Part 26 (1/2)
”The devil!” he ejaculated ”Where did you coone where you ought to have gone a long tihty pleased to see you”
Paulvitch crossed to the sailor's side A friendly sht hand was extended in greeting, as though the other nored the proffered hand, nor did he return the other's smile
”I've coet rid of the Englisher froet back to civilization We can sneak in on them while they sleep-that is Greystoke, his wife, and that black scoundrel, Mugambi Afterward it will be a simple matter to clean up the beasts Where are they?”
”They're below,” replied the sailor; ”but just let ot noWe had all anted of you and that other beast He's dead, an' if I don'tYou two treated us like dogs, and if you think we got any love for you you better forget it”
”You ainst me?” demanded Paulvitch
The other nodded, and then after awhich an idea seeain
”Unless,” he said, ”you can lishman finds you here”
”You wouldn't turn le, would you?” asked Paulvitch ”Why, I'd die there in a week”
”You'd have a chance there,” replied the sailor ”Here, you wouldn't have no chance Why, if I woke up my maties here they'd probably cut your heart out of you before the Englishhty lucky for you that I'm the one to be awake now and not none of the others”
”You're crazy,” cried Paulvitch ”Don't you know that the Englishets you back where the law can get hold of you?”
”No, he won't do nothing of the kind,” replied the sailor ”He's told us as much, for he says that there wasn't nobody to blame but you and Rokoff-the rest of us was just tools See?”
For half an hour the Russian pleaded or threatened as the e of tears, and again he was pron punishn: of equal value]
He made it plain to the Russian that there were but two plans open to hi turned over immediately to Lord Greystoke, or he must pay to the sailor, as a price for permission to quit the Kincaid unmolested, every cent of money and article of value upon his person and in his cabin
”And you'll have to rowled the man, ”for I want to turn in Cole?”
”You'll be sorry for this,” grumbled the Russian
”Shut up,” ade my mind, and keep you here after all”
Now Paulvitch had no intention of per himself to fall into the hands of Tarzan of the Apes if he could possibly avoid it, and while the terrors of the jungle appalled him they were, to his mind, infinitely preferable to the certain death which he knew he ht look at the hands of the ape- in my cabin?” he asked
The sailor shook his head ”No,” he said; ”Lord and Lady Greystoke have the captain's cabin The mate is in his own, and there ain't no one in yours”
”I'll go and get o with you to see that you don't try any funny business,” said the sailor, and he followed the Russian up the ladder to the deck
At the cabin entrance the sailor halted to watch, perathered together his few belongings that were to buy him the uncertain safety of escape, and as he stood for a moment beside the little table on which he had piled them he searched his brain for so revenge upon his eneht there recurred to his memory the little black box which lay hidden in a secret receptacle beneath a false top upon the table where his hand rested
The Russian's face lighted to a sinister gleam of malevolent satisfaction as he stooped and felt beneath the table top Ahe sought He had lighted the lantern swinging froings, and now he held the black box well in the rays of the laered at the clasp that fastened its lid