Part 17 (2/2)

”I followed hi the bushes, as noiseless as a bird, and as quick as one We went nearly a mile, e 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 coe pool of water, which wasI 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 theerous work, but I fancied I ht be successful All depended on a surprise I had heard so ination 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 froood shot in safety To get to that place I had to retracethis out to Blueboy, he at once led the way, and soon pointed out where Ito my barrels 'You aie of the bank, and was almost afraid as I saw the elephant so close to me I aimed on the shoulder, just outside his ear, and pulled both triggers I was knocked right down by the recoil, and fell a the bushes, and the elephant went off very fast for nearly a hundred yards We could see hian to fear I h elephants were, and howthey required

”Well, the elephant then stopped, and pulled up so it into his wounds, for he was losing strength very fast; and then he turned and clih the bush towards the road we had coon

”'He'll take to the old track,' whispered Blueboy; 'we shall get hi quick now, and get there before hi, for you will have to fire at him from behind'

”I didn't think we should seeon before, but I trusted the quick-witted bush-boy, and tried to follow hiain so quick I called him to stop

”'No, no,' he replied; 'you et there first else'

”I ran on as well as I could, and in tiot to the tree

”'Is bullet there?' said Blueboy, pointing to the gun

”I had not had ti bullets I had scarcely done this before I saw Blueboy point to the bush before us He pointed eagerly, and said, 'Oliphant koht noise, as of an anihts, and deterun, stood ready

”I first saw the elephant's head, but had been taught not to fire at this, if the elephant was facing reat creature I aimed steadily, and fired at the chest both barrels, as before As I fired, Blueboy pulled me on one side I saw a mass of bush pressed down, and was knocked down by a branch of a tree; but though not et up easily, as the tree held me down, but I forced myself out after a bit with Blueboy's help I didn't know at first what it was had knockedround I saw a great blackdead

”I went up to the creature, and was astonished with its size; it was, as it lay, far higher than I was I noticed that there were big tusks, and this delighted me too I didn't know that to cut off the tail proved ownershi+p, so I left the animal, and with no little excite up fro me said,--

”'Well, where's the buck? I heard a shot: did you miss him?'

”'I fired all four bullets, father,' I said

”'And missed with all four That won't do; you un, boy, or you'll waste powder and lead'

”'I didn't miss with one bullet, father; I hit with all'

”'Then you've killed your buck; and where is it?'

”'It wasn't a buck, father,' I said

”'Not a buck! What was it then? Not a buffalo; you don't mean to say that you've fired at a buffalo?'

”'It was bigger than a buffalo,' I answered

”My father looked at er, so I said, 'I've shot an elephant with large tusks'

”My father juon-box as if he'd been shot, as he exclaimed, 'Shot an elephant! You--you shot an elephant! Where is he?'

”'Ja, bas, [Yes, Master], he's shot an elephant!' exclaimed Blueboy 'I showed hiet your knives!' shouted my father to the Hottentots; 'the boy has shot an elephant!' and off we ran, I leading, till we came to the place where the elephant lay There he was, sure enough, and et the tusks out in a hurry, and then we cut up lots of meat, and took the trunk, and a foot, and carried these with us to Grahaht the elephant's flesh to taste, and the teeth being fresh weighed very heavy, and fetched a good price

”'Keep the money,' said ive you un that you shot the elephant with;' and here, Hans, you see that mark in the stock That stands for the first elephant I ever shot”