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diff --git a/43353-0.txt b/43353-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8121575 --- /dev/null +++ b/43353-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4920 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43353 *** + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I. MURDER! + CHAPTER II. A PLUCKY CHASE. + CHAPTER III. CARRIED TO SEA. + CHAPTER IV. ON THE CONGO RIVER. + CHAPTER V. THE EXPLORING PARTY. + CHAPTER VI. A SLIGHT ADVENTURE. + CHAPTER VII. VAN'S PERIL. + CHAPTER VIII. A WOMAN'S PARADISE. + CHAPTER IX. ESCAPE FROM THE AMAZONS. + CHAPTER X. DOWN THE RIVER. + CHAPTER XI. THE DWARFS. + CHAPTER XII. A HORRIBLE FATE. + CHAPTER XIII. SEARCHING FOR JACK AND JOE. + CHAPTER XIV. IN A PERILOUS POSITION. + CHAPTER XV. THE BAND OF HORSEMEN. + CHAPTER XVI. A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY. + CHAPTER XVII. WHAT BEFELL DOC CLANCY. + CHAPTER XVIII. THE AFRICAN UTOPIA. + CHAPTER XIX. DOC CLANCY'S CONFESSION. + CHAPTER XX. OUR HERO FINDS A FATHER. + CHAPTER XXI. DIVERSE MATTERS. + CHAPTER XXII. THE EXECUTION AND WHAT FOLLOWED. + CHAPTER XXIII. UTOPIA IS LEFT BEHIND. + CHAPTER XXIV. CONCLUSION. + + + + + + FIVE CENTS + + BRAVE AND BOLD + A DIFFERENT COMPLETE STORY EVERY WEEK + + No. 109 + + IN THE DEPTHS OF + THE DARK CONTINENT + + OR + + The Vengeance of Van Vincent + + By + THE AUTHOR + of "THE WRECK OF THE GLAUCUS" + +[Illustration: The next minute they were blazing away at the crab-like +creatures. Jack noticed that every time a bullet hit one of their claws, +it would immediately drop from the creature's body.] + + + + +BRAVE & BOLD + +_A Different Complete Story Every Week_ + +_Issued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered according to Act +of Congress in the year 1905, in the Office of the Librarian of +Congress. Washington, D. C._ STREET & SMITH, _238 William St., N. Y._ + + No. 109. NEW YORK, January 21, 1905. Price Five Cents. + +IN THE DEPTHS OF THE DARK CONTINENT; + +OR, + +The Vengeance of Van Vincent. + +By the author of "The Wreck of the 'Glaucus.'" + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +MURDER! + + +The little village of Edgewater was covered by the inky pall of night. + +The big clock on the steeple of the town hall had just tolled the hour +of twelve. + +Ever since night set in the clouds had been heavy and threatening, and +as the midnight hour arrived the storm burst forth in all its fury. + +The wind arose to a perfect hurricane, and the rain came down in +torrents. + +Van Vincent, a bright, handsome youth of eighteen years, who is to +figure as the hero of this story, was awakened from his slumber by the +creaking of the beams and timbers in the old-fashioned house he called +his home. + +Van was an orphan, as far as he knew, and lived with an uncle, who was +reported as being very wealthy, though the house he lived in and his +everyday appearance would not lead anyone to think so. + +The last Van had ever heard of his father he had gone to Africa with an +exploring party. + +That was fifteen years before, and up to this time none of the party had +ever returned. + +Ralph Vincent, the uncle of Van, had given the boy a good education, and +obtained for him the situation of bookkeeper in the largest store in +Edgewater. + +Consequently Van loved and respected his uncle, who had often declared +that the boy should inherit what little he possessed in earthly goods. + +As Van was awakened by the violence of the storm on the night upon which +our story opens, he felt rather uneasy. + +He had been aroused from a bad dream, and it took him several seconds to +realize that he was home and in bed. + +"My!" he exclaimed, leaping out of bed; "this is a fearful storm. I must +close the window." + +He started toward a window, the sash of which was lowered slightly, +allowing the rain to dash into the room. + +Just as he did so he heard a blood-curdling cry that nearly froze his +soul with horror. + +"Help! murder! mur----" + +For the space of ten seconds Van stood as if transfixed. + +The terrible cry came from his uncle's room, which was on the first +floor, and almost directly beneath him. + +The boy knew, too, that it was his uncle's voice that uttered the cries, +and seizing a revolver from the drawer of the bureau in his room, he +darted downstairs. + +Reaching the door of the room whence the cries came, he found it locked. + +Van Vincent was not the sort to be balked very easily when he started to +do a thing. Taking a few steps backward, he let his whole weight go +against the door and forced it from its hinges. + +The next instant he was in the room. + +Almost the first object he saw was a man clambering from an open window. + +He raised his revolver, but too late! the intruder dropped to the ground +below and was lost in the storm and darkness. + +Van made a move to spring through the window after him, but a faint +voice coming from the bed checked him. + +"Van, c-c-come h-e-re!" + +The next moment the boy was at the side of the bed, where his uncle lay +in a pool of blood, breathing heavily. + +"Van, I have been murdered!" exclaimed Ralph Vincent, faintly. + +The look on his uncle's face told Van that what he said was true. + +Just at that moment an old man called Ben, who was the only male servant +about the house, came rushing in the room in a terrified manner. + +"Oh, Lord!" he exclaimed, wildly. "Whatever has happened, Mr. Vincent?" + +"Silence, Ben!" spoke up the dying man. "Van, hand me a glass of brandy +and I will try and describe my murderer so that you may hunt him down +and bring him to justice." + +Half bewildered, Van did as he was directed, while the servant strove to +quench the blood that was flowing from a ghastly wound in his employer's +side. + +Instead of making him rally, the glass of brandy set the dying man to +coughing, and when the spell ceased he was so weak that he could not +speak above a whisper. + +He managed to articulate the words: + +"Doc Clancy--an old enemy to our family--sandy mustache--thumb missing +from right hand!" + +These were the last words Ralph Vincent ever spoke, for the next moment +he fell back and his soul fled to its Maker. + +What lay upon the bed now was a heap of senseless clay. + +"Heaven save us! but this is awful!" groaned Ben, the servant. "Who +committed this terrible crime, Master Van?" + +"A man named Doc Clancy; that is what uncle stated with his dying +breath. Do you know or have you ever heard of such a person, Ben?" + +Van turned his gaze full upon the servant as he spoke, but one glance in +old Ben's eyes told him plainly that he knew nothing whatever about the +murderer. + +"You had better go and rouse some of the neighbors, Ben," spoke up Van, +after a pause. "I will wait here till you come back." + +"Yes, sir," and old Ben was off like a shot. + +In less than half an hour a dozen or more people were gathered at the +scene of the tragedy. + +But no one touched the corpse until the coroner arrived, shortly after +daylight. + +An examination showed that Ralph Vincent had been stabbed through the +right lung by some unknown person, and this was the verdict rendered by +the coroner's jury. + +All that day a crowd of the villagers thronged the house, and Van went +about among them like one in a dream, hardly able to realize what had +happened a few short hours before. + +But his uncle's last words rang constantly in the boy's ears, and he +made up his mind that as soon as the funeral was over he would start out +to hunt down the villain called Doc Clancy, who had a thumb missing from +his right hand. + +The day of the funeral came, and the remains of Ralph Vincent were +interred. + +Then came the reading of the will, and, to Van's astonishment, a man +whom he had never seen before was present. + +Before the will was read the lawyer introduced the stranger to Van as an +own cousin and a nephew of the murdered man, who had just returned from +a foreign port the day following the crime. + +Van was not a great deal surprised at this, as he knew he had cousins +whom he had never seen. + +But what was his astonishment when the will had been read and he found +that he had been utterly ignored by his uncle, and that John Moreland, +the stranger, came in for the entire property? + +But there it was in black and white, with his uncle's signature and +those of the witnesses. + +The eyes of all those assembled in the room were turned upon Van when +this startling fact came to light. + +But the boy was not a bit more pale than he had been since the murder, +and regarding the looks of the inmates of the room as a question put to +him, he said in a clear, calm voice: + +"I care not for the fact that my uncle left me out of his will. He has +always been kind to me since I can remember, and I appreciated it and +loved him. My mission now is to hunt down his murderer and bring him to +justice, and I swear to do it. Cousin John Moreland, I congratulate you +on being the heir to uncle's estate. Accept my hand on it." + +As Van clasped the hand of John Moreland a sudden thrill shot through +his frame, and he glanced downward. + +The hand he held in his own was minus the thumb. + +In the twinkling of an eye Van's whole manner changed. + +With the force of an enraged lion he seized the man by the throat and +hurled him back against the wall. + +Then in a voice that rang out like a clarion note, he exclaimed: + +"I accuse this man of being the murderer of my uncle!" + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A PLUCKY CHASE. + + +As Van Vincent's startling words rang out a low murmur of surprise came +from the assemblage. + +Not one offered to make a move until the lawyer stepped quickly forward, +and seizing the boy by the shoulder, pulled him away from John Moreland, +whose face had turned the color of ashes. + +Van pushed the lawyer away from him rather roughly. + +"I registered a vow to hunt the murderer down," said he in the same +clear voice, "but did not expect to find him so quick. There he stands +before us all. What have you to say against the charge, Doc Clancy?" + +The boy had no sooner uttered the name of Doc Clancy than, quick as a +flash, John Moreland rushed from the room. + +His action was so sudden no one could intercept him. + +"That proves his guilt," cried Van, now in a high pitch of excitement. +"I am going after him, and will not return until I have caught him and +brought him to justice!" + +Seizing his hat, Van left the room and dashed outside after the accused +murderer. + +He beheld him running across a field in the direction of the railway +station. + +Van glanced at his watch. + +A train for New York was due in three minutes, and he knew full well +that a good runner could just about reach the depot in that time. + +And the villain had a good three hundred yards' start of him! + +Van Vincent was an excellent runner, but, strive as he might, he could +not gain upon the fleeing stranger. + +Over fences and ditches went the pursued and pursuer, until the broad +lane leading to the station was reached. + +Van heard the shrill whistle of a locomotive, and his heart sank within +him. + +He knew that the train was coming. + +It reached the depot just as John Moreland came to the track. + +The villain knew that he would not have time enough to reach the +platform to board the train, so he clambered upon the last car from the +ground. + +The train stopped about half a minute, which gave Van time to get within +a hundred feet of it before it started. + +But he was too late. + +The bell rang, and away went the train, with John Moreland standing on +the platform of the rear car, shaking his fist at Van in a derisive +manner. + +Van stood still in his tracks until the train had disappeared from +sight, and then, without answering the station master's query as to what +the matter was, started slowly back to the house where he had lived for +so many years. + +When he reached it he found no one there but Ben, the old servant, and +to him he stated that he was going away. + +Van had about four hundred dollars that he had saved, and he at once got +this and placed it in a stanch, leather pocketbook, which he put in the +inside pocket of his vest. + +He next packed a few things in a satchel, and then set out slowly for +the depot. + +Another train would be along in about thirty-five minutes, which would +bring him to New York one hour behind the man he was chasing. + +As Van walked along thinking over the general appearance of Doc +Clancy--for he was sure that John Moreland was no other than he--it +occurred to him that the man had some of the characteristics of a seaman +about him. + +This gave the plucky boy an idea. + +If Doc Clancy really was a follower of the sea, would he not most likely +ship aboard some vessel to make his escape? He had been publicly branded +as a murderer, and his action in fleeing from his accuser was pretty +good proof that he was guilty of the charge. + +This was the way Van reasoned, and he concluded to make his way to the +shipping district as soon as he reached New York. + +He reached the depot and purchased his ticket, and the train came along +a few minutes later and whirled him toward his destination. + +Van was not playing the part of an amateur detective because he had any +particular hankering after that profession, but because he had made a +solemn vow to hunt down the murderer of his uncle. + +He would try and locate his man, and then call the New York police to +his aid. + +The distance by rail to New York was not great, and an hour later our +hero was walking down West Street in the busy metropolis. + +He had often been to the city, and consequently knew something about it. + +The boy did not stop until he reached the South Ferry, and then, acting +on an uncontrollable impulse, he boarded a South Street car and took up +his position on the platform with the driver. + +He had not rode over ten blocks when he gave such a start that the car +driver made an involuntary movement to catch him, thinking he was going +to fall from the platform. + +But Van did not notice him. The boy's eyes were riveted upon the back of +a man who was just entering the door of a saloon. + +As he passed through the doorway the object of his gaze turned his head +around for a single instant. + +"That's the murderer!" exclaimed Van, and with a single bound he sprang +from the car platform into the street, leaving the driver staring at his +retreating form in blank amazement. + +Van was satisfied that the man he saw was Doc Clancy, alias John +Moreland. He had the features and general appearance of the villain +stamped too deeply upon his mind to be deceived. + +With a bound he dashed upon the sidewalk, nearly upsetting a passer-by, +and then hurried into the saloon. + +It was just after six in the evening, and the place was crowded with a +set of laboring men who had stopped in to quench their thirst on their +way home from work. + +As the bar was but a small place, Van had great difficulty in squeezing +through the motley gathering. + +The boy did not notice the rough looks that were bestowed upon him as he +elbowed his way through the crowd toward the rear of the saloon. + +He was bent upon finding his man, and he forgot all else. + +Van was young and impulsive, and he made a great mistake when he entered +that saloon upon the errand he was bent, as he afterward found out. + +Just as he came abreast of the lunch counter the place contained he saw +Moreland enter a doorway in the rear and start up a flight of stairs. + +Like a flash Van was after him, and a moment later he flung the door +open and darted breathlessly up the stairs. + +When he reached the top he found himself in a gloomy hallway of narrow +dimensions. + +It was too dark for him to discern the person he sought, but he could +hear the sound of footsteps on the uncarpeted floor. + +It was just at that moment that it occurred to Van for the first time +that he had made a mistake. + +"I ought to have brought a policeman with me," he thought. "But it is +too late now. I will capture that man or die!" + +Rash boy! He had not taken ten steps along the hallway when a figure +suddenly confronted him; there was a dull thud, and Van Vincent sank to +the floor with a thousand stars flashing before his eyes. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +CARRIED TO SEA. + + +When Van Vincent returned to consciousness he felt so stiff and sore +that he was scarcely able to hold up his head. + +His throat and tongue were dry and parched, and he was so badly dazed +that it took him several minutes to recollect what had happened. + +As it gradually came to him he opened his eyes, expecting to find +himself in the hallway where he had lost his senses. + +But imagine the boy's surprise when he beheld a dirty lantern swinging +back and forth from the ceiling of a seven-by-nine room. + +Then it occurred to Van that the building he was in appeared to be +moving in a violent manner. + +He rose to a sitting posture and found himself in a narrow bunk, instead +of being upon the floor, as he expected. + +"I must have been moved," he muttered. "Doc Clancy must certainly have +had a hand in this. I wonder where I am, anyhow? This looks like a bunk +on a ship. Great heavens! can it be possible that I have been drugged +and shipped to sea?" + +The thought no sooner struck our hero than he glanced at his clothes. + +An exclamation of dismay escaped his lips. + +His neat-fitting business suit had been removed and a dirty outfit, such +as seamen wear, substituted in place of it. + +Van no longer had any doubt as to his being aboard a ship. + +He now saw plainly what caused the rocking motion. + +But, instead of giving way to a fit of despair, as most boys of his age +would have done in like circumstances, he calmly clambered from the bunk +and proceeded to examine the costume he wore. + +Unbuttoning a greasy, blue pea jacket, he found, to his great joy, that +he still wore his own vest. + +But on placing his hand in the inner pocket of the garment he found his +pocket-book to be missing. + +"I have been robbed and kidnaped!" he muttered in a tone of great +vehemence; "and Doc Clancy is at the bottom of it--of that I am sure. +But never mind! Though this vessel takes me to the very ends of the +earth, I will yet get on the track of the villain who murdered my uncle, +and then woe to him!" + +Van uttered the last part of his thoughts in a rather loud voice, and he +had scarcely done so when a gruff tone the other side of the partition +sang out: + +"What's ther matter there, ye cussed landlubber? Have ye come to yer +senses yet?" + +"Hello!" returned Van. "Who are you? Come in here; I would like to talk +to you." + +"All right, youngster; I'll obleege ye!" + +The next moment a portion of the partition was removed and a +rough-looking man came through. + +Van assumed an air of boldness. + +"Sit down," said he, "and tell me where I am." + +"Well, you are a cool un!" observed the man. "But since ye have asked +me, I'll tell you. Young man, you are on board ther _Mary Newman_, which +are a tradin' schooner, bound for ther African coast. We are now jist +outside of Sandy Hook, an' blowin' along afore a stiff breeze." + +"Who brought me here?" questioned our hero, not affecting the least bit +of surprise. + +"I don't know, my boy. I suppose ther captain was short of hands, and +collared ye while ye were drunk. Sich things are often done, yer know." + +"Do you believe that is the way I came to be here?" + +"Can't say whether I do or not, youngster. I am ther mate of ther +vessel, an' I never asks ther captain anything about his private +business. All that I knows is that you an' a feller a little older than +you are were brought aboard together in a drunken state, an' I took it +for granted that you were chums, an' had either shipped of yer own +accord, or else been collared while ye were sleepin' off ther loads ye +had on." + +"What sort of a looking chap was it who came aboard with me?" asked Van. + +"He is a rather homely feller, with a big, red beard, but is a good +sailor, though." + +"Well," resumed our hero, after a pause, "I suppose I will have to make +the best of it, but I tell you plainly that I have been robbed and +kidnaped." + +"If that is so, young man, take my advice, an' say nothin' about it +while ye are on board ther _Mary Newman_," returned the man, with a look +that told plainly that he meant well toward the boy. + +"I'll take your advice, sir," returned Van, promptly. "I suppose I will +be used fairly well as long as I do the best I can, and attend to my +duties aboard the ship?" + +"Ye will if I have got anything ter say about it. Boy, put her there. +I've taken a likin' ter ye. My name are Lank Edwards, an' as long as ye +stick ter me I'll be your friend, even if everybody else on board goes +back on ye!" + +"Thank you for those words, Mr. Edwards," said Van, shaking the mate by +the hand. + +"Now, my boy, ye had better lay down for an hour or so, an' by that time +it'll be daylight. I'll go an' report to ther captain that ye are +gittin' along all right, an' ain't kickin' 'cause ye are goin' ter sea +in his vessel." + +With these words the mate crawled through the aperture in the partition, +and carefully closed it after him. + +When he had gone Van sat down on the edge of his bunk to think over his +situation. + +He was very much disappointed over what had befallen him, but something +seemed to whisper in his ear that things would come out all right in the +end, so he resolved to say nothing and make the best of it. + +In about an hour and a half he noticed a faint gray light stealing +through the grating overhead, and he knew that morning had arrived. + +A few minutes later he heard some one in the adjoining room, and, almost +immediately after, the sliding door in the partition opened. + +Van saw the kindly face of the mate looking in at him, and he hailed it +with a sigh of relief. + +"It's all right, young feller; ther captain has put ye under my charge. +Come on out of yer prison, an' take breakfast with me. After that you +will have ter take up yer quarters in ther forecastle." + +Glad enough to leave the dingy place, Van crawled through the hole, and +found himself in a portion of the ship's cabin. + +The mate showed him where the water was, and the boy took a good wash. + +After this he felt much better. + +A few minutes later the cook entered with a steaming breakfast, the +sight of which made Van's mouth water. + +He had not realized that he was hungry until now, and he ate as only a +hungry mortal can. + +Van's first meal aboard the _Mary Newman_ was his best, as he found out +afterward. + +The table the captain and mates ate from was far different from that of +the forecastle. + +When breakfast was over the mate conducted our hero to the forecastle, +and pointed out his bunk to him. + +From that moment the rough part of Van Vincent's life began. + +The crew, for the most part, were a grimy, villainous-looking set. + +But Van was built of the sort of material that never flinches, and he +took things