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Updated: June 10, 2025
Even old Sikaso shook his head mournfully and said that he didn't feel at all well. "I wonder how old man Barr feels?" said the irreverent Billy rubbing his red-rimmed eyes. The next minute there was a shout of astonishment from them all. Mr. Barr's blankets were empty and he was nowhere to be seen about the camp!
Then Sikaso went on to gleefully relate, while they warmly clasped his mighty hands, how he had hidden the rest of the ivory and how he had seen Muley-Hassan pass on his way to the rifled hiding place. "But Billy and Lathrop, Sikaso, tell us quick, were they with Muley-Hassan?" The black shook his head slowly. "No see Four-Eyes no see Red Head," he said sorrowfully.
"What do you mean, Sikaso," demanded the half asleep reporter, "danger to our friends?" "No; to us, and here and soon," was the disquieting response, "arouse your friend. We have no time to lose." Billy was wide awake now and made a motion as if he would light the lantern. Sikaso stopped him with a quick gesture.
"He'll be all right in a few minutes," said Ben Stubbs as M. Desplaines and the others all tried to explain at once to Frank how Sikaso had guessed what had happened when the boys did not return. The Krooman had led the party by secret native trails to the cliff top. Frank clasped the huge black's hand with real gratitude and tears of thankfulness brimmed in his eyes.
At the first sight of blood they would run to the forest like the sons of weaklings that they are." "We must rouse Professor Wiseman at once," cried Billy. "It is well," muttered Sikaso, "we shall need every man who can hold a rifle to-night but the professor is old, my brothers, and his heart is as a woman's." "Well, he'll have to fight," said Billy with bloodthirsty determination.
The whole forest about seemed impregnated with the strong odor of the stuff and the boys' eyes smarted. Old Sikaso kept up his dance, bending lower and lower till it seemed that he must be actually inhaling the pungent, acrid smoke. As this strange scene progressed, Frank felt his eyes begin to grow dim and an unaccountable languor fill his limbs.
The arrival of the little band created a stir. The hideous old man, with a sort of straw-bonnet, who had been beating on the antelope skin drum called by Sikaso a "tom-tom" saw them and instantly picked up his instrument and waddled off with as much dignity as his age and a much distended stomach would allow him. The younger men, however, advanced boldly toward the party.
The outline of the Golden Eagle II, in her flight to the river camp, had not faded out on the twilight sky, before, through the jungle at the foot of the Moon Mountains, a strange figure pushed its way. It was Sikaso, but a changed Sikaso from the agile muscular black who had wielded his axe with such terrible effect at the fight of the evening before.
Old Sikaso, with a grim chuckle, watched them make their way up the mountain-side and then laughed softly to himself as their imprecations of rage and fury broke out as they reached the cache and found it empty!
"Come on, boys, we've got to be stirring. Barr's got a long start of us, but we'll get him yet. Ben, you and Sikaso will take one of the Arabs' canoes the ones they left at the river bank when they started after us Harry, Billy, Lathrop and I will fly to the coast in the Golden Eagle II. We've just enough gasoline."
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