Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-16
ESCUES THE MOON ~ @ r % R R%s% @ By Edgar Rice Burroughs

off across the clearing, the apes
watching them until they were swal-
lowed up by the jungle. i.
Before the night fell Taug killed
Gunto, picking a quarrel with him
over his attack upon Tarzan.
For a moon the tribe saw nothing
of Tarzan of the Apes. Many of
them probably never gave him
thought; but there were those who
missed him more than Tarzan
imagined. Taug and Teeka often
wished that he was back, and Taug
determined a dozen times to go and
visit Tarzan in his seaside lair; but
first one thing and then another in
| terfered.
One night when Taug lay sleep
less looking up at the starry heavens
he recalled the strange things that
Tarzan once had suggested to him
that the bright spots were the eyes
of the meat-eaters waiting in the
dark of the jungle sky to leap upon
Goro, the moon, and devour him. The
more he thought about this matter
the more perturbed he became.
And then a strange thing happened.
Even as Taug looked at Goro. he saw
a portion of one edge disappear,
precisely as though something was
gnawing upon it. Larger and larg-
er became the hole in the side of
Goro. With a scream, Taug leaped
to his feet. His frenzied "Kreeg-
ahs!" brought the terrified tribe
screaming and chattering toward
him.
"Look!" cried Taug, pointing at
the moon. "Look! 1t is as Tarzan
said. Numa has sprung through the
fires and is devouring Goro. You
called Tarzan names and drove him
from the tribe; now see how wise he
was. Let one of you who hated
Tarzan go to Goro's aid. See the
eyes in the dark jungle all about
Goro. He is in danger and none
can help him-none except Tarzan.
Soon Goro will be devoured by
Numa and we shall have no more
light after Kudu seeks his lair. How
shall we dance the Dum-Dum with
out the light of Goro?"
The apes trembled and whimper-
ed. Any manifestation of the pow
ers of nature always filed them with
terror, for they could not UNDER
stand.
eco and bring Tarzan," cried one,
and then they all took up the cry
of "Tarzan!" Bring Tarzan!" "He
will save Goro." But who was to
travel the dark jungle by night to
fetch him?
81 will Co." volunteered Taug, and
an instant later he was off through
the Stygian gloom toward the little
land-locked harbor by the sea.
And as the tribe waited they
watched the slow devouring of the
moon. Already Numa had eaten out
great semicircular piece. At that
rate Goro would be entirely gone
before Kudu came again. The apes
trembled at the thought of per-
petual darkness by night. They
could not sleep. Restlessly they
moved here and there among the
branches of trees, watching Numa
of the skies at his deadly feast, and
listening for the coming of Taug
with Tarzan.
Goro was nearly gone when the
apes heard the sounds of the ap-
proach through the trees of the two
they awaited, and presently Tarzan,
followed by Taug, swung into a
nearby tree.
The ape-man wasted no time in
idle words. In his hand was his long
bow and at his back hung culver
full Of arrows, poisoned arrows that
he had stolen from the village Of
the blacks; just as he had stolen the
bow. Up into great tree he clam
bered, higher and higher until he
stood swaying upon a small limb
which bent low beneath his weight.
Here he had clear and unobstruct-
ed view of the heavens. He saw
Goro and the inroads which the
hungry Numa had made into his
shining surface.
Raising his face to the moon, Tar
zan shrilled forth his hideous chal-
lenge. Family and from afar came
the roar of an answering lion. The
apes shivered. Numa of the skies
had answered Tarzan.
Then the ape-man fitted an arrow
to his bow, and drawing the shaft
far back, aimed it's point at the heart
of Numa where he lay in the heavens
devouring GSro. There was a loud
twang as the released bolt shot into
the dark heavens. Again and again
did Tarzan of the Apes launch his
arrows at Numa, and all the while
the apes of the tribe of Kerchak
huddled together in terror.
At last came cry from Taug.
"Look! Look!" he screamed. "Numa
is killed. Tarzan has killed Numa.
See! Goro is emerging from the
belly of Numa," and, sure enough,
the moon was gradually emerging
from whatever had devoured her,
whether it was Numa, the lion, or
the shadow of the earth; but were
you to try to convince an ape of the
tribe of Kercbak that II WAS aupht