as they came in a philosophical way. + +Almost the first person he saw when he went on watch for the first time +was a sailor with a heavy red beard that nearly concealed his face. + +Van at once judged this to be the person who came aboard the vessel in +such a mysterious manner, and when he got the opportunity, he broached +the subject to him. + +The sailor acknowledged such to be the case, but evaded all the +questions the boy put to him. + +Van sized him up pretty well, and made up his mind that the fellow was a +villain of the first water. + +About an hour after his brief conversation with the red-whiskered +sailor, Van saw him coiling a length of rope. + +To catch on to the way it was done so neatly, he watched him keenly. + +Suddenly Van gave a start. + +He noticed that the man was minus a thumb, and that, too, from his right +hand. + +He thought of Doc Clancy, his uncle's murderer, but said nothing. + +What if this man was the scoundrel in disguise? + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ON THE CONGO RIVER. + + +Van kept a good watch upon the red-whiskered sailor during the voyage, +and every day he became more and more satisfied that he was no other +than Doc Clancy, alias John Moreland. + +At length the stormy Atlantic was crossed, and one day, when the sun was +so hot that it fairly melted the pitch on her decks, the _Mary Newman_ +came to anchor at the mouth of the Congo River, on the African coast. + +Lank Edwards, the mate, had been as good as his word, and had indeed +been a friend to our hero during the voyage. + +Though Van did not like the life of a sailor any too well, he got along +fairly enough, thinking all the while that he would yet corner the +murderer of his uncle, and be the means of having him conveyed to the +United States to stand trial. + +As it was past noon when the ship came to anchor, the captain concluded +to wait till morning before he proceeded ten miles up the river to a +trading station. + +A canvas awning was stretched over the deck, and the crew of the _Mary +Newman_ lay under this in a listless manner, waiting for the sun to go +down so they could get the cool breeze which invariably comes after +nightfall in that latitude. + +Van noticed that the red-whiskered sailor appeared to be very uneasy, +and he concluded to watch him closely. + +The afternoon passed and darkness came, and with it the cooling breeze +they so much desired. + +Van was in the second watch, and, consequently, he turned into his bunk +soon after mess. + +But it was so warm below decks that he could not sleep, and after +tossing about for perhaps an hour, he went on deck and crawled into a +fold of the main jib, which made a first-class hammock. + +It was cool and refreshing, and the boy soon fell asleep. + +He was awakened perhaps two hours later by a wild commotion on deck. + +In the twinkling of an eye he dropped from the sail and gazed about him. + +A heavy smoke completely blinded him for a moment, and then he knew what +was the matter. + +The ship was on fire! + +Even as this fact occurred to him, a bright column of flame leaped from +the forward hatch, and the tarred rigging catching fire, it seemed as if +a hundred writhing, fiery serpents were shooting skyward. + +Under the supervision of the captain and mates the sailors were trying +manfully to subdue the flames, and Van rushed forward and joined them. + +But the fire kept on increasing, and at the end of fifteen minutes the +captain saw it was useless to attempt to save the ship. + +Reluctantly he gave the order to lower the boats, and convey what could +be saved of the cargo ashore. + +Van ran into the forecastle to get the few things he possessed before +the ship was abandoned. + +As he reached his bunk a cry of horror escaped his lips. + +By the light of the blazing rigging he saw the body of a man lying in a +pool of blood in the bunk he had so lately occupied. + +"Great heavens!" exclaimed the boy, "this is the work of the +red-whiskered sailor, and I firmly believe he mistook this man for me. +Poor fellow! he no doubt crawled in my bunk after I left it, thinking it +was cooler there. I am now sure the man with the thumbless hand is Doc +Clancy." + +But there was no time for any further speculation, and Van knew this +well. + +Seizing his little bundle, he dashed up the companion way and ran to +assist the crew in loading the boats. + +One of these was missing, as well as two of the crew, and the captain +was at a loss to understand it. + +Van ran his eye over the group of sailors, and saw that the +red-whiskered fellow was one of the missing ones. + +He quickly informed the mate of what he knew. + +"It was he who set ther ship afire, then!" exclaimed Lank Edwards. +"We'll chase him up an' catch him yet, see if we don't." + +The flames were now gaining rapid headway, and it behooved those on +board the doomed vessel to be as expeditious as possible. + +Two of the boats were loaded and sent to the shore, which was less than +half a mile distant. + +When these returned, the captain considered it no longer safe to stay +aboard. + +All hands tumbled into the boats and pushed off. + +By the time they reached the shore the vessel was entirely enveloped in +a pillar of flame, and though the sight was a truly grand one, the +sailors did not relish it to any great degree. + +"Well, boys," said the captain, sadly, "I have got enough money to pay +you what wages are coming to you. I might as well do it right here, as +we will never go aboard the good _Mary Newman_ again." + +He proceeded to count out the money, and each man was called up in his +turn. + +Van received seventeen dollars and fifty cents for the time he put in +aboard the ship. + +"Now, then," observed the captain, when all had been paid off, "I +propose that we get in the boats and row up the river to a little town +called Sonhow." + +"To-night?" asked the mate. + +"Yes; right away." + +"How about hunting after the fellow who fired the ship?" + +"There is no proof that anyone did do it. I believe the two who are +missing were burned up before they could get out of the forecastle." + +"Well, I don't," returned the mate. + +"All right, Mr. Edwards," spoke up the captain, a little testily, "every +one is welcome to his own opinion. If you want to start out on a +wild-goose chase, why, go on; I am going to Sonhow." + +All save three sided with the captain, and they at once started for the +boats. + +Those who remained were our hero, the mate, and a young sailor named +Gregory. + +Van was determined to try and find the trail of Doc Clancy, and the mate +was with him because he liked the boy for his pluck and earnestness in +hunting down the murderer of his uncle. + +Gregory wanted to find the red-whiskered man, because the sailor who had +been murdered was his half-brother. + +"Well, what are you going to do about it?" called out the captain from +the water's edge. + +"We have decided to stay where we are till daylight," replied the mate. + +"All right, then. Come down here and we will divide up the things, and +as there are three boats, you may have one of them." + +The three walked to the spot. + +The main part of the burned vessel's cargo consisted of trinkets, +calicoes, cheap jewelry, etc., to trade with the natives for various +African products. + +All that had been saved from the ship was four cases of these, a number +of firearms, and a good supply of sea-biscuit and salt. + +The three that decided to wait were given one of the cases, six rifles, +a dozen revolvers, with ample ammunition for both, and a barrel of +sea-biscuit and about one-fourth of a sack of salt. + +"You might need the guns and pistols if you stay around this wild +country very long," said the captain, as the two boats pushed off and +headed up the river. + +"Good-by!" cried Van. "We are going to find the man who burned the ship. +Success to you all!" + +The sailors gave a cheer, and in a few minutes the boats were lost in +the darkness. + +Our hero and his two companions then sat down in their boat and watched +the still burning hull of the _Mary Newman_. + +It must have been near midnight ere the hull sank from sight, and then +the three lay down in the bottom of the boat and slept till sunrise. + +Van, who was an excellent shot with the rifle, managed to shoot a couple +of birds resembling partridges, and these made them a fair breakfast. + +Then they pushed off their boat and started up the river. + +They had not proceeded over a mile when they came upon the two boats +which had left them the night before. + +They seemed to be drifting down the river with not a soul in either of +them, and curious to know what was the matter, they rowed toward them +with all their might. + +When they reached them, ejaculations of horror went up from all three. + +In the boats were the dead bodies of the captain and those who had set +out with him, literally hacked to pieces. + +"Great God!" groaned Van. "Is this to be our fate, I wonder?" + +Neither the mate or Gregory chose to answer his question, but pushed +away from the horrible sight with all possible speed. + +Just then a rifle shot rang out on the still morning air. + +The mate threw up his arms and fell to the bottom of the boat. + +Van seized his rifle and turned his gaze to the shore. + +Standing at the edge of a clump of tall reeds was Doc Clancy! + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE EXPLORING PARTY. + + +As soon as Van Vincent beheld Doc Clancy on the shore of the river he +raised his rifle to shoot the villain in his tracks. + +But before he could cover him a chorus of yells rang out, and half a +dozen white men and a score of blacks burst from the cover of the reeds +and fired a volley at those in the boat. + +This so disconcerted our hero that he toppled over backward and landed +in a heap in the bottom of the boat. + +Doc Clancy took it for granted that the boy had been hit by a bullet, +and a shout of triumph left his lips. + +But none of the shots fired from the shore had harmed our three friends. +The mate, who had fallen first, had only been grazed on the side of his +head by the bullet from Clancy's rifle. + +As Van attempted to rise to his feet again, the mate cautioned him to +lie still, and Gregory, who had already sought seclusion behind the +thwarts, seconded the motion. + +"Lay low," said the sailor, in a whisper. "We'll make 'em believe we are +dead." + +"That's our only show," added the mate. "If they leave us alone for a +few minutes we'll drift out of range; ther tide is runnin' out like a +race horse!" + +But Doc Clancy and his villainous allies were not yet satisfied. A +minute or so later our friends heard the creaking of oars in the +rowlocks, and peering over the thwart, he beheld the murderer of his +uncle, and the white men he had seen on the shore, rowing toward them +with all their might. + +He quickly told his two companions what he saw. + +"We've got ter fight it out," observed the mate, grimly. "Git that +barrel of hard tack an' ther bag of salt together; we'll git behind 'em +an' commence it right away afore they git any closer." + +Van and Gregory followed the mate's advice, and a minute later they +opened fire upon those in the approaching boat. + +Of course their shots were returned, but the bullets could not penetrate +the barrel and sack of salt, and the three remained unharmed. + +Van had the satisfaction of seeing two of the men in the pursuing boat +fall under the fire made by himself and companions. + +But Doc Clancy, though continually exposed, had not been hit. + +Though the villain seemed to bear a charmed life, he concluded to +proceed a little more cautiously. + +He gave orders to the men to make a circle and row around so as to get +on the other side of the boat. + +When Van saw this he began to grow very uneasy. + +Our three friends were truly in a bad box. If they attempted to row the +boat so as to get away from Clancy and his crowd, they would surely be +shot down; and if they remained quietly where they were it would only be +a question of time before they would be wiped out. + +Before they had time to decide upon what action to take they were +astonished to hear a number of rifle shots up the river. + +They lifted their heads quickly and glanced at those who were pursuing +them. + +Doc Clancy and his gang were making for the shore with all their might. + +And no wonder! for down the river a boat was being rapidly rowed by half +a dozen stalwart blacks. + +In the bow was a small swivel cannon, the muzzle of which pointed at the +miscreants in the boat in a threatening manner. + +Standing upright in the boat were three white men, who were armed to the +teeth. + +"Hurrah!" yelled Van, waving his hat. "You are just in time, friends." + +An answering cheer came from the boat, and our friends breathed a sigh +of relief. + +As soon as Doc Clancy reached the shore he sprang into the tall reeds +and disappeared, followed by his four surviving allies. + +Five minutes more and the approaching boat reached our friends. + +Van explained who he and his companions were in a very few words. + +The three men who had come to their rescue at such an opportune moment +shook hands with them in a cordial manner, and made the drifting boat +fast to their own. + +"Now," said the younger of the strangers, who was not over twenty-three +years of age, "since you have told us who you are, I'll tell you who and +what we are. We are three Englishmen, who have come to this continent to +make explorations and endeavor to find some wonderful spot where the +foot of civilized man has never trod. My name is Jack Howard; this +gentleman on my right is Prof. Drearland, who intends to write a book on +what we discover; and the other gentleman is Dr. Pestle, who came with +us to keep us in good health by aid of the large stock of medicines and +hard-earned experience he has with him." + +"I am sure we are very glad to meet you all," returned Van, with a tone +of deep sincerity. "But who are those men who attacked us? One of them +we know, but the others are strangers." + +"They are six men whom we hired to accompany us on our trip. Yesterday +morning they struck for more wages, and because their demand was refused +they attempted to kill us and take our outfit from us. We got the best +of it, however, and they took to the forest and left us. This morning we +heard rifle shots down the river, and thought we would come down and see +what was in the wind." + +"If there was six of 'em when they left you, there are only four now," +remarked Lank Edwards, in a grim manner. "Two of ther villains have +turned up their toes." + +"Yes," put in Van; "but they have got Doc Clancy with them, and he is a +match for any two ordinary men, as far as wickedness goes." + +"Suppose you go up to our camp with us?" said Jack Howard, after a +pause. + +"Certainly," returned our hero. "We have got no other place to go just +at present." + +Howard gave the word, and the blacks began rowing the boat up the stream +with long, steady strokes. + +Though Van was some years his junior, Jack Howard took a strong notion +to him, and as he was one of those blunt kind of fellows, he was not +long in telling him so. + +"It is mutual, I assure you," returned our hero; and the two from that +moment became inseparable friends. + +About a mile up the river the boats came to a stop on the left bank. + +It was a very picturesque spot. The gorgeous African flowers of many +hues, trailing vines, broad-leafed and giant cacti could be seen on +every hand. + +On a little knoll in the midst of these surroundings was the camp of the +English explorers. + +Two tents were pitched in the background, which served to keep off the +dew while the men slept. + +The negroes, who had been hired in place of the villainous whites, slept +on the ground, close to burning fires, without any covering over them, +unless it rained, and in that case Jack Howard told them they could haul +the boat up and crawl under it. + +After Van Vincent had announced his intention of hunting down Doc Clancy +until he had been caught, Jack Howard offered to go in with him in the +enterprise if he and his two companions would join the exploring party. + +Van broached the subject to the mate and Gregory, and they readily +agreed to it. + +"Very well," said our hero to Howard, "your offer is accepted. We join +your party and proceed with you in your explorations, so long as we do +not turn from the trail of Doc Clancy." + +"We will follow him, even if he goes to the very heart of this wild +continent!" exclaimed Jack Howard, warmly. + +The party remained in camp until slightly past noon, and they would not +have left it then had it not been that an unforeseen circumstance took +place. + +While they were eating dinner one of the blacks came rushing up with the +intelligence that the bad white men had just gone up the river in their +boat. + +The river was nearly straight at this point, and, rushing down to the +water's edge, Van and Jack Howard saw Doc Clancy and his allies +proceeding rapidly up the stream. + +Already they were over half a mile away, and our friends did not deem it +worth while to shoot at them. + +But the camp was quickly broken up and all its belongings packed in the +boat owned by the Englishmen, which was strong and commodious, and large +enough for all hands. + +Being aware of this fact, our hero concluded to leave their boat where +it was. + +When everything was in readiness all hands got into the boat, and the +blacks started to row up the river in the wake of Doc Clancy. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A SLIGHT ADVENTURE. + + +The boat owned by the explorers was much heavier than that in which Doc +Clancy and his villainous crowd had gone up the river. + +Thus the latter could be rowed faster, and it did not take our friends +long to see that they were gradually being left behind. + +"Our intention was to follow this river until we reached the branch that +flows northward," said Jack Howard. "We then would go up that as far as +we could, and then make the rest of our travels on foot. The man you +call Doc Clancy is leading us over the very course we want to take, so +far." + +"But he might change his course," spoke up Van. + +"It doesn't matter whether he does or not," returned the young +Englishman. "We will follow him wherever he goes. The professor, doctor +and myself came to Africa principally for adventure, and I am sure we +will get enough of it if we keep on the trail of a murderer and a number +of scoundrels who are as bad as he is." + +They continued on their way up the river, keeping a sharp lookout on +either bank so as not to run in an ambush. + +When night came they went ashore at a pleasant-looking spot and pitched +their camp. + +As soon as darkness set in the wild beasts of the forest began to make +themselves heard. + +The blacks promptly built a number of fires to keep them away. + +The two tents were utilized by the six who constituted the party of +whites. + +The air was very warm and close, and the ceaseless hum of the insects +made it almost impossible for Van to sleep during the first part of the +night. + +As he was to stand watch with Jack Howard the last four hours of the +night, it behooved him to catch as much sleep as he could. + +It was past midnight when he fell into a doze. + +He was just dropping off into a sound slumber when he was awakened by +the shrill cry of a female in the near vicinity. + +Quick as a flash, he sprang to his feet and listened. + +"Help--help! Oh, save me!" + +Again the cry was repeated. + +In the twinkling of an eye the whole camp was aroused. + +Seizing their rifles, Van and Jack Howard sprang through the dense +undergrowth in the direction the cries came from. + +It was tedious work forcing their way through the thorns and dank weeds, +but they accomplished it in short order. + +As they emerged into an opening about two hundred yards from their camp +they beheld a truly startling scene. + +A young and beautiful girl was struggling in the midst of four men, who +had seized her and were making efforts to stifle her cries. + +Both Van and Jack were astonished beyond measure when they beheld the +fair creature, who was as white and as civilized in appearance as they +were, in those wild parts. + +But neither lacked in coolness, and the next instant their rifles were +leveled at the men, while the voice of Jack Howard rang out: + +"Hands up, you cowards! Unhand that lady at once, or you die!" + +Had a bombshell exploded in their midst the four villains could not have +been more astonished. + +With one accord they let go their hold upon their captive and turned +their startled gaze upon the intruders. + +As they did so, Van gave a low cry of astonishment. + +One of the men was no other than Doc Clancy! + +As his eyes rested upon the villain our hero forgot everything else, +and, with a single bound, sprang forward and seized Clancy by the +throat. + +"I have got you at last, you murderous scoundrel!" he cried. "Down on +your knees, or I will choke the life from you." + +Again was Van Vincent too rash. + +With a muttered oath Doc Clancy tore himself from the infuriated boy's +clutch and struck him a fearful blow between the eyes. + +Jack Howard was unable, at that moment, to render Van any assistance, as +he had caught the girl in his arms to keep her from falling to the +ground. + +By the time he had gently deposited her upon the ground the four +scoundrels were lost in the mazes of the forest, and Van was struggling +to his feet in a dazed manner. + +The whole thing took place in less than a minute, and by the time the +mate and the rest of those belonging to the camp reached the scene, it +was all over. + +The mate and Prof. Drearland conducted Van back to camp, followed by +Jack, who carried the unconscious girl in his arms. + +They had scarcely reached it when they heard the hurried splashing of +oars, which told them that Doc Clancy and his crowd had taken to their +boat and were proceeding up the river. + +By the aid of a little brandy Jack Howard managed to bring his fair +charge out of her faint, and when her eyes rested upon the kindly faces +about her a sigh of relief left the girl's lips. + +She explained how she came to be in the clutches of the rascally men in +a very few words. + +She was from the little town of Cooloo, where she had always lived. Her +parents were natives of Cape Town, but since her earliest infancy had +lived on the banks of the Congo River. + +Her father made his living by hunting and trapping, and had started with +a boat load of skins down the river, to a trading station a few miles +from its mouth. + +The girl, who gave her name as Masie Langford, accompanied her father on +his trip. + +That night they camped on the banks of the river about a quarter of a +mile above our friends. + +Being a little restless, Masie left her tent near midnight and strolled +down to the water's edge. + +She had scarcely reached it when she was pounced upon by four men and +carried off into the forest. + +She did not get an opportunity to cry out until she uttered the screams +heard by our friends. + +Just as the girl concluded her story the blast of a horn was heard from +a point up the river. + +"That is father!" exclaimed the girl. "He has just found out that I am +missing. I must go to him at once. I am much obliged to you, gentlemen, +for your kindness." + +She turned her bright eyes upon Jack Howard as she spoke. + +That young man promptly took the hint and offered to escort her back to +her father. + +Accordingly the two set out along the river bank, our hero and his +companions taking seats about the fire to await Jack's return. + +It was the best part of an hour before the young man got back, and when +he did so, he said he had placed the girl safely under her father's +care, who seemed to be a nice old man, indeed, and was a very talkative +one, too. + +"Masie Langford is too nice a girl to be living in these wilds," said he +after a pause. "But, pshaw! I suppose that is the last we shall ever see +of her." + +The next morning the party once more set out on their journey up the +river. + +Jack Howard was on the lookout for the boat of Langford, the hunter, but +as that had gone down the river at the breaking of day, he did not get +an opportunity to see the girl he had become suddenly interested in. + +And so they kept on for five days, finding traces of Doc Clancy on the +banks of the river almost every night. + +They had now reached a branch of the river which pointed northeast +toward the very heart of the unknown interior. + +It did not take them long to find that Clancy had gone that way, as +traces of camp fires could be found on the bank. + +"I was sure they would go this way," said Jack Howard. "Clancy's +companions know the course we had mapped out, and they think we are in +search of some vast treasure; and, consequently, they want to get there +ahead of us." + +The further our friends proceeded up the now narrow stream, the more +dangers they were forced to encounter. + +Crocodiles were now as thick as the hair on the back of a dog, and they +were careful not to run the boat against any of the ferocious creatures. + +The climate at this point was very bad. It was so hot during the day +that none of our friends dared trust themselves in the sun over ten +minutes at a time; and at night a heavy, poisonous dew would fall, the +fumes of which threatened to give all hands the fever. + +But, thanks to Dr. Pestle's ample supply of medicine, all kept in +excellent health. + +Two weeks had elapsed since they had started up the river, and they had +now reached a point where it was impossible to proceed any further with +the boat. