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pay to the sailor, as a price for permission to quit the Kincaid unmolested, every
cent of money and article of value upon his person and in his cabin.
"And you'll have to make up your mind mighty quick," growled the man, "for I
want to turn in. Come now, choose--his lordship or the jungle?"
"
"
You'll be sorry for this," grumbled the Russian.
Shut up," admonished the sailor. "If you get funny I may change my mind, and
keep you here after all."
Now Paulvitch had no intention of permitting himself to fall into the hands of
Tarzan of the Apes if he could possibly avoid it, and while the terrors of the jungle
appalled him they were, to his mind, infinitely preferable to the certain death
which he knew he merited and for which he might look at the hands of the ape-
man.
"Is anyone sleeping in my cabin?" he asked.
The sailor shook his head. "No," he said; "Lord and Lady Greystoke have the
captain's cabin. The mate is in his own, and there ain't no one in yours."
"I'll go and get my valuables for you," said Paulvitch.
"
I'll go with you to see that you don't try any funny business," said the sailor, and
he followed the Russian up the ladder to the deck.
At the cabin entrance the sailor halted to watch, permitting Paulvitch to go alone
to his cabin. Here he gathered together his few belongings that were to buy him
the uncertain safety of escape, and as he stood for a moment beside the little
table on which he had piled them he searched his brain for some feasible plan
either to ensure his safety or to bring revenge upon his enemies.
And presently as he thought there recurred to his memory the little black box
which lay hidden in a secret receptacle beneath a false top upon the table where
his hand rested.
The Russian's face lighted to a sinister gleam of malevolent satisfaction as he
stooped and felt beneath the table top. A moment later he withdrew from its
hiding-place the thing he sought. He had lighted the lantern swinging from the
beams overhead that he might see to collect his belongings, and now he held the
black box well in the rays of the lamplight, while he fingered at the clasp that
fastened its lid.
The lifted cover revealed two compartments within the box. In one was a
mechanism which resembled the works of a small clock. There also was a little
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