Without one word of warning, without one sign of remorse, before Felix's very eyes, they began to bind the struggling and terrified child just outside the circle.
The white man could stand this horrid barbarity no longer.

At the risk of his life--at the risk of Muriel's--he must rush out to prevent them.

They should never dare to kill that helpless child before his very eyes.

Come what might--though even Muriel should suffer for it--he felt he _must_ rescue that trembling little creature.

Drawing his trusty knife, and opening the big blade ostentatiously before their eyes, he made a sudden dart like a wild beast across the line, and pounced down upon the party that guarded the victim.
Was it a ruse to make him cross the line, alone, or did they really mean it?
He hardly knew; but he had no time to debate the abstract question.
Bursting into their midst, he seized the child with a rush in his circling arms, and tried to hurry back with it within the protecting taboo-line.
Quick as lightning he was surrounded and almost cut down by a furious and frantic mob of half-naked savages.