calico, spangles, cheap jewelry and brass ornaments for use among
the natives. In making up their outfit the boys had taken the
advice of a well-known African traveler who had retired from his
adventurous life to purchase a place in New Jersey, where he
intended to spend his remain days. Through a mutual friend the boys
obtained an introduction to him and his advice in selecting the
outfit had been simply invaluable.


"Go easy, carry lots of quinine, don't waste ammunition, and count
ten before you pick a quarrel with a native," had been his simply
laid-down rules for getting along in Africa, and these rules the
boys had determined to adhere to strictly.

"Say, is this going to be a hunting trip or an invasion of Africa?"
inquired Billy, quizzically as Harry sorted out and Frank read off
ceaselessly the apparently interminable inventory of the supplies of
the Chester party. "I'm getting writer's cramp."

"A hunting party of course," laughed Frank, "but you know that
hunters who go into the bush depending on their rifles usually come
out a good deal thinner than when they went in.

"That's so," assented Billy, "but when we have a sixty-mile
aeroplane like the Golden Eagle II we can easily fly out to
civilization in case of necessity."

"Yes, if we have enough gasoline," assented Harry, "but how much can
we carry into the bush?"