"Under the circumstances I was compelled to look elsewhere for help and naturally I turned, in my perplexity, to Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle.... Now you know why I am here." "I will help you, Doctor," said Tarzan, after the other had concluded. "Good!" exclaimed von Harben; "but I knew that you would. You have about twenty men here, I should judge, and I have about fourteen. My men can act as carriers, while yours, who are acknowledged to be the finest fighting men in Africa, can serve as askaris. With you to guide us we can soon pick up the trail and with such a force, small though it be, there is no country that we cannot penetrate." Tarzan shook his head. "No, Doctor," he said, "I shall go alone. That is always my way. Alone I may travel much more rapidly and when I am alone the jungle holds no secrets from me--I shall be able to obtain more information along the way than would be possible were I accompanied by others. You know the jungle people consider me as one of themselves. They do not run away from me as they would from you and these blacks." "You know best," said von Harben. "I should like to accompany you. I should like to feel that I am doing my share, but if you say no I can only abide by your decision." "Return to your mission, Doctor, and wait there until you hear from me." "And in the morning you leave for the Wiramwazi Mountains?" asked von Harben. "I leave at once," said the ape-man. "But it is already dark," objected von Harben. "There is a full moon and I wish to take advantage of it," explained the other. "I can lie up in the heat of the day for what rest I need." He turned and called Muviro to him. "Return home with my warriors, Muviro," he instructed, "and hold every fighting man of the Waziri in readiness in the event that I find it necessary to send for you." "Yes, Bwana," replied Muviro; "and how long shall we wait for a message before we set out for the Wiramwazi Mountains in search of you?" "I shall take Nkima with me and if I need you I shall send him back to fetch and to guide you." "Yes, Bwana," replied Muviro. "They will be in readiness--all the fighting men of the Waziri. Their weapons will be at hand by day and by night and fresh war-paint will be ready in every pot." Tarzan swung his bow and his quiver of arrows across his back. Over his left shoulder and under his right arm lay the coils of his grass rope and at his hip dangled the hunting-knife of his long-dead sire. He picked up his short spear and stood for the moment with head up, sniffing the breeze. The firelight played upon his bronzed skin.