Page:Jungle Joe, pride of the circus; the story of a trick elephant (IA junglejoeprideof00hawk).pdf/96

 and trunk, as they had been when she was guided to the stocks, but this time, the men did not pass the ropes over the stakes in the ground, but relied upon their strength to hold her. For a few minutes after the old elephant, one of the largest the Sahib had ever seen, came out of the stocks there was a most lively time. She rushed first this way and then that, trying to get at her trainers, and also to break away from the ropes.

Her strength was titanic, and the men stumbled and slid, and the rattan ropes slipped through their hands. Once she nearly trampled several men to death and they were obliged to take a turn around a near-by tree with the rope. Just as the training was going on most furiously and the old elephant was trumpeting and bellowing with rage, a terrified little figure