The Beasts of Tarzan

deou

f through which it must pass to gain the open sea. Tarzan, Mugambi, and Aku

ed beast as far from the other members of the party as possible, since it would require little or no provo

kut and Tarzan the twelve hairy apes sat upon their haunches, blinking dubiously

breeze struck the sail, sending the rude craft lunging among the

a particularly large wave struck the dugout simultaneously with a little squall of wind their terror broke all bounds, and, leaping to their feet, they all but overturned the boat before Akut an

ose before the straining eyes of the ape-man in the bow. It was far too dark to distinguish whether they had approac

all its crew scrambling madly for the shore. The next breaker rolled them over and over, but eventually they

over which he crouched. Tarzan and Sheeta, however, were of a different mind, for neither of them feared the jungle ni

d then the other in advance. It was Tarzan who first caught the scent of meat-a bull buffalo-and presentl

de and Tarzan upon his left nearest the great heart. They had hunted together now fo

k, burying his strong teeth in the bull's neck. Instantly the brute sprang to his feet with a bellow of pain and rage, a

the reeds the thing striking at his life was dragged beside him. Sheeta but clung tena

ntil at last the blade found his heart, when with a final bellow that was half-scr

upon the tawny side of the panther. Shortly after dawn they awoke and ate again, and

bi River. They had proceeded scarce a hundred yards when they came suddenly upon a broad stream, which the Negro in

at it emptied into a bay not over a mile from the point upon

s, and from some of these he had little doubt but that he should obtain news of Rokoff and the child, for he felt rea

were successful, and soon after were paddling up the coast toward the mouth of the Ugambi. Here they experienced considerable difficulty in making an entrance against the c

the apes feeding upon fruit a little beyond the reeds where the buffalo had fallen. Sheeta was not anywhere to be s

shrill cries. Presently from a great distance and faintly there came an answering scream, and a half-hour later

y, rubbed his sides against the ape-man, and then at a word from th

was no response, and finally the boat put off without them. As it happened that the two missing ones were the very same who had evinced the least desire to accompany the expedit

aked savage watched them for a moment from behind the dense screen of verdure which lined the

e excitement of his news, he burst into a native village several mi

to his circular hut. "Another white man, and with him are many warriors. They come i

savage heart was filled with bitterness and hate. In another moment the rumble of the war-drum

ng spears bristled from the rude battle-ships, as they slid noiselessly over the bo

chances, if they could be avoided. He would swoop noiselessly down with his seven canoes upon the single one of the white man, an

as it rounded a sharp bend in the river where the swift current bore it

ite face in the bow of the oncoming craft before the two touched and his own men were upon their

ire that he possessed to have been safely within his distant village. Scarcely had the two craft come together than the frightful apes of Akut rose, growli

came the other war-canoes rapidly down upon the two craft. Their occupants were eager to

ft before its occupants realized that their fellows were pitted against demons instead of men. As it touched Tarzan spoke a few low words to Sheeta and Akut, so that befo

e Akut at the other buried his yellow canines in the necks of those that came within his reach,

. 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 we

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

s eyes-there was a great pain in his chest as he struggled for the breath of lif

at he was not dead. He lay, securely bound, in the bottom of his own

iting for the ferocious creature to spring upo

his trembling body, he again ventured to open his eyes. Bey

m Kaviri saw some of his own warriors similarly engaged

chief had regained consc

the chief of a numerous people, an

eplied t

attack me? I

him presents of a goat and cassava and milk, he set upon us with his guns and killed many of my

u had you not set upon me. Tell me, what was the face of this bad white man like

ith a great, black beard, and he was ver

im?" asked Tarzan, his heart almost st

hite child was not with this man's

claimed Tarzan. "

woman, and the child, with six Mosula porters. They passed up the river three day

t who could the woman be-and the man? Was it possible that one of Rokoff's confederates

rning the child to civilization and there either claim

he would eventually overhaul them, unless, as was still more probable, they should be captured and killed by the very

the three canoes, casting sidelong, terrified glances at their hideous passengers. Three of the apes of Akut had been killed in the e

by some of their captors; and, in fact, it was all that Tarzan and Mugambi and Akut could do to keep the snarling, ill-natured brutes from snapping at

the food that the blacks furnished, and arrange with th

he discovered, to promise men than to furnish them, for when his people learned his intentions those that had not already fled into the jungle proceeded to do so withou

d not repre

; "but just remain quietly here, Kaviri, and presen

commanded that Mugambi remain with Kaviri, and disappe

ordinary sounds of the teeming life that but adds to its lowering lon

the ape-man. Immediately from different points of the compass rose a horrid semicircle of simi