hough.
Burt, I'll have that book finished next week. If she goes through all
right I'll be off by the end of the month for Africa." He winked
meaningly. "Guess I'll take you along."

"What!" exclaimed Mrs. St. John in amazement. "Take him along? Why,
George William Wallace, what do you mean?"

"What on earth d'you suppose I mean?" chuckled her brother. "Why
shouldn't Burt take his vacation with me if he wants to? Don't you think
I am competent to take care of him?"

Burt was quivering with eagerness and his mother hesitated as she caught
the anxious light in his eyes. He stood waiting in silence, however.

"George," replied his mother at last, "are you serious about this? Do
you really mean--"

"Of course I do!" laughed the explorer confidently. "If I know anything
about it, Burt'd come back twice as much a man as he is now. Besides we
ought to pull out ahead of the game, because I'm going after ivory."

"Wait till Tom comes home," declared Burt's mother with decision. "We'll
talk it over at dinner. You'll have a hard task to convince me that
there's any sense in such a scheme, George!"

As her brother was quite aware of that fact he forbore to press the
subject just then. A little later Mr. St. John came home from the works
and at the dinner table his wife brought up the subject herself.

"Tom, this foolish brother of mine wants to take Burton away to Africa
with him next month! Did you ever hear of anything so silly?"

"Don't know about that," replied Mr. St. John, to his son's intense
surprise. "It depends on what part of Africa, Etta. You must remember
that the world's not so small as it used to be. You can jump on a boat
in New York and go to Africa or China or Russia and never have to bother
your head about a thing. What's the proposition, George?"

"I've been thinking that it would do Burt a lot of good to go with me to
the Congo," answered the explorer. "The sea voyage would set him up in
fine shape, and we would keep out of the low lands, you know."

"The Congo!" cried his sister in dismay. "Why, that's where they torture
people! Do you--"

"Nonsense!" interrupted Mr. Wallace impatiently. "The Congo is just as
civilized as parts of our own country. We can take a steamer at the
mouth and travel for thousands of miles by it. I have one recruit from
New Britain already, and I'd like to have Burt if you'll spare him."

"Why, who's going from here?" asked Mr. St. John in surprise.

"Young Critchfield