He knew that the lion would be occupied with his feeding for
some time, but he also knew that while feeding he would be doubly
resentful of any fancied interference. Therefore Tarzan must work
with caution.
Coming to the ground at the side of the pit, he examined the stakes
and as he did so was rather surprised to note that Numa gave no
evidence of anger at his approach. Once he turned a searching gaze
upon the ape-man for a moment and then returned to the flesh of
Bara. Tarzan felt of the stakes and tested them with his weight.
He pulled upon them with the muscles of his strong arms, presently
discovering that by working them back and forth he could loosen
them: and then a new plan was suggested to him so that he fell to
work excavating with his knife at a point above where one of the
stakes was imbedded. The loam was soft and easily removed, and it
was not long until Tarzan had exposed that part of one of the stakes
which was imbedded in the wall of the pit to almost its entire
length, leaving only enough imbedded to prevent the stake from
falling into the excavation. Then he turned his attention to an
adjoining stake and soon had it similarly exposed, after which he
threw the noose of his grass rope over the two and swung quickly
to the branch of the tree above. Here he gathered in the slack of
the rope and, bracing himself against the bole of the tree, pulled
steadily upward.
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