Two boats were lowered, and as there was no sea the landing was
made with infinite ease. Eager and anxious, the beasts of Tarzan
sniffed the familiar air of their native island as the small boats
drew in toward the beach, and scarce had their keels grated upon
the sand than Sheeta and the apes of Akut were over the bows and
racing swiftly toward the jungle. A half-sad smile curved the
lips of the ape-man as he watched them go.
"Good-bye, my friends," he murmured. "You have been good and
faithful allies, and I shall miss you."
"They will return, will they not, dear?" asked Jane Clayton, at
his side.
"They may and they may not," replied the ape-man. "They have been
ill at ease since they were forced to accept so many human beings
into their confidence. Mugambi and I alone affected them less,
for he and I are, at best, but half human. You, however, and the
members of the crew are far too civilized for my beasts--it is
you whom they are fleeing. Doubtless they feel that they cannot
trust themselves in the close vicinity of so much perfectly good
food without the danger that they may help themselves to a mouthful
some time by mistake."
Jane laughed. "I think they are just trying to escape you," she
retorted. "You are always making them stop something which they
see no reason why they should not do.
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