cking-point, and again essayed a charge.

This time they came quite to the village gate, but when Sheeta and the
hideous apes leaped among them they turned screaming in terror, and
again fled to the jungle.

Again was the dancing and shouting repeated. This time Tarzan felt no
doubt they would enter the village and complete the work that a handful
of determined white men would have carried to a successful conclusion
at the first attempt.

To have rescue come so close only to be thwarted because he could not
make his poor, savage friends understand precisely what he wanted of
them was most irritating, but he could not find it in his heart to
place blame upon them. They had done their best, and now he was sure
they would doubtless remain to die with him in a fruitless effort to
defend him.

The blacks were already preparing for the charge. A few individuals
had advanced a short distance toward the village and were exhorting the
others to follow them. In a moment the whole savage horde would be
racing across the clearing.

Tarzan thought only of the little child somewhere in this cruel,
relentless wilderness. His heart ached for the son that he might no
longer seek to save--that and the realization of Jane's suffering were
all that weighed upon his brave spirit in these that he thought his
last moments of life. Succour, all that he could hope for, had come to
him in the instant of his extremity--and failed. There was nothing
further for which to hope.

The blacks were half-way across the clearing when Tarzan's attention
was attracted by the actions of one of the apes. The beast was glaring
toward one of the huts. Tarzan followed his gaze. To his infinite
relief and delight he saw the stalwart form of Mugambi racing toward
him.

The huge black was panting heavily as though from strenuous physical
exertion and nervous excitement. He rushed to Tarzan's side, and as
the first of the savages reached the village gate the native's knife
severed the last of the cords that bound Tarzan to the stake.

In the street lay the corpses of the savages that had fallen before the
pack the night before. From one of these Tarzan seized a spear and
knob stick, and with Mugambi at his side and the snarling pack about
him, he met the natives as they poured through the gate.

Fierce and terrible was the battle that ensued, but at last the savages
were routed, more by terror, perhaps, at sight of a black man and a
white fi