Tom yielded good-naturedly. “Okay. Thanks for helping us out of a spot.”
The boys bought several other items. The
IVORY IDOL 57
carver thanked them with bows and smiles, and the crowd broke up.
Tom was still somewhat suspicious of Creel because of the possible tampering with the Swifts’ files during the aluminum “bird” incident. He decided to check up on Creel’s explanation. Before the boys returned to the Sky Queen, he telephoned Kwanu and described the ivory figure.
“Your friend Creel is quite correct,” Kwanu replied. “Identical figures of Uoshu can be found all over this part of Africa.”
“I guess our so-called clue has fizzled out,” Tom reported to Bud after hanging up.
Next morning the Sky Queen took off for Im-bolu. The straggling village was located on the bank of a muddy river which wound eastward into the bush.
As the Americans climbed down from their plane, they were greeted by a tall native.
He wore tattered khaki shorts, a stained T-shirt, and a flower-printed pillbox cap.
“Name is Akomo,” he told Tom. “I am your guide. Porters and boats are ready.”
“Good!” Tom slapped palms with the guide, and introduced himself and the others.
“We’ll be ready to leave as soon as the boats are loaded.”
The party would paddle upriver into the jungle for some miles, then continue on foot.
Tom’s crewmen removed the necessary supplies from the plane, as chattering villagers pitched in to help
58 REPELATRON SKYWAY
the porters carry them to the riverbank and load them aboard two long pirogues.
“Biggest dugout canoes I’ve ever seen,” Bud remarked.