A STRANGE EXPERIENCE. 417 



The other two natives had dashed into the jungle to save themselves ; Mr. God- 

 kin, in the first bound that he made, forgot to catch up his rifle, and he ran twenty 

 paces before he awoke to his forgetfulness. Even then, he would not have ventured 

 to return had he not seen that his young friend was standing his ground, and that 

 the whole fury of the mad elephant was turned upon him. 



It occurred to Mr. Godkin, too, at that moment, that no flight could save all the 

 members of the party, since poor Jack had already been sacrificed, and their furious 

 pursuer would be sure to overtake some of the party before they could run or climb 

 beyond his reach. 



Dick stood coolly in front of the elephant and not more than two rods distant. 

 He knew the location of that small spot, just above the trunk, into which, if the 

 tiniest bullet can be driven, the monster is doomed as certainly as if smitten by a 

 bolt from heaven. 



Aiming directly at that spot, Dick let the " goondah " take several steps before he 

 pressed the trigger. 



To his consternation, his piece missed fire. 



