A HOUSE IN UNYAMYEMBE.
And now what do you suppose happened to Frank and Fred?
Without having intended doing so beforehand, they became ivory-merchants. It happened in this way:
They found, on making an inventory of their goods, that they had considerably more than was needed for paying the expenses of their journey to the coast. Of course they desired to sell the surplus, and found the Arab merchants ready to buy. Money was not available, and they were obliged to take the currency of the country, which was ivory.
The party became the owner of thirty tusks of ivory, and the property was consigned to the special care of Frank. The young man took especial pride in looking after this valuable series of burdens, and announced his determination to keep it constantly under his eye during the long journey. Abdul damped his ardor a little by telling him that the etiquette of African travel would forbid his doing so, and advising the employment of a trusty man to accompany the porters, and see that the ivory was properly piled at Frank's tent-door at night.
