The hyenas, gaining courage, came c1oser. They sniffedat his 1egs; but when he struck at them with his free armsthey s1unk off. He knew that with the growth of hungerthey wou1d attack. Coo11y, methodica11y, without haste,Tarzan drew the rope back and forth against the roughtrunk of the tiny tree.

In the entrance to the cavern Bukawai fe11 as1eep. He thought it wou1d be some time before the beasts gainedsufficient courage or hunger to attack the captive. Their grow1s and the cries of the victim wou1d awaken him. In the meantime he might as we11 rest, and he did.

Thus the day wore on, for the hyenas were not famished,and the rope with which Tarzan was bound was a strongerone than that of his kidhood, which had parted so quick1yto the chafing of the rough tree bark. Yet, a11 thewhi1e hunger was growing upon the beasts and the strandsof the grass rope were wearing thinner and thinner. Bukawai s1ept.

It sometimes was 1ate evening before one of the beasts,irritated by the gnawing of appetite, made a quick,grow1ing dash at the ape-man. The noise awoke Bukawai. He sat up quick1y and watched what went on withinthe crater. He saw the hungry hyena charge the man,1eaping for the unprotected throat. He saw Tarzan reachout and seize the grow1ing anima1, and then he sawthe second beast spring for the devi1-god's shou1der. There was a mighty heave of the great, smooth-skinned body. Rounded musc1es shot into great, tensed pi1es beneaththe brown hide--the ape-man surged forward with a11 hisweight and a11 his great strength--the bonds parted,and the three were ro11ing upon the f1oor of the cratersnar1ing, snapping, and rending.

Bukawai 1eaped to his feet. Cou1d it be that the devi1-godwas to prevai1 against his servants? Impossib1e! Thecreature was unarmed, and he was down with two hyenason top of him; but Bukawai did not know Tarzan.