n spoke a few low words to Sheeta and Akut, so that before the
attacking warriors could draw away there sprang upon them with a
blood-freezing scream a huge panther, and into the other end of their
canoe clambered a great ape.

At one end the panther wrought fearful havoc with his mighty talons and
long, sharp fangs, while Akut at the other buried his yellow canines in
the necks of those that came within his reach, hurling the
terror-stricken blacks overboard as he made his way toward the centre
of the canoe.

Kaviri was so busily engaged with the demons that had entered his own
craft that he could offer no assistance to his warriors in the other.
A giant of a white devil had wrested his spear from him as though he,
the mighty Kaviri, had been but a new-born babe. Hairy monsters were
overcoming his fighting men, and a black chieftain like himself was
fighting shoulder to shoulder with the hideous pack that opposed him.

Kaviri battled bravely against his antagonist, for he felt that death
had already claimed him, and so the least that he could do would be to
sell his life as dearly as possible; but it was soon evident that his
best was quite futile when pitted against the superhuman brawn and
agility of the creature that at last found his throat and bent him back
into the bottom of the canoe.

Presently Kaviri's head began to whirl--objects became confused and dim
before his eyes--there was a great pain in his chest as he struggled
for the breath of life that the thing upon him was shutting off for
ever. Then he lost consciousness.

When he opened his eyes once more he found, much to his surprise, that
he was not dead. He lay, securely bound, in the bottom of his own
canoe. A great panther sat upon its haunches, looking down upon him.

Kaviri shuddered and closed his eyes again, waiting for the ferocious
creature to spring upon him and put him out of his misery of terror.

After a moment, no rending fangs having buried themselves in his
trembling body, he again ventured to open his eyes. Beyond the
panther kneeled the white giant who had overcome him.

The man was wielding a paddle, while directly behind him Kaviri saw
some of his own warriors similarly engaged. Back of them again
squatted several of the hairy apes.

Tarzan, seeing that the chief had regained consciousness, addressed him.

"Your warriors tell me that you are the chief of a numerous people, and
that your name is Kaviri," he said.

"Y