The riders appealed to him to come about. Harkins crept out beside the doctor and the two used every gesticulation and command that they could call to mind. The doctor even tried some broken Hindustani; but the elephant accepted them all as incentives to greater speed, and away he went up the highway at a rate that threatened the permanent disintegration of the little band of fugitives, whose members were already scattered to a dangerous degree in the enemy's county.
CHAPTER XX.
A FAILURE.
Had Dr. Baird Avery and George Harking been alone, they would have felt pleasure in their singular adventure with the elephant, which was bearing them so swiftly away from their friends.
"He'll get tired after a while," called out Harkins, "and then maybe we can persuade him to change his course."
"Yes, but we can't afford to wait until he reaches some point on the other side of Kurnal: why can't he turn now, when it will do some good?"
And the surgeon threw his whole might into a number of gesticulations meant to reach the understanding of the brute.
The huge animals are capable of great speed, as the one ridden by our friends proved. The night was still, but the air fanned the faces of the two, who knew they were carried at a gait nearly equal to that of a running horse.
There was danger in dismounting at such a time, though should it become necessary, neither would hesitate to run the risk of receiving some severe bruises.
The report of a gun was heard behind them, followed by a shrill cry.