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +VAN'S PERIL. + + +Jack Howard and his companions were admirably equipped for an overland +journey through the African wilds. + +It did not take them a great while to outfit Van, the mate and Gregory, +the sailor, as well as they were themselves. + +Each one of the six wore high top boots, buckskin breeches, and +broad-brimmed straw hats. They also carried knapsacks over their +shoulders, which were well filled with useful articles. + +Before starting out on foot they hauled their boat well up from the +muddy stream and covered it with boughs and leaves, as they found Doc +Clancy had done before them. + +By the looks of the trail made by the murderer and his followers they +must have arrived there fully two days in advance of our friends. + +This part of the country was so thickly wooded that in many places the +rays of the sun never reached the ground. + +Poisonous serpents held carnival here, and the explorers had to be +continually on the watch for them. + +Just before sunset they came to a halt, weary from their first day's +tramp. + +Thus far they had not been molested by savages, though they had passed +through the domain of more than one band. + +If they had been a large, regular organized exploring party, they would +have had no end of trouble, as they would then have visited black +tribes, supposed to be friendly, and begged permission of them to +proceed through the various kingdoms. + +In this way their presence would become known to every tribe within +fifty miles of them, no matter in what section they might be, as was the +case with Stanley and other great explorers. + +But our little party were in for it on their own hook, and asked +permission from no one to travel on their way. + +They would be all right so long as they were not intercepted by some +roving band. + +Jack Howard calculated that they were now in a section of country where +no one had ever been before, save the natives and the villains they were +following. + +Prof. Drearland made a rather lengthy note of this, and seemed much +pleased at his young friend's idea of it. + +The professor was a curious sort of a man. Some people would have said +that he was better fitted to become a village schoolmaster than to go +roaming about the wilds of the interior of Africa. + +Probably he was; but that is not for us to say now. True, the professor +was not the bravest man on earth in the time of danger. + +But Dr. Pestle! he was a regular cyclone when necessity demanded it. He +could shoot as well as anybody in the party, and that is saying a great +deal, for Van and Jack were excellent shots. + +They managed to put in quite a comfortable night of it, and at the first +signs of daylight they were up and ready to resume their journey. + +They managed to make a light breakfast from some sardines and sea +biscuit found in their knapsacks, which they ate as they made their way +through the gully. + +It did not take Van long to discover that they were following a dry +water course, and he was soon surprised at seeing footprints in the sand +and gravel it contained. + +The footprints were made by men of civilized habits, too, for the tracks +were those of boots or shoes. + +"We are in luck!" our hero exclaimed. "Doc Clancy and his companion have +gone this way. It will only be a question of time now before I will +capture the scoundrel and force a written confession that he murdered my +uncle from him." + +"If you can get him to do that you will not have a great deal of trouble +in taking him back to the United States," returned Jack Howard. + +"I don't believe Doc Clancy will ever see ther States ag'in," observed +Lank Edwards. + +"Why?" asked Van. + +"'Cause, he'll git killed afore we git through with him." + +"If he does my uncle's murder will be avenged. Only I should like to see +the villain die with a rope around his neck." + +"He might die a wuss death than bein' hung," said the mate. "You can't +tell what'll happen in this strange country," and Lank Edwards shrugged +his shoulders. + +No one made any reply to the mate's words, and the party continued on in +silence. + +They noticed that the water course led them up a gradual ascent, and the +professor reckoned that it would conduct them to a range of mountains. + +When noon arrived they were still in the gully, and all hands were +ravenously hungry. + +Though they could have shot lots of game during the morning, they did +not do it for fear that the natives might be in pursuit of them and hear +the report of their rifles. + +But now it was getting to be a case of necessity, and Jack Howard said +he was dying for a roasted chunk of meat, and did not propose to go any +further until he got it. + +"We may as well camp right here," he went on. "It is as good a place as +we can find; and while the rest of you are getting a fire going, Van and +I will go into the woods a little way and get something for dinner." + +This was satisfactory to all hands, so they came to a halt. Van and Jack +at once left the gully and started on their mission. + +They had not gone far, however, before they encountered a boy running, +and behind him a half dozen savages. Both opened fire at once, and when +the rescue was effected they took him back to the camp. There the latter +explained that he was Joseph Hedgewood, the son of an Englishman, who +had been killed by the savages, and who had left him an orphan and +homeless. He was small and fair, with large, dark eyes and abundant dark +hair. He wore a corduroy suit, much too large for his slender form, and +his feet were encased in a pair of stout leather boots that were, +however, small and shapely. All of the company looked at him +quizzically, but when they perceived he was so young and tender they +agreed to take him under their protection. + +He, for his part, was diffident and wanted to serve them in the capacity +of servant, but to that all objected. + +"No, you won't," exclaimed Jack. "We have enough servants." + +So he was installed as a companion, and when the first meal had passed +he was as much at home as any of them. + +That afternoon they proceeded onward, and when night fell they concluded +to look for a suitable place to pitch their camp. Accordingly they +pushed up the water course to where a gradual descent of perhaps a foot +to every hundred yards became apparent. + +"We will land in some beautiful valley that is inhabited solely by +Amazons, see if we don't," said Prof. Drearland. + +"That is yet to be found out, professor. I wouldn't make a note of it +yet, if I were you," returned Jack Howard. + +As far as they could see they were in a richly wooded valley. + +But not a sign of anything human could be seen, save, perhaps, a +well-beaten path that led from the mouth of the passage into the depths +of the forest. + +"I told you we would come out into a beautiful valley!" exclaimed the +professor. "Now, let us follow this path, and in due time we will come +upon the Amazons." + +"It seems to me that you are getting remarkably brave all at once, +professor," returned Jack Howard. + +The professor was about to make some retort when a rather startling +occurrence took place. + +With shrill, warlike cries, fully half a hundred women burst from the +cover of the trees and surrounded the party. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A WOMAN'S PARADISE. + + +Had it been a party of men that burst upon them so suddenly our friends +would surely have opened fire upon them, but as they were women, they +were at a loss what course to pursue. + +As soon as the band of Amazons had completely surrounded the little +party they came to a halt, and did not offer to lay hands upon them. + +"Have your weapons ready, and the moment they attempt to harm us we will +have to begin shooting, even if they are women," said Van. + +"Right you are," returned Jack Howard, "but they are a too good-looking +set by far, to do us any harm." + +"Suppose I try and talk to them?" observed Prof. Drearland. + +"Go ahead!" exclaimed Van. + +Clearing his throat, the learned man began addressing the women in all +the foreign tongues he could command. + +But he was evidently not understood, as a rather musical chattering was +the only answer he received. + +"S'pose you try 'em in the United States language," ventured Lank +Edwards. "If they can't understand that they ain't worth botherin' +with." + +Taking the cue, the professor at once addressed the assemblage in +English. + +To the astonishment of all hands one of the elder women promptly stepped +forward and answered him in the same tongue. + +"I can speak your language," said she. "It was taught our people by one +of your own race several years ago. We mean you no harm, and if you will +come with us to our village in a peaceful manner all will be well." + +"Yes, but what race do you belong to?" + +And the professor promptly drew his notebook and pencil. + +"Wait until to-morrow and I will give you all the information you may +desire," was the reply. "Come, we will go to our village now." + +Thinking it good policy not to make any objections, our friends +signified their willingness, and accordingly the band set out over the +path through the forest. + +After a journey of perhaps a mile a rich farming land was reached. + +In the center of a vast clearing was a number of neatly thatched huts, +and into one of these our six friends were placed. + +"You will stay here till morning," said the woman who acted as speaker +for the Amazons. "Don't attempt to get away, for you will only run into +far more danger than you are in now." + +All hands were completely tired out, and without any further ado they +flung themselves upon the clean beds of dried grass the hut contained, +and were soon fast asleep. + +The sun was at least four hours high when they awoke the next morning, +feeling much refreshed. + +Van and Jack made their way out of the hut to take a look at their +surroundings. + +They saw that they were in a beautiful country. As far as the eye could +reach well-cultivated lands could be seen, while here and there herds of +cattle and horses could be seen grazing in rich pasture fields. + +On the left was a range of mountains, and Van knew that they must have +come under these in order to be where they now were. + +At their right hand beyond the farming lands naught but a dense forest +could be seen, and so it was both before and behind them. + +Almost the first person they saw after coming out of the hut was the +woman with whom they had conversed the night before. + +She walked up to them as soon as she observed them, and, as she did so, +Van and Jack took a good look at her. + +She was of white blood beyond a question of doubt, but her manner and +dress betokened that she had never seen civilization. + +Like the rest of the women she wore a gown of some light texture with +gaudy trimmings. + +Shoes or hat she had none. + +"Well," said she, when she reached the spot where Van and Jack were +standing, "I suppose you are hungry. Call your companions and you shall +all breakfast with me, and while we eat I will tell you something about +myself and people." + +Van quickly called the rest of the party from the hut, and then all +hands followed the Amazon to the center of the group of huts. + +She conducted them inside the largest of these, and bade them be seated +upon piles of skins, of which there were nearly a dozen lying about. + +Then she struck a sharp blow with a stick upon a round, metallic +substance, and almost immediately two little girls appeared, carrying +bark trays, upon which was an abundance of food, consisting of meat, +vegetables and fruit. + +Van and Jack were each given one of the trays, and then the girls +brought in more until each one of the party was served. + +"Now," said their strange hostess, "eat, and while you do, I will tell +you a little story." + +All were very hungry, and, as the food looked tempting, they needed no +second invitation. + +"To begin with," said the woman, "my name is Kanka. I am the recognized +head of all the women and girls in this valley. + +"No men live here at all, and the way our race is kept up is this: About +twenty miles to the south of this valley there is a very fine country +which is inhabited by people of my own race. + +"Adjoining this country there is another that is peopled by a race of +warlike blacks. + +"Ever since time began my people have been at war with them, and +thousands of our men are killed every year. + +"About ten years ago the king of our nation caused a count to be made to +see how many more women there were than men. The result showed that +there were fifty females to every male in his kingdom. + +"He at once issued an edict that a certain portion of the females should +be placed in this valley to till the soil, so they might earn their own +living and at the same time produce food for his warriors. + +"Since that time a fresh supply of women and girls are brought here +annually, and here they must stay till they die, simply because there is +not enough men in the kingdom to wed and take care of them." + +"That is truly wonderful!" exclaimed the professor, when he had finished +writing down the remarkable story. + +"Yes," added Van; "but you failed to tell us how you learned to speak +our tongue." + +"That is so," returned Kanka. "But I can tell you in a few words. About +a year after I had been here in charge of the valley a man, who was one +of your race, arrived here in much the same manner as you did. + +"He was sick with fever and I nursed him back to health and strength, +and as a reward for my services he became my husband. + +"I had to hide him every year when the men brought the new recruits in +and took away the produce and ivory we had accumulated for them. If I +had not they would surely have killed him. + +"Well, he died less than a year ago, and since then I have been very +unhappy. + +"It was he who taught me your language, and I have in turn taught it to +many more. Now I guess I have told you about everything." + +"Well," remarked Lank Edwards, clearing his throat and rising to his +feet, "if you are all through, I'd like ter ask ther lady a question." + +"What is it?" questioned Kanka. + +"It are jist this: What are you a-goin' ter do with us fellers?" + +"I am going to see that you all get wives this very day!" + +"He, he, he!" giggled Prof. Drearland, as though he thought the idea a +good one. + +But he was the only one in the party who laughed. + +The others grew decidedly uncomfortable, and Joe blushed to the roots of +his hair. + +"You may go out and take a walk about our little village," said Kanka, +not noticing the looks our friends were exchanging. "In the meantime, I +will assemble all the women of the place in a double line, and you can +walk through them and select as many as you want for your wives." + +Without making a reply all hands walked outside. + +Just as they emerged from the hut they heard a confusion some yards +distant. + +Turning their gaze in the direction it came from, they beheld a number +of the women marching in with two male prisoners in their midst. + +Van gave a start. + +The prisoners were Doc Clancy and his companion! + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +ESCAPE FROM THE AMAZONS. + + +"I am glad they caught those two scoundrels," observed Jack Howard, +turning to our hero. "But I am sorry they caught us. This marrying +business is not going to work very well, I am afraid. The moment we +object to it there will be trouble." + +"If it comes to the worst we will have to fight for it," replied Van. "I +think we can put it off for a couple of days, and we ought to be able to +make our escape before that time. But there's Doc Clancy! I can't go +away and leave him here; for I have sworn that if the villain lives long +enough, I will take him back to the United States to stand trial for the +murder of my uncle." + +"He'll never live long enough for you ter do that," spoke up Lank +Edwards; "I'll kill him myself afore that happens." + +The party now remained silent for a while, and watched the prisoners who +had just been brought in to see what would be done with them. + +They saw Kanka go up to them, and after she had held a rather lengthy +conversation with the pair they were released, much to the astonishment +of our friends. + +Doc Clancy and the other man walked about with expressions of +satisfaction on their faces. + +The idea of getting married to as many wives as they wanted, and living +a life of idleness, evidently pleased them. + +A few minutes after their release they saw Van and his companions for +the first time. + +Their looks of satisfaction suddenly changed, and they showed signs of +uneasiness. + +Van made up his mind to keep a strict watch upon Doc Clancy, for fear +the villain might get an opportunity to murder him. + +Meanwhile Kanka had issued orders for all the inhabitants of the valley +to assemble in a large field, for the purpose of allowing the eight male +strangers to pick out wives. + +It took a couple of hours to get them all together, and when the lines +had finally been formed, Kanka summoned Van and his companions to her +side. + +"See here," said Jack Howard, turning his eyes upon the leader of the +Amazons, "isn't this a rather queer way of doing business?" + +"Why so?" demanded Kanka. + +"Don't you think you had better find out if we all want wives before you +go any further?" + +The woman looked at him in mute astonishment as he uttered the words. + +"Why, surely you are all willing to marry," she gasped. + +"I am not, for one," returned Jack. + +"And I would rather die first!" exclaimed Joe, with flashing eyes. + +"You kin count me out, too," chimed in Lank Edwards. + +"Same here," echoed Dr. Pestle. + +"I wouldn't think of such a thing," observed our hero. + +"Well, I suppose I will have to do as my friends do," said Prof. +Drearland; "although I don't think it a half bad idea to marry." + +"You shut up, professor," Jack exclaimed. "You have got a wife in +England, you know you have." + +"I shan't say any more," returned the professor meekly. + +For the space of five minutes Kanka gazed at our friends with a mingled +look of rage and surprise on her face. + +Presently she spoke. + +"Do you know what will happen if you don't marry?" she said. + +"Yes," returned Jack, growing the least bit reckless. + +"What?" + +"Well, if we don't marry, we certainly won't have any wives!" + +"More than that will happen. You will all be thrown into the burning pit +under the mountain." + +The face of the woman now grew as black as a thundercloud. + +Placing her hand at her belt, she seized a small whistle. + +She was about to place it to her lips when Jack Howard suddenly drew his +revolver and leveled it at her heart. + +"Blow that whistle and you are a dead woman!" he exclaimed. + +Evidently the woman was acquainted with the nature of firearms, for her +face turned deadly pale and the whistle dropped from her hands. + +"What would you do?" she demanded, hoarsely. + +"I would kill you, as sure as fate," was the reply. "Now, then, we are +going to leave this valley. We will take a trip to the land of your +people and see what sort they are. Don't attempt to oppose us, for if +you do you will be the first one to die." + +Jack's words had their effect upon the woman. She was completely cowed, +and did not utter a word of protest. + +"Draw your revolvers," said the young Englishman, turning to his +companions. "We will leave at once. There are six of us, and if these +women attempt to bar our way, shoot them down as though they were so +many savages." + +The next instant twelve revolvers flashed in the sunlight from as many +hands. + +It was at this state of affairs that a wild howl went up from a crowd of +women about a hundred yards distant. + +Glancing in the direction it came from, our friends beheld the forms of +Doc Clancy and his pal seated astride a pair of horses, and galloping +swiftly over the level country in the direction of the forest. + +The two villains, thinking that Van and his friends were going to stop a +while in the valley, deemed it advisable to get out. + +They watched their opportunity, and, catching a couple of horses, +mounted them and made off. + +The Amazons were in a great state of excitement over this, and the +majority of the assembled crowd promptly started in pursuit. + +Kanka at once rushed away, leaving our friends standing alone where they +were. + +"This is our opportunity!" exclaimed Van. "There are some horses grazing +over there; let's catch enough for our use and follow Doc Clancy." + +"That is just what we will do," returned Jack Howard. "Come on, all of +you!" + +The next moment they were hurrying toward the horses. + +The animals were very tame, and they managed to catch what they wanted +before any of the Amazons reached them. + +Each horse had a tough vine about its neck, and, placing this between +their teeth, they managed to form a rude bridle and bit. + +A minute more and they had mounted, and were riding away with the speed +of the wind. + +The Amazons mounted, too, and started in pursuit; but they were poor +riders, and our little party of explorers soon outdistanced them. + +In less than half an hour they reached a heavily timbered forest, and +the strange horde of women were soon lost to sight. + +The trail made by Doc Clancy and his companion was a very plain one; Van +led the way, following it in every turn. + +About noon they came to a halt near a stream of running water to give +the horses a rest. + +Van and Jack shot some game, while the rest of the party busied +themselves in constructing better bridles for their horses. + +Two hours later they started out again, following the trail as before. + +Just before nightfall they arrived at the bank of a river, which was +fully half a mile in width. + +As they looked about them the country showed signs of being inhabited, +as fastened to the bank were a number of rafts formed by felled trees +tied together by tough vines. + +"I wonder if we haven't struck the country the Amazons told us about," +remarked Van. + +"I shouldn't be surprised," returned the professor. "I shall make a note +of this, for it is truly wonderful to find rafts of timber in the heart +of this wild country." + +While the professor was jotting down his notes the rest of the party +were carefully scrutinizing the river. + +Presently they were startled to see one of the timber rafts drifting +swiftly down the center of the stream. + +Upon it were two men and a pair of horses. + +A single glance sufficed to show that the men were Doc Clancy and his +villainous companion. + +At that instant a puff of smoke came from the raft, followed instantly +by the report of a rifle; Van clapped his hand to the side of his head +and tumbled headlong from the back of his horse. