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The ape…man let his fingers fall upon the beast's coat；
and as Sheeta pressed close against his leg he caressed and
fondled the wicked head while his eyes continued to search
the blackness of the waters。
Presently he started。 What was that？ He strained his eyes
into the night。 Then he turned and called aloud to the men
smoking upon their blankets in the camp。 They came running
to his side； but Gust hesitated when he saw the nature of
Tarzan's companion。
〃Look！〃 cried Tarzan。 〃A light！ A ship's light！ It must
be the Cowrie。 They are becalmed。〃 And then with an
exclamation of renewed hope； 〃We can reach them！
The skiff will carry us easily。〃
Gust demurred。 〃They are well armed；〃 he warned。 〃We
could not take the shipjust five of us。〃
〃There are six now；〃 replied Tarzan； pointing to Sheeta；
〃and we can have more still in a half…hour。 Sheeta is the
equivalent of twenty men； and the few others I can bring will
add full a hundred to our fighting strength。 You do not know them。〃
The ape…man turned and raised his head toward the jungle；
while there pealed from his lips； time after time；
the fearsome cry of the bull…ape who would summon his fellows。
Presently from the jungle came an answering cry； and then
another and another。 Gust shuddered。 Among what sort of
creatures had fate thrown him？ Were not Kai Shang and Momulla
to be preferred to this great white giant who stroked a
panther and called to the beasts of the jungle？
In a few minutes the apes of Akut came crashing through
the underbrush and out upon the beach； while in the meantime
the five men had been struggling with the unwieldy bulk
of the skiff's hull。
By dint of Herculean efforts they had managed to get it to
the water's edge。 The oars from the two small boats of the
Kincaid； which had been washed away by an off…shore wind
the very night that the party had landed； had been in use to
support the canvas of the sailcloth tents。 These were hastily
requisitioned； and by the time Akut and his followers came
down to the water all was ready for embarkation。
Once again the hideous crew entered the service of their
master； and without question took up their places in the skiff。
The four men； for Gust could not be prevailed upon to accompany
the party； fell to the oars； using them paddle…wise； while some
of the apes followed their example； and presently the ungainly
skiff was moving quietly out to sea in the direction of the
light which rose and fell gently with the swell。
A sleepy sailor kept a poor vigil upon the Cowrie's deck；
while in the cabin below Schneider paced up and down arguing
with Jane Clayton。 The woman had found a revolver in a table
drawer in the room in which she had been locked； and now she
kept the mate of the Kincaid at bay with the weapon。
The Mosula woman kneeled behind her； while Schneider paced
up and down before the door； threatening and pleading and
promising； but all to no avail。 Presently from the deck
above came a shout of warning and a shot。 For an instant
Jane Clayton relaxed her vigilance； and turned her eyes toward
the cabin skylight。 Simultaneously Schneider was upon her。
The first intimation the watch had that there was another
craft within a thousand miles of the Cowrie came when he
saw the head and shoulders of a man poked over the ship's side。
Instantly the fellow sprang to his feet with a cry and
levelled his revolver at the intruder。 It was his cry and the
subsequent report of the revolver which threw Jane Clayton
off her guard。
Upon deck the quiet of fancied security soon gave place
to the wildest pandemonium。 The crew of the Cowrie rushed
above armed with revolvers； cutlasses； and the long knives
that many of them habitually wore； but the alarm had come
too late。 Already the beasts of Tarzan were upon the ship's
deck； with Tarzan and the two men of the Kincaid's crew。
In the face of the frightful beasts the courage of the mutineers
wavered and broke。 Those with revolvers fired a few scattering
shots and then raced for some place of supposed safety。
Into the shrouds went some； but the apes of Akut were
more at home there than they。
Screaming with terror the Maoris were dragged from their
lofty perches。 The beasts； uncontrolled by Tarzan who had
gone in search of Jane； loosed in the full fury of their savage
natures upon the unhappy wretches who fell into their clutches。
Sheeta； in the meanwhile； had felt his great fangs sink into
but a singular jugular。 For a moment he mauled the corpse；
and then he spied Kai Shang darting down the companionway
toward his cabin。
With a shrill scream Sheeta was after hima scream which
awoke an almost equally uncanny cry in the throat of the
terror…stricken Chinaman。
But Kai Shang reached his cabin a fraction of a second
ahead of the panther； and leaping within slammed the door
just too late。 Sheeta's great body hurtled against it before
the catch engaged； and a moment later Kai Shang was gibbering
and shrieking in the back of an upper berth。
Lightly Sheeta sprang after his victim； and presently the
wicked days of Kai Shang of Fachan were ended； and Sheeta
was gorging himself upon tough and stringy flesh。
A moment scarcely had elapsed after Schneider leaped
upon Jane Clayton and wrenched the revolver from her hand；
when the door of the cabin opened and a tall and half…naked
white man stood framed within the portal。
Silently he leaped across the cabin。 Schneider felt sinewy
fingers at his throat。 He turned his head to see who had
attacked him； and his eyes went wide when he saw the face of
the ape…man close above his own。
Grimly the fingers tightened upon the mate's throat。 He tried
to scream； to plead； but no sound came forth。 His eyes
protruded as he struggled for freedom； for breath； for life。
Jane Clayton seized her husband's hands and tried to drag them
from the throat of the dying man； but Tarzan only shook his head。
〃Not again；〃 he said quietly。 〃Before have I permitted
scoundrels to live； only to suffer and to have you suffer for
my mercy。 This time we shall make sure of one scoundrel
sure that he will never again harm us or another；〃 and with
a sudden wrench he twisted the neck of the perfidious mate
until there was a sharp crack； and the man's body lay limp
and motionless in the ape…man's grasp。 With a gesture of
disgust Tarzan tossed the corpse aside。 Then he returned to
the deck； followed by Jane and the Mosula woman。
The battle there was over。 Schmidt and Momulla and two
others alone remained alive of all the company of the Cowrie；
for they had found sanctuary in the forecastle。 The others
had died； horribly； and as they deserved； beneath the fangs
and talons of the beasts of Tarzan； and in the morning the
sun rose on a grisly sight upon the deck of the unhappy
Cowrie； but this time the blood which st