第 8 页

Next he stood for an instant, watching and waiting.

His companions were greatly alarmed, fearing that he would hold the bomb too long, and let it explode in his hand.

The boat was now within forty feet, and the der vishes began to stir and rattle their arms expectantly. A tall ruffian in front, who plainly commanded, shouted out some loud words in Arabic.

"He is bidding his men take us alive, so that we may be executed in Khartoum," interpreted Bunbury. "Well, we shall see. Now watch."

With this Bunbury let drive the canister, which struck and sank a few feet in front of the Arabs' boat, and as the craft came directly over the spot he pulled sharp on the cord.

Instantly there was a most dreadful explosion that seemed to fling the river and the earth up to meet the sky. The fugitives had a glimpse of flying bodies and timbers as they were pitched dizzily to the bottom of their boat, which rocked in frightful convulsions.

They lay still for a time, fearing they knew not what, until Bunbury gave the word to rise. Then they sat up. The boat was still careening and tossing with great plunges, and all around were foam-crested waves.

Where the Arab craft had been was only a ghastly patch of blackened timbers, with living men clinging to the debris, and dead men floating with bleeding limbs and white, staring faces.

Arthur and Roden turned their eyes away, sick at heart, and Godfrey also was deeply moved.

"It had to be," Bunbury muttered hoarsely. "So far so good. Now let us see what will happen next."

There was not long to wait. As the fugitives drifted on amid the still raging waves the second boat came up to the scene of the disaster and stopped long enough to take the few survivors on board. Then it swiftly resumed the chase, its bloodthirsty crew howling like fiends.

"They are coming," cried Arthur.

"Yes," muttered Bunbury; "we have played our last card and lost. Nothing can save us now."

"It is maddening," exclaimed Godfrey. "These fanatics seem to be utterly fearless of death. How do they know that you have no more bombs? If only ——"

He was interrupted by a sharp cry from Roden, who was pointing to a black object about a quarter of a mile down stream and some fifty yards to the left of the boat's course.

At the first glance Bunbury became wildly excited.

"It's our lost boat," he declared. "It must have drifted away, and lodged on a mud- bar."

"Can we reach it in time?" exclaimed Arthur.

"We won't reach it at all, lad," was the bitter answer. "We will drift past it, and thus lose our last chance."

"But we won't, though!" exclaimed Godfrey. "I'm going to save you," and in a trice he had stripped off his clothes.

"This is madness," said Bunbury. "There are dangerous under-currents in the river-and crocodiles."

"I'm a good swimmer," was Godfrey's reply, "and I'll risk the crocodiles. Don't stop me. It's our only hope."

Before his companions could prevent him he had leaped overboard, and was swimming diagonally down stream with lusty strokes.

The boat was now rapidly drawing near, and Bun bury and the boys alternately watched it and the daring swimmer. They saw Godfrey safely gain the small craft, release it from the bar, and row fiercely back as he had come.

Now was the crisis, for the dervishes were within twenty yards and pulling hard at the oars. Arthur caught up Godfrey's rifle and fired twice, killing one of the oarsmen.

This caused slight delay and confusion among the enemy, and before they could recover Godfrey was alongside the fugitives.

They tumbled hastily into the small boat, which bad two pairs of oars, and Bunbury and Godfrey sent it spinning down the river with vigorous strokes, while Arthur and Roden lay crouched in the bottom.

The dervishes let drive a few spears and fired a couple of muskets. Then their boat and the abandoned flat faded from sight, and the sorely-tried fugitives felt that they were really safe at last.

Bunbury declared that there was no danger of the light little boat being caught by any craft that the Arabs Could send in pursuit. He let the boys take a turn at the oars, and while Godfrey pulled on his clothes, he overhauled the contents of the boat.

These consisted of a bag of biscuit and dried dates, guns, ammunition, and a box of bombs packed safely in cotton.

The food was greedily devoured, and then the fugitives rowed, hour after hour, through the moonlit night, alternately taking a turn at the oars, trying to snatch a few winks of sleep.

