“It’s a stampede all right!” said Tom, when he saw that the big creatures were not going to stop, in spite of the deadly fire poured into them.

CHAPTER XV

LIONS IN THE NIGHT

Shouting, screaming, imploring their deities in general, and the white men in particular for protection, the band of frightened natives broke and ran through the jungle, caring little where they went so long as they escaped the awful terror of the pursuing herd of maddened elephants.  Behind them came Tom Swift and the others, for it were folly to stop in the path of the infuriated brutes.

“Our only chance is to get on their flank and try to turn them!” yelled Mr. Durban.  “We may beat them in getting to the clearing, for the trail is narrow.  Run, everybody!”

No one needed his excited advice to cause them to hurry.  They scudded along, Mr. Damon’s cap falling off in his haste.  But he did not stop to pick it up.

The hunters had one advantage.  They were on a narrow but well-cleared trail through the jungle, which led from the village where they were encamped, to another, several miles away.  This trail was too small for the elephants, and, indeed, had to be taken in single file by the travelers.

But it prevented the elephants making the same speed as did our friends, for the jungle, at this point, consisted of heavy trees, which halted the progress of even the strongest of the powerful beasts.  True, they could force aside the frail underbrush and the small trees, but the others impeded their progress.

“We’ll get there ahead of them!” cried Tom.  “Have you got your rifle in working order yet, Mr. Durban?”

“No, something has broken, I fear.  We’ll have to depend on your electric gun, Tom.  Have you many charges left?”

“A dozen or so.  But Ned and the others have plenty of ammunition.”

“Don’t count—­on—­me!” panted Mr. Damon, who was well-nigh breathless from the run.  “I—­can’t—­aim—­straight—­any—­more!”

“I’ll give ’em a few more bullets!” declared Mr. Anderson.

The fleeing natives were now almost lost to sight, for they could travel through the jungle, ignoring the trail, at high speed.  They were almost like snakes or animals in this respect.  Their one thought was to get to their village, and, if possible, protect their huts and fields of grain from annihilation by the elephants.

Behind our friends, trumpeting, bellowing and crashing came the pachyderms.  They seemed to be gaining, and Tom, looking back, saw one big brute emerge upon the trail, and follow that.

“I’ve got to stop him, or some of the others will do the same,” thought the young inventor.  He halted and fired quickly.  The elephant seemed to melt away, and Tom with regret, saw a pair of fine tusks broken to bits.  “I used too heavy a charge,” he murmured, as he took up the retreat again.