hing
different from anything the people of Earth had ever known, bestial and
damnable!

"I am with you on that," Harkness agreed, "but what about the ship? You
have had your eye on it every day; do we want to go where we could not
see it? If the gas cleared, if there was ever a season when the wind
changed, think of what that would mean. Ammunition, food, supplies of
all kinds, and the ship as a place of refuge, too, would be lost. No, we
can't turn that over to Schwartzmann, Chet; we've got to stick around."

"I still wish we were farther away," Chet acknowledged, "but you are
right, Walt; we could never be satisfied a single day if we thought the
ship could be reached. Then, too, Towahg seems to think this is O. K.

"As near as I can learn from his sign language and a dozen words, this
is about as good a spot as we can find. He says the ape-men never cross
the big divide; something spooky about it I judged. However, we must
remember this: the fact that Towahg came across shows that the rest of
them would if they found it could be done."

"That was why he led us so far while we waded up that stream," offered
Diane. "Trailing Towahg would be like trying to follow the wake of an
airship."

"And I asked him about the red vampires that jumped us down by the
ship," Chet continued. "He gave me the clear sign on that, too."

* * * * *

Diane was not anxious for more wanderings, as Chet could see. "There is
game here," she suggested, "and the edge of the jungle is simply an
orchard of fruit, as you know. And having a lake to bathe in is
important--oh, I must not try to influence you. We must do what is
best."

"No," said Chet, "our own wishes don't count; the ship's the deciding
factor. You had better build your house here, Walt. Happy Valley will be
headquarters for the expedition; we've got a whale of a lot of country
to explore. And, of course, we will slip back and check up on
Schwartzmann; find out where he went to--"

"Count me out;" Harkness interrupted; "count me out. You go and hunt
trouble if you want to; Diane and I will have our hands full right here.
Great heavens, man! We've got to learn to make clothes; and, by the way,
that uniform you're wearing is no credit to your tailor. If we are to
call this home, we must do better than the savages. I intend to find
some bamboo, split it, make some troughs, and bring water down here from
the spring. I've got to learn where Kreiss