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understood that their attitude was entirely warlike and menacing. He saw that

they were armed with spears and with bows and arrows, and he felt quite

confident that notwithstanding the fact that he was armed with a pistol they

could overcome him with the first rush. What he did not know about their tactics

was that at any show of resistance they would fall back, which is the nature of

the native Negroes, but that after numerous advances and retreats, during which

they would work themselves into a frenzy of rage by much shrieking, leaping, and

dancing, they would eventually come to the point of a determined and final

assault.

Numabo was in the forefront, a fact which taken in connection with his

considerably greater size and more warlike appearance, indicated him as the

natural target and it was at Numabo that the Englishman aimed his first shot.

Unfortunately for him it missed its target, as the killing of the chief might have

permanently dispersed the others. The bullet passed Numabo to lodge in the

breast of a warrior behind him and as the fellow lunged forward with a scream

the others turned and retreated, but to the lieutenant's chagrin they ran in the

direction of the plane instead of back toward the forest so that he was still cut off

from reaching his machine.

Presently they stopped and faced him again. They were talking loudly and

gesticulating, and after a moment one of them leaped into the air, brandishing his

spear and uttering savage war cries, which soon had their effect upon his fellows

so that it was not long ere all of them were taking part in the wild show of

savagery, which would bolster their waning courage and presently spur them on

to another attack.

The second charge brought them closer to the Englishman, and though he

dropped another with his pistol, it was not before two or three spears had been

launched at him. He now had five shots remaining and there were still eighteen

warriors to be accounted for, so that unless he could frighten them off, it was

evident that his fate was sealed.

That they must pay the price of one life for every attempt to take his had its effect

upon them and they were longer now in initiating a new rush and when they did

so it was more skillfully ordered than those that had preceded it, for they

scattered into three bands which, partially surrounding him, came

simultaneously toward him from different directions, and though he emptied his

pistol with good effect, they reached him at last. They seemed to know that his

ammunition was exhausted, for they circled close about him now with the evident

intention of taking him alive, since they might easily have riddled him with their

sharp spears with perfect safety to themselves.

Tarzan the Untamed