Page 172 - Adventures in Africa

fired, but I could not see the result. 1 sprang to my
feet, so as to escape behind a tree I had marked, fully

expecting to have the elephant I had shot charge
furiously at me ; but it did riot, and though I retreated

some paces I could still see its head. It seemed to be
looking about to discover the enemy who had wounded
it. No long time passed before it caught sight of me,

and then on it came. I could also hear a loud crash­
ing among the boughs to the right, produced, Iliad no
doubt, by the elephant at which Harry had aimed.

On reaching the tree I instantly began to reload,
hoping to have time to give the elephant another shot
as lie passed me ■ for, though he had seen me for a

moment, I knew that he would go straight 011 without
looking behind the tree. But, even before he had got

up to the spot, down he fell on his knees* crushing
several young trees. At the same moment I heard
Harry cry out, and leaving my own prize I dashed
forward to his assistance* I was just in time to see

the elephant, with his trunk uplifted, close to Harry,
who had not had time to reload or take shelter behind

a tree. I fired, aiming behind the ear of the elephant,
when down it came, as mine had done, prostrate 011
the ground. If my uncle had been equally successful,

we should have made a grand haul. Without stopping
to finish off our elephants, we hurried in the direction
wc supposed him to be, reloading as we went. Wo

uttered a loud shout to attract his attention. It was
replied to by a tremendous roar; and, instead of an
elephant, what was our surprise to see an enormous

lion lashing its tail and looking up at the branches of
a tree, among which we discovered ray uncle ; and he