306 ADVENTURES OF AN ELEPHANT HUNTER CH. 



yards of where I stood. Still keeping my eyes 

 intently fixed on the elephant, I mechanically 

 extended my hand for my second rifle, which 

 Seremani was carrying, only to discover, to my 

 intense dismay, that my boy, instead of following me 

 like my shadow, had fallen a few yards behind. It 

 was now too late for him to reach me, so resigning 

 myself to the fate which I was always ready to meet, I 

 stood absolutely still, feeling that my only chance of 

 escape lay in not attracting the animal's attention by 

 the slightest movement. Seremani, a few yards 

 behind me. also cognizant of the fact that any 

 hope of safety lay in perfect immobility, strove for 

 a few seconds to face the situation, but the terrifying 

 spectacle of the huge beast, standing so close and 

 staring at us with blood streaming down his face, 

 unnerved the poor fellow and he dashed wildly to 

 the rear into a clump of bamboos. That action 

 saved my life, for, like a flash, the elephant rushed 

 past me and after Seremani, and ere my boy had 

 gone many yards, and before I could reload and fire, 

 the animal overtook him, thrust his tusk through 

 the poor fellow's thigh and knelt on his chest. It is 

 hardly possible for anyone to realize how swiftly 

 this awful drama had taken place, but some idea 

 may be formed of the celerity of the action when it 

 is remembered that it was completed before I could 

 eject my empty cartridge and reload. Raising my 



