after growing up, Staś and Nel are married and visit their friends in Africa after ten years. Revisiting the places where they had trudged with so much difficulty and danger has become quick, easy and safe, since everything was taken over by the British Empire which started building railways. Characters Nel Rawlison - 8-year-old English girl. She is very pretty and sweet. Although at the beginning of the novel she seems to be timid and shy, latershe shows that she can be courageous and stubborn. She treats Staś with respect and obedience, and often looks up to him. Stanisław Tarkowski (dim. Staś) - a 14-year-old Polish boy. At the beginning of the novel he seems to be a little bit scornful and bigheaded. However, as the dramatic events develop, it is revealed that Staś is extremely chivalrous and willing to sacrifice his own life to save Nel whom he loves like his own sister. Kali - African boy from Wa-hima tribe, Staś's servant who quickly becomes his friend. He faithfully serves his master and helps him to go through the dangers of Africa. Kali became popular when a Polish colloquial saying about double standard was coined around the so-called "Kali's morality": "If somebody takes Kali's cow, it's a bad deed. If Kali takes somebody's cow, it's a good deed." Mea - African girl from the Dinka tribe, Nel's servant. Shy and quiet, she loves her little mistress and protects her from dangers. Chamis - one of the kidnappers. Earlier a servant of Staś and Nel's fathers. Idris - a Beduin, one of the Mahdi's followers. Relatively well-behaved towards the children, he admired Staś's courage. He was tasked with bringing the children safely to the Mahdi. Gebhr - the cruel younger brother of Idris. Mrs. Oliver - Nel's teacher, a Frenchoman. Linde - Swiss explorer, encountered by Staś. Smain - husband of Fatma, relative of the Mahdi. Caliopuli - Greek worker employed by the Mahdi. Nasibu - servant of Linde, after his death he joined with the children on their further journeys. Faru - leader of the Samburs, the tribe opposing Kali's tribe. M'Kunje and M'Rua - witch doctors of Wa-Hima, hostile to Kali. Doctor Clary - relative of Nel. Captain Glen - met by Staś and Nel in the train. Władysław Tarkowski - Staś's widowed father, an engineer. George Rawlison - Nel's widowed father, a director of the Suez Canal