The Forest of Mystery

  CHAPTER V

  A Welcome Announcement

  "Well, boys, we're leaving San Francisco tomorrow," said Mr. Lewis ashe greeted the chums late that afternoon.

  "I'll be glad to get back to Washington," remarked Bob. "Of course,I've had a good time here--saw a lot of interesting sights and thelike. But, after all----"

  "There's no place quite like home," chimed in his father with a smile.

  "Especially with a trip to Africa in prospect," Bob added.

  "Ah! That accounts for your ardent desire to leave, does it?" askedMr. Lewis. "I wondered why you made that remark about wanting to getback to Washington."

  Bob and Joe smiled.

  "That partly accounts for it," came from Joe. "But, honestly, Dad, youdon't blame us, do you?"

  The youth hoped to corner his father, but the latter was more cleverthan he had imagined.

  "Not in the least," Mr. Lewis answered quickly. "I would want to go toAfrica if I were you."

  Again the boys found themselves "stumped," and again they were forcedto drop the matter regarding the expedition to the Dark Continent.They could only hope for the best, remarked Bob as that night heretired.

  Early the next morning the chums and their fathers were up makingpreparations for the journey across the continent. They had everythingin readiness by eight o'clock.

  In the hotel garage they were shown to Mr. Holton's sedan. A porterhad followed them with their grips, which were placed in the car'strunk.

  The chums gazed out fondly at the last views they got of SanFrancisco. Then they settled themselves down for the long ride.

  Nothing of significance happened during the journey, and at last,after stops had been made at Denver, Kansas City, and a small city inKentucky, they pulled into Washington.

  At their homes, which were located next door to each other, the fourreceived a warm welcome from the youths' mothers, Joe's sister, andBob's small brother.

  "I sure enjoyed our stay in San Francisco," remarked Bob thatevening, as he sat on the porch with his father and chum.

  "Especially right at this time," put in Joe. "I'm glad to get back."

  "Why right at this time?" inquired Mr. Holton.

  "Because," explained Joe, "there's a circus in town. And as I haven'tbeen to a circus for quite a while, I'm going. How about you, Bob?"

  "It's a go," said Bob at once. "Let's you and I drive over tomorrow inmy new coupe. It's a pip, all right."

  "What, the circus, or the car?" grinned Mr. Holton.

  "Well, I don't know about the circus," said Bob. "But I know the caris. Anyway, I'd like to take a look at wild animals that were broughtfrom Africa. Lions, leopards, and the like. Don't you and Mr. Lewiswant to go, Dad? We can put you in the rumble seat."

  "Rumble seat, huh? Hmm. I'd want better service than that." Thenaturalist viewed his son critically though with twinkling eyes. "No,we men won't go to the circus," he added with a grin. "But you boyscan."

  "Listen to that!" cried Bob, squaring his powerful shoulders. "I guessyou men enjoy it about as much as anybody does. Now, you might," hewent on, struck with a sudden thought, "take Tommy. Of course, he'dlike it. That would give you an excuse to go."

  "Maybe your little brother would rather play baseball," suggested Mr.Holton. "He finds that interesting now, you know."

  "Nix," countered Bob. "Tommy's all for a circus. He'd rather see thewild animals than eat. And to tell the truth, Dad," he addedmischievously, "you're about the same way. Don't deny it, now."

  Mr. Holton smiled.

  "I see you're putting me up a tree," he said. "But say!"--in a tone ofdismay--"come to think of it, Tommy is going to Baltimore with hismother tomorrow."

  The naturalist's face was a perfect picture of disappointment. Bob andJoe burst out in loud laughter, and Bob gave his father a shove.

  "Now who can you take?" Bob chuckled, very much amused at Mr. Holton'splight.

  "That settles it," the naturalist said. "Ben and I won't go. We havesome work in the museum that must be attended to, anyway."

  Bob gave his father an odd glance, and then, at a call of "dinner,"the little party disbanded.

  The circus was on its second day in the city, and because of severalunusual attractions was receiving considerable attention. One thingbeing featured was an immense gorilla which had just recently beenbrought from western Africa. It was supposedly the largest specimen incaptivity.

  The next morning Bob and Joe left for the circus grounds. There theyfound that a large crowd had already gathered to gain admittance.

  "Suppose we go to the menagerie tent first," suggested Bob. "We havesome time yet before the performance opens. I want to take a look atthat big gorilla."

  "And if what we've heard is true, he's a whopper."

  This was no exaggeration, as the chums found a little later. The bigape seemed the very personification of power. His huge chest wasseveral times as big as a man's. His long large arms looked capable ofcrushing an enemy into a shapeless mass. The little beady eyes weredefiant, moving from one to another of the spectators.

  "How would you like to meet that fellow in a wrestling match?" saidBob with a laugh.

  Joe smiled unwillingly.

  "He wouldn't leave a grease spot of you," he said. "Fifteen or twentychampion wrestlers wouldn't have the slightest chance in the worldwith him."

  There was a far-away look in Bob's eyes, which Joe noticed as hehappened to turn about.

  "What's got into you?" the latter asked. "You look like a greatscientist that's just made a wonderful discovery."

  Bob roused himself and laughed.

  "I was just thinking," he said.

  "About what?"

  "Africa. Gorillas like this fellow here. Lions. Wild elephants. Tallforest giants. Adventure."

  "Wow!" cried Joe. "You'll have me running around in circles. Youknow," he went on more seriously, "it's up to us to get our dads inthe notion of going to Africa very soon now. And we'll have to makethem let us go along. They----"

  He stopped abruptly and smiled sheepishly as he caught sight of twomen standing beside him. Those men were none other than Mr. Lewis andMr. Holton.

  "What th----" cried Bob, who had also seen.

  "Didn't expect to find us here, did you?" asked Mr. Holton with agrin.

  "And you said you weren't coming!" roared Bob. He looked about.

  "Tommy didn't come," his father said. "He went with his mother. But,"with a glance at Mr. Lewis, "Ben and I decided to take a look at thiswhale of a gorilla here. What do you think of him, boys?"

  "Biggest I've ever seen," came from Joe. "Wonder how he was captured."

  "It wasn't an easy job," said Mr. Lewis. "I once saw natives in Africacapture a gorilla. Was in the Mountains of the Moon. They used apeculiar trap consisting of a circular hole in the ground. When theanimal fell into the hole, a noose was tightened around its neck."

  "You say you were there?" asked Bob. "How long ago has it been?"

  "A good many years--four, to be exact. Howard and I went together on abig expedition. We brought back several unusual specimens of animallife."

  "Then," began Bob with a smile, "you'll probably go again in the nextfew days, won't you? Back in San Francisco you said you were going."

  Mr. Lewis and Mr. Holton exchanged amused glances.

  "Shall we tell them, Ben?" asked Bob's father.

  "Tell us what?" cried Joe, sensing that something was in the wind.

  "Simply that we're leaving for Africa Friday," was the quiet answerfrom Mr. Lewis.