Part 21 (2/2)

For an instant the tall cannibal stood as if petrified, staring at his cut hand and the shaft now sticking upright in the ground beside him

Then, in simple symbolism, he reversed the new arrow and stabbed it also into the dirt Dropping his bow, he lay down on his back

”Yuara will dra no oes to join the spirits of the dead,” he said, calmly

Mechanically Lourenco translated the words McKay sprang forward

”No!” he disputed ”Not without a try for life, anyhow! Merry, sling a tourniquet! Quick!”

Knowlton jumped to the side of Yuara, tied a handkerchief above the elboisted it tight McKay whipped from a pocket a keen-bladed knife In one swift ruthless slash he laid open the arht!” he snapped ”If the blood once gets past it he's gone Ti! Lourenco, tell this fellow to breathe deep and keep it up!”

While Tim burrowed into his pack for the salt, Lourenco spoke, as much for the benefit of the other tribesmen as for that of Yuara; for the three Mayorunas stood in o the outrush of blood caused by the knife of the white man

”The white man of the black beard, who is very wise, will save Yuara to draw ood bow if Yuara will do as he says Let Yuara breathe deeply, that the spirit of life reainst the demon of death Even now the poison rushes out of the arm of Yuara”

”Yuara cannot live,” was Yuara's cool reply ”Where once the poison has entered, there follows death”

”Is Yuara then a coward, that he will die without a fight? Then he is no Mayoruna, for no Mayoruna is a coward Let Yuara die if he will His coh the white man would have saved him, he died like an old woman, because he had not the will to live!”

Fire shot into the eyes of the prostrate led to rise and throttle the insulting Brazilian

”No, not that way,” Lourenco went on at once ”Yuara can fight the death de into himself the air in which is the spirit of life The hite man has stopped the poison at the place where the cloth is tied, and he knows the air spirits will help Yuara if Yuara will breathe deep and long If he will not, then the white man's medicine cannot save him Yuara's life or death is in his own hands”

In his heart Lourenco had faint hope that the injured man would live

But he knew the rest of the cannibal tribe must soon hear the tale of this incident fro an excellent excuse for the failure of McKay to save him Whether Yuara lived or not, the Mayorunas noould know that the whites had done their utht h his eyes still flaht and obeyed orders After the first couple of breaths he settled into his task and his chest rose and fell rhythmically

”Here's yer salt, Cap What'll I do with it?”

”You come here and hold this tourniquet Don't let it slip! Merry, fill this chap'sas possible, then s it Now, Merry, fix up a good strong salt poultice The rest of you ht on our hands, and we can't go farther until we've either won or lost”

The Brazilians glanced at the sun shadows and re to their experience, Yuara should be dead within ten h to make camp when they kne this venture would result The Mayorunas also stood fast and watched for the shadow of death to blanch the face of their stricken ed past and Yuara's eyes did not grow di blood aroused, he was battling griainst fate At tiasps, and spas no heed to the burning pain of his ripped and salted arm

”By cripes! he's puttin' up a man's scrap!” blurted Tim ”Stay with it, old feller Ye'll win out yet!”

And as more minutes passed and the woundedthe cannibals and the men of Nunes Yuara should be dead, yet he was not even paralyzed Such a thing had never before been known in this bush

Lourenco touched Pedro's arm

”Find a spot where we can make camp,” he said ”I must stay here to speak to the wild men if words are needed”