r
ears. It was the claws of the mias rasping against the bark. The next
moment the sound seemed higher up, and they were made aware that the
creature was ascending the tree.

Henry was already congratulating himself on this event. The ape might
go up without seeing them; and as the tree was a very tall one, with a
thick head of foliage and matted creepers, once among these, it might no
longer think of looking down. Then they could steal away unobserved,
and, keeping at a safe distance, await the return of the hunters.

At this moment, however, an incident arose that interfered with this
desirable programme, in an instant changing the position of everything
that promised so well into a sad and terrible catastrophe.

It was Murtagh who caused, though innocently, the lamentable diversion.

The ship-carpenter, returning from his excursion, had just stumbled upon
the crocodile where it lay upon the shore of the lake, which, though
helpless to return to its proper element, was not yet dead. With jaw
torn and dislocated, it was still twisting its body about in the last
throes of the death-struggle.

Not able to account for the spectacle of ruin thus presented, it caused
the Irishman much surprise, not unmingled with alarm--the latter
increasing as he looked towards the tree where Henry and Helen had been
left, and saw they were no longer there.

Had he prudently held his peace, perhaps all might have been well; but,
catching sight of the huge hairy monster ascending the trunk, the
thought flashed across his mind that the young people had been already
destroyed, perhaps devoured, by it; and, giving way to this terrible
fancy, he uttered a dread cry of despair.

It was the worst thing he could have done; for, despite the discouraging
tone of his voice, it seemed joyful to those crouching in concealment;
and, yielding to an instinct that they were now saved by the presence of
a stanch protector, they rushed from their ambuscade, and in so doing
discovered themselves to the ourang-outang.

Its eyes were upon them--dark, demon-like orbs, that seemed to
scintillate sparks of fire. The gorilla had only gone up the trunk to a
height of about twenty feet, when the cry of the alarmed ship-carpenter
brought its ascent to a sudden stop; then, bringing its body half round,
and looking below, it saw the children.

As if connecting them with the enemy it had just conquered, its angry
passions seemed to rekindle; and once more