re be none of us here but would
willingly face death a hundred times in its most terrifying forms to
deserve the tributes of one even half so loyal--or so beautiful."

"You would not wonder that I defend him," said the girl, "could you
have seen him as I saw him, battling in my behalf with that huge hairy
brute.

"Could you have seen him charge the monster as a bull might charge a
grizzly--absolutely without sign of fear or hesitation--you would have
believed him more than human.

"Could you have seen those mighty muscles knotting under the brown
skin--could you have seen them force back those awful fangs--you too
would have thought him invincible.

"And could you have seen the chivalrous treatment which he accorded a
strange girl of a strange race, you would feel the same absolute
confidence in him that I feel."

"You have won your suit, my fair pleader," cried the captain. "This
court finds the defendant not guilty, and the cruiser shall wait a few
days longer that he may have an opportunity to come and thank the
divine Portia."

"For the Lord's sake honey," cried Esmeralda. "You all don't mean to
tell ME that you're going to stay right here in this here land of
carnivable animals when you all got the opportunity to escapade on that
boat? Don't you tell me THAT, honey."

"Why, Esmeralda! You should be ashamed of yourself," cried Jane. "Is
this any way to show your gratitude to the man who saved your life
twice?"

"Well, Miss Jane, that's all jest as you say; but that there forest man
never did save us to stay here. He done save us so we all could get
AWAY from here. I expect he be mighty peevish when he find we ain't
got no more sense than to stay right here after he done give us the
chance to get away.

"I hoped I'd never have to sleep in this here geological garden another
night and listen to all them lonesome noises that come out of that
jumble after dark."

"I don't blame you a bit, Esmeralda," said Clayton, "and you certainly
did hit it off right when you called them 'lonesome' noises. I never
have been able to find the right word for them but that's it, don't you
know, lonesome noises."

"You and Esmeralda had better go and live on the cruiser," said Jane,
in fine scorn. "What would you think if you HAD to live all of your
life in that jungle as our forest man has done?"

"I'm afraid I'd be a blooming bounder as a wild man," laughed Clayton,
ruefully. "Those noises at night make the ha