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standing in the trail behind him。 A company of
uniformed blacks stepped quickly forward and pushing
past the three； surrounded the ape…man and his captive。
〃Both the law and the power to enforce it are upon my
side；〃 announced the officer。 〃Let us have no trouble。
If you have a grievance against this man you may return
with me and enter your charge regularly before an
authorized tribunal。〃
〃Your legal rights are not above suspicion； my friend；〃
replied Tarzan； 〃and your power to enforce your
commands are only apparentnot real。 You have
presumed to enter British territory with an armed
force。 Where is your authority for this invasion？
Where are the extradition papers which warrant the
arrest of this man？ And what assurance have you that I
cannot bring an armed force about you that will prevent
your return to the Congo Free State？〃
The Belgian lost his temper。 〃I have no disposition to
argue with a naked savage；〃 he cried。 〃Unless you wish
to be hurt you will not interfere with me。 Take the
prisoner； Sergeant！〃
Werper raised his lips close to Tarzan's ear。 〃Keep me
from them； and I can show you the very spot where I saw
your wife last night；〃 he whispered。 〃She cannot be
far from here at this very minute。〃
The soldiers； following the signal from their sergeant；
closed in to seize Werper。 Tarzan grabbed the Belgian
about the waist； and bearing him beneath his arm as he
might have borne a sack of flour； leaped forward in an
attempt to break through the cordon。 His right fist
caught the nearest soldier upon the jaw and sent him
hurtling backward upon his fellows。 Clubbed rifles
were torn from the hands of those who barred his way；
and right and left the black soldiers stumbled aside in
the face of the ape…man's savage break for liberty。
So completely did the blacks surround the two that they
dared not fire for fear of hitting one of their own
number； and Tarzan was already through them and upon
the point of dodging into the concealing mazes of the
jungle when one who had sneaked upon him from behind
struck him a heavy blow upon the head with a rifle。
In an instant the ape…man was down and a dozen black
soldiers were upon his back。 When he regained
consciousness he found himself securely bound； as was
Werper also。 The Belgian officer； success having
crowned his efforts； was in good humor； and inclined to
chaff his prisoners about the ease with which they had
been captured； but from Tarzan of the Apes he elicited
no response。 Werper； however； was voluble in his
protests。 He explained that Tarzan was an English
lord； but the officer only laughed at the assertion；
and advised his prisoner to save his breath for his
defense in court。
As soon as Tarzan regained his senses and it was found
that he was not seriously injured； the prisoners were
hastened into line and the return march toward the
Congo Free State boundary commenced。
Toward evening the column halted beside a stream； made
camp and prepared the evening meal。 From the thick
foliage of the nearby jungle a pair of fierce eyes
watched the activities of the uniformed blacks with
silent intensity and curiosity。 From beneath beetling
brows the creature saw the boma constructed； the fires
built； and the supper prepared。
Tarzan and Werper had been lying bound behind a small
pile of knapsacks from the time that the company had
halted； but with the preparation of the meal completed；
their guard ordered them to rise and come forward to
one of the fires where their hands would be unfettered
that they might eat。
As the giant ape…man rose； a startled expression of
recognition entered the eyes of the watcher in the
jungle； and a low guttural broke from the savage lips。
Instantly Tarzan was alert； but the answering growl
died upon his lips； suppressed by the fear that it
might arouse the suspicions of the soldiers。
Suddenly an inspiration came to him。 He turned toward
Werper。
〃I am going to speak to you in a loud voice and in a
tongue which you do not understand。 Appear to listen
intently to what I say； and occasionally mumble
something as though replying in the same languageour
escape may hinge upon the success of your efforts。〃
Werper nodded in assent and understanding； and
immediately there broke from the lips of his companion
a strange jargon which might have been compared with
equal propriety to the barking and growling of a dog
and the chattering of monkeys。
The nearer soldiers looked in surprise at the ape…man。
Some of them laughed； while others drew away in evident
superstitious fear。 The officer approached the
prisoners while Tarzan was still jabbering； and halted
behind them； listening in perplexed interest。 When
Werper mumbled some ridiculous jargon in reply his
curiosity broke bounds； and he stepped forward；
demanding to know what language it was that they spoke。
Tarzan had gauged the measure of the man's culture from
the nature and quality of his conversation during the
march； and he rested the success of his reply upon the
estimate he had made。
〃Greek；〃 he explained。
〃Oh； I thought it was Greek；〃 replied the officer； 〃but
it has been so many years since I studied it that I was
not sure。 In future； however； I will thank you to
speak in a language which I am more familiar with。〃
Werper turned his head to hide a grin； whispering to
Tarzan： 〃It was Greek to him all rightand to me； too。〃
But one of the black soldiers mumbled in a low voice to
a companion： 〃I have heard those sounds beforeonce at
night when I was lost in the jungle； I heard the hairy
men of the trees talking among themselves； and their
words were like the words of this white man。 I wish
that we had not found him。 He is not a man at allhe
is a bad spirit； and we shall have bad luck if we do
not let him go；〃 and the fellow rolled his eyes
fearfully toward the jungle。
His companion laughed nervously； and moved away； to
repeat the conversation； with variations and
exaggerations； to others of the black soldiery； so that
it was not long before a frightful tale of black magic
and sudden death was woven about the giant prisoner；
and had gone the rounds of the camp。
And deep in the gloomy jungle amidst the darkening
shadows of the falling night a hairy； manlike creature
swung swiftly southward upon some secret mission of his
own。
23
A Night of Terror
To Jane Clayton； waiting in the tree where Werper had
placed her； it seemed that the long night would never
end； yet end it did at last； and within an hour of the
coming of dawn her spirits leaped with renewed hope at
sight of a solitary horseman approaching along the
trail。
The flowing burnoose； with its loose hood； hid both the
face and the figure of the rider； but that it was M。
Frecoult the girl well knew； since he had been garbed
as an Arab； and he alone might be expected to seek her
hiding place。
That which she saw relieved the strain of the long
night vigil； but there was much that she did not see。
She did not see the black face beneath the white hood；
nor the file of ebon horsemen beyond the trail's bend
riding slowly in the wake of their leader。 These
things she did not see at first； and so she leaned
downward toward the approaching rider； a cry of welcome
forming in her throat。
At the first word the man looked up； reining in in
surprise； and as she saw the black face of Abdul
Mourak； the Abyssinian； she shrank back in terror among
the branches； but it was too late。 The man had seen
her； and now he called to her to descend。 At first she
refused； but when a dozen black cavalrymen drew up
behind their leader； and at Abdul Mourak's command one
of them started to climb the tree after her she
realized that resistance was futile； and came slowly
down to stand upon the ground be