Part 23 (2/2)

Busuli had not beheld the manner of his deliverance, but Waziri, the old chief, had seen, and several of the other warriors, and they hailed Tarzan with delight as they swarhty carcass, and gave voice to the weird challenge hich he announced a great victory, the blacks shrank back in fear, for to theani, whom they feared fully as much as they feared Numa, the lion; but with a fear hich wasto which they attributed supernatural powers

But when Tarzan lowered his raised head and sh they did not understand Nor did they ever fully understand this strange creature who ran through the trees as quickly as Manu, yet was even round than themselves; as except as to color like unto thelehanded a le

When the reain taken up and the stalking of the retreating herd once un; but they had covered a bare hundred yards when froe popping

For an instant they stood like a group of statuary, intently listening

Then Tarzan spoke

”Guns!” he said ”The village is being attacked”

”Come!” cried Waziri ”The Arab raiders have returned with their cannibal slaves for our ivory and our women!”

Chapter 16

The Ivory Raiders

Waziri's warriors le in the direction of the village For a few uns ahead warned them to haste, but finally the reports dwindled to an occasional shot, presently ceasing altogether Nor was this less oested but a single solution to the little band of rescuers--that the illy garrisoned village had already succu hunters had covered a little more than three e when they itives who had escaped the bullets and clutches of the foe

There were a dozen woirls in the party, and so excited were they that they could scarce make themselves understood as they tried to relate to Waziri the calamity that had befallen his people

”They are as many as the leaves of the forest,” cried one of the wo to explain the enemy's force ”There are uns They crept close to the village before we knew that they were about, and then, withdown men, and women, and children Those of us who could fled in all directions into the jungle, but more were killed I do not knohether they took any prisoners or not--they see us all The Manyue that they would eat us all before they left our country--that this was our punish their friends last year I did not hear much, for I ran away quickly”

The e was now resureater stealth, for Waziri knew that it was too late to rescue--their only e Inside the next itives werestrength of the party was aug ahead to reconnoiter Waziri remained with the reat crescent through the forest By the chief's side walked Tarzan

Presently one of the scouts returned He had coe

”They are all within the palisade,” he whispered

”Good!” said Waziri ”We shall rush in upon them and slay the the line that they were to halt at the edge of the clearing until they saw hie--then all were to follow

”Wait!” cautioned Tarzan ”If there are even fifty guns within the palisade we shall be repulsed and slaughtered Let h the trees, so that I may look down upon them from above, and see just how e It were foolish to lose a single man needlessly if there be no hope of success I have an idea that we can acco than by force Will you wait, Waziri?”

”Yes,” said the old chief ”Go!”

So Tarzan sprang into the trees and disappeared in the direction of the village He moved uns could reach hiround And when Tarzan of the Apes elected to adopt stealth, no creature in all the jungle could ht of an enereat tree that overhung the palisade at one end of the village, and froe horde beneath He counted fifty Arabs and estimated that there were five ti themselves upon food and, under the very noses of their white ruesome feast which is the PIECE DE RESISTANCE that follows a victory in which the bodies of their slain enemies fall into their horrid hands