"This paper," he continued, holding it out, "is signed by Mr.
Beasley, it resigns to me all claim in the ivory and I am here to
take it."'
"Let me look at that paper."
It was Lathrop who spoke.
The boy's cheeks were angrily flushed and his eyes bad a dangerous
flash.
"That is not my father's signature!"
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I say--that this writing which purports to be my
father's was never penned by him."
"You are making a rash assertion."
"I am fully prepared to prove it when we get back to New York."
"And in the meantime the Boy Aviators retain their claim on the
ivory that we fought so hard to get," put in Frank.
Old Mr. Barr turned on him with a wolfish fury.
Indeed in his rage he resembled nothing so much as a long, lean,
timber wolf deprived of his expected prey.
"We will see all about that!" he raged. "There is a law in Fort
Assini though there may not be here. I have this paper here which
in the eyes of the law is a legal transfer to me of Beasley's claim
on the ivory. It is mine now and I mean to have it."
Frank's heart sank. He did not know much about law and it looked as
if old man Barr held the upper hand.
"But that is not my father's signature or writing," cried Lathrop.
"That will be a matter for the American courts to decide," was the
frigid reply.
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