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Thuran were Lord Tennington's guests aboard his yacht。
Mrs。 Strong had been telling them how much she had enjoyed
her visit at Cape Town； and that she regretted that a letter
just received from her attorneys in Baltimore had necessitated
her cutting her visit shorter than they had intended。
〃When do you sail？〃 asked Tennington。
〃The first of the week； I think；〃 she replied。
〃Indeed？〃 exclaimed Monsieur Thuran。 〃I am very fortunate。
I； too； have found that I must return at once； and now
I shall have the honor of accompanying and serving you。〃
〃That is nice of you； Monsieur Thuran；〃 replied Mrs。 Strong。
〃I am sure that we shall be glad to place ourselves under
your protection。〃 But in the bottom of her heart was
the wish that they might escape him。 Why； she could not
have told。
〃By Jove！〃 ejaculated Lord Tennington； a moment later。
〃Bully idea； by Jove！〃
〃Yes； Tennington； of course；〃 ventured Clayton； 〃it must
be a bully idea if you had it； but what the deuce is it？
Goin' to steam to China via the south pole？〃
〃Oh； I say now； Clayton；〃 returned Tennington； 〃you
needn't be so rough on a fellow just because you didn't
happen to suggest this trip yourselfyou've acted a regular
bounder ever since we sailed。
〃No； sir；〃 he continued； 〃it's a bully idea； and you'll all
say so。 It's to take Mrs。 Strong and Miss Strong； and Thuran；
too； if he'll come； as far as England with us on the yacht。
Now； isn't that a corker？〃
〃Forgive me； Tenny； old boy；〃 cried Clayton。 〃It certainly
IS a corking ideaI never should have suspected you of it。
You're quite sure it's original； are you？〃
〃And we'll sail the first of the week； or any other time that
suits your convenience； Mrs。 Strong；〃 concluded the big…hearted
Englishman； as though the thing were all arranged
except the sailing date。
〃Mercy； Lord Tennington； you haven't even given us an
opportunity to thank you； much less decide whether we shall
be able to accept your generous invitation；〃 said Mrs。 Strong。
〃Why； of course you'll come；〃 responded Tennington。
〃We'll make as good time as any passenger boat； and you'll
be fully as comfortable； and； anyway； we all want you； and
won't take no for an answer。〃
And so it was settled that they should sail the following Monday。
Two days out the girls were sitting in Hazel's cabin；
looking at some prints she had had finished in Cape Town。
They represented all the pictures she had taken since she
had left America； and the girls were both engrossed in them；
Jane asking many questions； and Hazel keeping up a perfect torrent
of comment and explanation of the various scenes and people。
〃And here；〃 she said suddenly； 〃here's a man you know。
Poor fellow； I have so often intended asking you about him；
but I never have been able to think of it when we were together。〃
She was holding the little print so that Jane did not see
the face of the man it portrayed。
〃His name was John Caldwell；〃 continued Hazel。 〃Do you recall him？
He said that he met you in America。 He is an Englishman。〃
〃I do not recollect the name；〃 replied Jane。 〃Let me
see the picture。〃
〃The poor fellow was lost overboard on our trip down the
coast；〃 she said； as she handed the print to Jane。
〃Lost overWhy； Hazel； Hazeldon't tell me that he is
deaddrowned at sea！ Hazel！ Why don't you say that you are joking！〃
And before the astonished Miss Strong could catch her
Jane Porter had slipped to the floor in a swoon。
After Hazel had restored her chum to consciousness she
sat looking at her for a long time before either spoke。
〃I did not know； Jane；〃 said Hazel； in a constrained voice；
〃that you knew Mr。 Caldwell so intimately that his death
could prove such a shock to you。〃
〃John Caldwell？〃 questioned Miss Porter。 〃You do not mean
to tell me that you do not know who this man was； Hazel？〃
〃Why； yes； Jane； I know perfectly well who he washis
name was John Caldwell； he was from London。〃
〃Oh； Hazel； I wish I could believe it；〃 moaned the girl。
〃I wish I could believe it； but those features are burned so
deep into my memory and my heart that I should recognize
them anywhere in the world from among a thousand others；
who might appear identical to any one but me。〃
〃What do you mean； Jane？〃 cried Hazel； now thoroughly alarmed。
〃Who do you think it is？〃
〃I don't think； Hazel。 I know that that is a picture of
Tarzan of the Apes。〃
〃Jane！〃
〃I cannot be mistaken。 Oh； Hazel； are you sure that he is dead？
Can there be no mistake？〃
〃I am afraid not； dear；〃 answered Hazel sadly。 〃I wish I
could think that you are mistaken； but now a hundred and
one little pieces of corroborative evidence occur to me that
meant nothing to me while I thought that he was John Caldwell；
of London。 He said that he had been born in Africa；
and educated in France。〃
〃Yes； that would be true；〃 murmured Jane Porter dully。
〃The first officer； who searched his luggage； found nothing
to identify John Caldwell； of London。 Practically all his
belongings had been made； or purchased； in Paris。 Everything
that bore an initial was marked either with a ‘T' alone； or
with ‘J。 C。 T。' We thought that he was traveling incognito
under his first two namesthe J。 C。 standing for John Caldwell。〃
〃Tarzan of the Apes took the name Jean C。 Tarzan；〃 said
Jane； in the same lifeless monotone。 〃And he is dead！ Oh！
Hazel； it is horrible！ He died all alone in this terrible ocean！
It is unbelievable that that brave heart should have ceased
to beatthat those mighty muscles are quiet and cold forever！
That he who was the personification of life and health
and manly strength should be the prey of slimy； crawling
things； that〃 But she could go no further； and with a little
moan she buried her head in her arms； and sank sobbing to the floor。
For days Miss Porter was ill； and would see no one except
Hazel and the faithful Esmeralda。 When at last she came on
deck all were struck by the sad change that had taken place
in her。 She was no longer the alert； vivacious American
beauty who had charmed and delighted all who came in contact
with her。 Instead she was a very quiet and sad little
girlwith an expression of hopeless wistfulness that none
but Hazel Strong could interpret。
The entire party strove their utmost to cheer and amuse
her； but all to no avail。 Occasionally the jolly Lord
Tennington would wring a wan smile from her； but for the
most part she sat with wide eyes looking out across the sea。
With Jane Porter's illness one misfortune after another
seemed to attack the yacht。 First an engine broke down； and
they drifted for two days while temporary repairs were being made。
Then a squall struck them unaware； that carried overboard
nearly everything above deck that was portable。 Later two of
the seamen fell to fighting in the forecastle； with the
result that one of th