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mission than that of battling with every chance tribe that he should happen to

meet with.

At last he hit upon a plan, and after seeing that he was concealed from the view

of those below, he gave a few hoarse grunts in imitation of a panther. All eyes

immediately turned upward toward the foliage above.

It was growing dark, and they could not penetrate the leafy screen which shielded

the ape-man from their view. The moment that he had won their attention he

raised his voice to the shriller and more hideous scream of the beast he

personated, and then, scarce stirring a leaf in his descent, dropped to the ground

once again outside the palisade, and, with the speed of a deer, ran quickly round

to the village gate.

Here he beat upon the fibre-bound saplings of which the barrier was constructed,

shouting to the natives in their own tongue that he was a friend who wished food

and shelter for the night.

Tarzan knew well the nature of the black man. He was aware that the grunting

and screaming of Sheeta in the tree above them would set their nerves on edge,

and that his pounding upon their gate after dark would still further add to their

terror.

That they did not reply to his hail was no surprise, for natives are fearful of any

voice that comes out of the night from beyond their palisades, attributing it

always to some demon or other ghostly visitor; but still he continued to call.

"Let me in, my friends!" he cried. "I am a white man pursuing the very bad white

man who passed this way a few days ago. I follow to punish him for the sins he

has committed against you and me.

"If you doubt my friendship, I will prove it to you by going into the tree above your

village and driving Sheeta back into the jungle before he leaps among you. If you

will not promise to take me in and treat me as a friend I shall let Sheeta stay and

devour you."

For a moment there was silence. Then the voice of an old man came out of the

quiet of the village street.

"If you are indeed a white man and a friend, we will let you come in; but first you

must drive Sheeta away."

"Very well," replied Tarzan. "Listen, and you shall hear Sheeta fleeing before me."

The Beasts of Tarzan