As
they entered the Stygian darkness of the forest the girl once again
involuntarily shrank closer to the ape-man, and this time Tarzan
was aware of the contact.
Himself without fear, he yet instinctively appreciated how terrified
the girl must be. Actuated by a sudden kindly impulse he found
her hand and took it in his own and thus they continued upon their
way, groping through the blackness of the trail. Twice they were
approached by forest lions, but upon both occasions the deep growls
of Numa of the pit drove off their assailants. Several times they
were compelled to rest, for Smith-Oldwick was constantly upon the
verge of exhaustion, and toward morning Tarzan was forced to carry
him on the steep ascent from the bed of the valley.
The Tommies
Daylight overtook them after they had entered the gorge, but, tired
as they all were with the exception of Tarzan, they realized that
they must keep on at all costs until they found a spot where they
might ascend the precipitous side of the gorge to the floor of the
plateau above. Tarzan and Otobu were both equally confident that
the Xujans would not follow them beyond the gorge, but though they
scanned every inch of the frowning cliffs upon either hand noon
came and there was still no indication of any avenue of escape
to right or left. There were places where the ape-man alone might
have negotiated the ascent but none where the others could hope
successfully to reach the plateau, nor where Tarzan, powerful and
agile as he was, could have ventured safely to carry them aloft.
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