Fires of Tohr 28

Returning from the jewel pits and angered at Tarzan's indifference to her repeated advances, Ataya, white queen of Tor, tells Jeanette Burton that when Mungo has killed the eight-man in the public arena, she Jeanette will become the yellow chief's mate.

One Thai and Mungo have selected from the pit's slaves, those to be sacrificed in the feast of Pantu Games. From one Thai, Tarzan and O'Rourke learn of Jeanette's impending fate, and also of Darno and Uka's final escape from the Torian patrol.

In the jungle, the elephant upon which Darno and Uka are mounted joins a stampede of wild elephants. Uka eventually succeeds in working their frightened mount out of the herd and bringing it to a stop beside a waterhole.

As they lie stretched on the ground resting, the elephant runs off, leaving them once more a foot and still far from Rator. In the distance coming swiftly toward them, they discover a mounted patrol. Quickly they make for a vine-draped photocarkers tree as the patrol nears the waterhole.

Cretano, to the broad limb just above your head, the leaves will screen us. Oh, thank the bonjour, it is still too dark for them to see clearly. Eh, voila, this limb will hold us both.

They will remain at the waterhole until daybreak, and probably try to pick up our trail. May it is already growing light over there in the east. But how could they have followed this to this spot, and so quickly?

It may be that they came down the river by accident, heard the stampede, saw signs of it and believing that we followed the elephants to cover our own trek. But here they come. Listen, wait.