le
than it did at first?"

"Yes," admitted his sister. "I must say it does. Especially if it is all
so civilized as you say."

"Now look here." Mr. Wallace bent over the map again and traced down the
Congo to Stanley Falls. "A railroad runs from here over to the Great
Lakes, at Mahagi on the Albert Nyanza. The Great Lakes are all connected
and have steamer lines on them, so that you can get on a train or boat
at the west coast and travel right through to the east coast just like
going from New York to Duluth. Get me?"

"Why," exclaimed Burt, "I thought you had to have porters and all that?
Can you just hop on a train and shoot?"

"Not exactly," laughed his uncle. "When we leave the Aruwimi we'll
probably take a hundred bearers with us."

"Well, it's not a question that we can decide on the spur of the
moment," announced Mrs. St. John. "We'll talk it over, George. If
conditions are as you say, perhaps--"

"Hurray!" burst out her son excitedly. "You've got to give in, dad!
Mother's on our side!" And Burt darted off to find his chum.

"The fact that you've won over Mr. Critchfield counts a good deal,"
smiled Mr. St. John as the door slammed. "He's a solid, level-headed
chap and, besides, I really think it might do Burt good."

Burt found his chum in a state of high excitement. Critch's father had
just told him about Mr. Wallace's proposal and his own qualified
consent.

"I'll have to think it over some more," he had said. "It's too big to
rush into blindly. As it stands, however, I see no reason why you
shouldn't go and make a little money, besides getting the trip."

Burt and Critch got an atlas and went over the route that Mr. Wallace
had traced. When Burt reported all that his uncle had said about
civilization in the Congo, Critch heaved a deep sigh.

"Seems 'most too good to be true," he said. "To think of us away over
there! I don't see where your uncle's going to clear up much coin,
though. It must cost like smoke."

"So does ivory," grinned Burt. He was in high spirits now that there
actually seemed to be some hope of his taking the trip. "He ain't
worried about the money. Say, I'm mighty glad I've been learning French!
It'll come in handy down there."

"You won't have any pleasure tour," put in Mr. Critchfield quietly. "Mr.
Wallace means business. He told me he meant to leave the whole matter
of skins and heads to you two chaps."

"Wonder what he wants them for?" speculated Burt. "Mebbe he's going