"Oh Dan!" cried Ray. "It's coming straight toward us. I'm so happy!
I could almost believe in your old Mahatma now."

"He's a wise old bird," Dan asserted. "It's coming out just as he said
it would."

The natives had sighted the cabin plane and expressed their feelings in
different ways. The Kungoras took to the woods in terror. The Gorols,
clutching their weapons, dodged behind rocks and bushes, ready to fight
off the flying demons if they should prove hostile. Only the Taharans,
reassured by Raal, stood their ground without fear, believing that the
Boy King would protect them. But even they were a little uneasy as the
giant plane flew above the clearing and its shadow swept over them like
a great hawk's.

"Fear nothing!" cried Dick to encourage them. "They are my friends."

"Tahara hal!" shouted the warriors lustily.

Professor Oakwood, standing beside the Mahatma, shook the Hindu's hand.
"You are a good prophet," he said. "It is just an hour since you said
the plane would be here. And now it comes on the dot."

Sikandar smiled and sent his warning to the Taharans in the open space.
"Scatter to the woods, make way for the friendly eagle."

As the tribesmen scampered to safety, the great plane banked and
leveled for a landing, while the pilot searched for a safe spot. A
minute later it was on the ground with its three powerful motors still.
The door flew open and Rex Carter leaped out to catch his boy and girl
in his arms.

The big, ruddy-faced business man was almost in tears, so great was his
relief.

"I had given you up for lost!" he exclaimed in a choking voice. "I
never expected to see you alive again!"

"How did you know where to look for us?" asked Ray, hugging and kissing
her father.

"It was Hassam. The fellow knew about the tribes that Jess Slythe
traded with and directed us here. But it was a hopeless search, or so
it seemed. Why you might have been hidden in that jungle and we could
have passed close overhead without seeing you."

"It must have been terrible for you," said Ray, clinging to him.

"And how you must have suffered!" exclaimed her father. "If ever I lay
hands on that scoundrel who stole you away, I'll make him wish he had
never been born."

"Same here!" Dan clenched his fists and glared about as though he
expected to see the treacherous Slythe lurking near by.

Rex Carter clapped his son on the shoulder and looked at him
affectionately. "You're a great boy!