Facing him was Paulvitch.
Tarzan looked about for Rokoff, who he felt sure must be aboard,
but there was no sign of him.
"Lord Greystoke," commenced the Russian, "by your continued and
wanton interference with M. Rokoff and his plans you have at last
brought yourself and your family to this unfortunate extremity.
You have only yourself to thank. As you may imagine, it has cost
M. Rokoff a large amount of money to finance this expedition,
and, as you are the sole cause of it, he naturally looks to you
for reimbursement.
"Further, I may say that only by meeting M. Rokoff's just demands
may you avert the most unpleasant consequences to your wife and
child, and at the same time retain your own life and regain your
liberty."
"What is the amount?" asked Tarzan. "And what assurance have I
that you will live up to your end of the agreement? I have little
reason to trust two such scoundrels as you and Rokoff, you know."
The Russian flushed.
"You are in no position to deliver insults," he said. "You have
no assurance that we will live up to our agreement other than my
word, but you have before you the assurance that we can make short
work of you if you do not write out the cheque we demand.
"Unless you are a greater fool than I imagine, you should know
that there is nothing that would give us greater pleasure than to
order these men to fire.
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