CHAPTER 2 -The beasts of Tarzan

After Tarzan and his guide vanished into the darkness at the wharf, a veiled woman hurried down an alley towards a pub they had just left. Inside, she asked about a tall, well-dressed man who met another and left. A sailor mentioned seeing two men walk towards the wharf. The woman, determined, followed and saw a small boat near a steamer, the Kincaid, preparing to sail. Desperately, she paid a man to row her to the steamer, where she climbed aboard only to find it deserted. She searched for her husband and child, opening doors to empty rooms until she was captured by Nikolas Rokoff, a man from her past.

For days, Jane Clayton was imprisoned in a cabin, her meals brought by Sven Anderssen, the ship’s cook. Meanwhile, Tarzan, locked in a cell below, sensed his family might be nearby but couldn’t confirm. Days morphed into weeks with the Kincaid at sea, stopping only for coal. Neither Jane nor Tarzan knew of each other’s presence aboard.

Rokoff, battling seasickness, visited Jane to demand a cheque for her and her family’s release. She refused unless assured of their safety. Rokoff threatened her with the well-being of her child but eventually obtained a large cheque from her, despite her reservations about his sincerity.

Tarzan was then brought up, confronted by Paulvitch who demanded a hefty ransom, leveraging Tarzan’s family’s safety. Seeing land and believing it to be Africa, Tarzan, desperate to save his son, wrote a cheque for more than his account held. As he handed it over, Paulvitch ordered him to strip, telling him he’d be left here, clothing unnecessary.

This chapter showcases deceit, the primal instincts for family protection, and the struggle for power between Tarzan and his captors, setting a stark atmosphere of tension and determination amidst the uncertainty of isolation and captivity.