agnificentcraniumoftheEuropean,couldoneseeanymarkeddifference.AteveryotherpointthekingwasanabsurdparodyoftheProfessor.
Allthis,whichtakesmesolongtodescribe,impresseditselfuponmeinafewseconds.Thenwehadverydifferentthingstothinkof,foranactivedramawasinprogress.Twooftheape-menhadseizedoneoftheIndiansoutofthegroupanddraggedhimforwardtotheedgeofthecliff.Thekingraisedhishandasasignal.Theycaughtthemanbyhislegandarm,andswunghimthreetimesbackwardsandforwardswithtremendousviolence.Then,withafrightfulheavetheyshotthepoorwretchovertheprecipice.Withsuchforcedidtheythrowhimthathecurvedhighintheairbeforebeginningtodrop.Ashevanishedfromsight,thewholeassembly,excepttheguards,rushedforwardtotheedgeoftheprecipice,andtherewasalongpauseofabsolutesilence,brokenbyamadyellofdelight.Theysprangabout,tossingtheirlong,hairyarmsintheairandhowlingwithexultation.Thentheyfellbackfromtheedge,formedthemselvesagainintoline,andwaitedforthenextvictim.
ThistimeitwasSummerlee.Twoofhisguardscaughthimbythewristsandpulledhimbrutallytothefront.Histhinfigureandlonglimbsstruggledandflutteredlikeachickenbeingdraggedfromacoop.Challengerhadturnedtothekingandwavedhishandsfranticallybeforehim.Hewasbegging,pleading,imploringforhiscomrade'slife.Theape-manpushedhimroughlyasideandshookhishead.Itwasthelastconsciousmovementhewastomakeuponearth.LordJohn'sriflecracked,andthekingsankdown,atangledredsprawlingthing,upontheground.
"Shootintothethickofthem!Shoot!sonny,shoot!"criedmycompanion.
Therearestrangereddepthsinthesoulofthemostcommonplaceman.Iamtenderheartedbynature,andhavefoundmyeyesmoistmanyatimeoverthescreamofawoundedhare.Yetthebloodlustwasonmenow.Ifoundmyselfonmyfeetemptyingonemagazine,thentheother,clickingopenthebreechtore-load,snappingittoagain,whilecheeringandyellingwithpureferocityandjoyofslaughterasIdidso.Withourfourgunsthetwoofusmadeahorriblehavoc.BoththeguardswhoheldSummerleeweredown,andhewasstaggeringaboutlikeadrunkenmaninhisamazement,unabletorealizethathewasafreeman.Thedensemobofape-menranaboutinbewilderment,marvelingwhencethisstormofdeathwascomingorwhatitmightmean.Theywaved,gesticulated,screamed,andtrippedupoverthosewhohadfallen.Then,withasuddenimpulse,theyallrushedinahowlingcrowdtothetreesforshelter,leavingthegroundbehindthemspottedwiththeirstrickencomrades.Theprisonerswereleftforthemomentstandingaloneinthemiddleoftheclearing.
Challenger'squickbrainhadgraspedthesituation.Heseizedth