Akut had now wandered quite close beneath the tree wherein lay the
waiting death. Sheeta slowly edged his hind paws along the branch
still further beneath him, and then with a hideous shriek he
launched himself toward the great ape. The barest fraction of a
second before his spring another beast of prey above him leaped,
its weird and savage cry mingling with his.

As the startled Akut looked up he saw the panther almost above him,
and already upon the panther's back the white ape that had bested
him that day near the great water.

The teeth of the ape-man were buried in the back of Sheeta's neck
and his right arm was round the fierce throat, while the left hand,
grasping a slender piece of stone, rose and fell in mighty blows
upon the panther's side behind the left shoulder.

Akut had just time to leap to one side to avoid being pinioned
beneath these battling monsters of the jungle.

With a crash they came to earth at his feet. Sheeta was screaming,
snarling, and roaring horribly; but the white ape clung tenaciously
and in silence to the thrashing body of his quarry.

Steadily and remorselessly the stone knife was driven home through
the glossy hide--time and again it drank deep, until with a final
agonized lunge and shriek the great feline rolled over upon its
side and, save for the spasmodic jerking of its muscles, lay quiet
and still in death.

Then the ape-man raised his head, as he stood over the carcass of