With this opinion, Jack and Frank were in hearty agreement. Likewise Roy Stone, who after repairing his airplane had flown it to the plain outside Athensi where it rested now with just sufficient fuel to carry him out of the desert when the time came to depart. Departure, however, he kept putting off from time to time at the insistence of his friends.
Ali and his Arabs continued to stay with Mr. Hampton, the wounded members of the party now fully restored to health.
In the Great Library of Athensi, the biggest building in extent within the Inner City, were found as the revolutionists had predicted many thousands of manuscripts or papyrus rolls written in the ancient mother tongue of Atlantis of which Athensian was a corruption. Few of the young nobles among the revolutionists ever had been within the library before, as the ancients of the Oligarchs had guarded it jealously. They were even more eager than Mr. Hampton to browse, if that word can properly be employed in this connection. But when they came to examining the rolls, they found that it was only with difficulty they could here and there decipher a word.
However, the similarity of languages was such that in time the mother tongue could be learned and the treasured knowledge of this most ancient of libraries in the oldest living city on earth, could be unlocked and given to the world. To the task of learning the language and of putting the library in order, Captain Amanassar who had been elected President of the new republican government, assigned Amonasis, Amrath and two dozen assistants, comprising the best educated of the young revolutionists. Eagerly, they began their task.
At length, with a story that later was to astound not only the scientific world but all civilization, Mr. Hampton, finding his advice no longer was required, decided to depart. They had been absent from home five months. Bob and Frank were overdue for their Senior year at Yale. Mr. Hampton was to be the unofficial representative of the Athensian government to the United States, and was to pave the way for official representatives to be sent to the various world capitals by making public his account of events.
In addition, he was to interest capitalists in developing the resources of the country, and in building a railroad linking up Athensi with the Cape-to-Cairo Railroad.
He promised to return the following year, estimating it would require that length of time at least to perform his various commissions. On his return, the boys planned to accompany him and to build a great radio station at Athensi, which would put the mountain people in touch with all the world.
True to his promise, they did return the following year, carrying to Athensi a great caravan of supplies for the erection of a completely equipped radio sending and receiving station. These supplies were taken up the Niger by boat and finally across the desert by camel.
But after finishing the erection of the station, the three Radio Boys set out on an exploring expedition through the heart of Africa in the interests of a new motion picture producing corporation among the backers of which were both Mr. Temple and Mr. Hampton. And the adventures which befell them upon this 5,000 mile journey through jungle wilds and in coming into contact with savage men and beasts, were numerous and varied.
All will be duly chronicled in “The Radio Boys in Darkest Africa.” Until then, let us bid them good-bye.