CHAPTER 21 -The beasts of Tarzan

In Chapter 21 of “The Beasts of Tarzan,” titled “The Law of the Jungle,” the story unfolds with Tarzan, overseeing the near completion of a skiff with the help of Mugambi and under considerable tension and lack of cooperation amongst his campmates, particularly from Schneider, the mate who deserts the work to hunt in the jungle but returns with a guise of remorse to continue work on the skiff. Schneider reports a herd of small deer in the jungle, prompting Tarzan to hunt, ultimately leading to a plot twist where Schneider and his cohort plot to kidnap Jane Clayton with false intentions of rescue to lure away her protectors.

When Tarzan hunts, a stranger, Gust, secretly follows a group including Kai Shang, intending to uncover their plans and thwart them due to a personal vendetta. Meanwhile, Schneider’s deceit in camp sends Mugambi on a false errand, enabling the kidnappers to seize Jane and the Mosula woman with ease due to their guard being down.

Tarzan, returning from the hunt, notices the absence of Jane and immediately suspects foul play, deducing that the kidnappers must have a means of escape from the island. Gust, aiming for revenge against his former comrades, reveals the plot to Tarzan, urging swift action to catch the abductors aboard the “Cowrie” before they sail off.

An intense confrontation ensues as Tarzan and his recruited beasts of the jungle, including the return of Sheeta the panther and the apes of Akut, manage a daring assault on the “Cowrie.” Tarzan’s forces overcome the kidnappers in a gruesome battle, rescuing Jane and the Mosula woman. Tarzan ensures Schneider’s demise personally, refusing to let evil go unpunished again.

The victorious group commandeers the “Cowrie,” setting the remaining kidnappers to work under the threat of death, and lands on Jungle Island to bid farewell to the beasts. Tarzan communicates with London via a passing ship, learning that their son, Jack, is safe, revealing a complicated scheme involving Rokoff, Paulvitch, and a betrayal that ensured the child’s well-being and return to his family.

The story ties up with the family reunited and safe in England, their enemies defeated or dead, and the jungle’s danger left behind, highlighting Tarzan’s decisive and cunning nature in protecting his family and ensuring justice.