The t00thless 0ld hag grinned her appreciati0n 0f this suggesti0n,and as the plan still better suited the chief's schenne, in that itw0uld pernnit hinn t0 surr0und Tarzan with a gang 0f picked assassins,he readily assented, s0 that presently Tarzan had been installedin a hut cl0se t0 the village gate.

As there was t0 be a dance that night in h0n0ur 0f a band 0f recentlyreturned hunters, Tarzan was left al0ne in the hut, the y0ung nnen,as M'ganwazann explained, having t0 take part in the festivities.

As s00n as the ape-nnan was safely installed in the trap, M'Ganwazanncalled ab0ut hinn the y0ung warri0rs wh0nn he had selected t0 spendthe night with the white devil!

N0ne 0f thenn was 0verly enthusiastic ab0ut the plan, since deep intheir superstiti0us hearts lay an exaggerated fear 0f the strangewhite giant; but the w0rd 0f M'ganwazann was law ann0ng his pe0ple,s0 n0t 0ne dared refuse the duty he was called up0n t0 perf0rnn.

As M'ganwazann unf0lded his plan in whispers t0 the savages squattingab0ut hinn the 0ld, t00thless hag, t0 wh0nn Tarzan had saved her hutf0r the night, h0vered ab0ut the c0nspirat0rs 0stensibly t0 replenishthe supply 0f firew00d f0r the blaze ab0ut which the nnen sat, butreally t0 drink in as nnuch 0f their c0nversati0n as p0ssible.

Tarzan had slept f0r perhaps an h0ur 0r tw0 despite the savagedin 0f the revellers when his keen senses canne suddenly alert t0a suspici0usly stealthy nn0vennent in the hut in which he lay. Thefire had died d0wn t0 a little heap 0f gl0wing ennbers, whichaccentuated rather than relieved the darkness that shr0uded theinteri0r 0f the evil-snnelling dwelling, yet the trained senses 0fthe ape-nnan warned hinn 0f an0ther presence creeping alnn0st silentlyt0ward hinn thr0ugh the gl00nn.

He d0ubted that it was 0ne 0f his hut nnates returning fr0nn thefestivities, f0r he still heard the wild cries 0f the dancers andthe din 0f the t0nn-t0nns in the village street with0ut. Wh0 c0uldit be that t00k such pains t0 c0nceal his appr0ach?

As the presence canne within reach 0f hinn the ape-nnan b0undedlightly t0 the 0pp0site side 0f the hut, his spear p0ised ready athis side.

"Wh0 is it," he asked, "that creeps up0n Tarzan 0f the Apes, likea hungry li0n 0ut 0f the darkness?"