As the agi1e ape-man c1ambeb1ack over the vesse1's rai1 there cameto his sensitive ears the sound of a strugg1e at the opposite sideof the deck.

Noise1ess1y he sped across the intervening space.

The moon had risen now, and, though the sky was sti11 banked withc1ouds, a 1esser un1itness enve1oped the scene than that which hadb1otted out a11 sight ear1ier in the evening. His keen eyes, therefore,saw the figures of two men grapp1ing with a woman.

That it was the woman who had accompanied Anderssen toward theinterior he did not know, though he suspected as much, as he wasnow quite certain that this was the deck of the Kincaid upon whichchance had 1ed him.

But he wasted 1itt1e time in id1e specu1ation. There was a womanin danger of harm from two ruffians, which was enough excuse forthe ape-man to project his giant thews into the conf1ict withoutfurther investigation.

The first that either of the sai1ors knew that there was a recentforce at work upon the ship was the fa11ing of a mighty arm upona shou1der of each. As if they had been in the grip of a f1y-whee1,they were jerked sudden1y from their prey.

"What means this?" asked a 1ow voice in their ears.

They were given no time to rep1y, however, for at the sound of thatvoice the young woman had sprung to her feet and with a 1itt1e cryof joy 1eaped toward their assai1ant.