hat the thing was small--a female undoubtedly--and
that it had spied them and was moving toward them with all speed. And
borne in upon him most certainly was the fact that the ape-woman was
making signals of peace. In her outstretched hand flickered through the
gloom a strip of cloth that was gauzy and white.

Again--a strip of Naida's gown.

"If you know any words of her tongue, call to her," Kirby said sharply.

* * * * *

Ivana obeyed. All three of them started forward. The ape-woman, after
returning the hail in creaking gutturals, came up to them, and with an
unexpected look of pathos and entreaty in her face, began to address the
girls with a flood of talk.

Word after creaking word she poured out while Nini and Ivana listened in
silence. Finally Kirby could stand the suspense no longer.

"What is it, Ivana? What does she say? Your eyes are lighting up with
hope! Tell me--"

Ivana smiled and turned toward him, while the ape-woman still looked her
entreaty.

"She says," Ivana announced bluntly, "that she and the other women
amongst their people, do not want any of the girls of our race to be
taken by their males. Already the men are quarreling about Naida. They
will not look at their own women. Naida told this woman that we would be
following, and sent her to lead us to the place where the ape-people are
assembling!"

Kirby felt his lips tightening in a grim smile at the thought that
jealousy was not unknown even to the semi-human creatures of this
neither world. He looked at Nini and Ivana during a stretched out
second. Then he moved.

"Good," he snapped. "We go on at once."

That was his only recognition of what was surely one of the important
happenings of a lifetime. But for all that, his tired brain, which so
lately had felt the chill of black depression, was suddenly set on fire
with triumph and thanksgiving.

CHAPTER XII

As they marched rapidly, the ape-woman, who called herself Gori,
succeeded in making them understand that most of the ape-tribes,
commanded by the Duca and his caciques, were assembled in the central
community toward which they were heading, that grave danger of some sort
threatened Naida, and that the need for haste was great. But what the
danger was, the two girls could not understand.

"We can't make out what is going to happen--what they plan to do
to-night," Ivana whispered at last to Kirby. "All Gori says is that we
must rescue Naida