The blind lion of the Congo

A bright‑minded seventeen‑year‑old named Burt is juggling fraternity meetings, a demanding history paper, and the pressure of securing a Yale scholarship when an unexpected guest bursts into his family’s dinner. His uncle George Wallace, a world‑renowned explorer whose adventures have spanned deserts, railways, and battlefields, arrives in a dramatic fur coat, instantly igniting Burt’s imagination. The lively conversation in the St. John household reveals Wallace’s recent escape from a slave‑trade ordeal and his daring crossing of Africa’s interior, setting the stage for a new, thrilling proposal.

Wallace soon hints at a daring venture into the heart of the Congo, promising a chance for Burt to trade textbooks for untamed jungles and perhaps discover a secret – a blind lion said to roam the deep forest. As the family listens, the young scholar feels the pull of adventure versus his academic path, leaving listeners eager to hear whether he will answer the call and what wonders await in the African wild.