p one of
those handiest of shooting tools and passing it over to Jack. "No
weight, and as good a little rifle as a man wants to put to his
shoulder."

"This is all right," said Jack, putting it up. "I've never tried it,
but I've heard about it. Makes pretty good shooting, I think."

"Wonderful good, sir," said Dent. "You can't wish for better. And such
a handy little cartridge, too. That's a thing to consider on a march.
You can carry a much bigger number for the same weight of ordinary
cartridges."

For half an hour or more Buck and Jack turned over Dent's stores, and
laid in a very complete stock of weapons and cartridges. As the
gunsmith talked, speaking of the wild jungle into which they must
wander, the wild people they would be likely to meet, and what they
would need to meet the chances of their journey, his eye fired and his
excitement grew. He poured forth a flood of information, of warning,
of directions, which showed how complete was his knowledge of the
wilds into which they were about to venture, how deep was his lore of
jungle-craft, and how great his passion for the life of the explorer
and adventurer. His flood of speech ended on a sigh.

"Five years it is now," he said, "since I made what I call a real
trip, getting clean off the track and striking a line which you might
fancy no white man had ever struck before."

Buck had been watching his old acquaintance keenly. Now he leaned
over and laid his hand on Dent's arm.

"Look here, Jim," he said, "you're achin' in every bone o' your body
for a real good trip again. Come with us."

The invitation was like a spark thrown upon gunpowder. The gunsmith
struck the counter with his open hand till the weapons danced again.

"By George, I will!" he cried, "I'll come fast enough. It's the sort
o' trip I'd choose out of a thousand."

Jack saw what a splendid recruit offered here, and he hastened to
second Buck.

"If you could, indeed, spare time to accompany us, Mr. Dent," he said,
"we shall be delighted to have your company and assistance."

"Well, sir," said Dent, "I'll give you a month. I can manage, I know,
to get the business looked after by a friend as long as that. And
within a month, if we go the right way to work, we ought to get a good
idea as to whether the Professor's in the hands of that gang or not."

"And if your business suffers at all, Jim, you need never fear you'll
be at a loss in the end," said Buck. "There's plenty of money for
e