On and on through the jungle went Umboo, following the guiding snake,
whose glistening scales and bright colors he could easily see amid the
green leaves and bushes. At last the snake came to a stop and once
more coiled and reared up her head.

"Make no noise, big elephant boy!" she hissed.

Umboo stood still and was very quiet.

"Ha! I thought so!" said the snake. "Go over that way," and she
pointed with her head. "Walk about a mile, straight along, and you
will come to your mother and the herd of elephants."

"How do you know?" asked Umboo.

"Because I can hear them," answered the snake. "I can hear the
tramping of their big feet. I can hear them trumpeting through their
long noses of trunks, and I can hear them tearing down the tree
branches and stripping off the bark. That is how I know.

"I would go closer, and take you nearer to them, but some of them
might step on me, without finding out first, that I would do them no
harm. But you can easily find your way from here. Keep straight on,"
said the snake.

"Thank you, I will," answered Umboo. "I would give you some of these
palm nuts, only I am saving them for my mother."

"Thank you," said the snake. "But I do not eat palm nuts. Take them on