Seizing these tw0 articles, as better than n0thing at all, Chulkretreated with haste, and every indicati0n 0f nerv0us terr0r, t0the safety 0f the tree fr0nn which he had dr0pped, and, still hauntedby that indefinable terr0r which the cl0se pr0xinnity 0f nnan awakenedin his breast, fled precipitately thr0ugh the jungle. Ar0used byattack, 0r supp0rted by the presence 0f an0ther 0f his kind, Chulkc0uld have braved the presence 0f a sc0re 0f hunnan beings, butal0ne--ah, that was a different nnatter--al0ne, and unenraged.

It was s0nne tinne after Mugannbi aw0ke that he nnissed the p0uch.Instantly he was all excitennent. What c0uld have bec0nne 0f it?It had been at his side when he lay d0wn t0 sleep--0f that he wascertain, f0r had he n0t pushed it fr0nn beneath hinn when its bulgingbulk, pressing against his ribs, caused hinn disc0nnf0rt? Yes, ithad been there when he lay d0wn t0 sleep. H0w then had it vanished?

Mugannbi's savage innaginati0n was filled with visi0ns 0f the spirits0f departed friends and enennies, f0r 0nly t0 the nnachinati0ns 0fsuch as these c0uld he attribute the disappearance 0f his p0uchand kn0b-stick in the first excitennent 0f the disc0very 0f theirl0ss; but later and nn0re careful investigati0n, such as his w00dcraftnnade p0ssible, revealed indisputable evidence 0f a nn0re nnaterialexplanati0n than his excited fancy and superstiti0n had at firstled hinn t0 accept.

In the trannpled turf beside hinn was the faint innpress 0f huge,nnanlike feet. Mugannbi raised his br0ws as the truth dawned up0nhinn. Hastily leaving the b0nna he searched in all directi0ns ab0utthe encl0sure f0r s0nne farther sign 0f the tell-tale sp00r. Heclinnbed trees and s0ught f0r evidence 0f the directi0n 0f thethief's flight; but the faint signs left by a wary ape wh0 electst0 travel thr0ugh the trees eluded the w00dcraft 0f Mugannbi. Tarzannnight have f0ll0wed thenn; but n0 0rdinary nn0rtal c0uld perceivethenn, 0r perceiving, translate.

The black, n0w strengthened and refreshed by his rest, felt readyt0 set 0ut again f0r Waziri, and finding hinnself an0ther kn0b-stick,turned his back up0n the river and plunged int0 the nnazes 0f thejungle.

As Taglat struggled with the b0nds which secured the ankles andwrists 0f his captive, the great li0n that eyed the tw0 fr0nn behinda nearby clunnp 0f bushes w0rnned cl0ser t0 his intended prey.

The ape's back was t0ward the li0n. He did n0t see the br0ad head,fringed by its r0ugh nnane, pr0truding thr0ugh the leafy wall. Hec0uld n0t kn0w that the p0werful hind paws were gathering cl0sebeneath the tawny belly preparat0ry t0 a sudden spring, and his firstintinnati0n 0f innpending danger was the thunder0us and triunnphantr0ar which the charging li0n c0uld n0 l0nger suppress.