ppears from the west."

He signalled to his bearers and they carried his litter to the nearest
clump of trees, while Professor Oakwood walked alongside, conversing
earnestly with the wise man.

The others followed and soon all were comfortably seated in the shade,
and happy to be out of the blistering African sunlight.

Ray, Dan and Dick had plenty to talk about for a while but presently
Ray became drowsy in the heat and yawned.

"I need a good sleep," she declared. "I've had too much excitement."

"What I crave is a good lunch," said Dan. "Why didn't somebody bring a
picnic basket?"

His head sank between his knees and he dozed off but suddenly Dick
shook him by the shoulders and the distant roar of engines was the
first thing he heard.

At first Dan thought he was dreaming, then he sprang to his sister and
shouted in her ear, "Wake up! Wake up! Look, Ray! There comes the
plane!"

Ray ran out into the clearing, shouting and waving her arms.

Dan and Dick followed her and yelled at the top of their voices.

"This is silly," said Dick, finally. "What's the use of shouting? We
could never be heard above the noise of the engines."

"It's too far away to see us," groaned Dan.

"But they are sure to see the wrecked _Meteorite_" Dick assured him.

"That's so. If they keep straight on, they will pass right over it,"
said Ray, then her voice broke as she exclaimed, "Look, Dan. It's
banking for a turn. The plane is starting the other way!"

CHAPTER XV

READY FOR NEW ADVENTURES

"Quick, Dan, let's get a fire going!"

Dick Oakwood was taking no chances. He shouted orders to Raal and the
other tribesmen and they rushed about getting dead branches and brush
from the forest. Soon a huge fire was sending up a column of smoke.

Evidently the pilot was searching for the lost party, for he flew the
plane slowly. Dick Oakwood was in a position to sympathize with Rex
Carter, the anxious father hunting over the jungle for some trace of
his children. Dick had gone through so many hours of worry lately that
he knew how terrible was the suspense that the unhappy man was
suffering.

While he felt sure that the wrecked monoplane would be seen, he made
doubly certain of it by sending up a signal that would attract the
pilot's attention from miles away.

With his eyes straining at the cabin plane, he suddenly gave a great
shout:

"Hurrah! They have seen the fire. Look! Now they're banking again."