istics this
beast had evidenced. That it felt real affection for him there seemed
little doubt, for now that the blacks were disposed of it walked slowly
back and forth about the stake, rubbing its sides against the ape-man's
legs and purring like a contented tabby. That it had gone of its own
volition to bring the balance of the pack to his rescue, Tarzan could
not doubt. His Sheeta was indeed a jewel among beasts.

Mugambi's absence worried the ape-man not a little. He attempted to
learn from Akut what had become of the black, fearing that the beasts,
freed from the restraint of Tarzan's presence, might have fallen upon
the man and devoured him; but to all his questions the great ape but
pointed back in the direction from which they had come out of the
jungle.

The night passed with Tarzan still fast bound to the stake, and shortly
after dawn his fears were realized in the discovery of naked black
figures moving stealthily just within the edge of the jungle about the
village. The blacks were returning.

With daylight their courage would be equal to the demands of a charge
upon the handful of beasts that had routed them from their rightful
abodes. The result of the encounter seemed foregone if the savages
could curb their superstitious terror, for against their overwhelming
numbers, their long spears and poisoned arrows, the panther and the
apes could not be expected to survive a really determined attack.

That the blacks were preparing for a charge became apparent a few
moments later, when they commenced to show themselves in force upon the
edge of the clearing, dancing and jumping about as they waved their
spears and shouted taunts and fierce warcries toward the village.

These manoeuvres Tarzan knew would continue until the blacks had worked
themselves into a state of hysterical courage sufficient to sustain
them for a short charge toward the village, and even though he doubted
that they would reach it at the first attempt, he believed that at the
second or the third they would swarm through the gateway, when the
outcome could not be aught than the extermination of Tarzan's bold, but
unarmed and undisciplined, defenders.

Even as he had guessed, the first charge carried the howling warriors
but a short distance into the open--a shrill, weird challenge from the
ape-man being all that was necessary to send them scurrying back to the
bush. For half an hour they pranced and yelled their courage to the
sti