god with less than twenty-four wives.

He fingered the instruments and the control, half hoping and half
fearing that he would alight upon the combination that would put
the machine in flight. Often had he watched the British air-men
soaring above the German lines and it looked so simple he was quite
sure that he could do it himself if there was somebody who could
but once show him how. There was, of course, always the hope that
the white man who came in the machine and who had escaped from
Numabo's village might fall into Usanga's hands and then indeed
would he be able to learn how to fly. It was in this hope that
Usanga spent so much time in the vicinity of the plane, reasoning
as he did that eventually the white man would return in search of
it.

And at last he was rewarded, for upon this very day after he had
quit the machine and entered the jungle with his warriors, he heard
voices to the north and when he and his men had hidden in the dense
foliage upon either side of the trail, Usanga was presently filled
with elation by the appearance of the British officer and the white
girl whom the black sergeant had coveted and who had escaped him.

The Negro could scarce restrain a shout of elation, for he had not
hoped that fate would be so kind as to throw these two whom he most
desired into his power at the same time.

As the two came down the trail all unconscious of impending danger,
the man was explaining that they must be very close to the point
at which the plane had landed. Their entire attention was centered
on the trail directly ahead of them, as they momentarily expected
it to break into the meadowland where they were sure they would
see the plane that would spell life and liberty for them.

The trail was broad, and they were walking side by side so that at
a sharp turn the park-like clearing was revealed to them simultaneously
with the outlines of the machine they sought.

Exclamations of relief and delight broke from their lips, and at
the same instant Usanga and his black warriors rose from the bushes
all about them.

Chapter XII

The Black Flier

The girl was almost crushed by terror and disappointment. To have
been thus close to safety and then to have all hope snatched away
by a cruel stroke of fate seemed unendurable. The man was disappointed,
too, but more was he angry. He noted the remnants of the uniforms
upon the blacks and immediately he demanded to know where were
their officer