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +DOWN THE RIVER. + + +As Van Vincent fell from his horse his companions immediately dismounted +and rushed to his side. + +But before they reached him he was upon his feet, though he appeared to +be somewhat dazed. + +It was Doc Clancy who fired the shot, but, instead of killing our hero, +the bullet merely grazed the side of his head, momentarily stunning him. + +As soon as he saw that Van was not killed, Lank Edwards leveled his +rifle at the raft and pulled the trigger. + +But the bullet flew wide of the mark, owing to the fact of his being a +poor marksman, and the distance being rather great. + +The current must have been running pretty strong, for the raft was fast +leaving them, and as the two villains had sought seclusion behind a huge +log, it was impossible to get another shot at them. + +"We must follow them," exclaimed our hero, who had now recovered the +full use of his senses. + +"How are we a-goin' ter, I'd like ter know?" returned the mate. + +"There are similar rafts of logs here, are there not?" + +"That's so," spoke up Jack Howard. "We'll board this big one right here, +and then push her off and go shooting down the river after those +fellows." + +The raft he indicated was about eighty feet long by thirty in width, and +it was lashed together so firmly that they saw their horses could be +taken upon it with the greatest of safety. + +With our friends it was no sooner said than done. + +The next moment they were leading their horses upon the logs, and Van +and Jack got ready to sever the vines that held the raft to the shore. + +There were several long poles, as well as some short pieces of timber, +lying upon it, and seizing a couple of the poles, they pushed off toward +the center of the stream. + +Ten minutes later they were drifting rapidly along with the current in +the wake of Doc Clancy, who was now over half a mile ahead of them. + +Van and Jack proceeded to steer the huge craft, while their companions +undertook the task of rolling the loose logs into a pile on either side, +to serve as a cover against the possible attack from any persons on +either shore. + +They knew there must be human beings in the vicinity, or they would +never have found the rafts as they were. + +"I wonder what river this is?" remarked Jack Howard. "With the exception +of ourselves and the two ahead of us, I believe we are the only +civilized people who have ever floated upon its waters." + +"I am perfectly satisfied on that point," returned Prof. Drearland. +"Suppose we name it after you, Jack?" + +"That's it," echoed Van. "Call it Howard River." + +The rest of the party agreed to this, so the stream was named, as far as +our friends were concerned. + +Rifles in hand, the floating party kept a good watch on either shore. + +As they reached a bend, round which the other raft had disappeared, they +were suddenly startled by hearing a loud trumpeting noise. + +At first they thought it was a company of soldiers they were +approaching, but a moment's study told them that such a thing was +utterly out of the question. + +"I know what caused that noise," said Joe, who had been listening +attentively. "It was made by a herd of elephants; I have heard them +before." + +"Gracious! you don't say so!" exclaimed the professor, with a look of +alarm on his face. "You don't think there is any danger of their +swimming out and attacking us, do you?" + +"You can't tell what might happen, old man," spoke up Jack Howard, in a +serious tone. "You'd better have your rifle ready." + +As if to verify his words, a violent crashing was heard in the +underbrush that lined the shore at that point, and the next moment a +herd of eight elephants suddenly appeared and entered the water. + +"If we don't want them to bother us, the best thing for us to do is to +remain perfectly quiet," said Van. + +"That is it," returned Joe. + +The huge animals had evidently come to the river for the purpose of +taking a bath, for they merely waded off a few feet and then proceeded +to enjoy themselves after their own fashion. + +They did not appear to notice the raft at all, and soon they were lost +to sight as our friends drifted around a bend. + +Prof. Drearland drew a long breath of relief. He evidently was very much +afraid of the elephants. + +When the raft had drifted perhaps five miles down the river the sight of +cultivated fields met the eyes of our friends. + +While they were speculating as to what would be the next thing to turn +up they were startled to hear the reports of firearms down the river. + +"That is Doc Clancy, I'll wager!" exclaimed Van. "Some of the natives +have attacked the raft." + +"You are right," returned Jack. "Now we must look out for squalls." + +The further they drifted the narrower the stream became, while the +current kept on increasing in force. + +The mass of timber was now floating along at the rate of at least ten +miles an hour. + +Presently the explorers came in sight of a large village of log houses, +situated near the river bank. + +Hundreds of white people could be seen about the vicinity, and our +friends at once concluded that this was the nation to whom the Amazons +belonged. + +Van caused their horses to lie down on the logs, and then all hands +dropped from sight behind the timbers that had been piled up for that +purpose. + +A crowd of the natives were already at the edge of the water, and by +their actions they seemed to be in a great state of excitement. + +As our friends rapidly neared them, a shout went up from the crowd, and +they proceeded to push off a number of canoes. + +The next minute fully a dozen were making for the raft. + +The natives were armed with spears and ugly-looking knives, so our +friends thought it best not to allow them to land upon the raft. + +As the foremost canoe neared them, Jack Howard fired a shot from his +rifle, taking a lock of hair from the head of one of the men. + +In an instant a wild howl went up from the occupants of the canoes and +those on the shore. + +The rifle shot was evidently too much for them to understand, since they +were unable to see our friends. + +The canoes put back for shore with all possible speed. + +"I guess they won't trouble us much," remarked our hero. "But I believe +we are drifting into danger, for all that." + +"Why so?" asked Dr. Pestle. + +"Because the way this current runs leads me to believe that there must +be a falls close by." + +"Then we'd better get ashore," remarked Lank Edwards. + +"If we do that we will get into trouble. See! both sides of the river +are lined with the white savages." + +"Well," said Van, after a pause, "I think we had better stick to the +raft as long as it holds together under us." + +Our hero's words seemed to satisfy all hands, so they settled down and +watched the shore, which was flitting by them so rapidly. + +In half an hour the country no longer looked as though it was inhabited. + +The scene was now one of wild grandeur--sublime and picturesque. + +The stream had narrowed down to twice the width of the raft, and our +friends knew that it was only a question of a short time before it would +strike the shore and be split asunder. + +Yet they dared not leave it. To trust themselves in the boiling, surging +waters which were now running with the speed of a race horse, meant +nothing but death itself. + +With pale faces the little party waited. + +Fifteen minutes later they saw that their journey upon the raft of logs +was about ended. + +About two hundred yards ahead of them the stream was so narrow that the +raft would not be able to get through in its present shape. + +"Mount your horses and make for the stern!" exclaimed Van. "We must take +to the water now, and we will stand more show with the animals than +without them." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE DWARFS. + + +As Van Vincent spoke he seized the bridle rein of his horse and started +for the rear end of the raft. + +His companions quickly followed his example, and in an exceedingly short +space of time all had sprung upon the backs of their horses. + +By the time they had done so the foremost part of the raft was within a +few feet of striking a rocky point of land. + +There was not a moment to be lost. + +Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash, splash! + +One after another the horses leaped into the foaming water. + +As Van rose to the surface on the back of his steed, he at once urged +the animal toward the nearest shore, which was not over twenty yards +distant. + +He had scarcely done so when he heard a grinding crash, followed +immediately by a roar that was deafening. + +The timber raft was bent and twisted in a hundred different shapes, and +then for a moment became wedged in the narrow gut through which the +turbulent water flowed. + +This one thing saved the lives of our friends. + +The tangled mass of logs stayed the current for an instant, and the +water became almost still. + +With mighty efforts the horses swam for the shore, reaching it just as +the improvised dam gave way with a loud crash. + +With a feeling of mute thankfulness, Van and his companions fell upon +the necks of their faithful animals. + +Their escape from a certain death seemed nothing short of a miracle. + +For several minutes they stood upon the river bank, gazing at the +roaring flood before them. + +As it was near nightfall, Van suggested that they find a suitable spot +to pitch their camp for the night, and start a fire to dry their wet +clothing. + +Following the course of the turbulent stream, they started forward at a +quick trot. + +In a few minutes they reached the crest of a monster waterfall, which +went dashing fully three hundred feet to a bleak-looking valley below. + +In the center of the valley was a smooth sheet of water, which was now +filled with the logs that had formed their raft a short time before. + +"I guess there is no use of following Doc Clancy any further," observed +Jack Howard. "If he went over that falls it was the last of him." + +"Maybe he didn't go over," returned Van. "We didn't, you know." + +"I don't think he did, unless he bears a charmed life," exclaimed Joe. +"Look down there!" + +The boy pointed to the valley below. + +All hands instantly turned their gaze in the direction indicated. + +They beheld Doc Clancy and his companion coolly riding through the +valley, with their horses on a slow walk, as though nothing had +happened. + +"Well, that beats me!" said Lank Edwards. "What'll we do now?" + +"Why, go down there, of course," returned our hero, promptly. "Here is a +footpath, and--by Jove! here are the hoof prints of the two villains' +horses. Come on." + +As Van seemed to be the recognized leader of the party, his friends +promptly followed him. + +The path they started to descend was a rather steep one, but by good +management they succeeded in getting to the level country below in +safety. + +By the time they arrived at the foot of the falls, the two men they +were following had disappeared around a projection of land. + +But the trail was as plain as the nose on a person's face, and, urging +their horses into a brisk canter, our friends started in pursuit. + +The noise of the falling water was so great that the thud of the horse's +hoofs could not be heard; and they expected to overtake Clancy in very +short order. + +The sun had now disappeared below the horizon, and it was growing dark +rapidly, but they could still see the trail very plainly. + +However, in less than five minutes, it was lost altogether, owing to the +fact that the pathway was now of solid rock. + +But, weapons in hand, the six bold adventurers kept on, expecting every +minute to find soft earth once more. + +Suddenly a wild, unearthly noise rang out, which sounded like the +barking of a thousand dogs. + +Joe's horse shied and collided with the animal ridden by Jack Howard. +The consequence was that both riders were thrown to the ground in a +confused heap. + +Before the rest of the party could comprehend what had happened, a +veritable swarm of dwarfish figures burst from the cover of the adjacent +rocks and rushed upon them. + +Jack Howard and Joe were instantly seized by the curious beings, and +then, as if by magic, the whole crowd disappeared. + +Meanwhile, Van and the rest of his companions had been carried several +yards from the spot by their frightened horses. + +So suddenly had the whole thing occurred that they were not aware of the +fact that Jack and Joe were missing until they beheld their two +riderless steeds galloping madly from the spot. + +"What in thunderation has happened, anyhow?" gasped Lank Edwards, gazing +about him in dumfounded amazement. + +"The Lord only knows!" returned Prof. Drearland, who was thoroughly +frightened. + +It was now so dark they were unable to distinguish objects at a distance +greater than a dozen yards, and the four remaining ones in the party +were at a complete loss as to what course to pursue. + +"Well," remarked Van, at length, when they came to a halt about a +hundred yards from the spot where the dwarfs had sprung upon them, "we +must make an effort to find Jack and Joe. There must certainly be some +opening around here somewhere, where those little savages went in." + +"That is certainly so," spoke up Dr. Pestle. + +Our hero now dismounted and began searching about the place where the +dwarfs had disappeared. + +Almost immediately he discovered a long, narrow rift which extended into +the side of a hill that formed one of the boundaries of the valley. + +"Here is where they went!" he exclaimed, in an excited manner. "Come on, +now; we must rescue Jack and Joe!" + +"What are we going to do with the horses?" asked the professor. + +"Hobble them so they can't stray far away," was the reply. "Hurry up, +now." + +In less than two minutes this was done, and all four were ready to enter +the opening. + +With Van at their head they pushed inside. + +It was as dark as the grave itself, and they felt the need of a torch to +light them on their way through the unknown place. + +Dr. Pestle had enough oil left in a bottle to saturate a piece of his +coat, and when this was twisted into a compact mass it was lighted. + +The doctor walked by the side of Van, with his improvised torch, which +served its purpose well enough. + +When they had traversed a distance of probably two hundred yards, they +found they did not need any light. + +Before them they beheld a vast cavern of a circular shape. + +In many places upon the ground small fires were burning, and these +furnished enough light for them to see where they were going. Around the +fires could be seen groups of the dwarfs, who were, by the way, the +strangest people any of our friends had ever seen. + +They wore short skirts, which seemed to be made of some sort of leather, +the rest of their bodies being bare. + +The tallest of them could not have been over three feet six inches in +height, but they seemed to be very powerful, for all that. + +Bows and arrows and clubs were the only weapons they possessed, and as +Van and his three companions gazed upon them from their point of +observation, they reckoned that they could clean out the place if they +tried very hard. + +But they were doomed to be badly mistaken in their idea. + +The dwarfs, who were a race of cave dwellers, supposed by the world at +large to be extinct, were about as bloodthirsty and determined as any +savage who ever drew the breath of life. + +Van had just suggested that they move forward to try and find their two +missing friends, when they were startled to hear the sound of footsteps +approaching from the way they entered the place. + +They had scarcely turned around when they beheld Doc Clancy and his +partner running toward them with all their might, a perfect horde of the +dwarfs at their heels. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A HORRIBLE FATE. + + +We must now turn our attention to Jack Howard and the boy, Joe, and see +what became of them. + +The pair were half stunned from the fall from their horses, and before +they could collect their scattered senses they had a vague idea of being +picked up and carried away. + +Jack was the first to recover the full use of his faculties, and when he +did so he found himself in Stygian darkness. + +A dozen pairs of arms were clasped about his body, it seemed, and he was +being whisked swiftly along in a direction that was unknown to him. + +Neither he nor Joe had as yet seen what sort of looking fellows their +captors were, so, of course, they had not the remotest idea as to who +were carrying them off. + +Jack heard a series of doglike noises all around him, and he came to the +conclusion that it must be a gang of some mysterious animals who were +carrying him to their den. + +The brave young Englishman determined to make a desperate effort to +escape from them. + +Exerting all his strength, he strove to free himself. + +But he soon found it to be utterly useless. The more he struggled, the +tighter the clutch became about his body. + +And Joe! The delicate, little fellow was so badly frightened at his +mysterious capture that he fainted. + +In a very few minutes Jack beheld a light ahead of him, and in a short +space of time he was able to see about him fairly well. + +When he found that his captors were such little fellows, he again made a +wild effort to free himself. + +But, as before, it was of no avail. + +Jack concluded not to waste his strength any further, but to wait for a +more fitting opportunity. + +About ten minutes after he reached this conclusion, the dwarfs came to a +halt, and he was deposited upon the ground. + +But before he was allowed to rise to his feet his hands were securely +tied behind him. + +Joe, who had not yet recovered from his faint, was also securely bound. + +Jack found that he was in a small cave, which appeared to be situated in +a vast cavern. + +In front of its opening a fire was burning, and around this those who +had brought him there were seated. + +The young man soon saw that the cave was reserved solely for the use of +Joe and himself, for the dwarfs all remained outside near the fire. + +Knowing it was useless to attempt to escape, Jack sat down near the +mouth of the cave and watched his captors to see what they were doing. + +In a few minutes Joe came to himself, and crept to the side of his +friend. + +Jack explained their situation as best he could, and then said: + +"There is one thing in our favor, and that is they haven't taken our +weapons from us. I want you to crawl behind me, Joe, and see if you +can't gnaw loose the bonds that hold my hands together. If you can do it +I will set you free then; and we will then open fire on these little +savages and run for it." + +"All right," replied the boy, "I'll do my best." + +He crept behind Jack and began the task allotted to him, which he found +would be a difficult one, as the thongs which bound them were of +leather. + +Meanwhile the dwarfs, who had evidently been holding a consultation in +regard to their prisoners, suddenly arose to their feet and began +singing a weird chant in their queer language. + +The moment they began it others came hurrying to the spot, and in five +minutes' time it seemed as though there must be fully five hundred +congregated about. + +The noise they made was not so very loud, but it was mournful, and +reminded Jack of the howling of a dog. + +"What do you suppose they are making that awful noise for?" whispered +Joe, resting from his gnawing task for a moment. + +"I don't know," returned Jack, in his restless way, "unless they are +singing our funeral hymn." + +Joe made no reply, but again tackled the leather thongs with his sharp +teeth. + +He must have made an extraordinary effort, for in less than a minute +Jack felt that his hands were free. + +"Good!" he exclaimed. "Now, turn your back toward me, and I'll set you +free in short order." + +Carefully drawing his knife from his belt, he was as good as his word, +and the next minute the two captives were standing upright in the cave +with a revolver in either hand. + +But the dwarfs paid no attention to them whatever. They still kept up +their weird chant, and had now formed themselves into a procession and +were marching about in every conceivable shape. + +When the bulk of the crowd had moved a few yards from the mouth of the +cave, Jack concluded it was time for them to step out. + +"Come, Joe," said he, coolly; "we'll have to be going now. Our friends +won't know what to make of our long absence." + +Joe looked at his companion with a glance of admiration in his large +eyes, and then followed him from the cave. + +This seemed to be just exactly what the dwarfs wanted them to do, for +the moment they stepped from the cave a double line on either side +rushed up and completely surrounded them. + +Both captives were too much surprised at the unexpected turn of affairs, +and before they were scarcely aware of it they were tightly hemmed in +like a wedge in a block. + +Their arms were forced to their sides, though both still clutched their +revolvers. + +Jack had been in many a crowd in various cities throughout the world, +but never had he been subjected to such a tight squeeze as the dwarfs +forced him to undergo. + +Joe, who was delicate, anyhow, was nearly crushed. + +Presently the crowd began to move, and Jack and Joe were carried along +without making a single effort. + +Slowly they proceeded, and at length entered a dark passage. + +"I say!" exclaimed Jack, "where are you taking us to, I'd like to know?" + +The only reply he got was a fresh burst of the chant they had been +singing, which sounded worse than ever in the narrow passage. + +The two were forced along for perhaps a hundred feet in the same slow +manner, and then a wild rush suddenly took place. + +Pell-mell went the crowd of dwarfs, and, of course, Jack and Joe had to +go with them. + +The next thing Jack knew he felt himself going downward, and then he +fetched up sprawling on a smooth, rocky floor. + +The young Englishman was so badly dazed that it was a minute or two +before he could arise to his feet. + +He was in total darkness, and could not hear a sound beyond the beating +of his heart, which was now throbbing away like a triphammer. + +"Joe!" he called. "I say, Joe, where are you?" + +But there was no response. + +Jack now became very uneasy. + +He was more frightened than he had ever been in his whole life before. + +There was something so weird and mysterious about his situation that he +was completely unnerved. + +Suddenly it occurred to him to light a match. + +With trembling hands he did so. + +The first objects to meet his gaze were his revolvers lying at his feet. + +He promptly picked them up and placed them in his belt. + +"I wonder what has become of Joe?" he muttered. "Poor boy! I don't want +to see any harm come to him, and I shan't, either, if I can help it. But +this is enough to scare the life out of a little fellow like him. I +wonder...." + +At that instant a shrill scream rang out, and Jack started as though he +had been shot. + +Turning quickly, he held the still burning match in front of him, and +beheld a startling, not to say horrible, sight. + +Crawling over the ground, a few feet from him, was a monstrous creature +resembling a crab! + +But that was not the worst of it. Joe was gripped firmly in its huge +claws. