The Forest of Mystery

More carefully aimed bullets from Bob’s rifle finished them instantly.

“Ready now?” chuckled Mr. Holton.

“Sure,” Bob answered. “That job’s over. Somehow I couldn’t leave without letting those hyenas and vultures have it.”

A little farther on, the adventurers came to a narrow trail that wound through the tall grass. As it headed in their direction, they followed it.

For the last ten minutes Bob and Joe had fallen to the rear of the safari. Now, when they returned to join their fathers, Mr. Lewis turned to them.

“Noko says there may be a native village a little farther on,” he said. “Howard and I think it might be best to make for it, because the blacks may be able to tell us of some big game in this vicinity. We’d like especially to have a fine leopard skin.”

“Leopard! Boy! Sounds exciting,” grinned Joe. “Here’s hoping we see one – or more, for that matter.”

They trudged on for over an hour. Then, when they were beginning to fear that no village was near, they rounded a bend in the bushes and found themselves facing a group of thatched huts.

“Came to it at last,” mused Bob. “But – where are the people? Looks like nobody’s at home.”

“Maybe they’ve gone visiting,” remarked Joe with a laugh.

Mr. Holton suggested that they move on into the village to see if there was any evidence of recent human habitation.

Leaving the bearers at a little clearing to wait, the four Americans and Noko walked toward the grass huts, keeping on the alert for anything human or animal.

“Looks like it’s deserted, all right,” remarked Joe. “Not a soul anywhere.”

“What’s that?” cried Bob suddenly, stopping at once.

“What?” questioned his chum.

“Sounded like – Come on, Joe. Let’s go around this hut and see what we can see.”

The youths left the naturalists and Noko and made their way to the other side of a large thatched house.

Then, horror stricken, they saw what had caused Bob to utter his sudden exclamation.

Coiled but a few scant feet away was a long black mamba, the most poisonous snake of Africa. It was eyeing the human invaders staringly, apparently with evil purpose.

For one awful moment the youths gazed in terrible fascination, unable to take their eyes from the hideous reptile. Then, sensing the need for flight, they turned to leave. But they hesitated.

“It’s going to strike!” gasped Joe. “And neither of us has a gun!”

Bob looked about wildly for some club or other weapon with which to defend himself and his friend, but saw none. For a second he thought of turning to run, but he soon realized that the deadly snake could probably move much faster than could he.

What greatly puzzled the youths was why the mamba appeared to be taking the aggressive. Perhaps, however, it was angered because frightened.

Just then the youths heard a shout from Mr. Lewis and then the report of a rifle.

The snake’s head was shattered into a horrid pulp, which almost sickened the boys. It writhed about feebly, then was still.

Mr. Lewis and Mr. Holton rushed toward their sons.

“You sure fired that shot in time,” said Bob with a shudder. “I was beginning to think it was all over with us.”

“It was a terribly narrow escape,” breathed Mr. Holton, wiping the perspiration from his brow. “We should have warned you about mambas.”

“Why?” asked Bob. “They aren’t here any more than anywhere else, are they?”

“Yes,” returned Mr. Holton emphatically. “A deserted village nearly always contains at least one mamba. For some reason they like to pick on such a place. But the main thing now,” he added, “is that you’re still alive.”

With one last glance at the dead reptile the explorers turned toward the safari. As they passed through the village they kept a close watch for any more of the dreaded snakes, but saw none near. They did see another quite a distance away, although it did not apparently catch sight of them.

“I’ve been wondering just where the villagers are and why they left their huts,” remarked Mr. Lewis, when they had rejoined the others of the expedition.

“Maybe those mambas drove them out,” suggested Bob, but Noko shook his head.

“No rain now, and dey go to place where is water,” was the opinion voiced by the head native.

“By Jupiter! Perhaps you’re right, Noko,” exclaimed Joe’s father. “Well, then, if that is true, there is no use waiting for them to return. Let’s go.”

Under the expert leadership of the veteran Noko, the expedition was making good time toward the little-known Forest of Mystery. If their luck should hold, they would reach it in but a few days.

“According to Mr. Seabury, back in Mombasa, we should come to a very wide, shallow stream. A little beyond this is the Forest of Mystery,” said Mr. Holton, as that night they were camped at the foot of a little knoll. “We should be nearing that stream now.”

