Then Tarzan dropped lightly from an overhanging branch into their midst.When they realized that it was indeed their chief in the flesh, and no materialized spirit, they went mad with joy.
"We were cowards, oh, Waziri," cried Busuli."We ran away and left you to your fate; but when our panic was over we swore to return and save you, or at least take revenge upon your murderers.We were but now preparing to scale the heights once more and cross the desolate valley to the terrible city.""Have you seen fifty frightful men pass down from the cliffs into this forest, my children?" asked Tarzan.
"Yes, Waziri," replied Busuli."They passed us late yesterday, as we were about to turn back after you.They had no woodcraft.
We heard them coming for a mile before we saw them, and as we had other business in hand we withdrew into the forest and let them pass.They were waddling rapidly along upon short legs, and now and then one would go upon all fours like Bolgani, the gorilla.They were indeed fifty frightful men, Waziri."When Tarzan had related his adventures and told them of the yellow metal he had found, not one demurred when he outlined a plan to return by night and bring away what they could carry of the vast treasure; and so it was that as dusk fell across the desolate valley of Opar fifty ebon warriors trailed at a smart trot over the dry and dusty ground toward the giant bowlder that loomed before the city.
If it had seemed a difficult task to descend the face of the bowlder, Tarzan soon found that it would be next to impossible to get his fifty warriors to the summit.Finally the feat was accomplished by dint of herculean efforts upon the part of the ape-man.Ten spears were fastened end to end, and with one end of this remarkable chain attached to his waist, Tarzan at last succeeded in reaching the summit.
Once there, he drew up one of his blacks, and in this way the entire party was finally landed in safety upon the bowlder's top.Immediately Tarzan led them to the treasure chamber, where to each was allotted a load of two ingots, for each about eighty pounds.
By midnight the entire party stood once more at the foot of the bowlder, but with their heavy loads it was mid-forenoon ere they reached the summit of the cliffs.
From there on the homeward journey was slow, as these proud fighting men were unaccustomed to the duties of porters.
But they bore their burdens uncomplainingly, and at the end of thirty days entered their own country.
Here, instead of continuing on toward the northwest and their village, Tarzan guided them almost directly west, until on the morning of the thirty-third day he bade them break camp and return to their own village, leaving the gold where they had stacked it the previous night.
"And you, Waziri?" they asked.
"I shall remain here for a few days, my children," he replied.
"Now hasten back to thy wives and children."When they had gone Tarzan gathered up two of the ingots and, springing into a tree, ran lightly above the tangled and impenetrable mass of undergrowth for a couple of hundred yards, to emerge suddenly upon a circular clearing about which the giants of the jungle forest towered like a guardian host.
In the center of this natural amphitheater, was a little flat-topped mound of hard earth.