Page:Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle.djvu/168



for the moment, held Tom and the others speechless. To be answered in English, poor and broken as it was, by a native African, was strange enough, but when this same African was found aboard the airship, in the midst of the jungle, at midnight, it almost passed the bounds of possibility.

"Tomba!" mused Tom, wondering where he had heard that name before. "Tomba?"

"Of course!" cried Mr. Anderson, suddenly. "Don't you remember? That's the name of the servant of Mr. and Mrs. Illingway, who escaped and brought news of their capture by the pygmies. That's who Tomba is."

"Yes, but Tomba escaped," objected Mr. Durban. "He went to the white settlements with the news. How comes he here?"

"We'll have to find out," said Tom, simply. "Tomba, are you there?" he called, as he fired