Morning dawned, and the hot sun beat down fiercely, but still they followed the current of midriver, between distant sandy shores, where no traces of human life was seen.

It was close to noon when they came opposite the upper point of a densely-wooded island that looked to be a mile long. A short distance off the lower point the wreck of a small steamer lay bleaching on a reef.

Bunbury looked at it with tear-dimmed eyes.

"A sad story hangs on that wreck," he said. "You shall hear it presently."

A little later he guided the boat into the fringe of papyrus reeds that surrounded the island, and at a spot about two hundred yards from the lower point.

Here all had to step out and wade, pulling the boat after them. The reeds and water presently terminated at a sandy beach, beyond which was a narrow and nearly obliterated path leading inward through bushes and timber.

Up this path Bunbury conducted his wondering com panions, and in a short time they emerged suddenly on a circular open space about fifty yards in diameter. All around it were tall palm trees, and on the south side stood a small, solidly built hut.

Bunbury crossed the clearing to the hut, pushed the door open by a hard effort, and led his companions inside.

* * *

Chapter XII

Godfrey and the boys were amazed by what they saw. The room was of fairly good size, and it was nearly filled by a miscellaneous assortment of articles. Here were stacks of rifles, boxes of ammunition, and rows of scientific instruments; there, cases of biscuit, tinned meats and vegetables, and rolls of blankets.

. One side of the room was occupied by a huge wicker basket, big enough to hold half a dozen men, and the interior was filled by a bulky mass that could not be seen for the waterproof cloth that covered it.

"We are fortunate," said Bunbury, after making a short inspection. "The climate has harmed nothing; all is in good condition."

"But how did these things get here?" asked Arthur.

"I will tell you presently," Bunbury replied; "but first I wish to hear your story, my friends. I am sure it will prove interesting."

So they sat down on the cases, and between them Godfrey and the boys narrated all that the reader already knows —- what had brought them to Africa, and how unfortunate their expedition had been.

Bunbury listened intently.

"It is a thrilling story," he said, "as thrilling and sad as mine, which you shall now hear. We are truly companions in misfortune, and the strange part of it is that we came to Africa on nearly similar errands.

"As time is precious to us, I will speak briefly. I told you before that I am by profession an aeronaut, and have made many successful air trips from England and various points on the continent. Among my friends was a cousin of this Captain Hugh Benstone —- who figures also in your story —- and eight months ago he came to me and proposed that we should go to Africa, and try to find and rescue Captain Benstone by means of a balloon. At that time the message you have told me of had not been received, and the captain was supposed to be lost somewhere in the interior.

"The captain's cousin was a man of large means, and proposed to bear all the expenses. After some consideration I decided that the plan was possible if prop erly managed. So I agreed to it, and we pushed our preparations so rapidly that in a month we were at Cairo, provided with a new balloon, and all needful supplies.

"There were four in the party —- Ward (the captain's cousin), two friends of his who relished adventure, and myself. We chartered a steamer, intending to go to this very island, and there make the ascent.

"The end of our expedition was so sad that I cannot bear to speak of it, and will pass it over briefly. After a month's journey up the Nile, and when actually at our destination, the steamer was wrecked at night, on yonder rocks. When morning came we started to remove our supplies to the island in the steamer's small boat. After the first load or two we stopped to build this hut, knowing that we might be detained some days.

"During the next two days we brought everything here except our personal effects, and on the following morning all four of us started back to the steamer to get them."

Bunbury paused a moment.

"We were hardly at the steamer," be resumed, in a husky voice, "when a dozen boats full of Arabs came out from shore and surrounded us. We had no weapons, and my poor friends were butchered, while I escaped only by feigning madness. The Arabs evidently knew nothing of the stores on the island, for they started at once for Khartoum, taking me with them. There I remained a prisoner for six months, until the chance came to which we all owe our present freedom. And such is my story."

"It is a sad one," said Godfrey, "and we feel for you deeply."

"More than words can tell," added Roden. "You have indeed suffered."

"And what is the next step, now that we are here in safety?" asked Arthur, after a pause.

"Is the balloon in good condition?"

