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

entirely unless some unforeseen circumstances arose. But in spite of the oppression that naturally affected them at the first news of their serious loss, Frank's confident manner had

noes will drift down the river to the coast. M. Desplaines will no doubt be able to surmise something serious has happened wh

later, none of the canoes ever reached th

rry, catching the optimistic note

young leader, "that is exactly

-top?" asked Billy

I'm on," wa

go. My plan is to take Ben Stubbs along and leave you fellows and Sikaso here to guard the camp. Then, too, t

to regret heartily that he had not had an opportunity of

" asked Frank, who already placed a hi

he four-eyed one and the ruddy-haired one and we will see t

ressing the stately Krooman in the same grandiloquent fashion as

tion for you! I'd like to do something to show that old chap that

op, as Billy really stood in great awe of the six

ing her up with provisions and equipment for the journey. By the time he had finished it was almost midnight and he turned in to join the boys in the land of dreams where Frank and Harry,

assis of their craft. Frank had already laid out his course, which lay about two points west of north. The boy calculated that this direct

bout the big craft and gazed at it with astonishment, not unmixed with awe. The other Kroomen-the packers and camp-workers, however, gath

the twentieth time he chased a long, skinny native away from the propellers, where he

the Kroomen was magical. Within a second from the time that Harry threw in the switch and the gatling gun uproar of the exhaust made itself manifest, not a solitary one was to be seen. From the

tle tighter and stood erect as if about to face an unknown enemy

to the younger boy who was at

sponse in a hearty to

ement Frank thre

in full flight, and after a short run the great aeroplane took the air in a long graceful rising ar

untains which, now that they were flying far above the dense forest region, lay a rugged

an almost sinister impression in their rugged shapes. Their harsh o

arry suddenly as they were pas

over the side in answer

hem was a s

gnaggian game of tag. One of the great beasts would tap the other with its trunk and then would scam

ntage. Suddenly the boys saw one of the elephants, evidently seized by sudden rage, start goring one of its compan

aimed Harry, and he got out one of the heavy ri

drop a bit,"

mals. Then a strange thing happened. The shadow of the craft fell upon the center of the clearing in front of the dueling

what must have appeared to it an aerial inhabitant even larger than itself. Its note of fright was echoed in

have it," s

re staggered on to its knees and then with a mighty groan rolled over on its side. The others,

ys could see that the dead animal had an enorm

eads," commented Ben Stubbs. "What do

his watch. It wa

"and I suppose we have plenty of time. We might as well drop and get them as let s

g-fairly in the center of the clearing. It was almost a fairylike spot. On every side it was hedged in by the denses

ith short, yellow grass and had been trampled almost bare of vegetat

playgrounds I have read about,"

those tusks, why there's ivory enough there al

dead elephant's huge tusks and a long job it was. Finally, however, he man

as they clambered in after him and settled down in

of the little group, a band of beings that at first sight looked like

huge ivory pendants. They carried elephant skin shields and were armed with spears and bow and arrows. As if they did not consider themselves sufficiently hide

tarted faithfully to respond but not before half a dozen

her natives started pouring a shower of arrows and spears into her. Fortunately none of the

ff or I can't get th

their automatics into the

ane began to rise but the

nk, as he desperately stro

fell back wit

m on the shoulder infl

with whom he had been contending clambered clear into the chassis. At the same instant Ben Stubbs

didn't come before he had made a savage lunge at Ben Stubbs with a short heavy knife. The solo adventurer dived u

of the car and was about to throw himself into empty

was t

attempted to save the savage's life a

he heart with an arrow sped by one of his own tribesmen. Down he shot like a stone to the