His idea was the
boys had come on a hunting and exploration, much of which was to be
performed by aeroplane. He informed the boys that, acting on cabled
instructions, he had laid in a good supply of gasoline by the last
steamer from Sierra Leone and that arrangements for a train of
carriers and for boats up the river had been made. There was a
wheezy steam launch belonging to the trading post which would tow
the boats up the Bia River as far as they desired. The Kroomen the
boys engaged would take them to that point would then be abandoned,
as they refused to go far from the coast. Such was the outline of
M. Desplaines' conversation with the travelers.
The evening was far advanced when already the little party was ready
for bed and already their imaginations had been fired by the tales
that the consular agent had told them of the interior of the wild
Bambara country. As they were saying good night to their hospitable
host and hostess, there was a knock at the door. In response to M.
Desplaines shouted: "Come in," a tall coal-black figure stalked into
the lamp-light. The glow shone warmly on his black skin and lit up
the mighty muscles that played beneath it. The strength of the man
was evidently tremendous. The boys, to their surprise, recognized
him at once, as the rescuer of Frank's opera-glasses.
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