different a class. The
men put down their burdens, and then one caught sight of the notice
which Tarzan had posted.

"Ho, mates!" he cried. "What's here? This sign was not posted an hour
ago or I'll eat the cook."

The others gathered about, craning their necks over the shoulders of
those before them, but as few of them could read at all, and then only
after the most laborious fashion, one finally turned to the little old
man of the top hat and frock coat.

"Hi, perfesser," he called, "step for'rd and read the bloomin' notis."

Thus addressed, the old man came slowly to where the sailors stood,
followed by the other members of his party. Adjusting his spectacles
he looked for a moment at the placard and then, turning away, strolled
off muttering to himself: "Most remarkable--most remarkable!"

"Hi, old fossil," cried the man who had first called on him for
assistance, "did je think we wanted of you to read the bloomin' notis
to yourself? Come back here and read it out loud, you old barnacle."

The old man stopped and, turning back, said: "Oh, yes, my dear sir, a
thousand pardons. It was quite thoughtless of me, yes--very
thoughtless. Most remarkable--most remarkable!"

Again he faced the notice and read it through, and doubtless would have
turned off again to ruminate upon it had not the sailor grasped him
roughly by the collar and howled into his ear.

"Read it out loud, you blithering old idiot."

"Ah, yes indeed, yes indeed," replied the professor softly, and
adjusting his spectacles once more he read aloud:

THIS IS THE HOUSE OF TARZAN, THE
KILLER OF BEASTS AND MANY BLACK
MEN. DO NOT HARM THE THINGS WHICH
ARE TARZAN'S. TARZAN WATCHES.
TARZAN OF THE APES.

"Who the devil is Tarzan?" cried the sailor who had before spoken.

"He evidently speaks English," said the young man.

"But what does 'Tarzan of the Apes' mean?" cried the girl.

"I do not know, Miss Porter," replied the young man, "unless we have
discovered a runaway simian from the London Zoo who has brought back a
European education to his jungle home. What do you make of it,
Professor Porter?" he added, turning to the old man.

Professor Archimedes Q. Porter adjusted his spectacles.

"Ah, yes, indeed; yes indeed--most remarkable, most remarkable!" said
the professor; "but I can add nothing further to what I have already
remarked in elucidation of this truly momentous occurrence," and the
professor turned sl