"It's a stampede, I do believe!" exclaimed Phil."I wonder where Mr.Kennedy is?I don't see him anywhere.""There!They're coming this way."
"What, the elephants? Yes, that's so.Oh, I'm afraid somebody will be killed.""If there hasn't already been," growled Phil's companion."I'm going toget out of this while I have the chance.I've seen elephants on the rampage before." Saying which, the showman turned his horse and rode out of the line.His example was followed by many of the others.
People were screaming and rushing here and there, horses neighing, and the animals in the closed cages roaring in a most terrifying way.
Phil pulled his horse up short, undecided what to do.He had never seen a stampede before, but desperate as the situation seemed, he felt no fear.
The elephants, with lowered heads, were charging straight ahead.Now Phil saw that which seemed to send his heart right up into his throat.
Little Dimples had been riding in a gayly bedecked two-wheeled cart, drawn by a prancing white horse.Dressed in white from head to foot, she looked the dainty creature that she was.
Dimples, seeing what had happened, had wheeled her horse quickly out of line, intending to turn about and drive back along the line.It would be a race between the white horse and the elephants, but she felt sure she would be able to make it and turn down a side street before the stampeding herd reached her.
She might have done so, had it not been for one unforeseen incident.As she dashed along a rider, losing his presence of mind, if indeed, he had had any to lose, drove his horse directly in front of her.The result was a quick collision, two struggling horses lying kicking in the dust of the street, and a white-robed figure lying stretched out perilously near the flying hoofs.
The force of the collision had thrown Little Dimples headlong from her seat in the two wheeled cart, and there she lay, half-dazed with the herd of elephants thundering down upon her.
Phil took in her peril in one swift glance.
"She'll be killed! She'll be killed!" he cried, all the color suddenly leaving his face.
All at once he drove the rowels of his spurs against the sides of his mount.The animal sprang away straight toward the oncoming herd, but Phil had to fight every inch of the way to keep the horse from turning about and rushing back, away from the peril that lay before it.
The lad feared he would not be able to reach Dimples in time, but with frequent prods of spur and crop, uttering little encouraging shouts to the frightened horse, he dashed on, dodging fleeing showmen and runaway horses at almost every jump.
He forged up beside the girl at a terrific pace.But, now that he was there, the lad did not dare dismount, knowing that were he to do so, his horse would quickly break away from him, thus leaving them both to be crushed under the feet of the ponderous beasts.
It was plain to Phil that Jupiter must have gone suddenly bad, and, starting on a stampede, had carried the other bulls with him.And he even found himself wondering if anything had happened to his friend Kennedy, the elephant trainer.If Kennedy were on his feet he would be after them.
As it was, no one appeared to be chasing the runaway beasts.
Phil leaned far from the saddle grasping the woman by her flimsy clothing.It gave way just as he had begun to lift her, intending to pull her up beside him on the horse's back.
Twice he essayed the feat, each time with the same result.The bay was dancing further away each time, and the elephants were getting nearer.The uproar was deafening, which, with the trumpetings of the frightened elephants, made the stoutest hearts quail.
With a grim determination Forrest once more charged alongside of Dimples.As he did so she opened her eyes, though Phil did not observe this, else he might have acted differently.
As it was he threw himself from the bay while that animal was still on the jump.Keeping tight hold of the saddle pommel, the reins bunched in the hand that grasped it, Phil dropped down.When he came up, Dimples was on his arm.
He then saw that she was herself again."Can you hold on if I get you up?" "Yes.You're a good boy."Phil made no reply, but, with a supreme effort, threw the girl into the saddle.To do so he was obliged to let go the pommel and the reins for one brief instant.But he succeeded in throwing Dimples up to the saddle safely, where she quickly secured herself.
The bay was off like a shot, leaving Phil directly in front of the oncoming elephants.
"Run! I'll come back and get you," shouted Dimples over her shoulder.
"You can't.The reins are over the bay's head," he answered.
She was powerless to help.Dimples realized this at once.She was in no danger herself.She was such a skillful rider that it made little difference whether the reins were in her hand or on the ground, so far as maintaining her seat was concerned.With Phil, however, it was different.
"I guess I might as well stand still and take it," muttered the lad grimly.
He turned, facing the mad herd, a slender but heroic figure in that moment of peril.
