“Oh.” Bob was mollified, but still puzzled. “What for?”
“There are active volcanoes over there, and Mr. Ransome says they are reported by native rumors reaching Entebbe to be in eruption. He’s going in and says he thought we might want to go along.”
Bob felt his interest quickened. Volcanoes in active eruption. That would be something like, a sight worth travelling hundreds of miles to see. “Fine,” he cried enthusiastically. “What wonderful picture stuff.”
Frank nodded. “That’s what I thought of the first thing, too.”
“But what is Mr. Ransome going in for?” asked Bob.
“Oh, I suppose these fellows who knock about the wilds like to take in the sights as well as we who don’t live here all the time.”
“Maybe so,” agreed Bob. Then, as a new thought occurred to him, he asked: “How soon could we get to Entebbe? And how much farther does this volcanic region lie?”
Frank confessed ignorance regarding the answers to both questions.
“Come on, let’s go back inside,” he said, “now that your curiosity is satisfied. You know as much about it now as I do. Let’s see what Mr. Hampton has to say.”
The latter concluded his conversation with “That’s agreed then and we’ll start tomorrow,” as the boys re-entered the tent, and from Jack who had remained at his father’s shoulder burst a loud “Hurray.”