第24章

THE LION FIGHT

Crashing through the jungle the huge beasts turned against those who had, been driving them on toward the stockade.With wild shouts and yells, the hunters and their native helpers tried to turn back the elephant tide, but it was useless.The animals had been frightened by the airship, and were following their leader, a big bull, that went crashing against great trees, snapping them off as if they were pipe stems.

"Say, this is something like!" cried Ned, as he guided the airship over the closely packed body of elephants, so Tom could get good pictures, for the herd had divided, and a small number had gone off with one of the other bulls.

"Yes, I'll get some great pictures," agreed Tom, as he looked in through a red covered opening in the camera, to see how much film was left.

The airship was now so low down that Tom, and the others, could easily make out the faces of the hunters, and the native helpers.One of the hunters, evidently the chief, shaking his fist at our hero, cried:

"Can't you take your blooming ship out of the way, my man? It's scaring the beasts, and we've been a couple of weeks on this drive.We don't want to lose all our work.Take your bloody ship away!""I guess he must be an Englishman," remarked Mr.Nestor, with a laugh.

"Bless my dictionary, I should say so," agreed Mr.Damon."Bloody, blooming ship! The idea!""Well, I suppose we have scared the beasts," said Tom."We ought to get out of the way.Put her up, Ned, and we'll come down some distance in advance.""Why, aren't you going to take any more views of the elephants?" "Yes, but I've got enough of a view from above.Besides, I've got toput in a fresh reel of film, and I might as well get out of their sight to do it.Maybe that will quiet them, and the hunters can turn them back toward the stockade.If they do, I have another plan.""What is it?" his chum wanted to know.

"I'm going to make a landing, set up my camera at the entrance to the stockade, and get a series of pictures as the animals come in.I think that will be a novelty.

"That certainly will," agreed Mr.Nestor."I am sure Mr.Period will appreciate that.But won't it be dangerous, Tom?""I suppose so, but I'm getting used to danger," replied our hero, with a laugh.

Ned put the ship high into the air, as Tom shut off the power from the camera.Then the Flyer was sent well on in advance of the stampede of elephants, so they could no longer see it, or hear the throb of the powerful engines.Tom hoped that this would serve to quiet the immense creatures.

As the travelers flew on, over the jungle, they could still hear the racket made by the hunters and beaters, and the shrill trumpeting of the elephants, as they crashed through the forest.

Tom at once began changing the film in the camera, and Ned altered the course of the airship, to send it back toward the stockade, which they had passed just before coming upon the herd of elephants.

I presume most of my readers know what an elephant drive is like.A stockade, consisting of heavy trees, is made in the jungle.It is like the old fashioned forts our forefathers used to make, for a defense against the Indians.There is a broad entrance to it, and, when all is in readiness, the beaters go out into the jungle, with the white hunters, to round up the elephants.A number of tame pachyderms are taken along to persuade the wild ones to follow.Gradually the elephants are gathered together in a large body, and gently driven toward the stockade.The tame elephants go in first, and the others follow.Then the entrance is closed, and all that remains to be done is to tame the wild beasts, a not very easy task.

"Are you all ready?" asked Ned, after a bit, as he saw Tom come forward with the camera.

"Yes, I'm loaded for some more excitement.You can put me right over the stockade now, Ned, and when we see the herd coming back I'll go down, and take some views from the ground.""I think they've got 'em turned," said Mr.Damon."It sounds as if theywere coming back this way."

A moment later they had a glimpse of the herd down below.It was true that the hunters had succeeded in stopping the stampede, and once more the huge beasts were going in the right direction.

"There's a good place to make a landing," suggested Tom, as he saw a comparatively clear place in the jungle."It's near the stockade, and, in case of danger, I can make a quick get-away.""What kind of danger are you looking for?" asked Ned, as he shifted the deflecting rudder.

"Oh, one of the beasts might take a notion to chase me."The landing was made, and Tom, taking Ned and Mr.Nestor with him, and leaving the others to manage the airship in case a quick flight would be necessary, made his way along a jungle trail to the entrance to the stockade.He carried his camera with him, for it was not heavy.

On came the elephants, frightened by the shouts and cries of the beaters, and the firing of guns.The young inventor took his place near the stockade entrance, and, as the elephants advanced through the forest, tearing up trees and bushes, Tom got some good pictures of them.

Suddenly the advance of the brutes was checked, and the foremost of them raised their trunks, trumpeted in anger, and were about to turn back again.

"Get away from that bloomin' gate!" shouted a hunter to Tom."You're scaring them as bad as your airship did.""Yes, they won't go in with you there!" added another man.

Tom slipped around the corner of the stockade, out of sight, and from that vantage point he took scores of pictures, as the tame animals led the wild ones into the fenced enclosure.Then began another wild scene as the gate was closed.

The terrified animals rushed about, trying in vain to find a way of escape.Tom managed to climb up on top of the logs, and got some splendid pictures.But this was nearly his undoing.For, just as the last elephant rushed in, a big bull charged against the stockade, and jarred Tom so that he was on the point of falling.His one thought was about his camera, and he looked to see if he could drop it on the soft grass, so itwould not be damaged.