"As good as the day it was made," Bunbury answered, glancing at the wicker basket, "and there," pointing to a row of kegs, "is the material for making gas. I spoke of putting you to a test," he added "and now I will do so. In spite of the message in the bottle I believe that Captain Benstone is alive and a prisoner somewhere in Africa. I also believe that the white man referred to in his message is the father of you boys, and that we stand a good chance of finding both. Here is the balloon and all needed stores. The wind will bear us in the right direction. Will you accompany me on the quest —- on the air voyage over Africa?"

For a moment, as the possibilities of the proposed undertaking flashed upon them, Godfrey and the boys were speechless with delight.

"You will go, then?" Bunbury said.

"A thousand times yes," cried Godfrey. "It is a glorious plan."

"How can we ever repay you?" exclaimed Arthur, grasping the aeronaut's hand, "We owe you every thing now."

"But you must think calmly of what this means," replied Bunbury. "We will encounter dangers of all kinds. We are going among barbarous people and wild beasts. The balloon may blow up, or drop upon some lake, or leave us stranded in a trackless forest."

"No peril will daunt me in the search for my father," declared Roden.

" Nor me," added Arthur.

"Adventure of any kind is just to my taste," said Godfrey. "We are with you, Bunbury, for good fortune or bad."

"Let us hope for the best," Bunbury replied; "and now that the question is settled, we will set to work without further loss of time. First of all we will remove the things from the boat.

This was quickly done, and the dangerous box of bombs was placed in some bushes behind the hut. The kegs were brought out and ranged together in the center of the clearing.

"These contain a quantity of sulphuric acid and granulated zinc," explained Bunbury, as he opened the bungholes. "I will mix them together and pour on a large proportion of water. Then, by means of instruments that I have in the hut, a hydrogen gas will be generated fourteen and a half times lighter than atmospheric air."

After the acid and the zinc had been mixed, water was brought from the river, and poured into the kegs. Then the heavy mass of the balloon was brought out and spread apart, and the open mouth was arranged over the pipes that Bunbury connected with the kegs.

Now that this important work was done, and the gas was slowly but surely generating, the little party had leisure to think of other things. They ate a hearty meal and then sorted out from the hut what articles could be conveniently taken along. This depended entirely on Bunbury's knowledge.

Then they stretched themselves in the shade of the palm trees, and quickly were sound asleep. They did not wake until the sun was low, and by this time the gas had so inflated the balloon that it was bulged out beautifully, and had to be moored to the ground by strong ropes. Around its silken girth the aptly-chosen name, "Queen of Africa," could be read in crimson letters.

"Fortune favors us," said Bunbury "If all continues well, we shall be able to cut loose from the earth at sunrise to-morrow, and I see no reason to fear otherwise. Now, my friends, let us have some supper. I'm sure we are all hungry."

Cans of biscuit and meat were opened, and the fugitives made a hearty meal while the sung-low turned to twilight, and the twilight to the blackness of the African night.

Myriads of insects now came hovering around, and as it was not safe to drive them off by building a fire —- for fear the light would attract the attention of prowling Arabs on the distant shores —- there was little sleep for anyone that night.

Arthur and Roden, it is true, managed to doze a little bit on the floor of the hut, and were visited by thrilling dreams of the future which they devoutly hoped would not come true.

But Godfrey and Bunbury paced about all night long keeping a close watch on the balloon and the distilling gas, and giving them what attention was needed.

Morning dawned at last, and the Queen of Africa was seen distended to her full length, swaying high toward the tops of the palm trees, and tugging fretfully at the ropes that held her to the earth.

All was excitement and animation now, for Bunbury declared that a start would be made as soon as the preparations were completed.

First, a hasty breakfast was eaten, and next the kegs were removed to one side, and the basket-car was brought from the hut and tied by stout ropes to the body of the balloon.

Then the baggage and stores were placed inside, and a pretty good load they made —- arms, ammunition, blankets, brandy, provisions, the box of bombs, and lastly the apparatus belonging to the management of the balloon —- sand-bags, grappling irons, rope ladders, map, compass, barometer, and other scientific instruments.