"What is the matter now?" asked Mr. Stumptail. "More trouble?"
"Another fence!" cried the old elephant. "The jungle is full of strong fences! We can not go this way, either!"
"What can we do?" asked Umboo. "There is a fence behind us, and now one in front of us. What can we do?"
"Let me think a minute," said Tusker. "I fear there is danger on both sides of us."
CHAPTER X
IN A TRAP
All the other elephants waited while Tusker stood there, swaying to and fro in the jungle thinking. Some people say animals do not think, but I believe they do. At least it is thinking to them, though it may not seem so to us.
"Well, are we going to stay here all day?" asked a young elephant, who was crowded in among the others at the back of the herd. "I want to get to some place where I can have palm nuts to eat. I am hungry. Let's go on!"
"Be quiet!" called Umboo's father to this elephant. "Don't you see that Tusker is trying to think, and find the best way out of danger for us. Wait a bit."
So the elephants waited, and finally Tusker with a shake of his big ears, said: