The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1916-02-02
The Gods of Mars
The "TARZAN" Man Is at
His Best i'm This Wonder Story
By Edgar Rice Burroughs
Author OF "TARzAN OF THE APES" etc.

out below us was deafening. Rifles |
cracked, officers shouted orders, men |
yelled directions to one another from |
the water and from the decks OF
myriad boats, while through all ran
the purr of countless propellers cut
ting water and air.
had not dared pull my speed lever
10 the highest for fear OF overrunning
the mouth of the shaft that passed
from Onean's dome to the world
above. but even 30 we we're hitting n
clip that I doubt has ever been
euualled on the MINDLESS sea.
The smaller flyers were commencing
TO rise toward us when Xodar
shouted:
"The shaft The shaft Dead
ahead"
saw the opening, black and yawn-
Ing In tho glowing dome OF this un-
derworld
A ten-man cruiser was rising d.
rectly in front to cut off our escape.
II was the only vessel that stood on
our way, but at tho rate that Il was
travelling It would come between us
and tho shaft in plenty Of time 20
thwart our plans.
II was rising at an angle OF about
forty-five degrees dead ahead OF us,
with the evident intention OF combing
us with graphing hooks from above
as it skinned over our deck.
There was but one forlorn hope for
us, and | took II. II was useless to
try TO pass over her, for that would
have allowed her to force us against
the rocky dome above, and We were
already too near that as 1t was.
To have attempted to dive below her
would have put us entirely at her
hnH oh
wanted us. On either side a hundred
other menacing craft were Fastening
toward us. The alternative was filled
with risk--in fact. II was all risk,
with but a slender chance OF success.
As we neared the cruiser / rose as
though to pass over her, so that she
would do Just what she did do. rise at
a sleeper angle TO force me still
higher.
Then as We we're almost upon her I
yelled TO my companions to hold tight,
and throwing the little vessel into
her highest speed ] DETECTED her
bows at the same instant until we
were running horizontally and at ter
rife velocity straight for the cruisers
keel.
Her commander may have seen my
Intentions then. but IT was too late.
Almost ut the instant of impact i
turned my bow upward. and then
with shattering Jolt We were in
collision.
What / had hoped for happened
The cruiser. already tilted at peril
GUS angle, was carried completely over
backward by the Impact OF my
smaller vessel.
Her crew fell twisting and scream
ing through the air TO the water far
below. while the ship, her propellers
still madly churning, diyed swiftly
head foremost after them to the bot
tom of the Sea of Omean.
The collision crushed our steel bow.
and Notwithstanding every effort on
our part came near TO hurting us
from the deck. AZ II was We landed
In a wildly clutching heoH at The very
extremity OF the flier, where Xodar
and ! succeeded in grasping the hand
rail, but the boy would have plunged
overheard had / not fortunately
grasped his ankle as he was already
partially over.
Jnguided, our vessel carcened Wild
" on its mad flight, rising ever near
or the rocks above.
Il took but an instant, however, for
me 20 regain the levers, and with the
roof barely flfty feet above. l turned
her nose once moro into tho horizontal
plane and headed her again for the
black mouth OF the shaft.
The collision had retarded our prog
ress, and now hundred swift scouts
were close upon us. Sodar had told
mo that ascending the shaft by virtue
OF our repulsive rays alone would give
our enemies their best chance TO over
take us. since our propellers would
be idle, and In rising we would he
outclassed by many OF our pursuers
The swifter craft are seldom equipped
with large buoyancy tanks, since the
added bulk OF thom tends TO reduce
a vessels speed.
AS many boats were now quite close
10 us II was Inevitable that we would
be quickly overhauled in the shaft
and captured or killed in short order
To me there always seems way 70
cain the opposite side OF an obstacle
II one cannot pass over II, or below II
or around It, why, then, there Ia but q
single alternative left, and that Is e
pass through II.
could not get around the fact thai
many OF these other boats could rise
faster than ours by tho fact OF the'l
greater buoyancy. but 7 was mono th'
less determined to reach tho outer
world far In advance OF them or dit
a death OF my own choosing In even'
or taliure' .H
me. "For the love OF your first an.
cestor, reverse! We arc at the SHAFT.
Hold tight" l screamed in reply
GRASP the boy and hold tight-w'
are going straight UP the shaft"
The words were scarce out OF my
mouth as we swept beneath the pitcf
black opening. threw the bow hare
up, dragged the speed lever 10 IL
last notch, and clutching n stanchior
with one hand and tho steering vince
with the other hung on like grin
death and consigned my soul TO ~
Author.
| heard a little exclamation OF sur
prise from Zodar, followed by grin
laugh.
The boy laughed too and said some
thing which l could not catch 70
tho whistling OF the wind OF our aw
full speed.
looked above my head hoping 4
catch the CLEAN OF stars by wh'cl
could direct our course and hol'
the hurting thing that bore us tru
20 the centre of the shaft. To hav'
touched the side at the speed we wer'
making would doubtless have resulte'
In instant death for us all. But not
star showed above--only utter an
impenetrable darkness.
Then ! glanced below me and Their