Page:Jungle Joe, pride of the circus; the story of a trick elephant (IA junglejoeprideof00hawk).pdf/252

 they followed the great cat along the canyon through the growing darkness. Finally the trail led down a steep declivity where Joie could barely keep his feet. But as the descent was only about forty feet Ali let him go.

They had covered about half the distance to the bottom when the treacherous shale gave way beneath the elephant's feet and he and Ali went plunging to the bottom. Ali could do nothing to save himself but cling to the howdah for dear life. It was all over in a second, and elephant and boy were piled up in a heap at the bottom of the incline.

Ali felt a queer, sick, faint sensation; the mountains about him faded, and all was dark. He did not know how long he lay there, but when he opened his eyes the stars were blinking above them and