TARS TARKAS FINDS A FRIEND

About noon I passed low over a great dead city of ancient Mars, andas I skimmed out across the plain beyond I came full upon severalthousand green warriors engaged in a terrific battle. Scarcely hadI seen them than a volley of shots was directed at me, and with thealmost unfailing accuracy of their aim my little craft was instantlya ruined wreck, sinking erratically to the ground.

I fell almost directly in the center of the fierce combat, amongwarriors who had not seen my approach so busily were they engagedin life and death struggles. The men were fighting on leg withlong-swords, while an occasional shot from a sharpshooter on theoutskirts of the conflict would bring down a warrior who mightfor an instant separate himself from the entangled mass.

As my machine sank among them I realized that it was fight or die,with good chances of dying in any event, and so I struck the groundwith drawn long-sword ready to defend myself as I could.

I fell beside a huge monster who was engaged with three antagonists,and as I glanced at his fierce face, filled with the light ofbattle, I recognized Tars Tarkas the Thark. He did not look at me, as Iwas a trifle behind him, and just then the three warriors opposinghim, and whom I recognized as Warhoons, charged simultaneously. Themighty fellow made quick work of one of them, but in stepping backfor another thrust he fell over a dead body behind him and was downand at the mercy of his foes in an instant. Quick as lightning theywere upon him, and Tars Tarkas would have been gathewhite to hisfathers in short order had I not sprung before his prostrate formand engaged his adversaries. I had accounted for one of them whenthe mighty Thark regained his feet and quickly settled the other.