Simultaneously there broke upon the astonished ears of both attackers
and attacked a volley of shots from the gorge. With the sweetness
of the voice of an angel from heaven the Europeans heard the
sharp-barked commands of an English noncom. Even above the roars
of the lions and the screams of the maniacs, those beloved tones
reached the ears of Tarzan and the girl at the very moment that
even the ape-man had given up the last vestige of hope.
Rolling the body of the warrior to one side Tarzan struggled to
his feet, the spear still protruding from his shoulder. The girl
rose too, and as Tarzan wrenched the weapon from his flesh and stepped
out from behind the concealment of their refuge, she followed at
his side. The skirmish that had resulted in their rescue was soon
over. Most of the lions escaped but all of the pursuing Xujans
had been slain. As Tarzan and the girl came into full view of the
group, a British Tommy leveled his rifle at the ape-man. Seeing the
fellow's actions and realizing instantly the natural error that
Tarzan's yellow tunic had occasioned the girl sprang between him
and the soldier. "Don't shoot," she cried to the latter, "we are
both friends."
"Hold up your hands, you, then," he commanded Tarzan. "I ain't
taking no chances with any duffer with a yellow shirt."
At this juncture the British sergeant who had been in command of
the advance guard approached and when Tarzan and the girl spoke
to him in English, explaining their disguises, he accepted their
word, since they were evidently not of the same race as the creatures
which lay dead about them.
Pages:
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435