“Steady, steady, steady!” cautioned Phil. “Now up, Emperor!”
The elephant’s long, sinuous trunk uncurled, coiled about the lad’s waist and the next instant Phil felt himself being lifted to the big beast’s head.
“I’ve got him!” shouted Phil, carried away by the excitement of the moment. “Now, go it! Emperor! Go faster than you ever have since you chased lions in the jungle.”
And Emperor did go it! As he tore down the village street he woke the echoes with his shrill trumpetings, bringing every man and woman in the little village tumbling from their beds.
“The elephant is escaping!” cried the people, as they threw up their windows and gazed out. As they looked they saw a huge, shadowy shape hurling itself down the street, whereat they hastily withdrew their heads. In a few moments the men of the village came rushing out, all running toward the blacksmith shop to learn what had happened there. There followed a perfect pandemonium of yells when they discovered the wrecked condition of the place.
In the meantime Phil had guided Emperor into the road that led to the show grounds of the previous day. The elephant was about to turn into the lot, when a sharp slap from his rider caused him to swing back into the highway on the trail of the wagons that had passed on some hours before.
Once he had fairly started Emperor followed the trail, making the turns and following the twists of the road as unerringly as an Indian follows the trail of his enemy.
“Hurrah!” shouted Phil, after they had got clear of the village. “I’ve won, I’ve won! But, oh, won’t there be a row back there when they find out what has happened, I wonder if they will follow us.”
The thought startled him.
“If they do they are liable to arrest me, believing that I let him out. Go it, Emperor! Go faster!”