Mention of this out-of-the-way place revived the name of Thomas Seabury, the missing brother of the man in Mombasa.

“Wonder if we’ll find him,” mused Joe, gazing off into the dark depths of the jungle.

“Hard telling,” returned his friend. “About all we can do is to ask natives if they have seen or heard of him. And if they haven’t – well, it doesn’t look like there’ll be much chance of coming across him.”

“You’re right, Bob,” affirmed Mr. Lewis. “Africa is a very large place, and he might have left that unknown forest long before. But we’ll certainly do all we can to locate him.”

For two successive days the safari plunged on steadily without coming to the stream.

Late in the afternoon the explorers were crossing a stretch of open country when suddenly Mr. Lewis called a halt. He pointed to something that was coming toward them.

It was an impala, a species of antelope, and was evidently in the last stage of exhaustion. Running wildly and without aim, the animal was a pitiable sight.

Then the adventurers saw something else. Two African hunting dogs were pursuing the impala and were gaining rapidly. In but a short time they would be upon it.

“Quick!” exclaimed Mr. Holton, grasping his rifle from its bearer. “We must shoot those dogs before they get that fine big antelope. Ben, you take the one ahead. I’ll pick the one behind. Now!”

Bang! Crack!

The sound of the guns was mingled with a last cry from one of the hunting dogs as it rolled over. The other had been killed instantly.

“Two less pests in the world,” murmured Mr. Lewis, and then, turning to Bob and Joe: “All the hunters in Africa couldn’t kill off as many beautiful harmless animals as the African hunting dog.”

“Why? How do they do it?” inquired Joe.

“They usually hunt in packs,” his father replied. “And the antelope or other animal that they go after is as good as doomed. They never give up till they get the one they’re after. Worst thing is, they kill new animals every day and eat only a small part of the flesh. Then they single out more.”

“The pests!” growled Bob. “From now on I’m going to plug every one I see. They – ”

He did not finish, for just at that moment the party emerged from a thick jungle growth to see a wide stream just ahead. Beyond it was an endless mass of towering trees, which grew so close together as to form a veritable jungle.

Bob uttered a cry of delight.

“The Forest of Mystery!” he broke out. “We’ve found it!”

CHAPTER XXIV

Into the Forest of Mystery

“I believe you’re right, Son,” observed Mr. Holton, his eyes scanning the landscape. “This is certainly the wide stream that George Seabury said we’d see. Then too, Thompson, that naturalist we saw in San Francisco, mentioned it.”

“That distant forest sure looks mysterious,” remarked Joe, gazing ahead at the mass of towering trees. “How large is it?”

“A good many miles across,” Mr. Lewis answered. “In fact, several score. And all heavy, untrodden wilderness.”

“So much the better for us,” smiled Bob. “But say. How are we going to cross this wide stream? Must be nearly a quarter of a mile to the other side.”

“Hardly that,” laughed his father. “But to answer your question: if the water isn’t too deep, we’ll ford it; but if this isn’t possible, we’ll have to build rafts.”

Noko thought it advisable to cross before night and make camp on the other side.

The head native walked down to the bank and waded out into the water. Much as the explorers had expected, it was shallow, not reaching to the waist.

The whites donned their hip boots and, led by Noko, waded out into the stream. They were followed by the bearers and guards.

Although the water was sluggish and dirty, the going was good, and the adventurers reached the opposite bank in rapid time. There Bob and Joe and the naturalists removed their high boots and made ready to pitch the tents, as darkness was not far off.

“I can hardly wait to get into that Forest of Mystery,” said Joe, stopping for a moment to glance toward the west. “Something tells me we’ll see sights, all right.”

“Perhaps,” came from Bob. “But then, maybe not. It might not be much different from what we’ve already passed through.”

As the darkness enshrouded them, several of the natives built huge fires which sent their warmth far afield. The cold of the African night was soon forgotten.

Before long the odor of delicious food made the chums smack their lips in anticipation.

“Tomorrow,” remarked Mr. Holton during the meal, “we may see sights for sore eyes.”

“And tomorrow can’t come any too soon for me,” put in Joe.

Nothing happened during the night. The next morning all were up early preparing to plunge into the little-known forest. They had their belongings packed in record time and were soon again on the march.

