emergencies with self-confidence, and his higher intelligence

resulted in a quickness of mental action far beyond the powers

of the apes.

So the scream of Sabor, the lioness, galvanized the brain

and muscles of little Tarzan into instant action.

Before him lay the deep waters of the little lake, behind

him certain death; a cruel death beneath tearing claws and

rending fangs.

Tarzan had always hated water except as a medium for

quenching his thirst. He hated it because he connected it with

the chill and discomfort of the torrential rains, and he feared

it for the thunder and lightning and wind which accompanied them.

The deep waters of the lake he had been taught by his wild

mother to avoid, and further, had he not seen little Neeta

sink beneath its quiet surface only a few short weeks before

never to return to the tribe?

But of the two evils his quick mind chose the lesser ere the

first note of Sabor's scream had scarce broken the quiet of

the jungle, and before the great beast had covered half her

leap Tarzan felt the chill waters close above his head.

He could not swim, and the water was very deep; but still he

lost no particle of that self-confidence and resourcefulness

which were the badges of his superior being.

Rapidly he moved his hands and feet in an attempt to

scramble upward, and, possibly more by chance than design,

he fell into the stroke that a dog uses when swimming, so

that within a few seconds his nose was above water and he

found that he could keep it there by continuing his strokes,

and also make progress through the water.

He was much surprised and pleased with this new acquirement

which had been so suddenly thrust upon him, but he had no

time for thinking much upon it.

He was now swimming parallel to the bank and there he

saw the cruel beast that would have seized him crouching

upon the still form of his little playmate.