chief ungaba’s party promised to be like several other similar functions to which the boys and mr. hampton had been bidden as guests by other friendly chiefs. for when they arrived, they found the select two dozen guests of the chief already seated in a circle around a huge iron cauldron filled with foaming, milky, african beer, while farther off in the village square blazed a number of fires around which the village proletariat were gathered to eat the meat of the rhino and drink their home brewed liquor.
places were made for mr. hampton and the boys in the circle about chief ungaba’s select cauldron. and each was provided with a pliant length of hollow cane. every guest had such a “straw,” and these they dipped into the cauldron at frequent intervals, sucking through them great mouthsful of beer.
let it be said at once, so that there may be no misconception, that mr. hampton, niellsen and the boys did not indulge. too well they knew that outright refusal would wound the feelings of the chief deeply, and would bring down upon their heads such a weight of displeasure that their stay in the region undoubtedly would be only shortlived. therefore, they accepted the straws and even rested them in the cauldron, but without drinking.
this deception, however, was not discovered. for already the party had been in progress more than an hour, and the guests were becoming uproarious and were little likely to pay much attention to the white visitors.
at frequent intervals one or other of the guests would leap to his feet and begin to dance around the circle, lifting his knees high and prancing. more and more often the performer of the moment would not confine himself to dancing, but would also burst into song.
a wild scene it made, as the light of the cooking fires in the square played ruddily on the mud walls of the huts nearby and the thatched roofs circular and running up to a peak from which projected the long center pole of the dwelling. and for a time the boys found this picture of primitive men indulging in a celebration rather fascinating.
but before long the dancers and singers became so wild in their bearing that it became evident they would soon descend into a bestial orgy, and the boys found it difficult to keep their disgust from showing on their faces. presently mr. hampton whispered to jack, who sat nearest him, and who in turn passed the word to the others, that he considered it time to withdraw. which they did without further ado, making their way out of the circle without attracting the attention of the kavirondos.
as they passed chief ungaba, however, mr. hampton paused to converse with him, and the chief got unsteadily to his feet. when informed that the whites planned to leave at an early hour the next morning, he displayed sincere regret. and after finding his pleas that they remain with him a while longer prove of no avail, he promised to be on hand to see them depart.
as they returned to their tent, mr. hampton commented sorrowfully upon the failure of civilization to penetrate the wilds and break down bestial customs by providing the natives with better things.
“some day, of course, it will come,” he said, as they reached the boys’ tent, “but as yet civilization has not gone very far into the african wilds.”
saying goodnight, he and niellsen passed on toward their own tent, a-gleam in the moonlight a short distance beyond, while the boys lifted the flap and went in, jack who led first shooting the rays of his pocket flashlight inside—a precaution which they never failed to observe when entering a dark tent in order to discover whether snakes had taken possession in their absence.
no snakes were to be seen. but as the rays of the flashlight passed over the various objects of the interior, jack uttered a cry of dismay.
“what’s the matter?” demanded frank, at his shoulder.
disappearing into the tent without replying, jack found and lighted a lantern. then he turned to his two comrades who had pressed after him, and swinging the lantern so that its rays fell into the corner where their little radio station had been set up, he pointed.
“gone,” he said.
“gone,” echoed bob and frank, as with one voice, in a tone of stupefaction.
it was true. where their radio set had stood was now nothing but bare space.
for a moment or two, all three boys were too bewildered to speak. all they could do was to stare.
then bob became energized, and sprang for the tent flap.
“where are you going?” demanded frank.
“to tell mr. hampton,” bob replied.
“let’s see what else is missing first. evidently there’s been a thief here.”
bob turned back and helped in the rapid inspection of the tent. none of their possessions was missing except the radio.
“funny a negro should take that,” mused jack, as they looked at each other in growing puzzlement. “most of them who have seen us use it look on it as a white man’s magic and wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.”
“i’ll say it’s funny,” said bob darkly. “do you know what i think?”
“no. what?”
bob looked around and lowering his voice drew his two comrades toward him while he whispered: “mabele.”
jack looked at him in stupefaction. but frank’s alert eyes displayed complete understanding, and he nodded emphatically.
“that’s it. remember what your father said, jack, when he discovered mabele at least had been in a position to overhear us discussing mr. ransome and the trouble amongst the natives in that mountains of the moon region, whether he actually had heard anything or not?”
“that’s right,” said jack. and now his glance grew worried. “let’s tell father at once.”
“you tell him,” said bob. “i’ll go over to the bearers’ camp and see whether mabele is around.”
“you aren’t afraid?”
“huh.” bob tapped his ever-ready automatic. “besides, we mustn’t lose any time on this. my opinion is that the beggar’s decamped. if he has, we’ll want to pick up his trail as soon as possible.”
“but what in the world would he steal the radio for?” asked frank.
“i don’t know,” said bob. “but we can puzzle over that later. the first thing is to find out if our suspicions that it was he are correct.”
“you’re right, bob,” said frank. “and i’ll go with you, for on a job of this kind two are better than one. jack in the meantime can carry word to his father and niellsen.”
