The Son of Tarzan

but an instant before had angrily struck his strange companion; for scarce had the carnivore burst into view than with drawn knife the youth had leaped far

rid snarlings rolled over upon its back, clutching and clawing in an effort to

a beast. But the moment that he turned to see what was going on below him brought him as quickly to the ground again. Personal differences were quickly forgotten in

g and growling, the three rolled hither and thither among the underbrush, while with staring eyes the sole sp

convulsively and rolled over upon its side the youth and the ape rose and faced one another acr

ne," he said;

to so horrid a scream that once again the little girl shuddered and shrank. It was the victory cry of the bull ape that has made a kill. The boy only looked on for a moment in silence;

hat the time soon came when she was an important factor in the chase, watching while the others slept, or helping them to trace the spoor of whatever prey they might be stalking. Akut accepted her on a footing which bordered upon equality when it was necessary for them to come into close contact; but for the most part he avoided her. The youth always was kind to her, and if there were many occasions upon which he felt the burden of her presence he hid it from her. Finding that the night damp and chill caused her discomfort and even suffering, Korak constructed a tight little sh

to the daily humdrum of the wild-the search for food and the sleeping upon full bellies. They looked no further ahead than today. If the youth thought of his past and of those who longed for him in the distant metropolis it was in a detached and impersonal sort of way as though that othe

p. In his friendship for her there was appreciable no trace of sex influence of which he was cognizant. They were friends-companions-that was all. Bot

had one. Love was a thing unknown to either; but as the youth neared manhood it was

ansformed from a task into an enjoyable pastime. When Korak hunted, Meriem usually accompanied him, for she had learned the fine art of silence, when silence was desirable. She could pass through the branches of the great trees now with all the agility and stealth of

e weapons he stole for her. A leather thong over one shoulder supported the ever present Geeka who was still the recipient of her most sacred confidences. A light spear and a long knife were

a great distance, as they were sometimes forced to do when game was scarce in their immediate vicinity. Upon these occasions she usually confined her endeavors to t

the small folk kept their distance, but with Korak they were less shy and when both the males were gone they would come close to Meriem, tugging at her ornaments or playing with G

y played tricks upon her; but she was always kind and gentle with them and in their wild, half-human way they were kind to her and affectionate. Their language being similar to that of the great apes Meriem could converse with them though the poverty of their vocabulary rendered these exchanges anything but feasts of reason. For familiar objects they had names, as well as for those conditions which induced pain or

et, Meriem poured out her sweetest soul thoughts into the deaf ears of Geeka's ivory head. To Geeka she spoke in Arabic, knowing that Geeka, being but a doll, c

ld in place a few gaudy feathers from the parakeet, while other bits of grass were fashioned into imitations of arm and leg ornaments of metal. Geeka was a perfect little savage; but at heart she was unchanged, being the same omnivorous listener as of yore. An excellent trait in Ge

hat it is harder to get the possessions of the shes, for he will not kill them as he does the males, and they fight savagely when he leaps upon them to wrest their ornaments from them. Then come the males with spears and arrows and Korak takes to the trees. Sometimes he takes the she with him and high among the branches divests her of the th

lunge of an excited little monkey that landed upon he

. "Climb! The Man

her shoulder at the excit

orak and Akut. It is they you have seen returning from the hunt. Some day you w

e trees. She listened attentively. There were two and they were great apes-Korak and Akut. To her Korak was an ape-a Mangani, for as such the three always described themselves. Man was an enemy, so they did not think of themselves as bel

ey had halted. Why were they so quiet? Why did not Korak call out his customary greeting? The quietness was ominous. It was followed presently by a very stealthy sound-one of them was creeping upon her. Was Korak planning a joke upon his o

rom limb to limb the girl fled through the jungle while close behind her came the two great apes. Above them raced a bev

ursuers. Faster and faster came the bull apes after her. The clutching fingers of the foremost were almost upon her aga

w that she had misjudged the strength of the limb. It gave slowly at first. Then there was a ripping as it parted from the trunk. Releasing her hold Meriem dropped among the foliage beneath, clutching for a new support. She found it a dozen feet below the broken limb. She had

d growled ominously. Meriem struggled to escape. She struck at the hairy breast and bearded cheek. She fastened her strong, white teeth in one shaggy f

r followed him, and here they fought, occasionally abandoning their duel to pursue and recapture the girl who took every advantage of her captors' preoccupation in battle t

ce she was felled, lying unconscious while the apes, relieved of the distraction

cal excitement. Back and forth over the battle field flew countless birds of gorgeous pl

ing. Again, erect upon their hind legs they pulled and tugged like human wrestlers; but always the giant

e larger bull who arose alone from the last embrace. He shook himself. A deep growl rumbled from his hairy throat. He waddled back and forth between the body of the girl and that of his vanquished foe. Then he stood upon the latter and g

stooping commenced to sniff and listen about her face and breast. She lived. The monkeys

p at them. Then he stooped and lifting the girl to his shoulder w