Chapter 19
The Last of the "Kincaid"
Shortly after the break of day Tarzan was on deck noting the condition
of the weather. The wind had abated. The sky was cloudless.
Every condition seemed ideal for the commencement of the return
voyage to Jungle Island, where the beasts were to be left. And
then--home!
The ape-man aroused the mate and gave instructions that the Kincaid
sail at the earliest possible moment. The remaining members of
the crew, safe in Lord Greystoke's assurance that they would not be
prosecuted for their share in the villainies of the two Russians,
hastened with cheerful alacrity to their several duties.
The beasts, liberated from the confinement of the hold, wandered
about the deck, not a little to the discomfiture of the crew in
whose minds there remained a still vivid picture of the savagery
of the beasts in conflict with those who had gone to their deaths
beneath the fangs and talons which even now seemed itching for the
soft flesh of further prey.
Beneath the watchful eyes of Tarzan and Mugambi, however, Sheeta
and the apes of Akut curbed their desires, so that the men worked
about the deck amongst them in far greater security than they
imagined.
At last the Kincaid slipped down the Ugambi and ran out upon the
shimmering waters of the Atlantic. Tarzan and Jane Clayton watched
the verdure-clad shore-line receding in the ship's wake, and for
once the ape-man left his native soil without one single pang of
regret.
No ship that sailed the seven seas could have borne him away from
Africa to resume his search for his lost boy with half the speed
that the Englishman would have desired, and the slow-moving Kincaid
seemed scarce to move at all to the impatient mind of the bereaved
father.
Yet the vessel made progress even when she seemed to be standing
still, and presently the low hills of Jungle Island became distinctly
visible upon the western horizon ahead.
In the cabin of Alexander Paulvitch the thing within the black box
ticked, ticked, ticked, with apparently unending monotony; but yet,
second by second, a little arm which protruded from the periphery
of one of its wheels came nearer and nearer to another little arm
which projected from the hand which Paulvitch had set at a certain
point upon the dial beside the clockwork. When those two arms
touched one another the ticking of the mechanism would cease--for
ever.
Jane and Tarzan stood upon the bridge looking out toward Jungle
Island. The men were forward, also watching the land grow upward
out of the ocean. The beasts had sought the shade of the galley,
where they were curled up in sleep. All was quiet and peace upon
the ship, and upon the waters.
Suddenly, without warning, the cabin roof shot up into the air,
a cloud of dense smoke puffed far above the Kincaid, there was a
terrific explosion which shook the vessel from stem to stern.
Instantly pandemonium broke loose upon the deck. The apes of
Akut, terrified by the sound, ran hither and thither, snarling and
growling. Sheeta leaped here and there, screaming out his startled
terror in hideous cries that sent the ice of fear straight to the
hearts of the Kincaid's crew.
Mugambi, too, was trembling. Only Tarzan of the Apes and his wife
retained their composure. Scarce had the debris settled than the
ape-man was among the beasts, quieting their fears, talking to them
in low, pacific tones, stroking their shaggy bodies, and assuring
them, as only he could, that the immediate danger was over.
An examination of the wreckage showed that their greatest danger, now,
lay in fire, for the flames were licking hungrily at the splintered
wood of the wrecked cabin, and had already found a foothold upon
the lower deck through a great jagged hole which the explosion had
opened.
By a miracle no member of the ship's company had been injured by
the blast, the origin of which remained for ever a total mystery
to all but one--the sailor who knew that Paulvitch had been aboard
the Kincaid and in his cabin the previous night. He guessed the
truth; but discretion sealed his lips. It would, doubtless, fare
none too well for the man who had permitted the arch enemy of them
all aboard the ship in the watches of the night, where later he
might set an infernal machine to blow them all to kingdom come.
No, the man decided that he would keep this knowledge to himself.
As the flames gained headway it became apparent to Tarzan
that whatever had caused the explosion had scattered some highly
inflammable substance upon the surrounding woodwork, for the water
which they poured in from the pump seemed rather to spread than to
extinguish the blaze.
Fifteen minutes after the explosion great, black clouds of smoke
were rising from the hold of the doomed vessel. The flames had
reached the engine-room, and the ship no longer moved toward the
shore. Her fate was as certain as though the waters had already
closed above her charred and smoking remains.
"It is useless to remain aboard her longer," remarked the ape-man
to the mate. "There is no telling but there may be other explosions,
and as we cannot hope to save her, the safest thing which we can
do is to take to the boats without further loss of time and make
land."
Nor was there other alternative. Only the sailors could bring
away any belongings, for the fire, which had not yet reached the
forecastle, had consumed all in the vicinity of the cabin which
the explosion had not destroyed.
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. Like little children they
are doubtless delighted at this opportunity to flee from the zone
of parental discipline. If they come back, though, I hope they
won't come by night."
"Or come hungry, eh?" laughed Tarzan.
For two hours after landing the little party stood watching the
burning ship which they had abandoned. Then there came faintly to
them from across the water the sound of a second explosion. The
Kincaid settled rapidly almost immediatel thereafter, and sank
within a few minutes.
The cause of the second explosion was less a mystery than that of
the first, the mate attributing it to the bursting of the boilers
when the flames had finally reached them; but what had caused the
first explosion was a subject of considerable speculation among
the stranded company.
