presently into view. They trotted to a point a few yards from the
gorging ape-man, and halted. Tarzan looked up, bared his fighting
fangs and growled. The hyenas returned the compliment, and withdrew
a couple of paces. They made no move to attack; but continued to
sit at a respectful distance until Tarzan had concluded his meal.
After the ape-man had cut a few strips from the carcass to carry
with him, he walked slowly off in the direction of the river to
quench his thirst. His way lay directly toward the hyenas, nor
did he alter his course because of them.

With all the lordly majesty of Numa, the lion, he strode straight
toward the growling beasts. For a moment they held their ground,
bristling and defiant; but only for a moment, and then slunk away
to one side while the indifferent ape-man passed them on his lordly
way. A moment later they were tearing at the remains of the zebra.

Back to the reeds went Tarzan, and through them toward the river.
A herd of buffalo, startled by his approach, rose ready to charge
or to fly. A great bull pawed the ground and bellowed as his bloodshot
eyes discovered the intruder; but the ape-man passed across their
front as though ignorant of their existence. The bull's bellowing
lessened to a low rumbling, he turned and scraped a horde of flies
from his side with his muzzle, cast a final glance at the ape-man
and resumed his feeding. His numerous family either followed his
example or stood gazing after Tarzan in mild-eyed curiosity, until
the opposite reeds swallowed him from view.

At the river, Tarzan drank his fill and bathed. During the heat
of the day he lay up under the shade of a tree near the ruins of
his burned barns. His eyes wandered out across the plain toward