eld at this point for their flyers,
and it was only after considerable telegraphing that a Scotch trader
named MacInnis, situated at Lagos, the nearest coast-port of any size,
had agreed to get a supply of gasoline and oil to Kuka and meet the
airplanes when they arrived.

It was five o'clock when the boys passed over the low banks of the
Niger River. By seven they were in the heart of the wild, level
territory of Sokoto, skimming over vast expanses of plume-like grasses
and extensive marshes and swamps. Strange birds of enormous size flew
up out of the morasses, startled at the sight and sound of the
airplane. Some tried to follow it, evidently to give it battle, but
the swiftest of them were hopelessly outdistanced before they were well
started.

When the sun disappeared behind the forest back of them, the flyers
were still making speed for their destination, with Bob at the
throttle. Pretty soon the lengthening shadows and obscuring of detail
below convinced the crew that night was just about upon them, and that
if they did not reach Kuka within the next thirty minutes they were
very likely to be in such darkness that they would overrun it and never
know the difference.

Some of them began to wonder if they had not missed their course, when
a cry came from Bob, and they all ran forward and looked out of the
front windows at the object he was pointing out.

CHAPTER XIX

SAVED BY THE SEARCHLIGHT

What our flyers saw was a very large body of water, with a strong tone
of blue to it. As far to the north as they could see, it stretched,
also to the east and south. And the shoreline on the western side
nearest them was covered with what seemed a never-ending border of
great forest trees, many of which had all the characteristics of
mangroves.

This great expanse of water they knew could not be the Red Sea, nor
could it be the Indian Ocean; for they had not traveled far enough
westward to reach these bodies. Unquestionably, therefore, it was that
which they were looking for--Lake Chad.

As they swept nearer, under reduced speed, they observed somewhat to
their left a good-sized collection of dwellings in an opening among the
mangroves, evidently a town. Swerving in that direction they were soon
circling above the place at an altitude of about five hundred feet,
hoping that it might prove to be Kuka, their next stop.

By this time it had grown so dark that they could just make out the
buildings and