They covered the distance to the forest sooner than expected. All felt the blood tingle in their veins as they entered the dense leafy depths. For in the fastness of this unexplored place could be almost anything.

“Keep your guns in readiness,” warned Mr. Lewis. “There’s no telling when we may need them.”

“Wish we’d see a gorilla – like that big one in the circus,” mused Joe.

“Gorillas live only in certain places, chiefly in mountainous regions,” explained Mr. Holton. “It is very unlikely that we’ll run across any. But of course we can’t be sure.”

If the jungle had been dense before, it was almost impenetrable now. More than once the explorers received cuts and bruises from sharp thorns. Their high shoes protected them from most snakes, the dreaded mamba being one exception. So, although there were difficulties of the trail, the adventurers forgot them in their eagerness to explore.

Farther on they came to something that made them gasp in wonder.

Before them, in an open space, was a large hill of earth that must have been at least forty feet high. Very wide at the base, it tapered up like a cone.

“Don’t tell us this is an ant hill,” muttered Bob, as he and the others stopped to examine it.

“It is just that,” smiled his father. “Whopper, isn’t it?”

“Biggest yet,” pronounced Joe. “And just think, it was built by countless little white ants.”

As he stood looking at the hill, Joe noticed his chum going around to one side.

“What are you going to do?” Joe inquired.

Bob answered the question by climbing the side of the hill. Apparently he found the task easy, for he was soon halfway to the top. In a short time he had reached it and was looking down at his father and friends.

“Fine view,” he smiled, gazing off into the depths of the forest. “That is, it would be if there weren’t so many trees around. One good thing, though: I can see over the bushes and jungle growth.”

“Anything worth while around here?” queried Joe.

Bob did not answer for a moment. Then suddenly his gaze remained fixed on something off in the distance.

“I believe – yes, that’s what it is.”

“What?” demanded his father impatiently. “I take it that you see something of interest.”

“There’s a big rhino away over there,” the youth said, keeping his eyes glued to the distant object.

“A rhino? Where?” Mr. Lewis looked up suddenly.

“Down that narrow trail over there,” was the answer. “It seems to be coming this way.”

“Climb down from there, Son, and we’ll investigate,” said Mr. Holton, taking his rifle. “A rhinoceros hide is what we want above everything.”

Led by the naturalists, the party followed the narrow trail that Bob had pointed out. It was well beaten, being probably long used by wild animals.

Joe, holding a movie camera, was ready to film any encounter that they might have. Bob, as usual, carried his rifle.

But when, fifteen minutes later, they saw no traces of the rhino, the explorers were ready to give up the chase. For even in that short time they had gone farther than Bob said the animal had been.

Just when they were at the point of retracing their footsteps, Joe burst through a mass of foliage and at once called the others.

“Look what I’ve found,” he said proudly. “A water hole where wild animals come to drink. See the tracks on the ground?”

“Jove!” exclaimed Mr. Holton. “That’s exactly what it is. Looks like about every animal imaginable comes to this place. Here are monkeys’ footprints. And over here are leopard tracks. Wild pigs and buffaloes have been here, too.”

Joe regarded the naturalists quizzically for a moment.

“Are we in any special hurry to go on?” he asked.

“Not especially,” returned Mr. Holton. “Why do you ask?”

“I’d like to take movies of the animals when they come here tonight to drink,” went on Joe. “Why can’t we make camp near here?”

“Hmm!” Mr. Holton considered for a minute.

“Why not do it, Howard?” asked Joe’s father. “After all, this is a wonderful opportunity for the boys to take movies. And while we’re waiting here, you and I can look around for new specimens.”

“I’m willing,” Mr. Lewis said. “We can pitch our tents a few hundred yards from here so as not to be too near and frighten the animals.”

Noko found a suitable camping spot quite a distance away. After the tents were erected he set out with Mr. Lewis to explore the surrounding country for wild life. Bob and Joe remained behind with Mr. Holton to “take it easy,” as Joe remarked.

Late that afternoon Mr. Lewis and the native returned with several interesting specimens, among them being a peculiar bird that so far as the naturalists knew was unknown to the civilized world.

