p," retorted Burt hopelessly. "All
we can do is to lay low. What kind of a trap you thinking of?"

"Well," explained Critch, frowning, "I kind of thought we could make one
out of logs, like they use on bears out West."

"Why wouldn't it be better," suggested Burt, "to dig a pit like those
Bantus do? We could dig it right out in front here, cover it over with
grass, and stick a spear up in the bottom. That'd finish Mr. Pongo
mighty sudden next time he came around."

"Can't do that," replied the other. "It's a mighty big job to tackle,
Burt. If you'd ever dug holes for fence posts you'd know."

"I wonder what Uncle George is doing right now?" said Burt suddenly. "Do
you think he'll start after us?"

"He might," answered Critch doubtfully. "He'd never make it in a million
years though. You know what the black dwarfs did to Cap'n Mac. Say, this
is worse than any story book I ever read! We're right up against it
solid, Burt. If we pull out of this hole it'll mean work. We ain't got
your uncle to lean on or anyone else. Mbopo don't count for much, I'm
afraid. Gosh, I wish we had a couple guns! We could clean up on old
Pongo like a house afire."

"He was pretty big, just the same," said Burt. "Lot's bigger'n any we've
bagged so far. Even if he is blind, which we aren't sure of, it wouldn't
be any cinch to tackle him."

"Anyhow," retorted his chum, "we can't expect to lay around and wait for
something to happen. We got to make it happen. We're in possession of
the ankh, like Cap'n Mac was, so we're safe enough for the present.
Mbopo's the only one who's game to go after Pongo, that's sure. If his
brother is up to the mark we ought to do something."

"That was fierce, the way the old chief got carried off," remarked Burt
as he gazed around with a little shiver. Still the dull throb of the
drums came faintly from without, but the chanting had now ceased. "It
was mighty lucky for us, just the same. Don't it seem funny, that here
we are plannin' to kill Pongo right after he's saved our lives that
way?"

"There's a whole lot of things that strike me funny," answered Critch.
"Wouldn't it be great if we could carry off all this ivory and the gold
ankh."

"Huh!" grunted Burt. "Fine chance of that. It stumped Cap'n Mac to do
it."

"Come on now, get down to business," said Critch, straightening up.
"First, we got to figure on how many logs we'll need. I should think we
might rig up something right here inside the ivory zare