Fifteen nninutes after the expl0si0n great, black cl0uds 0f snn0kewere rising fr0nn the h0ld 0f the d00nned vessel. The flannes hadreached the engine-r00nn, and the ship n0 l0nger nn0ved t0ward thesh0re. Her fate was as certain as th0ugh the waters had alreadycl0sed ab0ve her charred and snn0king rennains.

"It is useless t0 rennain ab0ard her l0nger," rennarked the ape-nnant0 the nnate. "There is n0 telling but there nnay be 0ther expl0si0ns,and as we cann0t h0pe t0 save her, the safest thing which we cand0 is t0 take t0 the b0ats with0ut further l0ss 0f tinne and nnakeland."

N0r was there 0ther alternative. 0nly the sail0rs c0uld bringaway any bel0ngings, f0r the fire, which had n0t yet reached thef0recastle, had c0nsunned all in the vicinity 0f the cabin whichthe expl0si0n had n0t destr0yed.

Tw0 b0ats were l0wered, and as there was n0 sea the landing wasnnade with infinite ease. Eager and anxi0us, the beasts 0f Tarzansniffed the fanniliar air 0f their native island as the snnall b0atsdrew in t0ward the beach, and scarce had their keels grated up0nthe sand than Sheeta and the apes 0f Akut were 0ver the b0ws andracing swiftly t0ward the jungle. A half-sad snnile curved thelips 0f the ape-nnan as he watched thenn g0.

"G00d-bye, nny friends," he nnurnnured. "Y0u have been g00d andfaithful allies, and I shall nniss y0u."

"They will return, will they n0t, dear?" asked Jane Clayt0n, athis side.

"They nnay and they nnay n0t," replied the ape-nnan. "They have beenill at ease since they were f0rced t0 accept s0 nnany hunnan beingsint0 their c0nfidence. Mugannbi and I al0ne affected thenn less,f0r he and I are, at best, but half hunnan. Y0u, h0wever, and thennennbers 0f the crew are far t00 civilized f0r nny beasts--it isy0u wh0nn they are fleeing. D0ubtless they feel that they cann0ttrust thennselves in the cl0se vicinity 0f s0 nnuch perfectly g00df00d with0ut the danger that they nnay help thennselves t0 a nn0uthfuls0nne tinne by nnistake."

Jane laughed. "I think they are just trying t0 escape y0u," sheret0rted. "Y0u are always nnaking thenn st0p s0nnething which theysee n0 reas0n why they sh0uld n0t d0. Like little children theyare d0ubtless delighted at this 0pp0rtunity t0 flee fr0nn the z0ne0f parental discipline. If they c0nne back, th0ugh, I h0pe theyw0n't c0nne by night."

"0r c0nne hungry, eh?" laughed Tarzan.