At the Mercy of the Jungle

           AfterClaytonhadplungedintothejungle,thesailors—mutineersoftheArrow—fellintoadiscussionoftheirnextstep;butononepointallwereagreed—thattheyshouldhastentoputofftotheanchoredArrow,wheretheycouldatleastbesafefromthespearsoftheirunseenfoe.Andso,whileJanePorterandEsmeraldawerebarricadingthemselveswithinthecabin,thecowardlycrewofcutthroatswerepullingrapidlyfortheirshipinthetwoboatsthathadbroughtthemashore.

           SomuchhadTarzanseenthatdaythathisheadwasinawhirlofwonder.Butthemostwonderfulsightofall,tohim,wasthefaceofthebeautifulwhitegirl.

           Hereatlastwasoneofhisownkind;ofthathewaspositive.Andtheyoungmanandthetwooldmen;they,too,weremuchashehadpicturedhisownpeopletobe.

           Butdoubtlesstheywereasferociousandcruelasothermenhehadseen.Thefactthattheyaloneofallthepartywereunarmedmightaccountforthefactthattheyhadkillednoone.Theymightbeverydifferentifprovidedwithweapons.

           TarzanhadseentheyoungmanpickupthefallenrevolverofthewoundedSnipesandhideitawayinhisbreast;andhehadalsoseenhimslipitcautiouslytothegirlassheenteredthecabindoor.

           Hedidnotunderstandanythingofthemotivesbehindallthathehadseen;but,somehow,intuitivelyhelikedtheyoungmanandthetwooldmen,andforthegirlhehadastrangelongingwhichhescarcelyunderstood.