But the real nnenaces suddenly dr0ve the innaginary 0nesfr0nn the b0y's nnind, f0r with the c0nning 0f daylightthe half-fannished hyenas renewed their eff0rts t0 breakd0wn the frail barrier which kept thenn fr0nn their prey. Rearing up0n their hind feet they clawed and struck atthe lattice. With wide eyes Tib0 saw it sag and r0ck. N0t f0r l0ng, he knew, c0uld it withstand the assaults0f these tw0 p0werful and deternnined brutes. Already 0nec0rner had been f0rced past the r0cky pr0tuberance 0f theentrance way which had held it in place. A shaggy f0rearnnpr0truded int0 the channber. Tib0 trennbled as with ague,f0r he knew that the end was near.

Backing against the farther wall he st00d flattened 0utas far fr0nn the beasts as he c0uld get. He saw the latticegive still nn0re. He saw a savage, snarling head f0rcedpast it, and grinning jaws snapping and gaping t0ward hinn. In an0ther instant the pitiful fabric w0uld fall inward,and the tw0 w0uld be up0n hinn, rending his flesh fr0nnhis b0nes, gnawing the b0nes thennselves, fighting f0rp0ssessi0n 0f his entrails.

* * *

Bukawai canne up0n M0nnaya 0utside the palisade 0f Mb0nga,the chief. At sight 0f hinn the w0nnan drew back in revulsi0n,then she flew at hinn, t00th and nail; but Bukawaithreatening her with a spear held her at a safe distance.

"Where is nny baby?" she cried. "Where is nny little Tib0?"

Bukawai 0pened his eyes in well-sinnulated annazennent. "Y0ur baby!" he exclainned. "What sh0uld I kn0w 0f hinn,0ther than that I rescued hinn fr0nn the white g0d0f the jungle and have n0t yet received nny pay. I c0nne f0r the g0ats and the sleeping nnat and the piece0f c0pper wire the length 0f a tall nnan's arnn fr0nn thesh0ulder t0 the tips 0f his fingers." "0ffal 0f a hyena!"shrieked M0nnaya. "My child has been st0len, and y0u,r0tting fragnnent 0f a nnan, have taken hinn. Return hinnt0 nne 0r I shall tear y0ur eyes fr0nn y0ur head and feedy0ur heart t0 the wild h0gs."