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To have rescue come so close only to be thwarted because he could not make his

poor, savage friends understand precisely what he wanted of them was most

irritating, but he could not find it in his heart to place blame upon them. They

had done their best, and now he was sure they would doubtless remain to die

with him in a fruitless effort to defend him.

The blacks were already preparing for the charge. A few individuals had

advanced a short distance toward the village and were exhorting the others to

follow them. In a moment the whole savage horde would be racing across the

clearing.

Tarzan thought only of the little child somewhere in this cruel, relentless

wilderness. His heart ached for the son that he might no longer seek to save--

that and the realization of Jane's suffering were all that weighed upon his brave

spirit in these that he thought his last moments of life. Succour, all that he could

hope for, had come to him in the instant of his extremity--and failed. There was

nothing further for which to hope.

The blacks were half-way across the clearing when Tarzan's attention was

attracted by the actions of one of the apes. The beast was glaring toward one of

the huts. Tarzan followed his gaze. To his infinite relief and delight he saw the

stalwart form of Mugambi racing toward him.

The huge black was panting heavily as though from strenuous physical exertion

and nervous excitement. He rushed to Tarzan's side, and as the first of the

savages reached the village gate the native's knife severed the last of the cords

that bound Tarzan to the stake.

In the street lay the corpses of the savages that had fallen before the pack the

night before. From one of these Tarzan seized a spear and knob stick, and with

Mugambi at his side and the snarling pack about him, he met the natives as they

poured through the gate.

Fierce and terrible was the battle that ensued, but at last the savages were

routed, more by terror, perhaps, at sight of a black man and a white fighting in

company with a panther and the huge fierce apes of Akut, than because of their

inability to overcome the relatively small force that opposed them.

One prisoner fell into the hands of Tarzan, and him the ape-man questioned in

an effort to learn what had become of Rokoff and his party. Promised his liberty

in return for the information, the black told all he knew concerning the

movements of the Russian.

The Beasts of Tarzan