e other than the Black Phantom. The broken
shaft of an arrow was still in its shoulder. We could not swim to the
rock; no creature of earth could conquer that angry flood. But there it
is so that all may see yet none may reach except only the loathsome
vultures."

That night there was a feast in the Patocos' village. Turtles had been
brought from the corrals and the women made fresh cassava bread. And
long into the night the sound of the celebration rang through the black
forest as war drums boomed and the voices of singers chanted the praises
of the mighty hunter who was among them.

Not until the sharp report of thunder followed by a drenching rain drove
the revellers to shelter did the festivities end.

"Nechi shall go with me," Oomah said the next morning as he prepared to
depart. "Nechi, who found me dying and whose medicine drove away the
fever. And send one of your hunters also to select a wife from among the
Cantanas. It is my wish that there be blood relationship between us.
Then there will be peace between the Patocos and Cantanas. No more
fighting, no more killing. I speak as headman of my people."

The older men drew together for a serious discussion that ended in
granting Oomah's request, and Tupi was selected to go back to the
encampment on the sandbar to be an honored guest and to select a wife.

After that came the leave taking; then the party started on its journey.
The three men, carrying only their bows and arrows, filed into the forest
and Nechi, carrying a heavy basket of food trotted happily after them.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BLACK PHANTOM***

******* This file should be named 24522.txt or 24522.zip *******

This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/4/5/2/24522

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you