第16章

Here their three companions were awaiting them.Tarzan passed to the left side of the niche and examined the pegs that lay within reach.He looked at them but it was not his eyes that were examining them.Keener than his keen eyes was that marvelously trained sense of scent that had first been developed in him during infancy under the tutorage of his foster mother, Kala, the she-ape, and further sharpened in the grim jungles by that master teacher--the instinct of self-preservation.

From the left side of the niche he turned to the right.Om-at was becoming impatient.

"Let us be off," he said."We must search for Pan-at-lee if we would ever find her."

"Where shall we search?" asked Tarzan.

Om-at scratched his head."Where?" he repeated."Why all Pal-ul-don, if necessary."

"A large job," said Tarzan."Come," he added, "she went this way," and he took to the pegs that led aloft toward the summit of the cliff.Here he followed the scent easily since none had passed that way since Pan-at-lee had fled.At the point at which she had left the permanent pegs and resorted to those carried with her Tarzan came to an abrupt halt."She went this way to the summit," he called back to Om-at who was directly behind him;

"but there are no pegs here."

"I do not know how you know that she went this way," said Om-at;

"but we will get pegs.In-sad, return and fetch climbing pegs for five."

The young warrior was soon back and the pegs distributed.Om-at handed five to Tarzan and explained their use.The ape-man returned one."I need but four," he said.

Om-at smiled."What a wonderful creature you would be if you were not deformed," he said, glancing with pride at his own strong tail.

"I admit that I am handicapped," replied Tarzan."You others go ahead and leave the pegs in place for me.I am afraid that otherwise it will be slow work as I cannot hold the pegs in my toes as you do."

"All right," agreed Om-at; "Ta-den, In-sad, and I will go first, you follow and O-dan bring up the rear and collect the pegs--we cannot leave them here for our enemies."

"Can't your enemies bring their own pegs?" asked Tarzan.

"Yes; but it delays them and makes easier our defense and--they do not know which of all the holes you see are deep enough for pegs--the others are made to confuse our enemies and are too shallow to hold a peg."

At the top of the cliff beside the gnarled tree Tarzan again took up the trail.Here the scent was fully as strong as upon the pegs and the ape-man moved rapidly across the ridge in the direction of the Kor-ul-lul.

Presently he paused and turned toward Om-at."Here she moved swiftly, running at top speed, and, Om-at, she was pursued by a lion."

"You can read that in the grass?" asked O-dan as the others gathered about the ape-man.

Tarzan nodded."I do not think the lion got her," he added; "but that we shall determine quickly.No, he did not get her--look!"

and he pointed toward the southwest, down the ridge.

Following the direction indicated by his finger, the others presently detected a movement in some bushes a couple of hundred yards away.

"What is it?" asked Om-at."It is she?" and he started toward the spot.

"Wait," advised Tarzan."It is the lion which pursued her."

"You can see him?" asked Ta-den.

"No, I can smell him."

The others looked their astonishment and incredulity; but of the fact that it was indeed a lion they were not left long in doubt.

Presently the bushes parted and the creature stepped out in full view, facing them.It was a magnificent beast, large and beautifully maned, with the brilliant leopard spots of its kind well marked and symmetrical.For a moment it eyed them and then, still chafing at the loss of its prey earlier in the morning, it charged.

The Pal-ul-donians unslung their clubs and stood waiting the onrushing beast.Tarzan of the Apes drew his hunting knife and crouched in the path of the fanged fury.It was almost upon him when it swerved to the right and leaped for Om-at only to be sent to earth with a staggering blow upon the head.Almost instantly it was up and though the men rushed fearlessly in, it managed to sweep aside their weapons with its mighty paws.A single blow wrenched O-dan's club from his hand and sent it hurtling against Ta-den, knocking him from his feet.Taking advantage of its opportunity the lion rose to throw itself upon O-dan and at the same instant Tarzan flung himself upon its back.Strong, white teeth buried themselves in the spotted neck, mighty arms encircled the savage throat and the sinewy legs of the ape-man locked themselves about the gaunt belly.

The others, powerless to aid, stood breathlessly about as the great lion lunged hither and thither, clawing and biting fearfully and futilely at the savage creature that had fastened itself upon him.Over and over they rolled and now the onlookers saw a brown hand raised above the lion's side--a brown hand grasping a keen blade.They saw it fall and rise and fall again--each time with terrific force and in its wake they saw a crimson stream trickling down ja's gorgeous coat.

Now from the lion's throat rose hideous screams of hate and rage and pain as he redoubled his efforts to dislodge and punish his tormentor; but always the tousled black head remained half buried in the dark brown mane and the mighty arm rose and fell to plunge the knife again and again into the dying beast.

The Pal-ul-donians stood in mute wonder and admiration.Brave men and mighty hunters they were and as such the first to accord honor to a mightier.

"And you would have had me slay him!" cried Om-at, glancing at In-sad and O-dan.

"Jad-ben-Otho reward you that you did not," breathed In-sad.

And now the lion lunged suddenly to earth and with a few spasmodic quiverings lay still.The ape-man rose and shook himself, even as might ja, the leopard-coated lion of Pal-ul-don, had he been the one to survive.

O-dan advanced quickly toward Tarzan.Placing a palm upon his own breast and the other on Tarzan's, "Tarzan the Terrible," he said, "I ask no greater honor than your friendship."