Копи царя Соломона
An Elephant Hunt
ButIsupposehishunterinstinctsgotthebetterofhimforawhile.
Goodjumpedattheidea,forhewaslongingtohaveashotatthoseelephants;andso,tospeakthetruth,didI,foritwentagainstmyconsciencetoletsuchaherdasthatescapewithoutapullatthem.
"Allright,myhearties,"saidI."Ithinkwewantalittlerecreation.Andnowlet’sturnin,forweoughttobeoffbydawn,andthenperhapswemaycatchthemfeedingbeforetheymoveon."
Theothersagreed,andweproceededtomakeourpreparations.Goodtookoffhisclothes,shookthem,puthiseye-glassandhisfalseteethintohistrouserspocket,andfoldingeacharticleneatly,placeditoutofthedewunderacornerofhismackintoshsheet. SirHenryandIcontentedourselveswithrougherarrangements,andsoonwerecurledupinourblankets,anddroppingoffintothedreamlesssleepthatrewardsthetraveller.
Going,going,go—Whatwasthat?
Suddenly,fromthedirectionofthewatercamesoundsofviolentscuffling,andnextinstanttherebrokeuponourearsasuccessionofthemostawfulroars. Therewasnomistakingtheirorigin;onlyalioncouldmakesuchanoiseasthat. Wealljumpedupandlookedtowardsthewater,inthedirectionofwhichwesawaconfusedmass,yellowandblackincolour,staggeringandstrugglingtowardsus. Weseizedourrifles,andslippingonourveldtschoons,thatisshoesmadeofuntannedhide,ranoutofthescherm.
