“A terrible fate,” commented Mr. Durban.

“Yes, they might better be dead, from all the accounts we can hear,” went on Mr. Anderson.

“Bless my Sunday hat!  Don’t say that!” exclaimed Mr. Damon.  “Maybe we can save them, Mr. Anderson.”

“That is what I am going to try to do, though it may be too late.  As soon as definite news was received, our church held a meeting, raised a fund, and decided to send me off to find Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, if alive, or give them decent burial, if I could locate their bones.  The reason they selected me was because I had been in Africa, and knew the country.”

“I made hurried arrangements, packed up, said good-by to my wife, and here I am.  But to think of meeting you, Tom Swift!  And to hear that you are also going to Africa.  I wish I could command an airship for the rescue.  It might be more easily accomplished!”

“That’s just what I was going to propose!” exclaimed Tom.  “We are going to the land of the red pygmies, and while I have promised to help Mr. Durban in getting ivory, and while I want to try my electric rifle on big game, still we can do both, I think.  You can depend on us, Mr. Anderson, and if the Black Hawk can be of any service to you in the rescue, count us in!”

“Gosh!” cried the former castaway of Earthquake Island.  “This is the best piece of luck I could have!  Now tell me all about your plans.” which Tom and the others did, listening in turn, to further details about the missionaries.

Just how they would go to work to effect the rescue, or how they could locate the particular tribe of little red men who had Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, they did not know.

“We may be able to get hold of this Tomba,” said Mr. Durban.  “If not I guess between Mr. Anderson and myself we can get on the trail, somehow.  I’m anxious to get to the coast, see the airship put together again, and start for the interior.”

“So am I,” declared Tom, as he got out his electric rifle, and began to put it together, for he wanted to show Mr. Anderson how it worked.

They had a pleasant and uneventful voyage for two weeks.  The weather was good, and, to tell the truth, it was rather monotonous for Torn and the others, who were eager to get into activity again.  Then came a storm, which, while it was not dangerous, yet gave them plenty to think and talk about for three days.  Then came more calm weather, when the Soudalar plowed along over gently heaving billows.

They were about a week from their port of destination, which vas Majumba, on the African coast, when, one afternoon, as Tom and the others were in their cabin, they heard a series of shouts on deck, and the sound of many feet running to and fro.

“Something has happened!” exclaimed the young inventor.

Tom raced for the companionway, and was soon on deck, followed by Mr. Durban and the others.  They saw a crowd of sailors and passengers leaning over the port rail.