Chapter 24 Summary

David continues to write the African story. It becomes a compelling refuge where he exercises control over the outcomes. Davy realizes that the men will kill the elephant, and there is nothing he can do to prevent it. He thinks the men would probably kill him and Kibo too, if they had ivory. As they near the elephant, Davy's father tests the wind with a tiny pinch of ash. The men pursue the elephant out of Davy's sight, where the elephant attacks Juma, injuring him. Davy's father fires at him but succeeds only in hitting the animal in the stomach.

The party follows and finds the elephant too injured to walk, suffering. Davy's father shoots the elephant in the shoulder, and it falls. Davy looks into the elephant's big eye and thinks it is the most alive thing he has ever seen. His...