all his long life in the savage forest he had never heard such an
awful, fearsome din.

Closer and closer came the sounds, and now with them were mingled the
terrified shrieks of women and children and of men. For twenty long
minutes the blood-curdling cries continued, until they seemed but a
stone's throw from the palisade. Kaviri rose to flee, but Mugambi
seized and held him, for such had been the command of Tarzan.

A moment later a horde of terrified natives burst from the jungle,
racing toward the shelter of their huts. Like frightened sheep they
ran, and behind them, driving them as sheep might be driven, came
Tarzan and Sheeta and the hideous apes of Akut.

Presently Tarzan stood before Kaviri, the old quiet smile upon his lips.

"Your people have returned, my brother," he said, "and now you may
select those who are to accompany me and paddle my canoe."

Tremblingly Kaviri tottered to his feet, calling to his people to come
from their huts; but none responded to his summons.

"Tell them," suggested Tarzan, "that if they do not come I shall send
my people in after them."

Kaviri did as he was bid, and in an instant the entire population of
the village came forth, their wide and frightened eyes rolling from one
to another of the savage creatures that wandered about the village
street.

Quickly Kaviri designated a dozen warriors to accompany Tarzan. The
poor fellows went almost white with terror at the prospect of close
contact with the panther and the apes in the narrow confines of the
canoes; but when Kaviri explained to them that there was no
escape--that Bwana Tarzan would pursue them with his grim horde should
they attempt to run away from the duty--they finally went gloomily down
to the river and took their places in the canoe.

It was with a sigh of relief that their chieftain saw the party
disappear about a headland a short distance up-river.

For three days the strange company continued farther and farther into
the heart of the savage country that lies on either side of the almost
unexplored Ugambi. Three of the twelve warriors deserted during that
time; but as several of the apes had finally learned the secret of the
paddles, Tarzan felt no dismay because of the loss.

As a matter of fact, he could have travelled much more rapidly on
shore, but he believed that he could hold his own wild crew together to
better advantage by keeping them to the boat as much as possible.
Twice a day they