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +SEARCHING FOR JACK AND JOE. + + +"Hide!" exclaimed Van, when he saw Doc Clancy and his confederate +running toward them with the dwarfs at their heels. + +He darted around a point of rock as he spoke, and his companions quickly +followed him. + +Luckily for them, they were not seen by the dwarfs, and half a minute +later the whole gang rushed by them. + +The two fugitives had scarcely entered the vast cavern when they were +overtaken by their pursuers. + +Both villains at once threw up their hands and howled for mercy. + +But the dwarfs did not understand them, and if they could have done so +it is not likely that it would have made any difference. + +Doc Clancy was thrown upon the ground in the twinkling of an eye, and +his companion was flung almost on top of him. + +It was just at this moment that our friends saw large numbers of the +dwarfs leave their fires and rush to a point at the furthermost end of +the huge cavern. + +But as it was beyond the range of their vision, they could not see what +it was that called the little cave dwellers to that certain spot. + +Meanwhile the dwarfs picked up their two prisoners and started across +the cavern. + +They were bent upon joining their companions, by the manner in which +they hurried, and in spite of the pleadings of Doc Clancy and his +friend, they were hustled away in a fashion that was decidedly +unceremonious. + +"See here," said Van, suddenly; "there is a great deal of hubbub over +there; let's walk out a little ways and see what is going on." + +"That's it," returned Lank Edwards. "Them fellers can't see us as long +as we don't carry a light." + +The doctor and the professor being willing, Van led the way out into the +open cavern. + +He had scarcely done so when he gave a startled cry. + +"What is the matter?" asked his three friends in a breath. + +"I see Jack and Joe!" our hero exclaimed. "See! there they go. The +dwarfs have cut them off from escape and surrounded them." + +"We must get there as soon as possible," said Dr. Pestle, in a plucky +tone of voice. + +"Sure!" echoed Lank Edwards, at the same time tightening his belt in +order to be ready for the fight that was sure to come. + +The dwarfs who were conveying Clancy and his companion along were now +running in the direction of the crowd where Van had seen Jack and Joe a +moment before. + +But before they reached them our friends saw the whole crowd enter a +passage, similar to the one through which they had reached the place. + +Though they were unable to catch a glimpse of them, they knew that Jack +and Joe were among the crowd. + +The four were now hurrying swiftly along in the wake of the dwarfs who +had Doc Clancy and the other fellow. + +Van conjectured that they would most likely lead the way into the same +passage Jack and Joe had been taken. + +In this he was right, for by the time he and his three friends had made +half the distance across the open space the last dwarf had entered the +passage. + +The four now started forward on a run, and a couple of minutes later +they were at the spot where the mysterious underground dwellers had +disappeared with their prisoners. + +But they had scarcely entered the passage when they heard the dwarfs +coming back, as thought in a combined rush. + +There was a niche close at hand, and, noticing this, Van quickly +motioned his companions to follow him into it. + +They had scarcely sought seclusion in the niche when the foremost of the +dwarfs went rushing by. + +In the semilight that prevailed in that part of the cavern our hero +noticed that Doc Clancy and his ally were in their midst, still being +carried along as prisoners. + +He watched the curious crowd as they filed past, expecting every moment +to see Jack and Joe being brought back. + +But no such sight greeted his eyes, and at length the entire crowd of +dwarfs who had entered the passage a few minutes before had left it and +returned to the burning fires in the cavern. + +"They have left Jack and Joe somewhere back here in this passage," said +Van, in a tone of deep concern, when the dwarfs were out of hearing. + +"They have, sure, if they took 'em in here," observed Lank Edwards. + +"I know they took them in here," returned our hero. "I saw them; and as +they are still here, and not far away, I should judge, I propose we look +for them." + +"I agree with you!" exclaimed Dr. Pestle, warmly. "Come on; there is +enough left of the torch I manufactured to light us on our way." + +"Suppose the little fiends have killed our two companions," spoke up +the professor, in a faltering tone; "what then?" + +"If such a thing has happened, they'll be dead," replied Lank Edwards. +"But, come on; I'll wager a plug of terbacky that we'll find 'em." + +Dr. Pestle struck a match and lighted the rudely constructed torch, and +the four started along the passage. + +It was slimy and damp in the place, and lizards could be seen crawling +about in all shapes. + +"Ugh!" grunted the professor; "a nasty place, this." + +"For that reason we should be more anxious to get Jack and Joe out of +it," said Van. + +He had scarcely spoken when the smothered report of a revolver was heard +from a point directly ahead of them. + +Feeling that they had come upon their two friends, they made a rush +forward. + +But the next instant they were checked by a huge bowlder. + +They came to a halt, completely nonplused. + +"Why, here is the way," said the doctor, suddenly, holding his torch to +the left as he spoke. + +Sure enough, a continuance of the passage was disclosed! + +"Well," observed our hero, "I'll fire off my revolver to let them know +we are coming, and then we will go on." + +Pointing the weapon in the air, he pulled the trigger. + +A hundred echoes followed the report, and then an answering shot was +heard. + +The next instant all four darted into the passage. + +They had hardly taken a dozen steps when their heels flew from beneath +them, and they went shooting down a slippery decline with the speed of +the wind. + +But in a very few seconds they brought up in a confused heap on a rocky +floor. + +"Thunder!" ejaculated Lank Edwards. "What has happened now?" + +He scrambled to his feet, followed by his companions. + +Dr. Pestle's torch had become extinguished, and he hastened to light it +again. + +As the feeble flame flared up, they found that they were in what +appeared to be a tomb. + +All around them they beheld piles of bones and grinning skulls. + +The professor's teeth began to chatter. + +"Let us get out of here!" he exclaimed. + +"You forget," said Van. "We came down here in search of Jack and Joe." + +As he finished speaking, he fired off his revolver, and began shouting +"Jack!" as loud as he could. + +To the joy of all hands, an answering cry was heard close at hand. + +"This way!" a voice shouted. "Hurry, for I have got more than I can +attend to here!" + +"That is Jack," said our hero. "Come on; he is in some sort of trouble!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +IN A PERILOUS POSITION. + + +As Jack Howard beheld the hideous, crablike monster dragging Joe across +the floor of the cave, an exclamation of horror left his lips. + +The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous position, must have +fainted, for beyond the single shriek he had uttered he remained +perfectly silent. + +Of all the horrible-looking creatures Jack had ever heard of, this one +was the worst. + +In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could be compared to, +while in size it was fully as large as a mammoth sea turtle. + +Its claws were something awful to look upon, and Jack shuddered when he +saw that one of them clasped Joe firmly by the shoulder. + +Just then the match went out, and the sight was lost to his gaze. + +This served to bring Jack to his senses. + +Quick as a flash he had lighted another and drawn his revolver. + +The monster was making very slow progress with its intended victim, and, +regardless of himself being seized by it, Jack rushed up and leveled his +weapon at one of its glittering eyes. + +Crack! + +As the report rang out Jack seized Joe and pulled him away. + +A cry of joy escaped his lips. + +The unconscious boy was free from the monster. + +But at the same time the report of the revolver had extinguished the +match, and Jack did not know whether he had killed the creature or not. + +A furious thrashing on the ground told him he had not, although he +judged that it was in the throes of death. + +Lighting another match, he started forward to find a place of safety. + +A few steps and he discovered a huge rock, which was flat on top. + +Exerting all his strength, he lifted Joe upon it and then clambered up +himself. + +It was no easy task for him to do so, as the top of the rock was over +six feet high. + +But fear lent him strength, and he succeeded in getting up in a hurry. + +Before he arose to his feet, after reaching the top of the rock, Jack +struck another match. + +He found that he was safe for the present, for it was not at all likely +that the monster could get up there. + +He concluded to endeavor to bring Joe to consciousness. + +He threw the match down at his feet, and then started to stoop over the +boy. + +But before he could reach him, a bright flame shot up from the spot +where the match had fallen. + +"Great Scott!" exclaimed the young Englishman, "I have set the rock on +fire." + +Leaving Joe for an instant, he proceeded to see what it was that had +become ignited. The flame, which was still burning with a steady light, +made it easy for him to see. + +The spot where the match had fallen was near the center of the rock, +which appeared to be filled with a mixture of coal dust and pitch, as +Jack afterward put it. + +The pithy substance seemed to extend clear through the rock, and as soon +as Jack saw what it was that was burning, he concluded to let it go, as +it furnished him a very good light to see what was going on around him. +He now could hear a sharp, clicking noise all around the rock, and a +glance showed the place to be alive with monsters like the one which had +started to carry off Joe. + +Their huge claws, opening and shutting, caused the noise. + +Just as Jack was about to turn to Joe again, the boy opened his eyes. + +"Where am I?" he gasped, struggling to a sitting posture. + +"You are all right now, old fellow," returned Jack, in a voice that was +meant to be cheerful, though it hardly expressed it. + +"Oh, I remember"--and a shudder passed over the boy's frame--"some +horrible creature was dragging me away, and I--I fainted." + +"That is what you did, Joe. Why is it you faint away so often? You put +me in mind of a girl sometimes." + +"Do I?"--and the face of Joe turned a deep crimson. "I suppose it is my +weak nature that makes me swoon every time something awful frightens me; +but I won't do it any more, for it might be the means of us both losing +our lives." + +"Well, never mind, Joe," said Jack, in a kindly tone. "You are a brave +little fellow in times of danger, and I can't blame you for fainting +when such a thing as those down there gets a hold of you." + +"Are there any more of them around, then?" + +And the boy shifted his position so as to get a view of the hideous +creatures that surrounded the rock. + +"Well," said he, after a pause, "I am not afraid of them now. If we each +had a good club, we could jump down there and kill the whole lot of them +in a very few minutes. They are nothing but land crabs, though much +larger than any I have ever seen before. A sharp blow will crush the +shell upon them, and then they are helpless." + +"Is that so?" asked Jack, becoming interested. "But they are dangerous, +all the same, are they not?" + +"Oh, yes; I suppose they could tear you all to pieces with their big +claws." + +"Suppose we begin shooting at them?" + +"All right." + +The next minute the two were blazing away at the crablike creatures. + +Jack noticed that every time a bullet hit one of their claws it would +immediately drop from the creature's body. The fire, which was still +steadily burning, made sufficient light for them to see within the +radius of a dozen yards. + +When the two had either killed or disabled all the land crabs they could +see, they turned their gaze about to see if there was any avenue open +for them to leave the place. + +Presently they observed a narrow passage to the left of them, which +seemed to run through a solid wall of black rock. + +Jack was just going to suggest that they get down from their perch and +investigate, when an animal as large as a half-grown ox suddenly emerged +from the passage. + +In looks it resembled a rhinoceros, though both Jack and Joe could see +that its back was covered with a shell. + +A sharp horn projected from its mouth, and its gleaming eyes flashed +like balls of fire. + +With an ugly snort the queer creature started for the rock upon which +the pair stood. + +"I guess I had better shoot him," said Jack. "He might be able to jump +up here." + +Leveling his rifle at one of the animal's eyes, he pulled the trigger. + +The bullet was true to its mark, and the next instant the beast was +rolling upon the ground in the throes of death. + +"That was a good shot," observed Joe, in an admiring tone. "But, look! +there comes another!" + +Sure enough, another of the beasts emerged from the passage; but that +was not all. Another, and still another followed. + +It was at this state of affairs that the two heard the muttered sound of +a pistol shot. + +"Our friends are coming to our rescue," exclaimed Jack. "Now, then, we +have got to kill off these things at once, so they will not be attacked +by them before they reach us." + +They began firing, and in a few minutes the three beasts had met the +same fate as the first one. + +But now a new danger threatened them. The smell of blood from the slain +animals was drawing a multitude of land crabs to the spot. + +As the two looked upon the ground, they saw that it was literally +covered with the monsters, many of them had already seized upon the +carcasses and were tearing them to pieces. + +Again a pistol shot rang out, this time close at hand. + +Then a voice called out Jack's name. + +Jack quickly answered, as was recorded at the conclusion of the last +chapter, and half a minute later Van Vincent and his companions emerged +from the passage and appeared on the scene. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE BAND OF HORSEMEN. + + +The moment Jack Howard saw his friends emerge from the passage, he +shouted to them to look out for the crabs. + +The four needed no second warning. The next moment they were shooting +into the crawling monsters right and left. + +"Clear a path to the rock!" shouted Joe, who was doing his part of the +shooting. + +His advice was promptly acted upon, and half a minute later Jack and Joe +dropped from their perch and rushed to the side of their friends. + +Leaving the fire still burning brightly on the top of the rock, all +hands rushed through the passage and soon reached the cave where the +skulls and bones lay in such numbers. + +Strange to say, none of the huge land crabs followed them, nor did any +more of the strange animals appear. + +In a very short time Van led the way to the incline, where he and his +three companions had slid down in such an unexpected manner. + +By dint of the greatest exertion, they managed to crawl up the slippery +place. + +"Now, then," observed Lank Edwards, "we are all right till we strike +ther dwarfs." + +"I think we can get the best of them if we keep our eyes open," returned +Jack. "'Lead on, Van." + +With their weapons ready for instant use, they proceeded along the +passage. + +Without mishap they reached the end, and beheld the lighted fires of the +dwarfs before them. + +But they saw something else, too. Coming toward them, was a band of the +little cave dwellers, with Doc Clancy and his ally in their midst. + +"They think the crabs have finished Joe and I by this time, and now they +are going to put them two scoundrels in the horrible cave," said Jack. + +"I hope they won't have as much luck as you fellows did," returned Lank +Edwards. "The quicker the crabs make a meal of 'em, the better it will +be for us." + +The mate had scarcely finished speaking when a wild shout went up from +the approaching dwarfs, and they beheld Doc Clancy and his man fleeing +from them with all their might. + +Almost at the same instant our friends saw this, a deafening explosion +rang out, causing them to be nearly thrown from their feet. + +"The fire on the rock caused that, I'll bet!" exclaimed Jack, as soon as +he had recovered himself. + +His friends took it for granted that he was right, as the noise came +from that direction. + +But the explosion proved of great value to our friends, as well as to +the villainous couple, who had broken away from their captors. + +The terrific report frightened the dwarfs so badly that everyone in the +cavern fell prone to the ground, and remained lying upon their faces. + +Heartily glad to leave the place, Van and his companions followed Doc +Clancy and his pal, who were making for the outlet of the cavern as fast +as they could go. + +Nothing interfered with them, and fifteen minutes later they were in the +open air once more. + +The moon had risen, and by aid of its light they beheld not only the +horses they had left hobbled in the vicinity, but the two Jack and Joe +had been thrown from, as well. + +The animals were quite tame now, and seemed glad to meet their masters. + +All hands deemed it advisable to mount, and leave the dangerous valley +at once. + +Accordingly, they did so, and half an hour later they were ascending a +steep hill at its other side. + +Once at the top of the hill, the country was level, and covered with +vegetation. + +The howling of wild beasts could be heard on all sides of them, and so +fierce were the noises that it became necessary for the party to come to +a halt and start a fire before they had traveled five miles. + +Selecting a good spot, the required dry wood was collected, and a +rousing fire started. + +The horses were kept together in a bunch near this, and then, dividing +themselves into watches they prepared to pass the remainder of the +night. + +But so thrilling had their adventures been since they had boarded the +raft up the river, that none in the party could sleep till near morning. + +When morning arrived a hearty breakfast was made from a doe shot by +Jack, and then a consultation was held as to what course to pursue. + +"There is one thing certain," said Prof. Drearland, "we would never be +able to reach the coast if we started back the way we came. My advice is +to keep on until we strike some civilized people." + +"Here are hoof prints!" Van exclaimed, suddenly. "That proves that Doc +Clancy made good his escape. Where he can go, we surely can, so we will +follow the trail." + +Sure enough, there was the trail made by two horses, leading on through +the wild forest. + +The sun was not over an hour high when the party set out once more. + +"How far do you think we have traveled since we left the coast?" said +Jack, addressing the professor. + +"About eight hundred miles," was the reply. + +"That are what I call somethin' great," spoke up Lank Edwards. "Just +think of it! Eight hundred miles through ther wildest country on ther +face of ther earth, an' only lost one man! An' look what we have passed +through, too. It is enough ter fill a book, I reckon." + +"You are right," returned Van, "and ever since we have started we have +been chasing a murderer." + +"I think I'll be the means of stoppin' this chase of yours, Van," said +the mate. "I'll give it ter ye plain, right now, that I am goin' ter +shoot Doc Clancy ther first time I git ther chance. I can't help it, +whether you like it or not; he's earned his fate a dozen times since +I've known him, an' it's got ter be done." + +Our hero said nothing to this. He saw that the speaker meant what he +said, and so he concluded to let things take their own course. + +When he came to think over the matter, he concluded that Lank Edwards +was about right. If Doc Clancy was killed, the murder of his uncle would +be avenged, and that would settle it. + +The party rode on in silence for the best part of an hour, scarcely +exchanging a word until the edge of the forest was reached. + +They beheld a long, level plain before them, which was dotted here and +there by small groups of trees. + +The trail of the two villains was before them, but although they looked +carefully over the plain, they could not see a moving object. + +As the sun was scorching hot, they concluded to rest until toward +evening. A long ride under the rays of the blazing sun might prove fatal +to them, the doctor said. + +Selecting a cool, shady spot by the side of a small rivulet, the horses +were turned upon the luxuriant grass, and the party prepared to take the +rest they were so much in need of. + +Thus far all hands had enjoyed remarkably good health, but it was owing +to the medicines carried by Dr. Pestle. + +It was probably four o'clock in the afternoon when they got ready to +start over the plain. + +Just as they were mounting they saw a number of horses coming swiftly +over the plain toward them. + +"Wild horses, I guess," observed the professor. + +"No, they ain't, either," returned Lank Edwards, who had been gazing +intently at the approaching animals. "They ain't wild horses, nohow, +'cause wild horses ain't likely to have men on their backs, an' these +fellers have." + +"What!" gasped our hero. "A party of mounted men?" + +"That's just what it are," was the reply. + +"Let's get under the cover of these trees and wait till they get a +little nearer," suggested Jack. + +They at once did so. + +Ten minutes more and all were satisfied that the horses were mounted. + +There were about fifty of them, and at the head of the column were two +men in civilized dress. + +It did not take our hero long to see that these two were Doc Clancy and +the villain who had joined his forces with him. + +He knew then that the scoundrels were bent on wiping them out. In some +manner they must have come across the horsemen and made friends with +them, and then got them to assist in their vile purpose. + +"What do you propose to do?" our hero asked, turning to his friends. + +"I'll tell yer what I'm a-goin' ter do," said Lank Edwards. "I'm a-goin' +ter wait till they git near enough, an' then I'm a-goin' ter shoot Doc +Clancy, an' ther other feller, too, if I kin. If them fellers on ther +horses behind 'em can't fight any better than they kin ride, I think we +kin clean out ther whole business easy enough." + +Nearer and nearer approached the horsemen, and our friends could see +that the mate was right when he said they were not good riders. + +For the most part, they appeared more like drunken men than anything +else, by the manner in which they wabbled about. + +When the approaching band was within five hundred yards of our friends, +Lank Edwards' rifle suddenly flew to his shoulder and two reports rang +out in rapid succession. + +Both Doc Clancy and his companion threw up their hands and fell to the +ground. