No longer did
they rush at the fence, and fall into the ditch. They huddled together
in the middle part, and rubbed their trunks against one another, as
men, in trouble, might shake hands.
"Oh, will we ever get out of this, and have sweet bark and palm nuts
to eat again?" asked Umboo. "It was almost better to be lost in the
jungle, as I was, than it is to be here, for then I had enough to eat.
But of course I was lonesome without you," he said to his mother. "But
I am hungry now."
"Perhaps they will let us out, or feed us soon," she said.
And, a little while after this, a noise was heard at the strong gate
of the trap. It was slowly opened, but the elephants that were caught
did not rush out. They feared more danger.
And then, to the surprise of Umboo and the others, in through the gate
came great big elephants, and on the tops of their heads sat men,
dressed in black clothing. And the men had strong ropes in their
hands.
As soon as Tusker saw these men, and smelled them, he cried through
his trunk:
"Ho, Brothers! Here is danger indeed! I smell the man-smell, even
though it comes with other elephants like ourselves.
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