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had of the presence of strangers in camp was the sudden appearance of a half-

dozen ragged villains about them.

"Come!" said Kai Shang, motioning that the two arise and follow him.

Jane Clayton sprang to her feet and looked about for Schneider, only to see him

standing behind the newcomers, a grin upon his face. At his side stood Schmidt.

Instantly she saw that she had been made the victim of a plot.

What is the meaning of this?" she asked, addressing the mate.

It means that we have found a ship and that we can now escape from Jungle

Island," replied the man.

"Why did you send Mugambi and the others into the jungle?" she inquired.

"They are not coming with us--only you and I, and the Mosula woman."

"Come!" repeated Kai Shang, and seized Jane Clayton's wrist.

One of the Maoris grasped the black woman by the arm, and when she would

have screamed struck her across the mouth.

Mugambi raced through the jungle toward the south. Jones and Sullivan trailed

far behind. For a mile he continued upon his way to the relief of Schmidt, but no

signs saw he of the missing man or of any of the apes of Akut.

At last he halted and called aloud the summons which he and Tarzan had used to

hail the great anthropoids. There was no response. Jones and Sullivan came up

with the black warrior as the latter stood voicing his weird call. For another half-

mile the black searched, calling occasionally.

Finally the truth flashed upon him, and then, like a frightened deer, he wheeled

and dashed back toward camp. Arriving there, it was but a moment before full

confirmation of his fears was impressed upon him. Lady Greystoke and the

Mosula woman were gone. So, likewise, was Schneider.

When Jones and Sullivan joined Mugambi he would have killed them in his

anger, thinking them parties to the plot; but they finally succeeded in partially

convincing him that they had known nothing of it.

As they stood speculating upon the probable whereabouts of the women and their

abductor, and the purpose which Schneider had in mind in taking them from

camp, Tarzan of the Apes swung from the branches of a tree and crossed the

clearing toward them.

155

The Beasts of Tarzan