CHAPTER XIV
Disaster Ahead
"What did you find out, Dad?" inquired Bob late that afternoon. Mr.Holton had just returned from the railroad station of the UgandaRailway.
His father smiled happily.
"There is a train leaving tomorrow morning," he said. "From allaccounts we'll be the only passengers on it."
"I don't mind that," came from Joe. "But, say, Mr. Holton, what doesthe train look like?"
"You'll be surprised," smiled Mr. Lewis.
"Perhaps you'll tell us just where it will take us," said Bob.
"All the way to Lake Victoria," his father returned. "We'll spend aday or so looking around there. Then we'll organize a safari andplunge into the jungle."
There was a little time left before darkness would close over them.Bob and Joe used it to further explore Mombasa and see itsinhabitants.
They found that the city was situated on an island several thousandacres in extent. There was a channel that divided it from themainland, spanned by a causeway. In the old section of the city thechums found many things of interest in the way of odd native huts,curious carvings, and the native market. The new section contained anumber of attractive homes in which lived Europeans and Americans.
"And there seem to be representatives of all races here," remarkedBob, when they returned to the hotel. "Whites, blacks, browns--allcolors."
"You're in for a surprise tonight," said Mr. Lewis, as the youthsretired.
"What is it?" asked Joe.
"Wait and see," smiled his father.
The "surprise" did not make itself known the first part of the night.In fact, Bob and Joe forgot all about what Mr. Lewis had said sosoundly did they sleep.
But about two in the morning they were awakened by a hideous noisewhich was unlike anything the youths had ever heard before. That itwas the call of some wild animal they did not doubt, but just whatcreature could cry out in such tones they had not the slightest idea.
The noise was repeated again and again, always nearer. Finally Bobjumped out of bed and bounded to the window.
"Of all things!" he cried, gazing out intently. "Joe, comehere--quick!"
Joe needed no urging. Like a flash he had joined his comrade.
"Why--it's a hyena!" he gasped. "And there's another--and another.Gosh! They're right out in the middle of the street."
A brilliant moon made the animals easily visible. They were unusuallylarge specimens, that from all appearances could tear a man limb fromlimb.
"I guess they're too cowardly to attack even a very small animal,"remarked Bob. "But they sure look mean, don't they?"
"This must be the surprise Dad was talking about," said Joe, nevertaking his eyes from the scene. "And it really is a surprise, too.Who'd expect to see wild animals out in the main street of a town,even in Africa?"
The chums could hardly tear themselves away from the window. Thewhining, screaming hyenas were something that they had never seenexcept behind bars, and they naturally looked out with great interest.
"Come on, Joe." Bob at last went back to bed. "We want to get alittle more sleep before morning. We'll have a lot to do tomorrow."
Shortly after daybreak Mr. Lewis appeared at the doorway.
"Come along, boys," he said, noting that they were awake. "The trainleaves in two hours."
They dressed as soon as possible and secured their breakfast. Then,with their fathers, they went to the railroad station, carrying mostof their baggage.
As there was nearly an hour remaining, all four took a short walkabout the city, in search of anything unusual.
Before long they found themselves at the city fish market, which was acolorful place displaying practically all kinds of sea food. Therewere sharks, swordfish, crabs, crayfish, sardines, and many otherqueer denizens of the near-by waters.
"Quite a market," mused Joe, as they moved back to the railroadstation. "Ought to be able to find anything you'd want there."
The train arrived at last, and the explorers lost no time in boarding.They found the coach very comfortable, although it appeared ratherold.
"You were right, Howard. As yet we are the only passengers," observedMr. Lewis.
Before long the train started moving, slowly at first, picking upspeed later.
"We're off!" cried Joe, gazing out of the window with interest.
After a short stop at Kilindini they crossed the channel and passedthrough luxuriant tropical vegetation--coconut palms, mangoes, andcountless other trees and plants.
"When do we see the herds of wild animals?" asked Bob, after an hourhad passed. "This is a game reserve, isn't it?"
His father nodded.
"We should see some before long now," he said. "But, of course, therewon't be any great numbers until we get farther along."
Soon the train left the coastal belt and reached a region of bush. Forseveral hours it sped through a monotonous country, at last coming tothe town of Voi.
From then on the journey was rather uninteresting, until the explorerspulled into Makindu. Here they got off to spend the night.
