my own attendant I shall be no trouble."

"We shall be delighted to accommodate you," rejoined Frank heartily,
"but I shall have to place one restriction on you. When we reach
our destination we must part company as we have work to do of a
confidential nature. Our employer, Mr. Barr--"

"Old Luther Barr," burst out Professor Wiseman suddenly.

"Why, yes," rejoined Frank, rather taken aback, "you know him then?"

"I--I have heard of him," replied the other with a slight hesitancy
which was, however, so faint as to be hardly noticeable. The voice
of Madame Desplaines summoning them to breakfast broke off any
opportunity for further questions on a matter that plainly, for some
strange reason or other, seemed to have heartily interested--even
disturbed--the naturalist. Frank felt troubled for a moment at the
idea of having let Professor Wiseman form a portion of their party
even for a short distance. But he dismissed the idea almost
instantly. The queer expression that passed over Professor
Wiseman's face at the mention of the ivory trader's name might have
simply been due to astonishment at hearing it again. Still Frank
decided to keep an eye on Professor Wiseman.

The conversation at breakfast naturally enough dealt with the little
known country the boys were to penetrate. Then it was for the first
time that they heard mention of the mysterious tribe of the Flying
Men who were reported to be equipped with rudimentary wings--like
those of an undeveloped bat with which they managed to flit from
tree top to tree top like true flyers.