"What can be the matter?" exclaimed Frank, as the boys, followed by
the old chief and Sikaso, rushed from behind the hut to ascertain
the cause of the disturbance.

Standing in the center of a crowd of excited villagers was Billy
Barnes, his helmet knocked off and an arrow sticking through it. He
looked scared to death as well he might, for by his side was a
stalwart young African, brandishing a heavy-bladed spear above his
head. At the young reporter's feet lay the ill-fated camera that
had caused all the trouble.

What had happened was this. As soon as Frank and Harry and their
companions had left him and Lathrop alone, Billy had started to
carry out his determination to take some pictures. The first
subject he selected was a serious-faced little baby, innocent of any
clothing, that sat playing with a ragged dog at, the entrance of one
of the beehive huts. He had just clicked the button and exclaimed:

"This will be a jim-dandy," when he felt something whistle through
the air and the next minute his hat lay at his feet with an arrow in
it. In an instant the child's father--convinced that Billy was
putting Ju-ju medicine on the child--was upon him, armed with his
big hunting spear and followed by half the village. Even
Billy--scared as he was--did not realize how very near to death he
actually came to being. Sikaso's shouted words in a native dialect
caused the tribesmen to fall back but they still muttered angrily.

Stepping swiftly up to the camera Sikaso with a single blow of his
axe smashed it to pieces.