TARZAN ESCAPES

as told in the Big Little Book

Chapter Two - Major Fry's Expedition

Major Fry agreed with Bomba.

"The Bulus might be massing for an attack. I I believe we hould make for my encampment
as soon as possible."

"Is it near here?" questioned Rita.

"Quite near. Up the river."

Major Fry led the way toward the canoe.

Arriving at the encampment, Rita and Eric looked about with lively interest. This was a temporary village, bordered on two sides by improvised, but strong cages in which panthers, bears, hyenas and jackals whined and snapped and raged at teir captivity. A flat bottomed river steamer, moored alongside the river bank bore the words: "MAJOR FRY'S EXPEDITION."

As they approached the huts, the natives gathered about, all gaping at Rita.

Major Fry made excuses for the natives' rude staring.

"Many of them have never seen a white woman before," he said. They're recruited from the inland island tribes." Then he turned to Bomba. "Get them away!" he ordered.

As they made their way to Major Fry's quarters, a native overseer salaamed and delivered a long harang.

"They've captured some sort of monkey," Major Fry explained. "The first we've seen within two hundred miles of here." The natives brought up a cage strung litter-wise to two poles, and the white people walked forward to inspect the monkey.

It was Cheetah, the chimpanzee friend of Tarzan of the Apes, but the big hunter turned away.

"Just a common garden variety," he said. "Wild and useless."

Kneeling beside the cage, Eric began to fondle Cheetah, stroking the monkey's head sympathetically. The terrified and bewildered little animal ceased its excited, piteous crying, and talked understandingly to the young man.

"Seems as though it might be used to human beings," Rita said thoughtfully.

"The tribes down the river have great stories about a race of almost human baboons," Major Fry spoke in disappointment. "I'd hoped this might be one of them. If you'll excuse me, I'll see about quarters for you."

Eric endeavored to express his thanks, but the hunter brushed his gratitude aside.

"You'd have done the same for me," he said, and left him.

Rita and Eric stood quietly, each with the same thought. Rita spoke.

"That night at the Colonial Club — they were discussing Fry. Nobody had a good word for him."

"No matter what we heard," Eric spoke pointedly. " If he hadn't come along we wouldn't be here."

That evening, Rita and Eric shoed Major Fry a photograph of a lovely girl leaning across a tennis net at a country house in England. She was Jane Parker, their cousin, who had deserted her fianc‚ to become the mate of Tarzan.

"Until she's proved dead or alive, Rita said, "we can whistle for our inheritance."

"Not a chance of her being alive," Major Fry spoke decisively.

Rita stood up suddenly, frightened.

"What was that noise?" she whispered.

"I don't know," the hunter spoke slowly. "But it sounded like a human cry."

Rita controlled her fears and brought the conversation back to her missing cousin, Jane.

"It is a fantastic story," she admitted, "but we have Holt's letters to prove it. Jane deserted him to become the mate of Tarzan. We know for certain Holt is dead."

Major Fry thoughtfully emptied his pipe.

"I told you about a great race of baboons. The same stories claim their leader is a white ape. I'm here to solve these rumors. If Tarzan does exist, I mean to capture him."

At that moment there came the piteous wail of Cheetah. Eric rose to his feet in solicitation.

"Probably mourning for her family," he said, reaching his fingers into the finger bowl. "I'll take her a piece or two."

"Nine o'clock." The hunter consulted his watch. "Late hours for the jungle. I hope you'll sleep soundly."

After comforting Cheetah, Eric turned into his hut. Soon after the "good nights" were spoken the whole camp seemed to settle down.

Through the darkness came a moving shadow, stopping first at Cheetah's cage.

Tarzan came to free his friends.

As he passed the lion's cage, the beast roared savagely. In an instance torches blazed. commands were shouted. Men dashed to their stations.

"What's happening?" Rita demanded fearfully, her rifle in readiness.

Major Fry began to examine the broken locks of his cages. So intent were they all, they did not see Tarzan, with Cheetah in his arms, stoop and pick up the photograph of Jane. Fleeting from shadow to shadow, he disappeared into the night.

Bomba had been carefully examining the ground with the aid of his torch.

"Bwana! Bwana!" he shouted in exultation as he discovered the trail Tarzan had taken.

The entire group, with torches flaring rushed to Bomba. They followed the trail till it finished suddenly in the compound.

"Couldn't have vanished into thin air," muttered the hunter.

Suddenly they noticed a vine swinging slowly a vine that led into a tree.

"Must be an ape to climb that." Eric spoke in puzzlement.

Away in the distance came the cry of Tarzan. Rita looked at the hunter in astonishment.

"Almost human," she said in awe.

"I make safari at daybreak," Major Fry clipped the words. "I'm going to get those apes — or — ," he stopped abruptly and asked in a less excited tone, "you, Miss Parker — and Mr. Parker — are you with me?"

The cousins looked at each other.

"We are," Rita spoke slowly.