“The beasts!” murmured Tom.  “Well, I reckon at that rate, civilization can’t come too quick, even if it has to advance behind bayonets and cannon.”

CHAPTER XXII

A HURRICANE IN THE JUNGLE

On and on went the expedition.  In the past many small towns and villages had been visited where there were more or less white people; but now they reached a territory where the blacks held full sway, with —­ but this was rarely —­ a Christian missionary among them.

At all of the places which were visited Cujo inquired about King Susko and his people, and at last learned that the African had passed to the southeast along the Kassai River, driving before him several hundred head of cattle which he had picked up here and there.

“Him steal dat cattle,” explained Cujo, “but him don’t say dat stealin’, him say um —­ um -”

“A tax on the people?” suggested Dick.

“Yes, um tax.  But him big Vief.”

“He must be, unless he gives the people some benefit for the tax they are forced to pay,” said Tom.

At one of the villages they leaned that there was another American Party in that territory, one sent out by an Eastern college to collect specimens of the flora of central Africa.  It was said that the party consisted of an elderly man and half a dozen young fellows.

“I wouldn’t mind meeting that crowd,” said Sam.  “They might brighten up things a bit.”

“Never mind; things will pick up when once we meet King Susko,” said Dick.  “But I would like to know where the crowd is from and who is in it.”

“It’s not likely we would know them if they are from the East,” said Sam.  “Probably they hail from Yale or Harvard.”

Two days later the storm which Cujo had predicted for some time caught them while they were in the midst of an immense forest of teak and rosewood.  It was the middle of the afternoon, yet the sky became as black as night, while from a distance came the low rumble of thunder.  There was a wind rushing high up in the air, but as yet this had not come down any further than the treetops.  The birds of the jungle took up the alarm and filled the forest with their discordant cries, and even the monkeys, which were now numerous, sit up a jabber which would have been highly trying to the nerves of a nervous person.

“Yes, we catch um,” said Cujo, in reply to Dick’s question.  “Me look for safe place too stay.”

“You think the storm will be a heavy one?” asked Randolph Rover anxiously.

“Werry heavy, massah; werry heavy,” returned Cujo.  “Come wid me, all ob you,” and he set off on a run.

All followed as quickly as they could, and soon found themselves under a high mass of rocks overlooking the Kassai River.  They had hardly gained the shelter when the storm burst over their heads in all of its wild fury.

“My, but this beats anything that I ever saw before!” cried Sam, as the wind began to rush by them with ever-increasing velocity.