tted up. They had seen nothing of John Quincy Adams
Washington but Mr. Wallace smilingly assured them that he would show up
in time. Sure enough, when they went up the gangplank the big negro was
waiting with his all-embracing grin.

"Good mornin', sar, good mornin'!" he cried, taking charge of their hand
baggage and assuming a lordly attitude over the stewards. "Very
hauspicious day, sar! John t'ink we 'ave very fine trip, sar!"

And a fine trip they had. There were a dozen other passengers on board.
Most of these were clerks or traders going out to positions at Sierra
Leone or the Gold Coast, with one or two Frenchmen and officials of the
Congo State. When they crossed the Equator there were the usual
ceremonies and horseplay among the sailors, and the boys thoroughly
enjoyed themselves. By the time they left the Gold Coast behind and
headed for Banana Point Burt felt better than he had ever been in his
life and his uncle assured him that he need not worry about the fever.

Finally the long reddish cliffs and grassy up-lands of the Congo coast
drew into sight late on the fifteenth afternoon. The _Benguela_ took a
black pilot aboard and proceeded straight up to the port of Banana. Mr.
Wallace and the boys at once disembarked and interviewed the customs
officials and took a launch up to the capital, Boma. The steamer would
follow them after discharging some cargo.

The next morning Mr. Wallace put on his ribbon of Commander of the
Legion of Honor. The boys were amazed at the respect which this gained
for all of them when they sought an audience with the governor general.
After explaining to him the object of their trip and the length of time
they would be gone, Mr. Wallace arranged to have all the necessary
papers made out and to charter one of the State steamers to take their
outfit up the river.

"I can give you only a small one," said the governor general.
"Unfortunately, there are few at my disposal just now. Stay! You might
arrange with Captain Montenay. He chartered _La Belgique_ two days
since for a similar trip, but surely he'll have plenty of room to
spare."

"Montenay?" repeated Mr. Wallace. "Isn't he the Scotch explorer?"

"Yes!" smiled the governor. "Come to think of it I believe he is at the
palace now." Clapping his hands, he dispatched a gendarme. "If you can
arrange matters with him I will see that your baggage is passed directly
to _La Belgique_ through the customs. You have no liquor, I presume?