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of the dugout； and； making one end of this fast to the chain；
she succeeded in drifting the canoe slowly down until it lay
directly beneath the ladder。 A moment later； her rifle slung
about her shoulders； she had clambered safely to the deserted deck。
Her first task was to explore the ship； and this she did； her
rifle ready for instant use should she meet with any human
menace aboard the Kincaid。 She was not long in discovering
the cause of the apparently deserted condition of the steamer；
for in the forecastle she found the sailors； who had evidently
been left to guard the ship； deep in drunken slumber。
With a shudder of disgust she clambered above； and to the
best of her ability closed and made fast the hatch above the
heads of the sleeping guard。 Next she sought the galley and
food； and； having appeased her hunger； she took her place
on deck； determined that none should board the Kincaid
without first having agreed to her demands。
For an hour or so nothing appeared upon the surface of
the river to cause her alarm； but then； about a bend upstream；
she saw a canoe appear in which sat a single figure。 It had
not proceeded far in her direction before she recognized the
occupant as Rokoff； and when the fellow attempted to board
he found a rifle staring him in the face。
When the Russian discovered who it was that repelled his
advance he became furious； cursing and threatening in a most
horrible manner； but； finding that these tactics failed to
frighten or move the girl； he at last fell to pleading and promising。
Jane had but a single reply for his every proposition； and
that was that nothing would ever persuade her to permit Rokoff
upon the same vessel with her。 That she would put her
threats into action and shoot him should he persist in his
endeavour to board the ship he was convinced。
So； as there was no other alternative； the great coward
dropped back into his dugout and； at imminent risk of being
swept to sea； finally succeeded in making the shore far down
the bay and upon the opposite side from that on which the
horde of beasts stood snarling and roaring。
Jane Clayton knew that the fellow could not alone and
unaided bring his heavy craft back up…stream to the
Kincaid； and so she had no further fear of an attack by him。
The hideous crew upon the shore she thought she recognized as
the same that had passed her in the jungle far up the Ugambi
several days before； for it seemed quite beyond reason that
there should be more than one such a strangely assorted pack；
but what had brought them down…stream to the mouth of the
river she could not imagine。
Toward the day's close the girl was suddenly alarmed by
the shouting of the Russian from the opposite bank of the
stream； and a moment later； following the direction of his
gaze； she was terrified to see a ship's boat approaching from
up…stream； in which； she felt assured； there could be only
members of the Kincaid's missing crewonly heartless
ruffians and enemies。
Chapter 16
In the Darkness of the Night
When Tarzan of the Apes realized that he was in the
grip of the great jaws of a crocodile he did not； as an
ordinary man might have done； give up all hope and resign
himself to his fate。
Instead； he filled his lungs with air before the huge reptile
dragged him beneath the surface； and then； with all the might
of his great muscles； fought bitterly for freedom。 But out of
his native element the ape…man was too greatly handicapped
to do more than excite the monster to greater speed as it
dragged its prey swiftly through the water。
Tarzan's lungs were bursting for a breath of pure fresh air。
He knew that he could survive but a moment more； and in
the last paroxysm of his suffering he did what he could to
avenge his own death。
His body trailed out beside the slimy carcass of his captor；
and into the tough armour the ape…man attempted to plunge
his stone knife as he was borne to the creature's horrid den。
His efforts but served to accelerate the speed of the crocodile；
and just as the ape…man realized that he had reached the limit
of his endurance he felt his body dragged to a muddy bed and
his nostrils rise above the water's surface。 All about him
was the blackness of the pitthe silence of the grave。
For a moment Tarzan of the Apes lay gasping for breath
upon the slimy； evil…smelling bed to which the animal had
borne him。 Close at his side he could feel the cold； hard
plates of the creatures coat rising and falling as though with
spasmodic efforts to breathe。
For several minutes the two lay thus； and then a sudden
convulsion of the giant carcass at the man's side； a tremor；
and a stiffening brought Tarzan to his knees beside the crocodile。
To his utter amazement he found that the beast was dead。
The slim knife had found a vulnerable spot in the scaly armour。
Staggering to his feet； the ape…man groped about the reeking；
oozy den。 He found that he was imprisoned in a subterranean
chamber amply large enough to have accommodated a dozen or
more of the huge animals such as the one that had
dragged him thither。
He realized that he was in the creature's hidden nest far
under the bank of the stream； and that doubtless the only
means of ingress or egress lay through the submerged opening
through which the crocodile had brought him。
His first thought； of course； was of escape； but that he
could make his way to the surface of the river beyond and
then to the shore seemed highly improbable。 There might be
turns and windings in the neck of the passage； or； most to
be feared； he might meet another of the slimy inhabitants of
the retreat upon his journey outward。
Even should he reach the river in safety； there was still the
danger of his being again attacked before he could effect a
safe landing。 Still there was no alternative； and； filling his
lungs with the close and reeking air of the chamber； Tarzan
of the Apes dived into the dark and watery hole which he
could not see but had felt out and found with his feet and legs。
The leg which had been held within the jaws of the crocodile
was badly lacerated； but the bone had not been broken；
nor were the muscles or tendons sufficiently injured to render
it useless。 It gave him excruciating pain； that was all。
But Tarzan of the Apes was accustomed to pain； and gave
it no further thought when he found that the use of his legs
was not greatly impaired by the sharp teeth of the monster。
Rapidly he crawled and swam through the passage which
inclined downward and finally upward to open at last into
the river bottom but a few feet from the shore line。 As the
ape…man reached the surface he saw the heads of two great
crocodiles but a short distance from him。 They were making
rapidly in his direction； and with a superhuman effort the
man struck out for the overhanging branches of a n