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY. + + +The two villains had no sooner tumbled from their steeds than the rest +of the horses scattered in every direction, their riders flopping about +upon them like a set of scarecrows. + +"By thunder!" ejaculated Lank Edwards. "If them ain't dummies on them +horses I'm a living sinner!" + +"You are right," returned Van. "Come! we will go out and see if Doc +Clancy and his partner are really dead." + +The words scarcely left our hero's lips when Doc Clancy suddenly sprang +to his feet, and, mounting his horse, sped away with the speed of the +wind. + +It all happened so quickly that our friends were unable to make a move +to stop him. + +Lank Edwards again raised his rifle to his shoulder, and was about to +shoot at the fleeing villain, when Van detained him. + +"Don't!" said he. "I want to capture him alive, if possible." + +"But he'll git away," persisted the mate. + +"Well, let him; we will catch him again." + +The horses with the dummies upon their backs now started at a sharp +gallop after the one rode by Doc Clancy. + +Van led the way to the spot where the other scoundrel lay, and found him +breathing heavily, with a wound in his right breast. + +A single glance told all hands that the man was dying. + +"Give me some whisky," he murmured, faintly. + +Jack Howard quickly placed his flask to the dying man's lips. + +After taking a couple of huge swallows, the fellow breathed a sigh of +relief. + +"I suppose you want to know where we got the horses and rigged 'em up," +said he. "Well, I'll tell you. We found 'em in the woods t'other side of +the plain. They belong to a nation of people who seem to be civilized, +from what we seen of 'em, and were rigged with the dummies when we came +across 'em. They followed us the minute we turned tail to the place, and +Doc, he says it would be a good idea to ride back and get the best of +you fellows. Where is Doc?" and he endeavored to raise himself upon his +elbow to look around. + +"He has escaped," replied Van. + +"Well, he'll have to go it alone now. I'm about done for, I guess. +Whoever fired that shot meant me; but I'm satisfied. I've been a bad +man, and shan't kick now because I've been done up by the ones I've been +trying to injure so long. Give--me--a--a--little--more--whisk----" + +Before the sentence was finished the man gave a gasp and fell back, +dead. + +"It is a wonder that he lived as long as he did," said Dr. Pestle, +examining the wound. "Let us give the wretch a decent burial and then be +off. He spoke about civilized people; we must look them up." + +There being no objections, a grave was scooped in the soft earth and the +body buried. + +Then our friends mounted their horses and started over the plain in the +direction taken by Doc Clancy and the herd of horses. + +Darkness overtook them before they reached the timber belt at the other +side, but as it was moonlight, they kept right on. + +A couple of hours later they reached the timber and followed a level +roadway through it. + +The belt was less than a mile wide, and ten minutes later the party +halted, for the simple reason that they could go no further in that +direction. + +A huge stone wall, not unlike the great wall of China, was before them. + +An iron gate of massive proportions stretched across the roadway, which +showed that our friends had arrived at the entrance of some undiscovered +city. + +"Well, well!" exclaimed Prof. Drearland, in a tone of delight. "We have +made the greatest discovery of the age. Who would have believed that +such a thing as a thick wall of masonry and a huge gate of iron was in +the very heart of Africa, where it is supposed that naught but wild +beasts and savages live? This is something grand, my friends. We must +get that gate open and see what lies beyond." + +All hands agreed with the professor, and then Van dismounted, and, +striking a match, held it close to the ground. + +He could see the fresh prints of horses' hoofs very plainly, and this +told him that Doc Clancy and the troop of horses must have gone through +the gateway. + +"We must open the gate," he said, rising to his feet. "Come! we will see +if it is possible to do so." + +Van had scarcely spoken when the huge, iron structure swung noiselessly +open, as if by magic. + +In an instant our hero was upon the back of his horse. + +"Come!" said he. "We may be going into a trap, but I am ready to take +the risk. Will you follow me?" + +"We will!" came the reply from all hands. + +The next moment the boy urged his horse through the gateway, and his +companions boldly followed him. + +As soon as the last one was through, the gate swung back to its former +place, making no noise whatever. + +"I don't like this business," observed Lank Edwards, with a shake of his +head. "It looks as thought ther old boy has got somethin' ter do with +this place. Howsumever, I'll stick to ther crowd." + +"We may as well go on," said Jack Howard. "We are in for it now, anyway. +Here is a fine, level road before us, and we may as well follow it." + +"Of course," rejoined Van. "Doc Clancy has gone this way, and so must +we." + +Leaving the gate behind them, they started along the road at a brisk +canter. + +The moon, which had been shining brightly a short time before, was now +covered with clouds, and the sky showed signs of rain. + +Therefore, it behooved our friends to reach a sheltered spot as soon as +possible. + +Presently it became so dark that they could no longer see their way ten +feet ahead of them. + +They came to a halt. + +They had scarcely done so when they became aware of the fact that they +were very close to a building of some sort. + +They could see its front not ten feet from them. + +Van dismounted and approached the building. + +As luck would have it, he struck the door of the place at the first +attempt. + +Pressing his knee against it, he gave a gentle shove. + +Contrary to his expectations, it opened readily enough. + +Just then huge drops of rain began falling. + +"We are in luck!" exclaimed Van, turning to his friends. "Here is a +stone building, which I don't believe is occupied. The door is open, so +we may as well go in and stay till morning." + +The doorway was a large one, and was on a level with the ground, and, +noticing this, Jack suggested that they bring their horses in, as well. + +There were no objections, so in the whole party filed, all on horseback +save Van, who led his steed. + +As soon as they got inside, Dr. Pestle struck a match. + +By the light it made they saw they were in a broad hallway, which looked +as though it had not been used for a generation or more. + +A broad staircase led upward from the hall, and as soon as they saw this +they decided to leave their horses where they were, and use the next +story of the building for themselves. + +This move was no sooner decided upon than our hero was leading the way +upstairs. + +His companions followed slowly behind him. + +When they reached the landing Jack struck a match. + +The floor was in one vast room, which looked so ancient and strange that +a feeling of awe came over them. + +"I say, Van, what do you think of this?" remarked Jack, turning around. + +But there was no answer to his question. + +Much mystified Jack glanced at his companions. + +They were all there but Van. + +"Van--Van!" he shouted. "Where are you?" + +But there was no reply. Our hero had vanished as mysteriously as though +he had been swallowed by an unseen goblin. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +WHAT BEFELL DOC CLANCY. + + +It will now be the proper thing for us to follow Doc Clancy and see how +the villain fared after his escape from our friends. + +The bullet from the rifle of Lank Edwards had not touched him, but, +seeing his companion fall, he concluded to do likewise, for fear he +might be fired upon again. + +When he sprang upon his horse again and dashed away, he did not turn his +head to see whether his friend had been killed or not, but galloped away +from the spot with all the speed his horse could command. + +What the dead man had told our friends about the herd of horses with his +dying breath was true. + +The two scoundrels had followed the roadway to the massive iron gate, +and here discovered the queerly mounted animals waiting to get inside +the wall. + +They thought it best to leave, and when the herd followed them, Doc +Clancy was in high glee. + +He thought he would surely best Van and his party now. But the reader +knows how well he succeeded. + +When the fleeing scoundrel had placed a quarter of a mile between +himself and our friends, he turned in the saddle and saw them digging a +hole in the ground. + +"The poor devil must be dead," he muttered. "Well, I'll have to go it +alone now. I suppose I had better make direct for that gate and try and +get inside it and make friends with the people who live there. If I can +do that, I may be able to set them against that young upstart, Van +Vincent, and the rest of his gang. Well, I'll try it, anyhow. Here +goes." + +Clancy did not halt until he reached the gate, and he was just wondering +how he was going to get through, when it opened. + +Without any hesitation, the villain rode through, the herd of horses +following him. + +It was now dark, but he determined to let the horses take him to where +they belonged. He had not proceeded very far before he noticed a number +of ruined stone buildings, but as the animals did not appear to want to +stop at any of these, he kept on. + +When he had covered perhaps three miles over the hard, level road, he +beheld a city before him--such as he had never beheld before. + +We say a city, for though it did not contain over two hundred buildings, +yet it was a city as far as its general appearance went. All its +buildings were tall and beautiful, and built of stone, while the streets +were broad and well paved. + +The moment Doc Clancy entered it with the herd of horses at his back, a +number of men rushed out to meet him and proceeded to catch the horses. + +As the moon was now covered with heavy clouds for the first time that +night, Clancy was not observed at all, and his horse was led away with +those who had the dummies on their backs. + +They were all placed in a large, comfortable stable, and then the men +proceeded to remove the figures from their backs. + +Doc Clancy now began to grow very uneasy. + +He began to think of what would happen when they discovered that one of +the animals had a real man on its back. + +But the villain was desperate, and determined not be killed or captured. + +Watching his opportunity, he slid from his horse's back, and then +quickly removed the rude bridle from its head. + +"Now," thought he, "I'll lay low till these fellows go out. Then I'll +sneak outside myself and see what sort of a place this is." + +This was a successful move, the men not noticing the deception at all. + +Fifteen minutes later they left the stable. It was now raining, but Doc +Clancy determined to go out, just the same. + +Pushing his way between the horses, who were now munching their evening +meal in a contented manner, he at length reached the door. + +"This is a pretty tough night to go out, when you have nice, dry +quarters like this to stay in; but I must see what sort of a place I am +in, and work a way to make myself welcome," muttered Clancy, as he +buttoned his coat about his neck. + +The next moment he stepped outside in the storm. + +The lights from houses on all sides of him could be seen, and he +concluded to approach one of them and look in the window. + +Selecting the nearest house for his purpose, he began crawling +stealthily toward it. + +In less than two minutes he was at the window. + +A muffled cry of astonishment escaped the villain's lips as he peered +in. + +He was gazing into an oblong room, furnished something after the +Oriental fashion. + +The walls and ceiling seemed to be a glittering mass of gold and silver, +and the light from a score of candles, thrust in candlesticks of the +same metal, made the scene a dazzling one, to say the least. + +Reclining on a divan was a woman, or, rather, a girl, for she could not +have been over sixteen years of age. + +She, too, looked like one of the dazzling beauties of the Orient, and +was robed like the women of Egypt. + +As Doc Clancy gazed at the ravishingly beautiful creature, his eyes +sparkled. + +"By Jove!" he muttered; "if I could only make friends with the people of +this place, and then marry that girl, I think I should be as happy as a +king. If I only dared, I would open the window. My! what a beautiful +creature! I'll do it, anyhow." + +Seizing the sash, he thrust it aside, and then sprang into the room with +a single bound. + +Foolish man! That was the very worst thing he could have done, and if +he had only stopped to think he would never have done it. + +As Clancy landed upon the floor the girl sprang from the divan and +uttered a wild scream of terror. + +"Keep still, my girl; I'm not going to harm you," Clancy hastened to +exclaim. + +But that one scream did the business. + +The next instant a curtain was thrown aside and half a dozen men rushed +in. + +Before Doc Clancy could make a move, he was seized and thrown upon his +back on the floor. + +A silken cord was wound tightly about his arms and legs, and then in a +twinkling of an eye he was whisked from the room. + +His captors did not stop until they had descended a flight of stone +steps, and Doc Clancy, who was now thoroughly frightened, felt a draught +of chilly air blowing upon him. + +Along a damp passage he was conducted, the men carrying lighted candles +to show them their way. + +Suddenly they came to a halt in a large, cellar-like chamber, and +deposited their prisoner on the ground. + +"I say," pleaded Clancy, "let me go, won't you? I'll get out of your +country right away, if you will." + +"Silence! you dog of an Englishman," exclaimed one of the men. "You must +die! You sealed your death warrant when you dared to enter the private +apartment of one of our chiefs' daughters." + +"Oh, I know you will save me," whined the wretch. "You can speak my +language, and surely you will not see me killed just because I came to +your city a stranger and made a mistake." + +"It matters not whether I speak your language or not. To-morrow you must +be thrown in the lion's den; you must beg him to spare you, not us." + +As if to doubly seal Doc Clancy's death sentence, a terrible roar rang +out close at hand. + +The villain had journeyed far enough through the African wilds to know +what caused it. + +It was the roar of a hungry lion. + +"That is the fellow you will have to meet in the morning," said the man +who had before addressed him. "We will place you in this pit next to +him. Sleep well!" + +Without any further ceremony, a door was opened and Doc Clancy, still +bound hand and foot, was tumbled into a pit about twenty feet square. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE AFRICAN UTOPIA. + + +But what became of Van Vincent? the reader might ask. + +By the time his companions started to ascend the stairs, he had reached +the landing above. + +Regardless of the fact that it was pitch dark, and that he was in a +strange place, he started to walk straight for the head of the +staircase. + +He did not take over ten steps before he brought up against a partition +with a jar, which immediately gave way. + +Van heard the noise made by his friends ascending the stairs, and then +he went shooting downward with the velocity of a cannon ball. + +He had a recollection of rolling over and over in some damp, +foul-smelling place, and then he lost consciousness. + +When he came to again he found himself in an elegantly furnished +apartment with a man bending over him. + +"Where am I?" gasped the boy, gazing wildly about him. + +"You are all right now," was the reply. "You had quite a fall, but I +have examined you and find no bones broken. Here, drink this, and you +will feel first rate." + +Van placed his lips to the shining metal mug that was proffered him, and +drank its contents almost at a single gulp. + +It tasted like wine, only more delicious than any he had ever drank +before. + +As the strange man said it would, it made him feel better, and he arose +to a sitting posture. + +Van glanced long and earnestly at the man before he uttered a word. + +He saw that he was a Caucasian, attired in Oriental costume, and that +was all there was of it. + +"Who are you?" asked the boy; "and what place am I in?" + +"You are in the African Utopia, which is situated in the wildest part of +the Dark Continent," was the reply. "Now, let me ask you a question: How +did you get here?" + +"I traveled from the mouth of the Congo River," returned Van. + +"What purpose had you in risking your life to make such a dangerous +journey?" + +"I came here partly because I am following a man who murdered my uncle, +and whom I have sworn to take back to the United States, if he is not +killed before I am able to do it." + +"You said 'partly'; you must have another reason for coming here, then?" + +"Yes; I fell in with some Englishmen, who were starting on an exploring +trip, and joined their party." + +"Where are they now?" asked the man. + +"In the house where you found me--or, at least, they were the last I saw +of them." + +"You say in the house where I found you. How do you know but that you +are in the same house yet?" + +"I might be, but I don't believe it. That building was an old, +tumble-down affair, and, judging from the appearance of this room, this +is not." + +"You are right, boy. You are two miles from the place where you had the +fall. I had been out setting a trap to catch a lion, and on my way back +stopped in the cellar of the old building. Almost the first thing I +stumbled upon was your body, and, finding that you were one of my own +nationality, apparently, I threw you upon my horse's back and brought +you here." + +"Well," said Van, after a pause, "I should like to go and look up my +friends." + +"You remain just where you are. I'll send out a couple of men to hunt up +your friends. You lie down and go to sleep, and you will surely see them +in the morning." + +"I guess I'll do as you say," returned our hero. "To tell the truth I am +so sleepy I can scarcely keep my eyes open." + +Whether it was the drink that caused it, or whether it was because he +was completely tired out, we cannot say, but, anyhow, five minutes +later Van Vincent was sleeping soundly upon the soft divan. + +The sun was shining brightly when he awoke, which informed him that +another day had arrived, and also that the storm had cleared. + +He was in the same room he had fallen asleep in, and, rising from the +divan, Van went to the window. + +As he looked out and saw that he was in a little city, a cry of surprise +came from his lips. + +"So this is the African Utopia," he mused. "Well, it looks like a place +where naught but enjoyment could be found. I never saw such a beautiful +spot in my life." + +Our hero's meditations were cut rather short, for at that moment a door +opened and a number of people entered. + +To his great joy, he beheld his friends standing before him. + +Yes, they were there in reality--Jack, Lank Edwards, Joe, and the +professor and doctor. + +Van did not utter a word till he had shook the hand of each. + +"Where did you stay all night?" he then asked. + +"In this house," replied Jack. + +"You did?" + +"Sure!" exclaimed Lank Edwards. "After we got tired lookin' for you in +ther old building, we went downstairs by ther horses. About half an hour +after that along comes two men, who said as how you sent for us. When we +got here ther boss of ther house explained things to us, an' said as how +you were asleep, so we concluded to wait till morning afore we seed +you." + +"That's about all there is of it," said Jack, with a laugh. "But come! +our host is waiting for us to come to breakfast. A deuced fine place we +have struck, I can tell you!" + +Van followed his companions from the room, and then all hands entered an +elegant dining room, where the man he had met the night before was +awaiting them. + +A few minutes later they were seated at a table, enjoying a sumptuous +repast. + +During the meal our friends learned considerable about the little city +they were in. + +Three hundred years before, a band of Egyptians had discovered it almost +the same as it now was, only that it was deserted. + +The race who had built it had in some way become extinct, but their +handiwork still remained, and glad enough were the little band to take +it as their future home. + +One hundred years after the band of Egyptians--numbering less than +fifty--took possession of the city within the wonderful wall, it had +over five hundred inhabitants, and with the growth of its people many +improvements were made. + +During the last century more than one exploring party--or what was left +of the original party--had reached it and found it a veritable haven of +rest and contentment. + +As yet, no man who had ever reached the city had made the attempt to +leave it, and thus it was that its inhabitants numbered over two +thousand, nearly all modern languages being spoken by them. + +Such a thing as money was not used in African Utopia. All hands worked, +and the results of their different labors were freely exchanged, thus +making everything of value equal to money. + +When a man became too lazy to work for his living, he was thrown to a +hungry lion as a warning to any who might chance to follow in his +footsteps. + +The people governed the beautiful place by electing a set of officers +every year, and everything went on like clockwork. + +The finest of silks and morocco were produced here, and the architects +and builders were equal to any in the world. + +Of course, our friends were much astonished when they learned all this, +but they were forced to believe it when they looked at their +surroundings. + +They were at the breakfast table nearly two hours, and when they at +length arose their host, who gave his name as Poppet, told them to +follow him and they would see something worth looking at. + +They were all glad to get outside, and when they did so they could no +longer wonder why it was that none who came to the place ever left. + +The air was balmy and soft, and as our friends breathed it they felt +exhilarated and refreshed. + +"By Jove!" exclaimed Dr. Pestle, "I'll bet that such a thing as lung +troubles are unknown here. Never in my life before have I breathed such +pure air." + +After ten minutes' walk their host halted before a pit, which had a +strong iron railing around it. + +"Look down there!" said he. