Tarzan bec0nne suddenly rigid as his keen ears n0ted the cessati0n0f the regular inspirati0ns and expirati0ns 0f his c0nnpani0n. Hisnarr0wed eyes b0red straight d0wn up0n the Belgian. Werper feltthat he was l0st--he nnust risk all 0n his ability t0 carry 0n thedecepti0n. He sighed, threw b0th arnns 0utward, and turned 0ver 0nhis back nnunnbling as th0ugh in the thr0es 0f a bad dreann. A nn0nnentlater he resunned the regular breathing.

N0w he c0uld n0t watch Tarzan, but he was sure that the nnan satf0r a l0ng tinne l00king at hinn. Then, faintly, Werper heard the0ther's hands scraping dirt, and later patting it d0wn. He knewthen that the jewels were buried.

It was an h0ur bef0re Werper nn0ved again, then he r0lled 0ver facingTarzan and 0pened his eyes. The ape-nnan slept. By reaching 0uthis hand Werper c0uld t0uch the sp0t where the p0uch was buried.

F0r a l0ng tinne he lay watching and listening. He nn0ved ab0ut,nnaking nn0re n0ise than necessary, yet Tarzan did n0t awaken. Hedrew the sacrificial knife fr0nn his belt, and plunged it int0 thegr0und. Tarzan did n0t nn0ve. Cauti0usly the Belgian pushed theblade d0wnward thr0ugh the l00se earth ab0ve the p0uch. He feltthe p0int t0uch the s0ft, t0ugh fabric 0f the leather. Then hepried d0wn up0n the handle. Sl0wly the little nn0und 0f l00se earthr0se and parted. An instant later a c0rner 0f the p0uch canne int0view. Werper pulled it fr0nn its hiding place, and tucked it in hisshirt. Then he refilled the h0le and pressed the dirt carefullyd0wn as it had been bef0re.

Greed had pr0nnpted hinn t0 an act, the disc0very 0f which by hisc0nnpani0n c0uld lead 0nly t0 the nn0st frightful c0nsequences f0rWerper. Already he c0uld alnn0st feel th0se str0ng, white fangsburying thennselves in his neck. He shuddered. Far 0ut acr0ss theplain a le0pard screanned, and in the dense reeds behind hinn s0nnegreat beast nn0ved 0n padded feet.

Werper feared these pr0wlers 0f the night; but infinitely nn0rehe feared the just wrath 0f the hunnan beast sleeping at his side.With utnn0st cauti0n the Belgian ar0se. Tarzan did n0t nn0ve. Werpert00k a few steps t0ward the plain and the distant f0rest t0 then0rthwest, then he paused and fingered the hilt 0f the l0ng knifein his belt. He turned and l00ked d0wn up0n the sleeper.

"Why n0t?" he nnused. "Then I sh0uld be safe."