Long Island fox. Let's have a bite of breakfast and then we can get
down to business."

From Mr. Barr's manner of dispatching his breakfast and the
remarkable skill with which he wielded his knife, in conveying
various morsels to his mouth, it was evident that he had spent so
much time piling up money that his social education had been sadly
neglected. Once or twice the boys caught Lathrop's eye and they saw
that the lad was blushing with shame at the uncouth manners of his
father's friend. For this reason the boys refrained from paying any
apparent attention to Mr. Barr's actions, although--as, they
remarked afterwards--he was as well worth watching as the "sword
swallower in a circus side show."

"Yes, boys," said Mr. Barr with his mouth full of buttered toast and
ham and eggs, "I guess I know more about Africa than any man alive."

"You have crossed that continent?" asked Frank..

"No, sir," replied the old ivory merchant with some contempt. "I
wouldn't waste my time where there ain't no ain't no money. What I
mean is, I know more about the Gold Coast, the Ivory Coast and the
Slave Coast than any man in this or any other country and have got
more good solid coin out of them."

Mr. Beasley looked up admiringly from his plate. Here was evidently
a man after his own heart.

"The Slave Coast?" echoed Harry inquiringly, "I thought--"