got the camera ready. "Take charge of the ship, Ned. Keep her
right over the big animals, and I'll work the camera."

Quickly he focused the lens on the strange scene below him.
There was a riot of trumpeting from the elephants. The beaters
and hunters shouted and yelled. Then they saw the airship and
waved their hands to Tom and his friends, but whether to welcome
them, or warn them away, could not be told.

The elephants were slowly advancing toward the stockade. Tom
was taking picture after picture of them, when suddenly as the
airship came lower, in response to a signal to Ned from the young
inventor, one of the huge pachyderms looked up, and saw the
strange sight. He might have taken it for an immense bird. At any
rate he gave a trumpet of alarm, and the next minute, with
screams of rage and fear, the elephants turned, and charged in a
wild stampede on those who were driving them toward the stockade.

"Look!" cried Ned. "Those hunters and natives will be killed!"

"I'm afraid so!" shouted Tom, as he continued to focus his
camera on the wonderful sight.




CHAPTER XII - THE LION FIGHT


Crashing through the jungle the huge beasts turned against