“Now’s when our work comes in,” remarked Bob, as he and Joe started down the path. “We’re going to construct a thorn enclosure near that water hole. Then we can hide behind it and wait for animals to come tonight to drink. That way we can take moving pictures of them without their suspecting us.”

“Good idea,” said his father. “Need any help?”

Bob shook his head and with his chum walked to the water hole. There they built a boma, behind which they could hide. They made it look very natural, so that animals would not become suspicious.

After an early supper the naturalists and their sons went to the water hole to wait, leaving Noko behind with the safari.

Twilight came, and with it a brilliant moon. Darkness soon fell over the vast forest.

Their hearts beating rapidly, the two youths waited. They held the movie cameras ready for instant action.

“Hark!” said Mr. Lewis suddenly. “What’s that noise?”

“I didn’t hear anything,” said Bob, straining his ears to listen.

Then suddenly they heard a most unearthly sound, unlike anything they had ever known. It was repeated again and again, always more blood-curdling. Then at last it died away in horrible moanings.

It was some time before anyone spoke, for all had been not a little frightened by the uncanny cries.

“Was that a wild animal?” demanded Joe, who had almost turned pale.

“I’ve never heard any wild animal that could make that kind of a noise,” returned Mr. Holton, and Joe’s father shook his head.

“It didn’t sound like people, either,” came from Joe. “Ugh! Gives me the shivers. Maybe it was a ghost.”

Mr. Lewis tried to laugh.

“Use your reason, Son,” he said. “There aren’t any such things as ghosts.”

For the time being another much different sound made the explorers forget the mysterious cries. It was a loud trumpeting that seemed to come from but a short distance away.

“Elephants,” pronounced Mr. Holton. “They’re coming this way.”

CHAPTER XXV

The Fury of the Storm

WHILE all waited silently, the sound of moving footsteps could be heard. A little later two huge elephants broke through the foliage and made for the water hole. They drank great draughts of the refreshing liquid, and then with their long trunks sluiced themselves thoroughly.

Bob and Joe watched interestedly. They had but one fear. What if the purring of the movie cameras could be heard by the huge brutes? Would they charge the little hidden group, or would they immediately take flight into the dark recesses of the jungle?

As the moments passed, the adventurers grew more hopeful. Thus far the elephants had not heard. Perhaps, after all, the noise was not loud enough.

“Listen!” hissed Bob, catching his chum’s arm. “Something else is coming.”

He had scarcely spoken when from another direction emerged a troop of wildebeests, followed by three zebras. Still more wild creatures showed up soon after, including an oryx, Thompson’s gazelle, hartebeest, and numerous monkeys.

“Isn’t that a wonderful sight?” whispered Mr. Holton, never taking his eyes from the scene.

“Best ever,” came from Joe.

A little later they heard a series of strange grunts, and a huge wart hog moved in a slow, awkward gait toward the water hole.

“A drinking place is the best spot there is to see a number of different kinds of animals side by side,” remarked Mr. Lewis, also speaking in a very low whisper.

“They don’t seem to notice each other,” observed Joe. “They just keep on drinking as though nothing else were there.”

Again footsteps were heard, and with them the sound of a heavy body crashing through the underbrush. Then there suddenly appeared but a short distance away a monstrous buffalo, which was also intent upon satisfying its thirst.

“Be trouble now,” said Bob.

“Wait and see,” smiled his father.

Much to the boys’ surprise the buffalo paid not the slightest attention to the other animals. It found a place at the pond and began drinking.

“That’s a new one on me,” whispered Bob, and Joe nodded. “Looks like there’d be trouble, with all those different kinds of creatures there at once.”

“You see they have a common interest: to quench their thirst,” explained Mr. Lewis. “In such a case peace reigns.”

But ten minutes later the explorers – and very obviously the animals – heard something that was not so suggestive of peace. It was the deep, vibrating roar of a lion, which seemed to be coming nearer.

The effect was immediate. Uneasiness prevailed among the more harmless animals; some of them turned about and disappeared into the jungle depths, while others pricked up their ears and listened.

But there was no mistaking the distant roar. A lion was abroad stalking for prey.

As the minutes passed, Mr. Lewis and Mr. Holton held their rifles ready for instant action. At every second they feared that the lion would appear. Bob and Joe, although realizing that perhaps their lives were in danger, continuing to film the scene, delighted at the unusualness of the occasion.