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +DOC CLANCY'S CONFESSION. + + +When Van saw that it was Doc Clancy who had been thrown in to the lion, +he could scarcely believe his senses. + +Like his companions, he was spellbound for a moment. + +As the wretched man cowered close to the side of the pit, the lion +halted in front of him, as if to gloat over his victim's misery and +terror. + +"By Jove!" exclaimed our hero. "Doc Clancy shall not die that way. When +he leaves this world, he shall die with a rope about his neck." + +Quick as a flash he leveled his rifle at the lion and pulled the +trigger. + +Crack! As the report rang out on the still, morning air, the king of +beasts rolled over upon the ground in the throes of death. + +The bullet from Vincent's rifle struck the creature just behind the left +fore-shoulder, entering the heart. + +It all happened so quickly that none of the inhabitants of the wonderful +city could make a move to stop the boy from killing the lion; and as +soon as they saw what he had done, a hoarse cry of anger went up from +their lips. + +"You've played ther part of a fool, Van!" exclaimed Lank Edwards, with a +look of disgust. "By saving the life of the murderer of your uncle, you +have placed yer own in great danger." + +"You are right," put in Poppet, who heard the words. "Young fellow, +though you are my guest, I cannot be answerable for your safety." + +"It matters not," returned Van. "That man murdered my uncle, and I have +chased him too far to see him die before I have a written confession +from him. And then, again, when he dies I want to see him do so with a +rope around his neck." + +It was wonderful to note the change that came over the face of Poppet +when he heard the boy's words. + +Turning to the excited crowd about the pit, he addressed them in the +language of the city, telling them exactly what our hero had said. + +This seemed to satisfy them, and the next moment the entire crowd were +gazing at the plucky American boy with admiring eyes. + +"Well," observed Poppet, at length, turning to our friends, "I am the +master of all executions that take place, and overseer of prisoners as +well. For the present I will have this man locked up, and to-night the +city officers will decide upon what is to be done with him. It may be +that they will approve of what you say; and if so, the confession you +desire will be forced from him, after which he will be executed after +the fashion of your country." + +"What did he do that caused him to be thrown to the lion?" asked Joe, +turning his large, dark eyes upon Poppet. + +"He insulted the daughter of one of the best men in Utopia last night, +and when a man does that here the penalty is that he shall be thrown +into the lion's pit," was the reply. + +Our friends were now conducted back to the house of their host, and here +it was that they learned two things which had hitherto seemed rather +queer to them. + +The first was how it was that Doc Clancy had discovered the horses +rigged up in such a curious fashion; and this was explained by Poppet as +being a ruse practiced by his people to frighten their enemies who dwelt +outside the wall. In this case the man who led the mounted dummies had +been killed in some manner, and thus it was that Clancy and his +associate had discovered the horses, who had returned to the gate in the +huge wall. + +The other thing which became plain to them was that of the iron gate +opening and shutting without apparent cause, and we will explain it in +Poppet's own words. + +"Whenever the gate is opened it must be done by a person in the center +of our little city," said he. "There are wires laid underground to the +gate, and when admission is sought the person in charge of them becomes +aware of it immediately, as a bell will ring twice in quick succession. +A knob is touched and open comes the gate, and when the person or +persons are through it shuts." + +"It must be done by electricity," remarked our hero, in great surprise. + +"That is exactly what it is done by," was the reply. "All the power used +in the city is furnished by it." + +Our friends were too much astonished to speak after they heard this. + +But the city they had struck was indeed a wonderful one, and beyond this +we will not say much of it, as we have not the space at our command, +and, besides, it would be deviating from our story too much. + +Shortly after noon, Poppet asked Van to take a trip with him to see the +prisoner. + +Of course, our hero was only too glad to avail himself of the +opportunity, and the pair at once set out. + +The distance to the place where Doc Clancy was confined was not great, +and they soon arrived there. + +It was the same place where the villain had been taken by those who +captured him on his entrance to the house where the girl was. + +The cowardly villain was seated upon the floor of the cell he was +confined in, the picture of abject misery. + +"How are you, Doc Clancy?" said Van, placing his face close to the bars +in the heavy, iron door. + +A hopeful expression came over Clancy's face, and he at once rose to his +feet. + +"Have you come to take me out of here?" he demanded, in an eager tone. +"Who was it that shot the lion and saved my life?" + +"In answer to your last question, I will say that it was I who killed +the lion," was our hero's reply. + +An expression of amazement came over Doc Clancy's face. + +"You saved my life! You!--when I have tried to kill you so many times!" + +"Yes, it was I, and I nearly got into serious trouble by doing it. Now, +Doc Clancy, I want to ask you to do something for me." + +"What is it? I will do anything you ask." + +"I want a written confession from you that your murdered my uncle." + +For a moment the wretched man made no reply. Then he looked up slowly +until his eyes were on a level with those of our hero. + +"I will give it to you," he said, at length. "Write as I dictate, and +when you have finished I will sign it." + +In a moment Van produced his notebook and pencil from his pocket. + +The next fifteen minutes was spent in writing the man's words, and then, +with a trembling hand, the wretch signed it, Poppet being a witness. + +The confession implicated the lawyer who had charge of all the affairs +of Van's murdered uncle, and the boy vowed inwardly that he should +suffer for the part he had played in the crime if he ever got back to +his home. + +"There, now!" exclaimed Doc Clancy, when he had signed the paper and +handed it to Van, "I suppose you will get me out of here now, and let me +go about my business." + +"He has nothing to say about a matter of that kind," said Poppet, +coldly. "You have a serious charge against you for insulting the +daughter of one of our prominent citizens and you must suffer the +penalty of your rash act. Also, it is the law of the African Utopia that +a man who is proven a murderer--whether the crime was committed here or +in any other part of the world--must die. Your confession proves that +you are a vile murderer, and therefore, you must die!" + +"What!" screamed Doc Clancy, in a frantic voice. "Van, you will not +allow this, will you?" + +"Come away!" exclaimed Poppet, taking our hero by the arm. "Bandy no +more words with the scoundrel." + +As they turned away from the cell, Doc Clancy uttered a yell of terror +and fell to the floor in a fit. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +OUR HERO FINDS A FATHER. + + +Shortly after Van and Poppet arrived at the latter's house, a messenger +came in, stating that the president of the city board would like an +audience with the visiting strangers. + +"We will get ready and go at once," said Poppet. "The president, who is +a cripple, is an American, and no doubt he would be glad to see some of +his own countrymen." + +"We are not all Americans," spoke up Jack Howard; "three of us are +English, you know." + +"Four," added Joe. "My parents were born in England." + +"Well, two of us are natives of the United States," said Van; "and so we +will be very glad to see the president." + +"So will we," exclaimed Jack. "I think just as much of America as any +other nation on the face of the globe." + +"I think enough of her to give all I am worth if I was only back there +now," observed Lank Edwards. "I've got a wife an' three children waitin' +for me in ther land of ther free, an' I am wery anxious ter git home +again, I kin tell you!" + +A far-away look came into the eyes of the honest-hearted mate, which +caused his companions to change the subject. + +In a few minutes they were ready to go to the president of the African +Utopia, and with Poppet at their head, they set out. + +As the city was very small, as was before stated, it did not take them +long to reach the president's office, which was situated in the most +pretentious building in the city. + +Without any preliminaries whatever, our friends were ushered in. + +They beheld a pleasant-faced man of middle age seated in a huge +armchair, and when he arose to greet them they saw he was minus a leg. + +Poppet introduced them as the six visiting strangers, but when the +president had shaken them by the hand, he requested them to write their +names in the book of new arrivals, so he might know their names. + +Each one complied with the reasonable request, and then the man looked +over the names. + +When he came to our hero's signature he started as though he had +received an electric shock. + +"Which one of you is Van Vincent?" he asked, in a strange, unnatural +voice. + +"I am," replied Van, stepping forward. + +The president gazed at the boy for fully five minutes before he again +spoke, and it was plain to be seen that he was undergoing a great deal +of excitement. + +"I would speak to you alone," he at length said. "Your friends will +please excuse us for a short time." + +"While you are engaged I will show our friends through the city +building," spoke up Poppet. + +"Very well, if all are satisfied." + +The next minute Van Vincent and the president of the strange city were +alone in the room. + +"So your name is Van Vincent," said the crippled man, gazing at our hero +in a curious manner. + +"It is," was the reply. + +"Where were you born?" + +Van quickly told him. + +"Your mother is dead, is she not?" + +"Yes," replied the boy, gazing at him in surprise. "My father is, too. +He died somewhere in Africa, I believe." + +"No, he did not!" + +"What!" exclaimed Van. "Did you know him?" + +"I did, and do now." + +"Where is he, then? Won't you take me to him?" + +"He stands before you, my boy. I am your father!" + +Had a bombshell exploded, Van could not have been more astounded. + +Was it possible that he had found his father in the heart of the Dark +Continent? + +It seemed scarcely probable, and yet, as he gazed at the man before him, +he felt that it was certainly true. + +With a coolness that was remarkable under the circumstances, the +president drew a time-worn pocketbook from his pocket. + +Opening it, he drew forth three small photographs. + +"There," said he, handing them to Van, "is the likeness of myself, and +also those of my family, when I had been two years married." + +As Van gazed at the pictures a mist came before his eyes, and he was +forced to catch the back of a chair for support. + +The photos were those of a young man and woman, and an infant of +probably a year old. + +But this was not what caused Van to act so strangely. He carried +duplicates of those very pictures in his pockets. + +The man and woman were his father and mother, and the infant was +himself. + +That settled the whole business. + +Father and son were united after years of separation. + +"But, father," said Van, after both had somewhat recovered from their +excitement, "how was it that you never came home?" + +"It was impossible for me to make the attempt, my boy. Through the +treachery of one of my own party, I lost my left leg just before I +reached the gate of this wonderful city. + +"I was picked up by the Utopians, and nursed back to health and +strength, and then, knowing the terrible dangers I had passed through in +order to reach this place, I agreed to live with them always, since it +would be naught but suicide for me to start for the coast alone, +crippled as I was. + +"Your mother was dead, and you were in the care of my brother, whom I +knew would take proper care of you, and so I tried to content myself +here, and have succeeded very well, though many is the time I have +thought of home and found the hot tears streaming down my face." + +"You say you lost your leg through the treachery of one of your own +party," said Van. "Tell me how it happened, won't you?" + +"I will do that in a few words, my son. It was this way: The party I was +leading on my tour of discovery had dwindled down to eleven men--six +whites and five blacks. + +"All, save one besides myself, had often declared that they would travel +no further, but, under our persuasion, they would again start out. + +"I began to notice that the fellow who took sides with me had more +control over the men than I did, but thought nothing of it until one +day, when I gave orders to resume our march, after eating dinner. + +"It was then that the man I trusted deliberately drew his rifle to his +shoulder and shot me; and then without a word they started over the back +trail, leaving me lying bleeding upon the ground. + +"The man who did that was a cousin of yours, Van. His name was John +Moreland." + +"What!" gasped Van. "Why, the scoundrel is in the city this very moment. +He is the prisoner who is confined in the cell." + +Then it was the elder Vincent's turn to be surprised. + +Van now proceeded to relate all that had happened since his uncle's +murder, and his father was deeply interested in the recital of the +story. + +"Well, my son," said he, after a rather long interval of silence, "John +Moreland, or Doc Clancy, as you call him, will surely be executed, and +after that happens I shall endeavor to work things so I shall be able to +leave this beautiful country and go back with you to the land of our +birth. And now you had better return to your friends and tell them that +you have found a father. I will arrange things in my house this +afternoon, and you and your companions will be my guests as long as you +remain in the city." + +Van now left his father and started to hunt up Jack Howard and the rest. + +He soon learned that they had gone to take a look about the ancient +though beautiful city, and taking the direction they had gone, he +started to find them. + +The boy was so elated and full of joy at the miraculous finding of his +father, that he hardly noticed anything as he walked along. + +Just as he was passing a fine-looking edifice, he was startled by the +shrill scream of a female in distress. + +In a moment Van's chivalric nature was aroused, and he turned his eyes +in the direction the cry came from. + +By the side of the building he beheld a beautiful girl struggling in the +arms of a powerful-looking man. + +Quick as a flash, Van leaped over the low fence in front of the house +and rushed to the spot. + +The girl was doing her best to get away from the man, who now held his +hand tightly over her mouth to prevent her from screaming. + +The next instant our hero's fist shot out and the brute staggered and +fell to the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +DIVERSE MATTERS. + + +The blow Van had given the Utopian was such a heavy one that the fellow +was dazed for a few seconds, and staggered about blindly after he had +risen to his feet. + +The girl had promptly flown to Van for protection, saying in fair +English as he did so: + +"Save me from that man! He is a villain, and I hate him." + +"All right, miss," replied our hero. "I'll guarantee he shan't harm you +while I am around." + +Meanwhile the man, who was a big, burly fellow, had recovered himself +and now stood glaring at Van like an enraged lion. + +He drew a long knife from beneath the coatlike garment he wore, and made +a move toward the boy. + +Crack! It was our hero's revolver that spoke, and the knife dropped to +the ground with a ring, leaving the fellow's arm hanging limp at his +side. + +The report of the revolver could but attract a crowd, and the next +minute over a score of people were on the spot, among them being Poppet +and Van's companions. + +The cowardly villain watched his opportunity to sneak off, his wounded +arm dangling at his side. + +"Tell these people what has happened," said Van, addressing the girl. + +She obeyed him promptly enough, and when she had concluded a cheer went +up from the crowd. + +"Thank you," said she, turning to her champion and shaking him warmly by +the hand. "Call and see me this evening; my papa will be home then. +Don't fail!" + +The next moment she left the crowd and entered the house. + +"By Jove! Van, you are a dandy, and no mistake!" exclaimed Jack Howard. +"Here I have been all over this city, and haven't had an opportunity of +being of service to an old woman, let alone a pretty girl like that. You +are a lucky fellow, anyhow." + +"Why," observed Joe, turning his large eyes upon those of the young +Englishman, "do you like pretty girls so much?" + +"I like all girls, whether pretty or not," replied Jack, "but in all my +travels I never met but one girl whom I liked enough to take for a wife; +and I was not with her long enough to learn much about her." + +"Where was it you met her, may I ask?" + +"Oh, it was here in this beastly African country. It was just after we +started on our trip--some days before we came across you. She had a very +pretty name, too. Masie Langford, I believe it was." + +All at once Joe began to act very strange. He reeled about like a +drunken man, and would have fallen to the ground had not Jack caught +him. + +"Why, what's the matter, my boy?" asked he, in surprise. + +"Nothing--nothing. I had a faintness come over me, that's all. You know +I am subject to fainting." + +"That's so, little fellow. Well, never mind, we'll get back to the house +and you can lay down. Here, take my arm, I'll help you walk along." + +All hands now left the spot and started with Poppet for his house. + +On the way Poppet explained to Van that the girl he had championed was +the prettiest in the entire city and that she had suitors by the score. + +She was the daughter of one of the city officers, and the same girl who +had been insulted by Doc Clancy. + +The fellow Van had knocked down was also a city officer, and Poppet was +afraid there might be trouble on account of what had happened. + +"In such a place as this there should never be any trouble," said Van. + +"There has been very little heretofore," was the reply, "but ere long a +great trouble will overtake the good people of the African Utopia. I +have felt it in the air for months past." + +"What is the matter? Is there a sort of split between the people?" + +"That's just it exactly. Our good president leads what I consider a +loyal faction, and the man you knocked down a few minutes ago is the +leader of the opposite side." + +"You think there will be a fight, then?" + +"It is liable to happen at any time." + +"Well, let it happen. We will take a hand in it. I guess we have enough +cartridges left to kill off a hundred or two." + +"I suppose you favor the president," said Poppet. + +"I should say so. He is my father." + +"What!" gasped the astonished Utopian. "Your father?" + +"Yes, sir, he is." + +"Come off, Van. What do you mean?" spoke up Jack Howard, who was +listening to the conversation. + +Van then related the result of his interview with the president. + +Of course all hands were more than astonished. Their whole trip had been +a regular romance, but Van finding his father topped it off completely. + +But they had arrived at the house by this time, and nothing more was +said on the subject. + +That evening Van was more than particular in making his toilet. + +He was going to call upon the pretty girl as he had promised. + +He learned that her name was Metha Arundel before he set out. + +He intended to make his call but a short one, as he had promised his +father to be at the council meeting which was called to determine the +manner of death Doc Clancy was to die. + +Van had scarcely rapped upon the door of the house where the fair one +lived when it was opened. + +A servant ushered him into a brilliantly lighted room, where the girl +and her father were awaiting him. + +Both had learned by this time that Van was the son of the president, and +they greeted him accordingly. + +The old gentleman could converse very well in English, and when half an +hour had been pleasantly spent he arose and took his departure for the +council meeting, stating that he was going to make a charge against the +man who had insulted his daughter. + +Van soon forgot all about the fact that he intended to go to the council +meeting. + +Metha's company was so charming that it was quite late when he arose to +go. + +Though the couple had but met that day, both were badly smitten. + +Now that Van had chased Doc Clancy to his doom, and found his father in +such an unexpected manner, he felt that he could turn a little of his +attention to love. + +From the little he knew of Metha she just suited him; and vice versa. + +It was too late to go to the council meeting when he left the girl, so +he went direct to his father's house. + +He found his friends all there with very ample accommodations assigned +to them. + +From them he learned that Doc Clancy was to be hanged the next morning +at sunrise. