But it was too late. The big rhinoceros had heard the sound, and though the eyesight of this animal is the poorest of all jungle beasts, save the elephant, its scent and hearing are most acute. The creature had heard the boys talk and had sensed from whence it came. With an angry, whistling grunt he rushed straight for the place of concealment, gathering speed as he came. “We’d better run!” cried Joe. “Save the camera, whatever you do!” exclaimed Blake. “He’s going to charge!” shouted the sergeant. “Get your gun ready, C. C.!” While Joe and Blake folded up the camera tripod and shifted it to one side the two men, with ready rifles, stepped out where they would have a clear range to shoot. The rhinoceros was now close enough so that he could make out his enemies in the strong light. “We’ve got to stop him!” cried the former soldier. “Here goes!” came from Mr. Piper, as he leveled his gun. “I’m with you,” echoed the sergeant, as he got into a position to blaze away at the infuriated beast. CHAPTER XVII THE ELEPHANT TRAIL They both fired together, taking the best aim they could under the circumstances, for it is not the easiest thing in the world to hit a rhinoceros in that fashion, nor to strike a vulnerable spot. “Again!” cried the sergeant, as he threw out the empty shell, and injected a loaded one into the firing chamber. “That won’t stop him!” “Here goes!” exclaimed C. C. Piper, grimly. Together they fired again and this time they could see the great beast waver in his charge. “Keep on going, boys!” cried the soldier to Blake and Joe, who were making the best time possible out of danger, with the camera containing the precious films held between them. “He’s a tough one!” shouted C. C. “I’m afraid we’d better run for it ourselves, sergeant.” “Not much! We’ll stop him yet!” Although it has taken some little time to tell this, it did not actually take more than a few seconds to happen. On came the lumbering beast, but the fusillade of shots was too much for it. Bullet after bullet snapped out from the two heavy rifles, and, though it might seem like cruelty, they were not shooting for sport, but to save their lives. Then, when he had almost reached the two intrepid men who stood there facing him, the rhinoceros stumbled and came to his knees. “We’ve got him now!” sang out C. C. “One more shot to finish him!” cried his companion. And, as the creature was endeavoring to rise, a final bullet sent it over dead. “That was a narrow squeak!” said Joe, as he and Blake came to a stop. “That’s right, old man. But, oh! if only the film hadn’t broken, and we could have had a picture of that charge.” “It would have been great,” agreed Joe, “but we may get another chance for one.” “Not like that one,” sighed Blake in disappointed tones. “But I suppose we ought to be glad that we got off so luckily.” “Indeed you had,” spoke the sergeant. “A charge by an angry rhino is nothing to laugh at.”