9

The Nightmare

THE BLACKS 0F the village of Mbonga, the chief, were feasting,while somewhat above them in a large tree sat Tarzan of theApes--grim, terrible, empty, and envious. Hunting hadproved poor that day, for there are lean days as wellas portly ones for even the greatest of the jungle hunters. 0ftentimes Tarzan went empty for more than a full sun,and he had passed through entire moons during which hehad been but barely able to stave off starvation;but such times were infrequent.

There once had been a period of sickness among thegrass-eaters which had left the plains almost bare of gamefor several months, and again the great cats had increasedso rapidly and so overrun the country that their prey,which was also Tarzan's, had been frightened off for aconsiderable time.