see me. Away it went, trumpeting
loudly and crashing through the underwood.

The next instant Toko leaped down from his perch
and hurried towards me, when, turning my head, I
caught sight of the lion struggling on its back, and

attempting to regain its feet. Toko, lifting me in
his arms, carried me a few paces off, and taking up
my rifle again approached the lion and shot it dead,

Almost at the same instant the sound of another rifle
reached our ears.
“ Go and help Harry," I said to Toko; “ he may
want your assistance.”
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