"To tell you the truth, his
anxiety to save expense on the yacht has had quite as much to do
with his loaning her to you as anything else. He expects you to pay
the crew. If you wish to go back to New York on this yacht I will
have your aeroplane dismantled and forwarded by freight."
"Well," laughed Frank, "will we, boys?"
"I should say we will!" came in a chorus.
"And steam back to old New York?"
"You bet."
As Frank had anticipated, at flood-tide the yacht was backed off
under her own power and then came the time for farewells--and warm
ones they were. To Sikaso the boys presented a rifle and an
automatic revolver as the noble old fellow would not hear of taking
money. The last glimpse they had of their black friend, as the
yacht headed due west for America, he was standing gloomily in the
stern of the launch--one hand on his faithful axe and the other
raised against the blue sky as if in benediction.
"Well," said Frank, as the distance shut out the picture, "we are
bound for home at last."
"What ever will they say when they hear of our adventures?" cried
Harry.
"And the recovery of the ivory?" chimed in Lathrop, "my father's
business is saved. We must cable from the Canaries of our success."
"And the narrative of George Desmond and our own experiences with
the Flying Men?" chimed in Billy.
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