practice were personified in the two boys, who, although companionable,
were the exact opposites as types.

The Professor never showed a preference, in any manner, for either. Like
the true philosopher he saw the value of the two distinct qualities, the
one useless without the other.

When they had fully recovered from their astonishment, George was the
first to speak. "They may have broken the fastenings."

The Professor, who had been intently examining the tree to which they
were hitched, said: "I can find no evidence of any undue wrench which
might show that they had gotten away by their own exertions. Let us see
whether we can follow the trail."

The ground was covered with leaves, so that no earth was visible, and
the only sort of trail left in a forest, under those conditions, is the
slightly depressed tracks which the wheels make. They examined this,
noting also the overturned leaves, which are usually left in the wake of
cattle.

The latter means seemed to be the only available way in which any trace
could be made out, and this they followed. It led directly to the west,
and toward the section they were desirous of exploring at the time the
present trip was inaugurated.

"How fast do you suppose the team is traveling?"

"Certainly not faster than we are now going. They cannot be hurried very
well, as you know, and we should be able to overtake them within an hour
or two."

"But what shall we do if we find them in charge of somebody?"

That suggestion brought up at once a very serious question. They had
made six pistols, very crude, it is true, but which served admirably as
weapons of defense; but the hazardous part of the present situation was
that only the Professor had one of the pistols, the others having been
left with the team. The only thing which added some comfort was the
knowledge that as the pistols required a special hook to enable them to
cock the firing plug, and as the Professor had this hook, those who took
the team might not be able to use the weapons against them.

At this place it might be well to refer to Red Angel. Nearly nine months
before, on one of their trips, a baby orang-outan had been captured, and
the boys educated him, as best they could, and he really developed many
reasonable instincts. It was Red Angel who left the wagon and followed
them down the river, and who by his peculiar actions attracted attention
to their missing team.

"We owe something to Angel for his cute