"Who said we're ivory hunters?" Will was in a fine rage, and Fred and
I leaned back to enjoy the official's discomfort. "Besides, your ads
bragged about the big game as one of the chief attractions! All the
information you can possibly have against us must have come from a
female crook in the pay of the German government! You're not behaving
the way gentlemen do where I was raised!"

"There is no intention to offend," said the collector.

"Intention is good!" said Will, laughing in spite of himself. "There's
another thing I want to know. What about ammunition? We're to have
our guns. They're useless without cartridges. What about it?"

"The guns shall be sent to your hotel tonight. The provisional
sporting licenses--if you want them--will be ready tomorrow
morning--seven hundred and fifty rupees apiece--I'll charge them
against your deposit. If the licenses should be confirmed after
inquiry, I will send you permits through the post for fifty rounds of
ammunition each."

Will snorted. Fred Oakes yelled with laughter, and I gaped with
indignation.

"I'm going into this to the hilt!" spluttered Fred. "I wouldn't have
missed it for a fortune! We three are going to constitute ourselves a
committee of inspection. We're going to wander the country over and
report home to the newspapers--South African--British--U. S. A.--and
any other part of the world that's interested! We won't worry about
ammunition. Send us permits for whatever quantity seems to you proper,