Chapter 13
Escape

Back at the enemy camp, Devorah also waited. She watched the guard from her hiding place, hoping for a chance to free her brother. A soldier came over and whispered something to the guard. Devorah couldn’t hear them, but both men left, heading toward the center of the compound.

Devorah hurried around the elephant enclosure. She passed a second, larger gate. That must be how they get the elephants in and out of the corral, she thought. She made her way to her brother. Using Shoshana’s sharp knife, she cut through his ties.

Devorah pointed to the other side of the enclosure. “There’s a large gate in the back. Go open it,” she instructed. “I’ll cut the elephants loose.”

Devorah knelt next to the largest elephant. Its huge front left foot was tethered to the ground by strong ropes. The beast turned and stared right into her eyes.

“Oh, no!” Devorah gasped, leaping to her feet, ready to grab her brother and run. But the elephant turned its head away and rubbed its long trunk against the log fence. Devorah eased closer to its enormous foot and sawed through the thick rope. By the time she finished, her hands ached . . . and there were still more large beasts to free.

How am I ever going to finish? she thought. Thankfully, not all of the elephants were tethered, and she managed to slice the remaining bindings of those who were. The task seemed to take forever. She kept her eye on the camp, hoping the guards wouldn’t return. As soon as she was done, she joined her brother by the back gate. They needed to find an elephant they could ride for the next part of her plan. A small elephant stood near the open gate. That one would have to work.

Devorah climbed up the log wall. She reached down to help her brother climb up to her. “I’ll get on the elephant’s back first and pull you up.”

Benjamin was standing on the wall, clinging to the post, when the guard spotted them.

“The children are escaping!” he yelled.

Devorah shoved Benjamin onto the elephant’s back. “Grab the hair on its head!” she yelled, scrambling up behind him. “Hold on tight!”

Kicking the elephant hard behind the ears, Devorah guided it further into the enclosure.

“You’re going the wrong way!” shouted Benjamin to Devorah.

“We have to lead the elephants out—everything depends on that!” she cried.

With loud whoops and hollers, they chased the remaining beasts from the corral and scattered them into the camp. The soldiers scrambled out of the way of the huge feet. Tents crumbled, and food and supplies flew into the air as the elephants thundered by.

“What’s going on? How did the elephants get loose?” shouted the commander.

“There!” the guard pointed to the small elephant. “It is the boy, and a second child as well. They must have released the elephants!”

“After them!” demanded the commander. “Do not let them escape!” He seized his spear and hurled it toward the children.

“Duck!” screamed Benjamin.

The spear whizzed by, just missing Devorah’s ear.

“Let’s get out of here!” she shrieked.