But the boy had learned in that brief second a use for his

sharp and shining toy, so that, as the tearing, striking beast

dragged him to earth he plunged the blade repeatedly and to

the hilt into its breast.

The gorilla, fighting after the manner of its kind, struck

terrific blows with its open hand, and tore the flesh at the

boy's throat and chest with its mighty tusks.

For a moment they rolled upon the ground in the fierce

frenzy of combat. More and more weakly the torn and bleeding

arm struck home with the long sharp blade, then the little

figure stiffened with a spasmodic jerk, and Tarzan, the young

Lord Greystoke, rolled unconscious upon the dead and decaying

vegetation which carpeted his jungle home.

A mile back in the forest the tribe had heard the fierce

challenge of the gorilla, and, as was his custom when any

danger threatened, Kerchak called his people together, partly

for mutual protection against a common enemy, since this

gorilla might be but one of a party of several, and also to see

that all members of the tribe were accounted for.

It was soon discovered that Tarzan was missing, and Tublat

was strongly opposed to sending assistance. Kerchak himself

had no liking for the strange little waif, so he listened to

Tublat, and, finally, with a shrug of his shoulders, turned

back to the pile of leaves on which he had made his bed.

But Kala was of a different mind; in fact, she had not

waited but to learn that Tarzan was absent ere she was fairly

flying through the matted branches toward the point from

which the cries of the gorilla were still plainly audible.

Darkness had now fallen, and an early moon was sending

its faint light to cast strange, grotesque shadows among the

dense foliage of the forest.

Here and there the brilliant rays penetrated to earth, but

for the most part they only served to accentuate the Stygian

blackness of the jungle's depths.

Like some huge phantom, Kala swung noiselessly from