ust as well. See anything yet, Chum Andy?"

"N-no, can't say that I do," came the reply, as the other eagerly bent
his gaze on the tree tops that they were beginning to approach closer,
for Frank had turned the lever of the deflecting rudder in order to
start the monoplane earthward.

And the more they dropped the lower the sun seemed to get, until part of
his glowing disc appeared to touch the horizon.

Already it was growing dusk below them, and the dense foliage of the
interlocked branches of the trees seemed to offer an insuperable barrier
to a successful landing.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE CAMP IN THE TROPICAL JUNGLE.

"Frank, this is tough luck!" Andy exclaimed, presently.

"Keep up your spirits, old fellow!" called out the other, cheerily. "Has
the biplane succeeded in making a landing yet?"

"I guess so," replied Andy, moodily. "Can't see any sign of her back
there. And besides, it's actually getting dark down below, even while we
can see a bit of the sun up here."

"That's because of the contrast. I'll drop still lower, so we'll just
clear the top of the forest. Then you won't need the glasses, Andy.
Both of us must keep a clever lookout for a chance. Every now and then
there happens to be some opening in the forest, you know."

"Don't I hope we find one, though," declared the other. "Oh, wouldn't
it be too mean for anything, Frank, if we smashed the precious little
machine just when we are at the last stage of our big undertaking? If I
lived through it I'd be broken hearted sure."

"Look, then," said Frank, earnestly, "and you take the right, while I
keep an eye on the left. Both of us can watch out ahead. If it comes at
all to be of any use, it's got to be found inside of the next five
minutes!"

"So soon as that?" echoed the other, in distressed tones. "Oh, I'm
afraid we're in for the very worst experience we ever met up with."

"Ha! hold on, Andy. What's that dead ahead?" cried Frank, who suddenly
decreased the speed of the little motor.

"It's an opening of some sort, though awful little!" ejaculated
Andy. "We can never do it, I'm afraid, Frank."

"We've just got to, no matter what chances we take. Hold hard now and if
you can jump out in time, help stop her before we wreck her against a
tree."

Even while speaking the air pilot was starting to drop down. He had made
a specialty of this part of the business, knowing how very important it
must always be to aviators. The rise was nothing