o. The entire hut lurched sickeningly,
the final strand parted with an audible snap as Tharn caught frantically
at the cross piece, and down went the hut!

It was a mad mixture of crashing sounds, of breaking branches, of shrill
screams, of falling and bouncing bodies, of clawing hands and feet.
Slithering, scrambling shapes sought to stabilize themselves by
attaching themselves to walls, ceiling or roof, but to no avail. Only
Trakor, digging his fingers and bare toes desperately into the yielding
flooring, and Tharn, wrapped tightly about that crosspiece, were able to
hold their positions; while back and forth between them shuffled the
three spider-men.

* * * * *

Halfway down, one entire wall broke loose, spilling the guards into the
void. As the mazes of foliage grew denser nearer the ground, the remains
of the hut began to slow its fall, grinding to a complete stop some
twenty feet above ground.

Instantly Tharn and Trakor were out of the ruins and racing away through
the branches. Behind them they could hear a wild chorus of angry
screams, but apparently the spider-men were still too dazed and
bewildered to set up a planned pursuit.

An hour later Tharn called a halt. They stood silently on a high branch
for a little while, listening for some sign that their late captors had
taken up the chase.

"We have thrown them off," Tharn said finally. "I'll give them a few
hours to get over their shock and return to sleep--then I'm going back."

"Going back!" echoed Trakor, aghast, "Why?"

"I must learn what they have done with Dylara. Too, my knife, rope and
bow and arrows are somewhere within the wreckage of that hut."

"But even you, Tharn, would be helpless against so many," protested
Trakor.

Tharn shrugged. "It is the only way," he said, and there was that in his
tone which ended further discussion.

They stretched their bodies out on adjoining branches and after a while
Trakor fell into a troubled sleep. He awakened with a start, to find the
first flush of dawn across the eastern sky and an empty branch where
Tharn had been during the night.

He had little time to worry about his companion's absence; for barely
had he opened his eyes than a rustling among the foliage of a
neighboring tree brought him hastily to his feet in time to see Tharn
emerge into view.

Across the caveman's back was his quiver of arrows, his bow and his
rope; thrust within the folds of his loin cl