Page:In brightest Africa.djvu/185

 but I believe I said quite enough, for as we were leaving the dining room, the President turned to me and said:

"As soon as I am through with this job, I am going to Africa."

"But," interposed the hunter from the north, "what is to become of Alaska?"

"Alaska will have to wait," Roosevelt replied with finality. Plans for the Roosevelt African expedition went forward at once and I had something to do with their arrangement.

At this dinner at the White House I retold to the President the story of the sixteen lions coming out of the cave on MacMillan's estate. The President, who had been very frank in his comments about all things, was having difficulties with the Senate at the time. When I had finished the story, he addressed Congressman Mann who sat beside him at the table,

"Congressman," he said, "I wish I had those sixteen lions to turn loose in the Senate."

Congressman Mann stammered and stumbled a bit, but finally drew himself together to reply.

"B—but, Mr. President, aren't—aren't you afraid the lions might make a mistake?"

"Not if they stayed long enough," was Roosevelt's rejoinder.

So he really invented the idea which they turned on him later. When his administration was over and he finally started for Africa, the cry of the Senate crowd was, "America expects every lion to do his duty." A cartoon of the day that I particularly