CHAPTER III
TUM TUM AND MAPPO
Tum Tum was not now such a jolly elephant as he had been the day he went in swimming, or as happy as when he pulled up the tree, fell over backward, and laughed at his own joke. No, indeed! Tum Tum was feeling very unhappy now.
"Oh, mamma!" Tum Tum cried. "Oh, papa! What has happened?"
Mr. and Mrs. Tusky were not able to answer Tum Tum. They, too, as well as nearly all the other elephants, had been caught in the trap. Some of them, like Tum Tum, were held fast with chains and ropes, and others were trying to batter down the fence of the trap with their heads. But they felt that they could not do it, as the fence was too strong.
"Let me go! Let me loose!" cried Tum Tum in his elephant language.
Of course the hunter men, who had taken Tum Tum and the others prisoners, did not understand this talk, but they could see that Tum Tum was very strong, and might break loose.
"Better put a couple more chains on that fellow," said one of the hunters to another.
"I guess so," agreed the second hunter. "That is the finest and biggest elephant we have caught in this herd."
At first Tum Tum thought they must be speaking of Mr. Boom, who surely was the largest and strongest elephant in the jungle. But, when Tum Tum looked around, Mr. Boom was not to be seen. He had gotten away. He had turned, and run out of the trap, and he was so big and strong that even the tame elephants, with the hunters on their backs, could not stop him. Away he rushed into the jungle. But he was very sad, for he alone, of all the herd, had escaped.