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Abdul； always on the alert； looked backward quite as often
as he did ahead。 At the top of each hillock that they mounted
he would draw in his horse and； turning； scan the country to
the rear with utmost care。 At last his scrutiny was rewarded。
〃Look！〃 he cried。 〃There are six horsemen behind us。〃
〃Your friends of last evening； no doubt； monsieur；〃 remarked
Kadour ben Saden dryly to Tarzan。
〃No doubt；〃 replied the ape…man。 〃I am sorry that my
society should endanger the safety of your journey。 At the
next village I shall remain and question these gentlemen；
while you ride on。 There is no necessity for my being at Bou
Saada tonight； and less still why you should not ride in peace。〃
〃If you stop we shall stop；〃 said Kadour ben Saden。 〃Until
you are safe with your friends； or the enemy has left your
trail； we shall remain with you。 There is nothing more to say。〃
Tarzan nodded his head。 He was a man of few words；
and possibly it was for this reason as much as any that
Kadour ben Saden had taken to him； for if there be one
thing that an Arab despises it is a talkative man。
All the balance of the day Abdul caught glimpses of the
horsemen in their rear。 They remained always at about the
same distance。 During the occasional halts for rest； and
at the longer halt at noon； they approached no closer。
〃They are waiting for darkness；〃 said Kadour ben Saden。
And darkness came before they reached Bou Saada。 The
last glimpse that Abdul had of the grim； white…robed figures
that trailed them； just before dusk made it impossible to
distinguish them； had made it apparent that they were rapidly
closing up the distance that intervened between them and
their intended quarry。 He whispered this fact to Tarzan； for
he did not wish to alarm the girl。 The ape…man drew back
beside him。
〃You will ride ahead with the others； Abdul；〃 said Tarzan。
〃This is my quarrel。 I shall wait at the next convenient
spot； and interview these fellows。〃
〃Then Abdul shall wait at thy side；〃 replied the young
Arab； nor would any threats or commands move him from
his decision。
〃Very well； then；〃 replied Tarzan。 〃Here is as good a place
as we could wish。 Here are rocks at the top of this hillock。
We shall remain hidden here and give an account of ourselves
to these gentlemen when they appear。〃
They drew in their horses and dismounted。 The others
riding ahead were already out of sight in the darkness。
Beyond them shone the lights of Bou Saada。 Tarzan removed
his rifle from its boot and loosened his revolver in its holster。
He ordered Abdul to withdraw behind the rocks with the
horses； so that they should be shielded from the enemies'
bullets should they fire。 The young Arab pretended to do as
he was bid； but when he had fastened the two animals securely
to a low shrub he crept back to lie on his belly a few
paces behind Tarzan。
The ape…man stood erect in the middle of the road； waiting。
Nor did he have long to wait。 The sound of galloping
horses came suddenly out of the darkness below him； and a
moment later he discerned the moving blotches of lighter
color against the solid background of the night。
〃Halt；〃 he cried； 〃or we fire！〃
The white figures came to a sudden stop； and for a moment
there was silence。 Then came the sound of a whispered council；
and like ghosts the phantom riders dispersed in all directions。
Again the desert lay still about him； yet it was an ominous
stillness that foreboded evil。
Abdul raised himself to one knee。 Tarzan cocked his
jungle…trained ears； and presently there came to him the
sound of horses walking quietly through the sand to the
east of him； to the west； to the north； and to the south。
They had been surrounded。 Then a shot came from the direction
in which he was looking； a bullet whirred through the air
above his head； and he fired at the flash of the enemy's gun。
Instantly the soundless waste was torn with the quick
staccato of guns upon every hand。 Abdul and Tarzan fired
only at the flashesthey could not yet see their foemen。
Presently it became evident that the attackers were circling
their position； drawing closer and closer in as they began to
realize the paltry numbers of the party which opposed them。
But one came too close； for Tarzan was accustomed to using
his eyes in the darkness of the jungle night； than which
there is no more utter darkness this side the grave； and
with a cry of pain a saddle was emptied。
〃The odds are evening； Abdul；〃 said Tarzan； with a low laugh。
But they were still far too one…sided； and when the five
remaining horsemen whirled at a signal and charged full
upon them it looked as if there would be a sudden ending
of the battle。 Both Tarzan and Abdul sprang to the shelter of
the rocks； that they might keep the enemy in front of them。
There was a mad clatter of galloping hoofs； a volley of shots
from both sides； and the Arabs withdrew to repeat the
maneuver； but there were now only four against the two。
For a few moments there came no sound from out of
the surrounding blackness。 Tarzan could not tell whether the
Arabs； satisfied with their losses； had given up the fight； or
were waiting farther along the road to waylay them as they
proceeded on toward Bou Saada。 But he was not left long in
doubt； for now all from one direction came the sound of a
new charge。 But scarcely had the first gun spoken ere a
dozen shots rang out behind the Arabs。 There came the wild
shouts of a new party to the controversy； and the pounding
of the feet of many horses from down the road to Bou Saada。
The Arabs did not wait to learn the identity of the oncomers。
With a parting volley as they dashed by the position which
Tarzan and Abdul were holding； they plunged off along the
road toward Sidi Aissa。 A moment later Kadour ben Saden
and his men dashed up。
The old sheik was much relieved to find that neither
Tarzan nor Abdul had received a scratch。 Not even had their
horses been wounded。 They sought out the two men who had
fallen before Tarzan's shots； and； finding that both were
dead； left them where they lay。
〃Why did you not tell me that you contemplated ambushing
those fellows？〃 asked the sheik in a hurt tone。 〃We might
have had them all if the seven of us had stopped to meet them。〃
〃Then it would have been useless to stop at all；〃 replied
Tarzan； 〃for had we simply ridden on toward Bou Saada they
would have been upon us presently； and all could have been
engaged。 It was to prevent the transfer of my own quarrel
to another's shoulders that Abdul and I stopped off to
question them。 Then there is your daughterI could not be the
cause of exposing her needlessly to the marksmanship of six men。〃
Kadour ben Saden shrugged his shoulders。 He did not
relish having been cheated out of a fight。
The little battle so close to Bou Saada had drawn out a