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE EXECUTION AND WHAT FOLLOWED. + + +Our friends were up and on hand before sunrise the next morning. + +A vast crowd had already assembled about the spot where the execution of +Doc Clancy was to take place. + +Van and his companions took up a position in the rear of the crowd. + +Though none of them were desirous of seeing the execution, they could +not resist the temptation to be present. + +It was now generally known throughout the city that Van was the son of +the president of the board of officers, and many were the looks that +were cast upon the boy by the city's inhabitants. + +Just as the sun arose, Doc Clancy was led to the rudely constructed +gallows that had been erected solely for his execution. + +Before he stepped upon the drop, Van's father came forward and faced +him. + +When the villain saw the man he had abandoned in the African wilds to +die, a look of terror came over his face. + +"Wha-a-t!" he gasped. "Are you alive?" + +"I guess I am, John Moreland. So you were not satisfied when you thought +you had left me to die; you made up your mind to find your way back +home, after a number of years of your villainy, and murder my brother! +But a Nemesis got upon your track, John Moreland! My son, Van, had pluck +enough to chase you clear to this spot, which is entirely unknown to the +outside world. Now, you vile hound! you have but a few minutes to live! +Have you got anything to say?" + +During the recital of the president's words the face of Doc Clancy +turned the color of ashes, and when he had finished, the wretch uttered +a horror-stricken groan and fell to the ground in a faint. + +Van's father then spoke a few words to the executioner, and then walked +to the spot where our friends were standing. + +"Come," said he. "When I let my handkerchief fall the drop will go down. +I have no desire to see the execution." + +Together the party walked slowly from the place. + +A few yards from the crowd the handkerchief was dropped. + +The next instant a dull thud was heard, followed by a howl from the +excited crowd. + +Van glanced back for an instant, and saw the form of Doc Clancy dangling +in the air. + +The career of the villain who had been chased to the heart of the Dark +Continent was ended. + +A sigh of relief escaped the lips of our hero. + +"Now, if it is possible for us to get back home again, and take father +along with us, I will consider my journey to Central Africa the most +important event of my whole life," he thought. + +As his father was compelled to use a crutch on account of his missing +leg, the walk to their headquarters was a slow one. + +On the way Van met Metha Arundel, who invited him to call again that +evening. + +He promised to do so, and a joyous look came into the beautiful girl's +eyes. + +As soon as the house of the president was reached our hero's father +called him in his private office. + +"My son," said he, "there is going to be trouble in this hitherto +peaceful city before many hours." + +"What do you mean, father?" asked Van in surprise. + +"I mean just this: the man you struck yesterday for interfering with +that girl--who, by the way, has fallen in love with you--has a vast +influence among the people of this place. It was for that reason that +the council did not indict him last night. I understand by good +authority that he has sworn to kill you and all your friends. Now, I +want to ask you what you think is the best thing to do." + +"As soon as we see it is getting too hot for us we had better leave," +was Van's reply. + +"That's it exactly. Since you came here I have had a very strong desire +to get back to our own country once more. I have long known a way to go, +but could not go alone. You and your friends will just make the party +large enough, and I think we had better start this very day." + +"Let us wait till to-morrow, father. I have an appointment to-night, you +know." + +"Do you care anything for the pretty Metha Arundel, Van?" + +"Why?" + +"Well, if you don't I wouldn't get up any foolish flirtation with her, +if I were you. Her father told me this morning that she had resolved to +have no other man for a husband but you, and when a girl once says a +thing like that in this country you may rest assured that she means it." + +"I think I will ask her to go along with us," said Van, after a moment's +thought. + +Contrary to his expectations, his father seemed pleased. + +"I know her father would go," said he, quickly. "Her mother is dead, and +they two comprise the entire family." + +"Very well," returned our hero. "You might as well speak to her father." + +The elder Vincent now produced a roughly drawn chart of the African +Utopia. + +He showed Van a river which flowed near the eastern wall of the city and +thence in a southerly direction until it emptied into Lake Tanganyika. + +"This map was drawn by a man who came to this place by that route," said +he. "If we once reach that lake we will be all right." + +"We ought to have a large flat-bottomed boat," replied our hero, in a +thoughtful manner. "We could then take our horses with us." + +"We have the boat already," Mr. Vincent hastened to reply. "It is a +large one, and is used to transport blocks of stone from the quarry +about ten miles above the city." + +"That settles it, then," said our hero, in a matter-of-fact way. + +The interview now being at an end, Van sought his companions and told +them of the plan for leaving the place and the African wilds forever. + +All seemed much elated over it save Joe. The boy only shook his head in +a wistful manner and said: + +"I am glad you are going to leave and hope you will have the best of +luck, and finally reach your own country. As for me, I am satisfied that +I will never leave Africa." + +"What, Joe? Aren't you going with us?" asked Jack Howard, in surprise. + +"Oh, yes--that is, I will make the start with you. To tell the truth, I +feel as--as though I am not going to live long." + +"Nonsense!" cried all hands in a breath. + +"I have a presentiment that way, and I know it will come true," +persisted the boy. + +Joe's words were spoken in such an earnest manner that a grave feeling +came over all hands in spite of themselves. + +During the day they walked about the city a good deal, and toward +evening Joe was as happy as any of them. + +Van noticed that a large number of the population had congregated to the +western portion of the walled-in place. + +Presently he saw the man whom he had knocked down among them, and he +began to grow suspicious. + +"They are getting ready to start a riot," he thought. "I must see my +father and get him to start the first thing in the morning." + +Our friends were on their way back to the house of the president when +Van caught a glimpse of this man. + +The villain--for such he was--cast a look of intense hate at the boy, +and then, before his intention could be designed, he sprang forward and +flung his knife full at our hero's breast. + +Van made a nimble dodge and escaped the blade, but a cry of anguish +behind him told him that it had struck some one else. + +Turning quickly, he beheld Joe reeling backward with the knife sticking +in his breast. + +Jack Howard caught the wounded boy in his arms, and then, quick as a +flash, Van turned and leveled his rifle at the cowardly murderer. + +Crack! As the report rang out, the man threw up his arms and fell dead +to the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +UTOPIA IS LEFT BEHIND. + + +As soon as Van saw that his shot had not been wasted he hurried to the +side of Joe, who was now lying on the ground, with his head resting on +Jack Howard's arm. + +The wounded boy was breathing heavily, and a single glance told our hero +that he had but a few minutes to live. + +"Loosen his shirt collar and give him some air," said Dr. Pestle. "The +knife has touched a vital spot, and it is only a question of a very few +minutes before the little fellow will die." + +Jack at once unbuttoned Joe's shirt. + +As he did so he turned as pale as death and a strange cry came from his +lips. + +"What is the matter?" exclaimed the doctor, springing to his side. + +"Joe is a girl!" came from Jack's pallid lips. + +His startling words seemed to bring the wounded one to consciousness, +for at that moment the large eyes opened. + +"Yes, I am a girl," came from the feeble lips, which were fast turning +blue. "Mr. Howard, promise me that you will not hate me for following +you in this guise when you think of me in after life! I followed you +because I was left alone in the world, and because I--I--I loved you!" + +"Great God!" exclaimed Jack. "Surely you are not Masie Langford, the +girl we met almost at the commencement of our trip?" + +"I am, Mr. Howard. I--I----" + +Jack Howard's companions were forced to turn their heads. + +The emotion the young Englishman displayed was something awful. + +He had frequently spoken of Masie Langford as the only girl he had ever +met who would suit him for a wife, and now she lay, dying in his arms. + +What Howard whispered to the dying girl will never be known, but +whatever it was it caused her face to light up with a heavenly smile, +then the lips of the two met, and Masie Langford, alias Joe, fell back +dead. + +The discharge of Van's rifle had caused a large crowd to gather, and +when the city officer's friends saw him lying dead upon the ground +murmurs of rage went up from their lips. + +But as no assault was made upon them, our friends did not notice them +much. + +Poppet, who had been with the party since they started out to examine +the city, and who was an eye-witness of all that had taken place in the +past few minutes, dispatched a couple of men for a litter. + +The necessary article was procured in a very few minutes, and the body +of the slain girl being placed on it, the party set out for the +president's house. + +But few words were exchanged on the way, and when they reached the +house, a gloom seemed to have settled upon all hands. + +As soon as Van's father learned of what had taken place, he was for +leaving the city at once. + +"There is yet an hour before darkness," said he, "and I will have it +announced that the friends of the murdered girl--or rather boy, as they +think--desire the body to be buried outside the wall. Then those who are +going to leave can take to the boat and leave the city behind them +forever." + +"That is true," returned Van; "but I have not seen Metha Arundel yet." + +"I have, if you have not. Her father says they are ready to go at ten +minutes' notice." + +"Very well, then. I will go after them at once." + +The distance to the house of the Arundels was not great, and Van soon +reached it, finding what his father had said to be true. + +Arundel was an Englishman, and as he was a sworn friend of Vincent's, he +was ready to stick to him in anything he undertook. + +His daughter had really fallen in love with Van, and, of course, she was +only too glad to go. + +The father and daughter mounted their horses, taking what few things +they could carry, and then Van led them to the door of his father's +house, where the funeral procession had already formed. + +When the elder Vincent saw that all were on hand he gave the order to +start. + +About fifty of the Utopians accompanied them to witness the burial. + +There was a gate at the eastern wall similar to the other one, and when +our friends passed through this they saw a broad river in front of them. + +A large, flat-bottomed boat was moored to the shore not over a hundred +yards away. + +A number of the Utopians promptly set to work to dig a grave in the spot +selected by Jack Howard. + +When it was ready Prof. Drearland repeated a short prayer, and the body +of the brave girl, who had shared the dangers and hardships of the +explorers, was tenderly laid to rest. + +Jack was the last to leave the grave, and, when he did so, he noticed +that his friends had already gathered upon the boat. + +The Utopians who came with them to witness and assist in the burial of +the girl, were standing at the gate waiting for them, thinking that the +strangers were merely examining the boat. + +It was fast growing dark, and casting a last look at the grave of Masie +Langford, Jack Howard led his horse down to the water's edge and boarded +the scowlike craft. + +He had scarcely done so when he felt the boat moving. + +There was ample cause for this, since all hands had seized poles and +were pushing with all their might. + +Five minutes later the boat was in the middle of the stream, while the +Utopians, who had been left standing at the gate, were running up and +down the river bank in a state of wild excitement. + +But darkness and the swift current of the river soon lost them to view. + +Van's father, though his left leg was missing from the knee down, was +quite spry, and he insisted that he should have charge of the boat +during the night. + +He was allowed to have his own way, and when the sun arose the next +morning they were nearly a hundred miles from the African Utopia. + +The current of the river was swift and steady, and when two days had +slipped by the boat entered a large body of water, which the elder +Vincent said was Lake Tanganyika. + +We will not dwell on the voyage down the lake, but suffice it to say +that it was really the body of water they supposed it to be, and in due +time they arrived at the town of Ujiji, which was the nearest to +anything like civilization they had seen since they started on their +journey, barring the African Utopia, of course. + +They were lucky enough to meet a party of Englishmen at this place, who +were just about to start for Zanzibar. + +One of them happened to be an acquaintance of Jack Howard's, and that +made things satisfactory between the two parties, so they formed into +one and set out for the coast. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +CONCLUSION. + + +It was nearly two months after our friends left the hidden city of +Utopia before they arrived at Zanzibar, on the east coast of Africa. + +At the request of Prof. Drearland they had kept all their wonderful +discoveries to themselves. + +Long before they reached the seacoast, Van and Metha Arundel had come to +an understanding, and it was known to all their friends that they were +engaged to be married when they reached a suitable age. + +After a week's stay in Zanzibar--which, by the way, is not the nicest +place in the world in which to sojourn--they embarked aboard a ship +bound for London. + +At the end of a rather tedious voyage they stepped on the docks of the +famous British city. + +It was here that the party became split. + +Jack Howard, Dr. Pestle and Prof. Drearland had reached their home, and +here they concluded to remain for the present. + +A couple of weeks later Van Vincent, his father, Lank Edwards and +Arundel and his daughter, Metha, embarked for New York. + +They did not tarry long in this city after their arrival, but at once +set out for the homestead of the Vincents in the quiet little country +village. + +Almost everybody in the village knew our hero, and when he stepped from +the train with the handsome Metha by his side, the simple country folk +were much mystified. + +Before he had walked a hundred yards from the depot Van learned from one +of his old friends that the house he had lived in so long was in the +hands of the lawyer who had always done his uncle's business. + +Our hero led the way to the best hotel in the village, and here the +party put up. + +Through the agency of his former employer Van got a good lawyer to take +his case, and in his hands he placed the confession of Doc Clancy. + +About a week later the village was agog with excitement over the arrest +of Lawyer ----, who was one of the richest and most influential men in +the county. + +But when it became known that he was implicated in the murder that had +caused so much excitement several months before, the excitement reached +a fever heat. + +Well, the next thing to take place was a trial, which was a long and +tedious one, as such trials usually are. + +When it did finally come to an end, it resulted in complete victory for +Van Vincent. + +The rascally lawyer received a sentence of twenty years in the State +prison for the part he had played in the murder and fraud. + +He is now serving out the sentence; but the last we heard of him he was +not likely to live until it expired, as his health was very poor. + +A few of the old villagers recognized Van's father, and he was given a +royal welcome back to his native place. + +Arundel, who was an Englishman by birth, concluded to remain in America +the rest of his life. + +Four years later Jack Howard, Dr. Pestle and Prof. Drearland made a trip +to America. + +They not only came to see the best country on the face of the globe, but +to attend a wedding as well. + +The reader will of course guess the happy couple. + +They were our hero, Van Vincent, and the pretty Metha Arundel, who had +been born and reared in the African Utopia. + +Van asked the professor about his book, but the learned man claimed that +he had not yet finished it to his taste. + +However, he gave him a copy of the title page, which read as follows: + +"Across the Dark Continent. Being the remarkable adventures and +discoveries of an exploring party of six, with biographical sketches and +portraits. By Prof. Drearland, the Greatest of Modern Explorers." + +If this book ever gets in print I would advise the reader to peruse it +carefully, as it contains many details and minor discoveries that we +have been compelled to leave out of this story. + +We have just learned at this point of our writing that Jack Howard is +making preparations to lead a party to the wonderful African Utopia. + +Since the death of Masie Langford, Jack has never been exactly himself, +and the poor fellow, no doubt, wants to get back to the balmy African +clime and visit the grave of the girl who loved him, and who, for the +sake of being at his side, traveled in the guise of a boy until she met +her death at the hands of a cruel assassin. + +And now we have reached the end of our story, which would never have +been written had it not been for Van Vincent's vow. + + +THE END. + + +The region of the Rockies and the district of Poison Gulch have yielded +many interesting mining stories, but none more thrilling than that which +is to appear in BRAVE AND BOLD, No. 110, next week, entitled "Barr, the +Detective; or, The Peril of Lucy Graves." In this story all the mystery +and terror that can be evolved out of lonely glens and desperate border +characters is brilliantly set forth, and the reader is carried on as in +a maze of enthusiasm and interest. You should not fail to read it. It is +one of the few detective stories that really hold the interest. Out next +week! + + + + +Are You Reading "Ayesha" + +_H. RIDER HAGGARD'S_ + +Famous Companion Story to "SHE"? + +If not, the following comprehensive synopsis will enable you to continue +the story in the February number (now ready) of + +_THE POPULAR MAGAZINE_ + + +Leo Vincey and Horace Holly make their way back to England after their +terrible adventures in Kor (as described in "She"), but the spirit of +unrest is in them, and Leo yearns to see his lost love once more--for, +be it remembered, when Ayesha perished in the flames of the Pillar of +Life she called to her lover that she would come again and would once +more be beautiful. Finally, tortured by uncertainty, Leo is on the verge +of taking his life when a vision comes to him in which he sees Ayesha +and is guided by her to where she may be found. The place seems to be in +Asia, and the distinguishing feature is a towering, loop-shaped mountain +peak supported by a lava stem hundreds of feet high. Through it shines a +fire which rises from the crater of a volcano just beyond. The two men +go in search of this mountain peak, and finally reach a lamasery in +Thibet, where they hear of a woman who answers the description of "She" +and who seems to possess some of her power. They learn that this +mysterious woman may be found on the further side of a well-nigh +impassable mountain range. Leo and Holly, after frightful hardships, +reach the land of Kaloon, where they are hospitably received by the +Khania or queen. They learn that on the fire-crowned mountain which they +are in search of, and which is not far away, is a mysterious priestess +who is always veiled. The inhabitants of Kaloon and the people of the +mountain have long been on unfriendly terms, but there is now a sort of +armed truce. By some means the veiled priestess has learned of the +coming of the two strangers across the mountain, and has sent word to +that effect to the Khania, together with the demand that they be sent to +her. Atene, the Khania, falls in love with Leo and resolves to wed him, +even though this will necessitate doing away with her present husband. +Atene sends the veiled priestess word that the strangers have arrived, +but that they are both very old and so physically worn that they will be +unable to obey her behest to come at once to her domains. Holly soon +discovers the true condition of affairs, but he barely has time to warn +Leo when they are confronted with the most frightful peril of their +journey--the peril of "the Hounds of Death!" + + THE POPULAR MAGAZINE for February, now on sale, contains the second + instalment of this marvelously interesting story. + + +PRICE, TEN CENTS PER COPY + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: + + +This story was previously serialized in a longer form in the _Golden +Hours_ story paper under the title "Van Vincent's Vow; or, Chased to the +Heart of the Dark Continent." + +Added table of contents. + +Italics are represented with _underscores_. + +Some inconsistent hyphenation retained from the original. + +Page 3, changed "that he man" to "that the man." + +Page 4, changed "overheard" to "overhead" and added missing quote after +"shipped to sea?" + +Page 7, added missing quote before "Two of ther villains." + +Page 14, fixed double semi-colon. + +Page 25, changed "breathed if" to "breathed it." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In the Depths of the Dark Continent, by +Cornelius Shea + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43353 *** |