Late the next morning the train resumed its journey, leaving theregion of bush behind and entering a vast plain.
Suddenly Mr. Holton sat up with a start.
"Look over there!" he exclaimed, pointing to something several hundredyards away.
Bob and Joe looked.
"Why--it's a herd of zebras!" cried Bob, struck with amazement. "Theremust be fifty of them."
"What do you know about that!" Joe was also gazing out with profoundinterest. "They--over there! A herd of strange antelopes."
"They're impalla," pronounced his father. "Sleek, beautiful animals,aren't they?"
As they went farther the explorers saw other kinds of game.Bright-colored birds fluttered past; towering giraffes could often beseen; hartebeests and other varieties of antelopes appearedeverywhere. Once a troop of impalla, upon hearing the locomotivewhistle, ran gracefully at right angles from the train.
"The world's greatest menagerie," murmured Mr. Lewis, speaking withdecision. "The British certainly have done a great good here. There isnothing like this protectorate anywhere."
Half an hour later the train stopped at a small but attractivestation. Here the explorers got off to stretch their legs and lookaround.
Bob and Joe happened to be near the locomotive when a voice made themturn about. Looking up, they saw the engineer motioning to them.
"How would you like to see the wild beasts better?" he asked theyouths.
"Why--what do you mean?" inquired Joe wonderingly. "See them better?How?"
"Easy enough," laughed the engineer. He climbed down from thelocomotive. "See that? It's a seat on the cowcatcher. If you like, youand your dads, or whoever that was with you, can perch yourselvesthere. It's every bit as safe as in the car."
"Say!" burst out Bob, delighted at such an opportunity. "That's justwhat we'll do. There's plenty of room for all four of us, and nodanger of falling off. Thanks for telling us."
The boys found their fathers on the opposite side of the train.
"It's time Joe and I were springing a surprise on you," said Bob, witha wink at his chum.
There was a quizzical look on the faces of the naturalists.
"Very well," smiled Mr. Lewis, his eyes twinkling. "What is yoursurprise?"
"How would you like to see the wild beasts better?" asked Bob,repeating the question asked by the engineer.
Mr. Holton answered on the moment.
"We'd like it so well that we intend to occupy the seat on thecowcatcher of the engine," he said casually.
Bob groaned hopelessly.
"Good-bye surprise," he snorted. "Doggone it, Dad. You two are awaytoo wise for us. We ought to tell you something about the Amazonjungle, I guess, instead of picking on Africa. We ought to be able to.We were lost in it long enough."
"I get it," laughed Mr. Lewis. "You were going to tell us about thewonderful possibilities for sightseeing while seated at the front
ofthe locomotive. Why didn't you keep still, Howard, and let them havetheir fun?"
"Sorry," grinned Mr. Holton. "Next time I'll be as mum as a giraffe."
At a word from the engineer, the four explorers climbed up on thecowcatcher and sat down on the wide seat, their hearts light as theyeagerly anticipated what was coming. As for Bob and Joe, it was themost unusual opportunity they had ever been offered.
"What do you have there?" inquired Joe, trying to make out what hisfriend held under his arm.
"A motion-picture camera," returned Bob, holding it in view. "I openedthe box and brought it out. We haven't taken any movies since westarted, you know."
"Glad you thought of it," Joe commended. "This is sure a swell chancefor rolling it off."
The sound of the locomotive's whistle made the explorers sit up ineager anticipation.
It was a novel sensation to the youths--sitting on the cowcatcher ofthe engine. As the latter picked up speed, they experienced a feelingof real exhilaration. For seeing the shining rails slip by andwatching the scenery move toward them was most unusual indeed,especially here in Africa.
The farther they went the more plentiful wild life became. On oneoccasion Joe almost caught a bright red bird with his hands as it flewacross the path of the oncoming train. At another time a cat-likeanimal darted across the track, almost under the wheels.
"That fellow had a narrow escape," breathed Bob, whose heart wasbeating rapidly as he saw the near-tragedy.
Still later the boys and their fathers saw literally thousands ofbeautiful Thompson's gazelles, gnus, ostriches, giraffes, hartebeests,water bucks, and many other creatures.
"Such a sight!" said Bob, cranking the motion-picture camerafrequently. "Never saw----"
He stopped abruptly, and the reason was very apparent.
Not two hundred feet away, directly on the track, was a huge elephant,which paid not the slightest attention to the oncoming train!