It was when Tom invented a wonderful electric rifle, and went to Africa with a Mr. Durban, a great hunter, to get elephants’ tusks, that he rescued Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, the missionaries, who were held captive by red pygmies.

That was a startling trip, and full of surprises.  Tom took with him to the dark continent a new airship, the Black Hawk, and but for this he and his friends never would have escaped from the savages and the wild beasts.

As it was, they had a hazardous time getting the missionary and his wife away from the jungle.  It was this same missionary who, as told in the first chapter of this book, sent Tom the letter about the city of gold.  Mr. Illingway and his wife wanted to stay in Africa in an endeavor to christianize the natives, even after their terrible experience.  So Tom landed them at a white settlement.  It was from there that the letter came.

But the missionaries were not the only ones whom Tom saved from the red pygmies.  Andy Foger, a Shopton youth, was Tom’s enemy, and he had interfered with our hero’s plans in his trips.  He even had an airship made, and followed Tom to Africa.  There Andy Foger and his companion, a German were captured by the savages.  But though Tom saved his life, Andy did not seem to give over annoying the young inventor.  Andy was born mean, and, as Eradicate Sampson used to say, “dat meanness neber will done git whitewashed outer him—­dat’s a fack!”

But if Andy Foger was mean to Tom, there was another Shopton lad who was just the reverse.  This was Ned Newton, who was Tom’s particular chum, Ned had gone with our hero on many trips, including the one to Africa after elephants.  Mr. Damon also accompanied Tom many times, and occasionally Eradicate went along on the shorter voyages.  But Eradicate was getting old, like Mr. Swift, who, of late years, had not traveled much with his son.

When I add that Tom still continued to invent things, that he was always looking for new adventures, that he still cared very much for Mary Nestor, and thought his father the best in the world, and liked Mr. Damon and Ned Newton above all his other acquaintances, except perhaps Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, I think perhaps I have said enough about him; and now I will get back to the story.

I might add, however, that Andy Foger, who had been away from Shopton for some time, had now returned to the village, and had lately been seen by Tom, riding around in a powerful auto.  The sight of Andy did not make the young inventor feel any happier.

“Well, Tom, I think that will do,” remarked Mr. Damon when, after about an hour’s work, they had jointly written a letter to the African missionary.

“We’ve asked him enough questions, anyhow,” agreed the lad.  “If he answers all of them we’ll know more about the city of gold, and where it is, than we do now.”

“Exactly,” spoke the odd man.  “Now to mail the letter, and wait for an answer.  It will take several weeks, for they don’t have good mail service to that part of Africa.  I hope Mr. Illingway sends us a better map.”