approached the shadows at one end of the hut. The meager intellect
of the creature denied it the advantage it might have taken of its
disguise. Where it could have walked boldly to the very sides of
the sentries, it chose rather to sneak upon them, unseen, from the
rear.

It came to the corner of the hut and peered around. The sentries
were but a few paces away; but the ape did not dare expose himself,
even for an instant, to those feared and hated thunder-sticks which
the Tarmangani knew so well how to use, if there were another and
safer method of attack.

Taglat wished that there was a tree nearby from the over-hanging
branches of which he might spring upon his unsuspecting prey; but,
though there was no tree, the idea gave birth to a plan. The eaves
of the hut were just above the heads of the sentries--from them
he could leap upon the Tarmangani, unseen. A quick snap of those
mighty jaws would dispose of one of them before the other realized
that they were attacked, and the second would fall an easy prey to
the strength, agility and ferocity of a second quick charge.

Taglat withdrew a few paces to the rear of the hut, gathered himself
for the effort, ran quickly forward and leaped high into the air.
He struck the roof directly above the rear wall of the hut, and
the structure, reinforced by the wall beneath, held his enormous
weight for an instant, then he moved forward a step, the roof
sagged, the thatching parted and the great anthropoid shot through
into the interior.

The sentries, hearing the crashing of the roof poles, leaped to