“Off for Africa at last,” murmured Sam, who had been standing at the rail watching the last speck of land as it disappeared.  “What a big trip this is going to be!”

“Never mind how big it is, Sam,” came from Tom, “if only it is successful.”

The first few days on board were spent in settling themselves.  The party had two connecting staterooms, and Mr. Rover and Sam occupied one, while Dick and Tom had settled themselves in the other.

The passengers were mostly French people, who were going to try their fortunes in French Congo.  There was, however, one Englishman, a man named Mortimer Blaze, who was bound out simply for adventure.

“I’m tired of England, and tired of America too,” he explained.  “I’ve hunted through the Rocky Mountains and up in Canada, as well as at home, and now I’m going to try for a lion or a tiger in Africa.”

“Perhaps the lion or tiger will try for you,” smiled Tom.  “What then?”

“It will be a pitched battle, that’s all,” drawled Mortimer Blaze.  He was rather a sleepy looking man, but quick to act when the occasion demanded.

The weather was all that could be wished, and during the first week out the Republique made good progress.  On a steamer there was but little for the boys to do, and they spent all of their spare time in reading the books on Africa which Captain Cambion had in his library, and which were printed in English.  Often they persuaded the genial captain to tell them of his adventures in that far-away country.

“You have many strange sights before you,” he said to them one day.  “The strange vegetation, the immense trees, the wonderful waterfalls, some larger than your own Niagara, and then the odd people.  Some of the natives are little better than dwarfs, while others are six feet and more in height and as straight as arrows.

“Did you ever hear of this King Susko?” questioned Tom.

“Yes; I have heard of him several times.  He is known as the Wanderer, because he and his tribe wander from place to place, making war on the other tribes.”

The captain knew nothing of Niwili Camp and expressed the opinion that it had been, like many other camps, only a temporary affair.  He said that the best the party could do was to strike straight up the Congo, along the south shore, and question the different natives met concerning King Susko’s present whereabouts.

On the beginning of the second week a storm was encountered which lasted for three days.  At first the wind blew at a lively rate, and this was followed by thunder and lightning and a regular deluge of rain, which made all of the boys stay below.  The steamer pitched from side to side and more than one wave broke over her decks.

“This is the worse storm I ever saw,” remarked Dick, as he held fast to a chair in the cabin.  “They won’t be able to set any table for dinner today.”

“Dinner!” came from Sam, with a groan.