.

"And do you think we can find the place?" asked Ned, when Mr. Durban
had finished translating the hunter's story.

"I think so," was the reply.

"But is this the settlement where the missionaries are?" asked Tom
anxiously.

"That is what we don't know," said Mr. Anderson. "The native scout
could not learn that. But once we get on the trail of the dwarfs, I
think we can easily find the particular tribe which has the
captives."

"At any rate, we'll get started and do something," declared Tom, and
the next day, after the African hunter had described, as well as he
could, where the place was, the Black Hawk was sent up into the air,
good-bys were called down, and once more the adventurers were under
way.

It was decided that they had better proceed cautiously, and lower
the airship, and anchor it, sometime before getting above the place
where the pygmy village was.

"For they may see us, and, though they don't know what our craft is,
they may take the alarm and hide deeper in the jungle with the
prisoners, where we can't find them," said Tom.

His plan was adopted, and, while it had taken the native hunter
several days to reach the borders of the dwarfs' land, those in the
airship made the trip in one day. That is, they came as far toward
it as they thought would be safe, and one night, having located a
landmark which Mr. Durban said was on the border, the nose of the
Black Hawk was pointed downward, and soon they were encamped in a
little clearing in the midst of the dense jungle which was all about
them.

With his electric rifle, Tom noiselessly killed some birds, very
much like chicken, of which an excellent meal was made and then, as
it became dark very early, and as nothing could be done, they
lighted a campfire, and retired inside their craft to pass the
night.

It must have been about midnight that Tom, who was a light sleeper
at times, was awakened by some noise outside the window near which
his stateroom was. He sat up and listened, putting out his hand to
where his rifle stood in the corner near his bunk. The lad heard
stealthy footsteps pattering about on the deck of the airship. There
was a soft, shuffling sound, such as a lion or a tiger makes, when
walking on bare boards. In spite of himself, Tom felt the hair on
his head beginning to creep, and a shiver ran down his back.

"There's something out there!" he whispered. "I wonder if I'd better
awaken the others? No, if it's a sneaking lion, I