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To have fallen back a step would have been to precipitate an
immediate charge； to have rushed forward to meet the other
might have had the same result； or it might have put the
bellicose one to flightit all depended upon the young bull's
stock of courage。
To stand perfectly still； waiting； was the middle course。
In this event the bull would； according to custom； approach
quite close to the object of his attention； growling hideously
and baring slavering fangs。 Slowly he would circle about the other；
as though with a chip upon his shoulder； and this he did；
even as Tarzan had foreseen。
It might be a bluff royal； or； on the other hand； so unstable is
the mind of an ape； a passing impulse might hurl the hairy mass；
tearing and rending； upon the man without an instant's warning。
As the brute circled him Tarzan turned slowly； keeping
his eyes ever upon the eyes of his antagonist。 He had
appraised the young bull as one who had never quite felt equal
to the task of overthrowing his former king； but who one day
would have done so。 Tarzan saw that the beast was of wondrous
proportions； standing over seven feet upon his short； bowed legs。
His great； hairy arms reached almost to the ground even
when he stood erect； and his fighting fangs； now quite close
to Tarzan's face； were exceptionally long and sharp。 Like the
others of his tribe； he differed in several minor essentials
from the apes of Tarzan's boyhood。
At first the ape…man had experienced a thrill of hope at
sight of the shaggy bodies of the anthropoidsa hope that
by some strange freak of fate he had been again returned to
his own tribe； but a closer inspection had convinced him that
these were another species。
As the threatening bull continued his stiff and jerky
circling of the ape…man； much after the manner that you have
noted among dogs when a strange canine comes among them；
it occurred to Tarzan to discover if the language of his own
tribe was identical with that of this other family； and so he
addressed the brute in the language of the tribe of Kerchak。
〃Who are you；〃 he asked； 〃who threatens Tarzan of the Apes？〃
The hairy brute looked his surprise。
〃I am Akut；〃 replied the other in the same simple； primal
tongue which is so low in the scale of spoken languages that；
as Tarzan had surmised； it was identical with that of the tribe
in which the first twenty years of his life had been spent。
〃I am Akut；〃 said the ape。 〃Molak is dead。 I am king。
Go away or I shall kill you！〃
〃You saw how easily I killed Molak；〃 replied Tarzan。 〃So I
could kill you if I cared to be king。 But Tarzan of the
Apes would not be king of the tribe of Akut。 All he wishes
is to live in peace in this country。 Let us be friends。
Tarzan of the Apes can help you； and you can help Tarzan
of the Apes。〃
〃You cannot kill Akut；〃 replied the other。 〃None is so
great as Akut。 Had you not killed Molak； Akut would have
done so； for Akut was ready to be king。〃
For answer the ape…man hurled himself upon the great brute
who during the conversation had slightly relaxed his vigilance。
In the twinkling of an eye the man had seized the wrist of
the great ape； and before the other could grapple with him
had whirled him about and leaped upon his broad back。
Down they went together； but so well had Tarzan's plan
worked out that before ever they touched the ground he had
gained the same hold upon Akut that had broken Molak's neck。
Slowly he brought the pressure to bear； and then as in days
gone by he had given Kerchak the chance to surrender and
live； so now he gave to Akutin whom he saw a possible
ally of great strength and resourcethe option of living in
amity with him or dying as he had just seen his savage and
heretofore invincible king die。
〃Ka…Goda？〃 whispered Tarzan to the ape beneath him。
It was the same question that he had whispered to Kerchak；
and in the language of the apes it means； broadly；
〃Do you surrender？〃
Akut thought of the creaking sound he had heard just
before Molak's thick neck had snapped； and he shuddered。
He hated to give up the kingship； though； so again he struggled
to free himself； but a sudden torturing pressure upon his
vertebra brought an agonized 〃ka…goda！〃 from his lips。
Tarzan relaxed his grip a trifle。
〃You may still be king； Akut；〃 he said。 〃Tarzan told you
that he did not wish to be king。 If any question your right；
Tarzan of the Apes will help you in your battles。〃
The ape…man rose； and Akut came slowly to his feet。
Shaking his bullet head and growling angrily； he waddled toward
his tribe； looking first at one and then at another of the
larger bulls who might be expected to challenge his leadership。
But none did so； instead； they drew away as he approached；
and presently the whole pack moved off into the jungle；
and Tarzan was left alone once more upon the beach。
The ape…man was sore from the wounds that Molak had
inflicted upon him； but he was inured to physical suffering
and endured it with the calm and fortitude of the wild beasts
that had taught him to lead the jungle life after the manner
of all those that are born to it。
His first need； he realized； was for weapons of offence and defence；
for his encounter with the apes； and the distant notes of the savage
voices of Numa the lion； and Sheeta； the panther； warned him that
his was to be no life of indolent ease and security。
It was but a return to the old existence of constant bloodshed
and dangerto the hunting and the being hunted。 Grim beasts
would stalk him； as they had stalked him in the past；
and never would there be a moment； by savage day or by
cruel night； that he might not have instant need of such crude
weapons as he could fashion from the materials at hand。
Upon the shore he found an out…cropping of brittle； igneous rock。
By dint of much labour he managed to chip off a narrow sliver some
twelve inches long by a quarter of an inch thick。 One edge was quite
thin for a few inches near the tip。 It was the rudiment of a knife。
With it he went into the jungle； searching until he found a
fallen tree of a certain species of hardwood with which he
was familiar。 From this he cut a small straight branch；
which he pointed at one end。
Then he scooped a small； round hole in the surface of the
prostrate trunk。 Into this he crumbled a few bits of dry bark；
minutely shredded； after which he inserted the tip of his
pointed stick； and； sitting astride the bole of the tree； spun
the slender rod rapidly between his palms。
After a time a thin smoke rose from the little mass of
tinder； and a moment later the whole broke into flame。
Heaping some larger twigs and sticks upon the tiny fire；
Tarzan soon had quite a respectable blaze roaring in the
enlarging cavity of the dead tree。
Into this he thrust the blade of his stone knife； and as it
b