Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan the Terrible Edgar Rice Burroughs

In the moment of discovery Tarzan saw that the creature was almost a counterpart of hiscompanion in size and conformation, with the exception that his body was entirely clothed with acoat of shaggy black hair which almost concealed his features, while his harness and weaponswere similar to those of the creature he had attacked. Ere Tarzan could prevent the creature hadstruck the ape-man's companion a blow upon the head with his knotted club that felled him, unconscious, to the earth; but before he could inflict further injury upon his defenseless prey theape-man had closed with him. Instantly Tarzan realized that he was locked with a creature of almost superhuman strength. The sinewy fingers of a powerful hand sought his throat while the other lifted the bludgeonabove his head. But if the strength of the hairy attacker was great, great too was that of hissmooth-skinned antagonist. Swinging a single terrific blow with clenched fist to the point of theother's chin, Tarzan momentarily staggered his assailant and then his own fingers closed uponthe shaggy throat, as with the other hand he seized the wrist of the arm that swung the club. Withequal celerity he shot his right leg behind the shaggy brute and throwing his weight forwardhurled the thing over his hip heavily to the ground, at the same time precipitating his own bodyupon the other's chest. With the shock of the impact the club fell from the brute's hand and Tarzan's hold waswrenched from its throat. Instantly the two were locked in a deathlike embrace. Though thecreature bit at Tarzan the latter was quickly aware that this was not a particularly formidablemethod of offense or defense, since its canines were scarcely more developed than his own. Thething that he had principally to guard against was the sinuous tail which sought steadily to wrapitself about his throat and against which experience had afforded him no defense. Struggling and snarling the two rolled growling about the sward at the foot of the tree, firstone on top and then the other but each more occupied at present in defending his throat from theother's choking grasp than in aggressive, offensive tactics. But presently the ape-man saw hisopportunity and as they rolled about he forced the creature closer and closer to the pool, upon thebanks of which the battle was progressing. At last they lay upon the very verge of the water andnow it remained for Tarzan to precipitate them both beneath the surface but in such a way that hemight remain on top. At the same instant there came within range of Tarzan's vision, just behind the prostrate formof his companion, the crouching, devil-faced figure of the striped saber-tooth hybrid, eyeing himwith snarling, malevolent face