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indescribable tumult of hideous sound。 The stricken
horse upon which the lion leaped shrieked out its
terror and its agony。 Several about it broke their
tethers and plunged madly about the camp。 Men leaped
from their blankets and with guns ready ran toward the
picket line； and then from the jungle beyond the boma a
dozen lions； emboldened by the example of their fellow
charged fearlessly upon the camp。
Singly and in twos and threes they leaped the boma；
until the little enclosure was filled with cursing men
and screaming horses battling for their lives with the
green…eyed devils of the jungle。
With the charge of the first lion； Jane Clayton had
scrambled to her feet； and now she stood horror…struck
at the scene of savage slaughter that swirled and
eddied about her。 Once a bolting horse knocked her
down； and a moment later a lion； leaping in pursuit of
another terror…stricken animal； brushed her so closely
that she was again thrown from her feet。
Amidst the cracking of the rifles and the growls of the
carnivora rose the death screams of stricken men and
horses as they were dragged down by the blood…mad cats。
The leaping carnivora and the plunging horses；
prevented any concerted action by the Abyssiniansit
was every man for himselfand in the melee； the
defenseless woman was either forgotten or ignored by
her black captors。 A score of times was her life
menaced by charging lions； by plunging horses； or by
the wildly fired bullets of the frightened troopers；
yet there was no chance of escape； for now with the
fiendish cunning of their kind； the tawny hunters
commenced to circle about their prey； hemming them
within a ring of mighty； yellow fangs； and sharp； long
talons。 Again and again an individual lion would dash
suddenly among the frightened men and horses； and
occasionally a horse； goaded to frenzy by pain or
terror； succeeded in racing safely through the circling
lions； leaping the boma； and escaping into the jungle；
but for the men and the woman no such escape was
possible。
A horse； struck by a stray bullet； fell beside Jane
Clayton； a lion leaped across the expiring beast full
upon the breast of a black trooper just beyond。 The
man clubbed his rifle and struck futilely at the broad
head； and then he was down and the carnivore was
standing above him。
Shrieking out his terror； the soldier clawed with puny
fingers at the shaggy breast in vain endeavor to push
away the grinning jaws。 The lion lowered his head； the
gaping fangs closed with a single sickening crunch upon
the fear…distorted face； and turning strode back across
the body of the dead horse dragging his limp and bloody
burden with him。
Wide…eyed the girl stood watching。 She saw the
carnivore step upon the corpse； stumblingly； as the
grisly thing swung between its forepaws； and her eyes
remained fixed in fascination while the beast passed
within a few paces of her。
The interference of the body seemed to enrage the lion。
He shook the inanimate clay venomously。 He growled and
roared hideously at the dead； insensate thing； and then
he dropped it and raised his head to look about in
search of some living victim upon which to wreak his
ill temper。 His yellow eyes fastened themselves
balefully upon the figure of the girl； the bristling
lips raised； disclosing the grinning fangs。 A terrific
roar broke from the savage throat； and the great beast
crouched to spring upon this new and helpless victim。
Quiet had fallen early upon the camp where Tarzan and
Werper lay securely bound。 Two nervous sentries paced
their beats； their eyes rolling often toward the
impenetrable shadows of the gloomy jungle。 The others
slept or tried to sleepall but the ape…man。 Silently
and powerfully he strained at the bonds which fettered
his wrists。
The muscles knotted beneath the smooth； brown skin of
his arms and shoulders； the veins stood out upon his
temples from the force of his exertionsa strand
parted； another and another； and one hand was free。
Then from the jungle came a low guttural； and the
ape…man became suddenly a silent； rigid statue； with ears
and nostrils straining to span the black void where his
eyesight could not reach。
Again came the uncanny sound from the thick verdure
beyond the camp。 A sentry halted abruptly； straining
his eyes into the gloom。 The kinky wool upon his head
stiffened and raised。 He called to his comrade in a
hoarse whisper。
〃Did you hear it？〃 he asked。
The other came closer； trembling。
〃Hear what？〃
Again was the weird sound repeated； followed almost
immediately by a similar and answering sound from the
camp。 The sentries drew close together； watching the
black spot from which the voice seemed to come。
Trees overhung the boma at this point which was upon
the opposite side of the camp from them。 They dared
not approach。 Their terror even prevented them from
arousing their fellowsthey could only stand in frozen
fear and watch for the fearsome apparition they
momentarily expected to see leap from the jungle。
Nor had they long to wait。 A dim； bulky form dropped
lightly from the branches of a tree into the camp。 At
sight of it one of the sentries recovered command of
his muscles and his voice。 Screaming loudly to awaken
the sleeping camp； he leaped toward the flickering
watch fire and threw a mass of brush upon it。
The white officer and the black soldiers sprang from
their blankets。 The flames leaped high upon the
rejuvenated fire； lighting the entire camp； and the
awakened men shrank back in superstitious terror from
the sight that met their frightened and astonished
vision。
A dozen huge and hairy forms loomed large beneath the
trees at the far side of the enclosure。 The white
giant； one hand freed； had struggled to his knees and
was calling to the frightful； nocturnal visitors in a
hideous medley of bestial gutturals； barkings and
growlings。
Werper had managed to sit up。 He； too； saw the savage
faces of the approaching anthropoids and scarcely knew
whether to be relieved or terror…stricken。
Growling； the great apes leaped forward toward Tarzan
and Werper。 Chulk led them。 The Belgian officer
called to his men to fire upon the intruders； but the
Negroes held back； filled as they were with
superstitious terror of the hairy treemen； and with the
conviction that the white giant who could thus summon
the beasts of the jungle to his aid was more than human。
Drawing his own weapon； the officer fired； and Tarzan
fearing the effect of the noise upon his really timid
friends called to them to hasten and fulfill his commands。
A couple of the apes turned and fled at the sound of
the firearm； but Chulk and a half dozen others waddled
rapidly forward； and； following the ape…man's
directions； seized both him and Werper and bore them
off toward the jungle。
By dint of