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Page 40
Mr. Durban had dropped his bull with a well-directed shot, and Mr.
Anderson had a smaller one to his credit.
"I guess I missed mine," said Ned ruefully.
"Bless my dress-suit case!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "So did I!"
"One of you hit that fellow!" cried Mr. Durban. "He's wounded."
He pointed to a fair-sized bull who was running wildly about,
uttering shrill cries of anger. The other beasts had gathered in a
compact mass, with the larger bulls, or tuskers, on the outside, to
protect the females and young.
"I'll try a shot at him," said Tom, and raising his electric, gun,
he took quick aim. The elephant dropped in his tracks, for this time
the young inventor had correctly adjusted the power of the wireless
bullet.
"Good!" cried Mr. Durban. "Give them some more! This is some of the
best ivory I've seen yet!"
As he spoke he fired, and bowled over another magnificent specimen.
Ned Newton, determined to make a record of at least one, fired
again, and to his delight, saw a big fellow drop.
"I got him!" he yelled.
Mr. Anderson also got another, and then Mr. Damon, blessing
something which his friends could not make out, fired at one of the
largest bulls in the herd.
"You only nipped him!" exclaimed Mr. Durban when the smoke had
drifted away. "I guess I'll put him out of his misery!"
He raised his weapon and pulled the trigger but no report followed.
He uttered an exclamation of dismay.
"The breech-action has jammed!" he exclaimed. "Drop him, Tom. He's
scented us, and is headed this way. The whole herd will follow in a
minute."
Already the big brute wounded by Mr. Damon had trumpeted out a cry
of rage and defiance. It was echoed by his mates. Then, with
upraised trunk, he darted forward, followed by a score of big
tuskers.
But Tom had heard and understood. The leading beast had not taken
three steps before he dropped under the deadly and certain fire of
the young inventor.
"Bless my wishbone!" cried Mr. Damon when he saw how effective the
electric weapon was.
There was a shout of joy from the natives in the rear. They saw the
slain creatures and knew there would be much fresh meat and feasting
for them for days to come.
Suddenly Mr. Durban cried out: "Fire again, Tom! Fire everybody! The
whole herd is coming this way. If we don't stop them they'll overrun
the fields and village, anti may smash the airship! Fire again!"
Almost as he spoke, the rush, which had been stopped momentarily,
when Tom dropped the wounded elephant, began again. With shrill
menacing cries the score of bulls in the lead came on, followed this
time by the females and the young.
"It's a stampede!" yelled Mr. Anderson, firing into the midst of the
herd. Mr. Durban was working frantically at his clogged rifle. Ned
and Mr. Damon both fired, and Tom Swift, adjusting his weapon to
give the heaviest charges, shot a fusillade of wireless bullets into
the center of the advancing elephants, who were now wild with fear
and anger.
"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.
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