the reader's name. The man raised his
eyes from the magazine--eyes that went wide for a moment as they fell
upon the familiar countenance of Rokoff's lieutenant, only to narrow
instantly in a scowl of disapproval.

"The devil!" he ejaculated. "Where did you come from? We all thought
you were done for and gone where you ought to have gone a long time
ago. His lordship will be mighty pleased to see you."

Paulvitch crossed to the sailor's side. A friendly smile lay on the
Russian's lips, and his right hand was extended in greeting, as though
the other might have been a dear and long lost friend. The sailor
ignored the proffered hand, nor did he return the other's smile.

"I've come to help you," explained Paulvitch. "I'm going to help you
get rid of the Englishman and his beasts--then there will be no danger
from the law when we get 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 me tell you
something, Paulvitch. You haven't got no more show to turn us men
against the Englishman than nothing. We had all we wanted of you and
that other beast. He's dead, an' if I don't miss my guess a whole lot
you'll be dead too before long. You two treated us like dogs, and if
you think we got any love for you you better forget it."

"You mean to say that you're going to turn against me?" demanded
Paulvitch.

The other nodded, and then after a momentary pause, during which an
idea seemed to have occurred to him, he spoke again.

"Unless," he said, "you can make it worth my while to let you go before
the Englishman finds you here."

"You wouldn't turn me away in the jungle, 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 Englishman got a chance at you at all.
It's mighty 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 Englishman
will have you all hanged when he gets 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 bl