"You may take a few shots later on and see what you can bring down for supper," answered his uncle. "But just now let us push on as fast as we can."
"Yes," put in Tom. "Remember we are out here to find father, not to hunt."
"As if I would ever forget that," answered Dick, with a reproachful glance.
They were now traveling a bit of a hill which took them, temporarily, out of sight of the Congo. Cujo declared this was a short route and much better to travel than the other. The way was through a forest of African teak wood, immense trees which seemed to tower to the very skies.
"They are as large as the immense trees of California of which you have all heard," remarked Randolph Rover. "It is a very useful wood, used extensively in ship building."
"After all, I think a boat on the Congo would have been better to use than shoe leather," said Sam, who was beginning to grow tired.
"No use a boat when come to falls," grinned Cujo. "Soon come to dem, too."
Aleck had been dragging behind, carrying a heavy load, to which he was unaccustomed. Now he rejoined the others with the announcement that another party was in their rear.
"They are on foot, too," he said. "Cujo whar you dun t'ink da be gwine?"
"To the next settlement, maybe," was Randolph Rover's comment, and Cujo nodded.