The boys, despite their righteous anger at the wicked old man, yet could not help feeling some pity mingled with their amusement as the old coward ran about the bridge like a crazy man.
"We'll get you off if you'll agree to do something for us," hailed Frank through his megaphone as the aeroplane soared in big circles round the wreck and the distracted old man.
"Anything, anything!" cried back old Barr piteously.
"Will you sign a release for the ivory you stole from us, admitting your theft?" asked Frank.
"Yes, yes, my boys. I'll sign anything, but get me off. I don't want to die like this. Oh this is a terrible end!"
"What are you going to do, Frank?" asked Billy, as the Golden Eagle II, in obedience to Frank's controlling hand, began to drop.
"You see that sand bank that the falling tide has exposed," was Frank's reply.
They all nodded.
"I am going to land there and we can wade through the water to the yacht. I judge the water isn't more than three feet deep at the deepest part."
The landing was made without a hitch—the sand being of the hard-ribbed variety that covers the numerous reefs along the west African coast.