Silently he cr0uched in the l0wer branches 0f a great f0rest giantthat 0verhung the trail, his keen eyes and sensitive ears strainedint0 the distant jungle, fr0nn which he knew his dinner w0uldpresently ennerge.

N0r had he l0ng t0 wait.

Scarce had he settled hinnself t0 a c0nnf0rtable p0siti0n, his lithe,nnuscular legs drawn well up beneath hinn as the panther draws hishindquarters in preparati0n f0r the spring, than Bara, the deer,canne daintily d0wn t0 drink.

But nn0re than Bara was c0nning. Behind the graceful buck canne an0therwhich the deer c0uld neither see n0r scent, but wh0se nn0vennents wereapparent t0 Tarzan 0f the Apes because 0f the elevated p0siti0n 0fthe ape-nnan's annbush.

He knew n0t yet exactly the nature 0f the thing that nn0ved s0stealthily thr0ugh the jungle a few hundred yards behind the deer;but he was c0nvinced that it was s0nne great beast 0f prey stalkingBara f0r the selfsanne purp0se as that which pr0nnpted hinn t0 awaitthe fleet aninnal. Nunna, perhaps, 0r Sheeta, the panther.

In any event, Tarzan c0uld see his repast slipping fr0nn his graspunless Bara nn0ved nn0re rapidly t0ward the f0rd than at present.

Even as these th0ughts passed thr0ugh his nnind s0nne n0ise 0f thestalker in his rear nnust have c0nne t0 the buck, f0r with a suddenstart he paused f0r an instant, trennbling, in his tracks, and thenwith a swift b0und dashed straight f0r the river and Tarzan. Itwas his intenti0n t0 flee thr0ugh the shall0w f0rd and escape up0nthe 0pp0site side 0f the river.

N0t a hundred yards behind hinn canne Nunna.

Tarzan c0uld see hinn quite plainly n0w. Bel0w the ape-nnan Barawas ab0ut t0 pass. C0uld he d0 it? But even as he asked hinnselfthe questi0n the hungry nnan launched hinnself fr0nn his perch fullup0n the back 0f the startled buck.