The Boy Aviators in Africa; Or, an Aerial Ivory Trail

the far-famed Ivory Coast. A few days before, the boys had left Sierra Leone and engaged quarters on the cockroach-infested little craft for the voyage down the coast. It was blisteringly hot and

olds," said Billy

pretension scattered about. For the rest, it consisted of the wickerwork huts of the natives. Back of the town were dense forests and beyond these again a long blue line of hills. An

whaleboats and canoes in great numbers were launched through what looked to be a thunderous surf. They were navigat

s that surrounded the Admiral Dupont were al

the group of wondering young adventurers, "but in spite of th

em any more thought, even when the decks were fairly swarming with half-naked, chattering, laughing Kroomen. When he looked aro

stepping to the rail he held above his head an Englis

the man who finds my fi

one there who understands English. Anyway they can see that I'm

e the next minute they heard a hail from a ca

them was shouting,

field-glasses," s

back the Krooman, "I sail long time

Liberty had come off her perch and done a song and dance you couldn't

for logs from the interior," struck in Ben. "It wouldn't surprise me but what

oked their

good sailormen. They always come back here though i

hey were about ready to quit the ship when their attention was attracted by a terrific uproar among the natives alongs

Harry, as he watched t

he water as they are ashore. Hello!" he exclaimed, sudd

ad just wrested a dripping pair of black morocco-covered field-glasses. He held them aloft in triu

stood dripping like a figure cut out of black basalt before the boy. As he received his recovered property Frank presented its re

" he begged. "Cost nothin

f landing the surf boats and the wonderful dexterity with which the natives handle them is worth a whole chapter to itself. But it might prove tedious reading, so suffice it to say, that with one man standing erect in the stern with a steering oar, and t

ed Billy, looking about him

the house of Monsieur Desplaines, to whom Mr. Barr gave

nces could suggest. He had also volunteered to select for them a train of native baggage carriers, and hunters that would be reliable. There are no roads into the heart of Africa and everything is transported

ack mustaches, almost extinguished in a huge pith helmet and dressed in white duck wi

nd who, as Frank at once guessed, was M. Desplaines himsel

o seemed so hospitably inclined and followed him eagerly

" he exclaimed apologetically; "but she got he

outside, the young adventurers were introduced to Madame Desplaines and two little girls, who

tion, much of which was to be performed by aeroplane. He informed the boys that, acting on cabled instructions, he had laid in a good supply of gasoline by the last steamer from Sierra Leone and that arrangements for a train of carriers and for boats up the river had been made. There was a wheezy stea

ht to their hospitable host and hostess, there was a knock at the door. In response to M. Desplaines shouted: "Come in," a tall coal-black figure stalked into the lamp-light. The glow shone warmly on his black skin and lit up the mighty muscles th

land of Bambara," he said, raising his

k no

and as neatly barbered and tailored as if he had just stepped off the boulevards, Madame Desplaines and her little girls in co

mbara much game,"

heard," re

he Krooman, fixing his dark eyes full on Frank, "

ooman should not only know their destination-which might have be

white man not know!" r

d the amazed group of adventurers

bara," he intoned. "Come back one-

e a question or open their lips, the huge fi

first to speak. "One, two, three, four, five go to Bambara," he mimicked. "Come

ned for more talk that night. Somehow, the Krooman had cast a gloom on the party. Had they known how ne