Suddenly the explorers’ eyes opened wide, for the thing that they beheld was exceedingly large and powerful.

A great maned lion moved slowly toward the water hole!

Their hearts in their mouths, Bob and Joe half expected to see the beast make toward their boma. But it did not.

Long before, the horde of animals that had been drinking had vanished, leaving the pond to take refuge from the king of beasts. The great lion seemed to sense that this had taken place. It uttered a tremendous roar of defiance, then bent its head to drink.

“Good chance for a shot,” murmured Bob, barely making himself heard.

But the naturalists shook their heads.

“One animal is enough to shoot from a boma,” whispered Mr. Lewis. “Somehow I feel that it doesn’t give them a fair chance.”

They watched the lion silently until the latter finally turned and left, making its way stealthily over the carpet of twigs and rotting vines. Then Mr. Holton suggested that they get back to camp.

“That ought to be about the most interesting scene we’ve filmed,” remarked Joe the next morning, as with the others he prepared to leave.

“No doubt you’ll get others when we penetrate deeper into this forest,” said his father.

Late the next afternoon Noko cast uneasy glances up at the distant sky. There was a worried look on his face as he lead the safari farther into the unknown.

“Um big storm coming,” he said with a frown.

“A storm?” breathed Bob. “Do you think it will be here today?”

Noko nodded, his face grave.

“Um storm him not wait,” the tall African said. “Storm come much soon. Sky it getting dark.”

Indeed, the signs were most threatening. The distant horizon was colored a sickly yellow, which seemed to shine ominously. Dark clouds were forming overhead and were joining slowly but surely.

“It certainly looks bad,” murmured Mr. Lewis. “We must find shelter somewhere. Where do you suggest going, Noko?”

“We find um cave or um-um hollow,” returned the head native. “That only way we get out from um storm.”

A weird silence hovered about. Birds had ceased their calls; monkeys were no longer chattering in the trees. Not the slightest suggestion of a wind played through the leaves.

Under the leadership of Noko they searched about desperately for some place that would serve as a refuge from the approaching storm. But as time passed they were still moving through the forest as before.

Mr. Lewis suggested that they erect their tents, but the tall African shook his head vigorously. A storm as bad as this one promised to be, said Noko in the native language, would most certainly tear the frail tents loose almost at once. For, he reminded them, the new rainy season was not far off.

With every passing minute the clouds banked tighter. An odd twilight enveloped the adventurers, making the task of escaping even more difficult.

At one time Bob and Joe caught a glimpse of several monkeys huddled closely together under a gigantic leaf. The little creatures would under other circumstances have inspired a smile from the youths.

“Must hurry,” urged Noko, increasing his pace still more. “Must find um cave um quick.”

Then suddenly, with the fury of a battle, the tropical hurricane was upon them!

CHAPTER XXVI

Waiting in Dread

“ABOVE all, we must try to keep together,” warned Mr. Holton, speaking to the natives as well as the whites. “It might spell tragedy if any of us should get lost from the rest.”

The rain was falling almost in torrents, soon drenching the adventurers thoroughly. Wet and miserable, they were haggard-looking creatures as they stalked through the fastness of the forest.

Great flashes of uncanny lightning streaked across the sky. They were followed by ear-splitting bursts of thunder, which resembled nothing so much as the discharging of heavy cannon. Wind – violent, ruthless wind – all but blew the explorers to the ground.

Their hearts beating rapidly, their breath coming in short gasps, they rushed as fast as possible in a wild search for some shelter from the elements. And all knew that they must find some place quickly; they could never withstand the full fury of the storm very long.

As time passed, the sky grew still darker, until it was utterly impossible to make out what was ahead. It was only when a violent streak of eerie lightning would illuminate the sky that they could see each other.

“This is terrible!” moaned Joe, struggling to brace himself against the violent gale.

The sound of his voice was drowned out, however, in the uproar of the elements. Nor could anyone else have been heard.

Bob clutched his friend’s arm and held on firmly. They would stick together through it all, he thought.

Suddenly the sky was lighted as brightly as day, and there followed a terrific clap of ear-splitting thunder. It seemed so near that the travelers jumped back instinctively.