Jack set about building a fire to send up a smoke-signal, while Charlie wandered through the desolate village. Suddenly he came upon something that surprised him. Lying in a half-cleared space were the half-burned sticks and the ashes of a fire. Plainly, they had been there for weeks, for vines were growing through, but they could not be as old as the village itself. He called Jack over to look at it.
"This must be where Mowbray hit off to after the rogue," exclaimed Jack excitedly. "We're plumb on his tracks. I'm goin' to let off a gun, rogue or no rogue. There—that's the bunch now!"
To their ears came the faint report of a heavy gun, borne over the trees, Jack lifted his own Hammond, and sent off both barrels in response.
"That'll get him," he chuckled as he threw out the shells and reloaded. "Now for the fire."
But as he turned away, a startled cry from Amir Ali drew their attention.
CHAPTER XIX
THE ROGUE ELEPHANT
"Sahibs! Sahibs! The elephant!"