And now was put to the test that which Tarzan had learned from
Om-at and Ta-den. His eyes and his muscles trained by a lifetime of
necessity moved with the rapidity of light and his brain functioned
with an uncanny celerity that suggested nothing less than prescience,
and these things more than compensated for his lack of experience
with the war club he handled so dexterously. Weapon after weapon
he warded off and always he moved with a single idea in mind--to
place himself within reach of one of his antagonists. But they were
wary for they feared this strange creature to whom the superstitious
fears of many of them attributed the miraculous powers of deity.
They managed to keep between Tarzan and the gateway and all the time
they bawled lustily for reinforcements. Should these come before
he had made his escape the ape-man realized that the odds against
him would be unsurmountable, and so he redoubled his efforts to
carry out his design.
Following their usual tactics two or three of the warriors were
always circling behind him collecting the thrown clubs when Tarzan's
attention was directed elsewhere. He himself retrieved several
of them which he hurled with such deadly effect as to dispose of
two of his antagonists, but now he heard the approach of hurrying
warriors, the patter of their bare feet upon the stone pavement and
then the savage cries which were to bolster the courage of their
fellows and fill the enemy with fear.
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