GORILLAS--AND AN AERIAL TOW-LINE


The mystery of the man on the hill bade fair to be an unsolved one,
for although the boys watched for some time with considerable
anxiety he did not reappear. This feature of the incident set them
to comparing notes and they found that their impression of the
apparition differed considerably. Both Frank and Harry were ready
to swear that he was a black man, while Ben Stubbs was equally
convinced that his skin was of a reddish hue. All three, however,
agreed that he was weaponless so far as could be seen, and his
attitude appeared to be more one of interested curiosity than of
actual hostility.

"Well, there's no use wasting time in speculation," said Frank at
last, "more especially as it does not look as if we can get any
nearer to solving the problem in that way. The thing to do now is
to get at the ivory and that as quickly as possible. If that man is
the forerunner of a band that means to attack us, it is all the more
reason that we should get a move on."

"Right you are, Captain," assented Ben, "and here goes!"

With a mighty swing of his pick the former prospector dislodged a
pile of the rough stones of which the cairn was composed and the
boys, too, laid on with a will. In an hour or so all that was left
of the once lofty cairn was a few big rocks.

Excitement ran fairly to fever heat as the last obstruction that lay