Let us pass as quickly as possible over the subsequent discussion during which it was by lot that Bob and Frank should stay behind to operate the radio, while should accompany the main party for the purpose of the receiving set and loudspeaker in an place.  
Both Bob and Frank keenly regretted the necessity which would prevent them from forming part of the expedition, for they wanted very much to see the of The Prophet. While as for Bob, he to be present in case of a fight.
 
However, where necessity commanded, like good soldiers they could only obey. Half the force of bearers was to be left with them and two of the guards, including Samba. This latter trusted fellow, it had developed, was a native of this region who had been carried away by slave traders in his youth, and, therefore, knew the dialect. It was he, accordingly, who would have to speak over the radio.
 
Early in the morning, Mr. Ransome’s spies returned before daylight, in fact, having set out from a village where The Prophet was located during the night and camped until the first faint of dawn at the foot of the , after which they had made their way up the height in short order.
 
The Prophet was located in a big village eight miles distant on the plain. They had marked the location well, and through glasses were able to point it out to Bob and Frank. Thus that there would be any difficulty in observing the signal rockets, which Mr. Hampton would send up as a sign for Samba to “speak his piece” over the radio there no longer remained a doubt.
 
Welcome was the word of the spies that The Prophet, whose activities heretofore had lain in the central portion of the great plain, nearest the active volcanoes, and who only recently had invaded the fringes, had not yet aroused the natives to such a pitch of against the whites as to make it impossible for Mr. Hampton’s party to obtain a hearing.
 
“That’s all we shall need,” said Mr. Hampton, as all ready to follow the bearers and other members of the party down the steep paths of the precipice to the plain, he and Jack paused for a last word with Bob and Frank. “Once we get a hearing, we can trust to the of the natives to do the rest.”
 
They each others’ hands in farewell, and then the departing ones set out. Jack was elated, of course, at the turn of fortune which had made it possible for him to be “in at the death” as he phrased it. Yet he realized, too, that a considerable weight of responsibility rested upon him to see to it that the receiving set was properly hidden and in good working order.
 
As for Bob and Frank, when the others had disappeared around a turn of the path, dipping into a , they swallowed their disappointment at being left behind and hastened away to take up their duties. Chief of which, of course, was the drilling of Samba not only in the message he was to utter over the radio and which he translated into high-flown native language, but also in coaching him how loud to speak into the transmitter, how close to approach his lips to it, and the proper tone to employ to achieve the best effect.
 
To the precipice and cross the plain to the village would take the slow-moving party much more time than it had the spies. It was not expected they would reach the village, in fact, until late in the afternoon. Moreover, some time would be spent there in negotiating with the chief and in drawing off the crowd of natives from the vicinity of The Prophet’s hut through means of Niellsen’s motion picture camera, in order that Jack should have his opportunity to the radio receiving set and the loudspeaker.
 
It had been agreed, in fact, that by no means should Mr. Hampton call for the use of the radio until 8 o’clock that night. Accordingly, Bob and Frank, even after spending hours coaching Samba until he was letter perfect in his speech and likewise knew just how to utter it to obtain the best effect, still had time on their hands.
 
They had set up their radio station not far from the edge of the precipice, in order that the one watching for the expected signal should when it be able to pass on the word at once to the one manipulating the station and directing Samba. In order that they would be able to keep the village which had been out to them under their glasses after nightfall, they had planted two stakes in line with each other and bearing directly on the village, so that even in the thickest darkness glasses trained in the direction indicated by the pointers would pick out the signals.
 
But it was uncomfortably hot in the open sun about the radio station, even at that altitude of 8,000 feet, and after work had been completed and everything was in readiness, Bob to his tent for a nap. Frank, who was not inclined to sleep, strolled around through the woods, which he found so strange as to be exciting.
 
It was his first experience in the untrodden woods of this mountain region, and had he realized the danger he would not have wandered from............