for us that which will
alter our whole life in an instant, revealing to us nothing but
sunshine and happiness. So, for my part, I shall always wait for
tomorrow.

In Pellucidar, where it is always today, the wait may not be so long,
and so it proved for us. As we were passing a lofty, flat-topped hill
through a park-like wood a perfect network of fiber ropes fell suddenly
about our guard, enmeshing them. A moment later a horde of our
friends, the hairy gorilla-men, with the mild eyes and long faces of
sheep leaped among them.

It was a very interesting fight. I was sorry that my bonds prevented
me from taking part in it, but I urged on the brutemen with my voice,
and cheered old Gr-gr-gr, their chief, each time that his mighty jaws
crunched out the life of a Hoojan. When the battle was over we found
that a few of our captors had escaped, but the majority of them lay
dead about us. The gorilla-men paid no further attention to them.
Gr-gr-gr turned to me.

"Gr-gr-gr and all his people are your friends," he said. "One saw the
warriors of the Sly One and followed them. He saw them capture you,
and then he flew to the village as fast as he could go and told me all
that he had seen. The rest you know. You did much for Gr-gr-gr and
Gr-gr-gr's people. We shall always do much for you."

I thanked him; and when I had told him of our escape and our
destination, he insisted on accompanying us to the sea with a great
number of his fierce males. Nor were we at all loath to accept his
escort. We found the canoe where I had hidden it, and bidding Gr-gr-gr
and his warriors farewell, the three of us embarked for the mainland.

I questioned Juag upon the feasibility of attempting to cross to the
mouth of the great river of which he had told me, and up which he said
we might paddle almost to Sari; but he urged me not to attempt it,
since we had but a single paddle and no water or food. I had to admit
the wisdom of his advice, but the desire to explore this great waterway
was strong upon me, arousing in me at last a determination to make the
attempt after first gaining the mainland and rectify-ing our
deficiencies.

We landed several miles north of Thuria in a little cove that seemed to
offer protection from the heavier seas which sometimes run, even upon
these usually pacific oceans of Pellucidar. Here I outlined to Dian
and Juag the plans I had in mind. They were to fit the canoe with a
small sail, the purposes of