Quests (Expeditions) -- Juvenile fiction; Rangoon (Burma) -- Juvenile fiction; Young men -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
In a few minutes it was seen that he was carrying the day. The
pad-elephant, with deep grunts of anger and fear, began to give way
before the fierce strength and impetuosity of his terrible opponent.
Jack looked round and saw that they were alone; the Malay and the
fourth attendant had fled from the place.
Then, at the next moment, the elephant under them gave up the fight.
He suddenly backed off, turned, and lumbered across the clearing in
full flight. The "rogue" threw up his trunk, and trumpeted a roar of
victory, then dashed after the pad-elephant in savage pursuit. He was
much swifter, and soon came up on the flank where Jack, by turning his
head, had him in full view. Jack saw the small, fierce eyes burning
with fury, and then the head was bent and the great forehead was
driven against the flying enemy. The shock was such that the
pad-elephant was driven to its knees, the driver was hurled over its
head, and Saya Chone flung headlong out of the car. Jack alone
remained in the howdah, held fast by his bonds.
Again the "rogue" elephant charged his enemy, and now the latter was
flung over on to its side, and the rim of the howdah brushed the
ground. Jack looked up in despair. The vast bulk of the infuriated
elephant hung right over him as the "rogue" prepared to trample upon
the foe whom he had hurled to the ground. In vain did Jack dash
himself to and fro in his bonds; he was fastened only too securely,
and he knew that the least stroke of the foot now raised above his
head would crush him as surely as a steam-hammer would crush a nut. At
the next second Jack saw a gleaming white tusk dart down towards him
as the "rogue" bent his head and struck.
The tusk went through the howdah within six inches of Jack's leg, and
was buried deep in the back of the pad-elephant Then the "rogue," as
he withdrew the dripping spear of ivory, caught sight of something and
turned his wicked little eyes on it. He saw the driver and Saya Chone
at some little distance running for their lives, and his fickle fancy
turned to the thoughts of making short work of them before he finished
with his tame brother.
Away he went in pursuit of this new object, and the pad-elephant
scrambled to its feet, and stood for a few moments as if bewildered
and uncertain what to do. During these few moments Jack saw the driver
caught and felled to earth by the huge beast before whose savage might
all stood helpless. Saya Chone had far outrun his companion, and the
half-caste disappeared among the trees as the "rogue" began to trample
upon the driver, whose frightful screams were silenced as both breath
and life itself were swiftly crushed out of the body, so soon made
pulp under those huge round feet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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