Meriem still played with Geeka, lavishing all her childish love upon the now almost hopeless ruin of what had never, even i

s no escape, little Meriem yet cherished hopes and ambitions. It is true that her ambitions were rather nebulous in form, consisting chiefly of a desire to escape with Geeka to some remote and unknown spot

o pinch or beat her as the mood seized the villainous old hag; but Mabunu was only one. When The Sheik was there also there were two of them, and The Sheik was stronger and more brutal even than Mabunu. Little M

ves and a few stones. These were the household utensils. Geeka was cooking dinner. As the little girl played she prattled continuously to her companion, propped in a sitting position with a couple of twigs. She was totall

nblinking, unwavering. There was none other than the little girl in this part of the village, which h

ch from the village, The Sheik was l

anionship-the great apes. For months the two had wandered eastward, deeper and deeper into the jungle. The year had done much for the boy-turning his already mighty muscles to thews

erful anthropoid with which he often engaged in mimic battle was no match for him. Akut had taught him to fight as the bull ape fights, nor ever was

gle afforded. Antelope and zebra fell to the boy's spear, or were dragged down by the two powerful beasts of prey who leape

wore his leopard skin at first in response to a desire to parade a trophy of his prowess, for he had slain the leopard with his knife in a hand-to-hand combat. He saw that the skin was beautiful, which appealed to his barbaric sense of ornamentation, and when it stiffened and later commenced to decompose because of his having no knowledge of how to cure

e buffalo, the zebra or the deer, or any other of the countless creatures who roamed, or slunk, or flew, or wriggled through the dark mazes of the forest. Each had but a single life, which was sought by many. The greater number of enemies slain the better chance to prolong that life. So the boy smiled and donned the finery of the vanquished, and went

They were sleeping in the safety of a huge tree when the booming sound smote upon

dance the Dum-Dum. Come, Korak, son

to human speech. In the language of the apes it means Killer. Now the Killer rose upon the branch of the great tree where he had been sleeping with his back braced

cefully along in marked contrast to the awkwardness of his companion, strode the boy, the dark, shaggy coat of the one brushing against the smooth, clear hide of the other. The lad was humming now, a music hall air that had found its way to the forms of the great English public school that was to see him no more. He was happy and expectant. The moment he had looked forward to for so long was about to be realized. He was coming into his own. He was coming ho

d of his brain that they might as well have been non-existent. Except for form and

before, the two clinched in mimic battle, rolling upon the sward, striking, growling and biting, though never closing their teeth in more than a rough pinch. It was wondrous practice for them both. The boy brought into play wrestling tricks that he had learned

t angered him too, and at such times his mighty jaws came nearer to closing in the soft flesh of his friend than at any other, for he was still an ape, with an ape's short temper and brutal instincts; but the difficulty was in catching his tormentor while his rage lasted, for when he lost his head an

her, brought them to their feet, alert and wary. The great cat was passing through the jungle in front of them.

at last, they could hear the growling of the dancing apes, and strong to their nostrils came the scent of their kind. The

the foliage the scene burst upon the eager eyes of the boy. To Akut it was a familiar one; but to Korak it was all new. His nerves tingled at the savage sight. The great bulls were dancing

ail them. Then would come a parley, after which he and Korak would be accepted into membership by the community. There might be those who would object; but such could be overcome by brute force, of which he and

s. It was with difficulty, however, that Akut kept the boy from rushing into the midst of the dancing anthropoids-an act that would have meant the instant extermination of them both, since the hysteric

the drum decreased and lessened were the exertions of the dancers, until, at last, the final note

sing of a new king, and he pointed out to the boy the massive figure of the shaggy monarch, come int

y of them had sought the bases of the trees to

"Come slowly. Follow

apes leaped to their feet. Their savage little eyes sped quickly around the periphery of the clearing. The king ape was the first to see the two figures upon the branch. He gave voice to an ominous gro

s short legs, baring his fangs in hideous grinnings, rumbling out an ever increasing volume of growls, which were slowly but steadily increasing to the propor

too, was king of the apes who dwelt in the midst of the great waters. We have come to hunt wit

savage and crafty. His kingship was very new and he was jealous of it. He feared the encroachments of t

wled. "Go away, o

cted that they would receive him with open arms, and now the words of the king ape filled him with indignation and sorrow. The blacks had set upon him and driven him away. Then he had turned to the white men-to those of his

ing. They were watching events interestedly. Before Akut could guess his intention, or prevent, the boy leaped t

to drive me away. Very well, then, I shall go; but before I go I shall show you that the son o

knew that in the sacred arena the other bulls might be expected to come to the assistance of their king against an outsider, though there was small likelihood that the king would need assistance. Once those mighty jaws close

to meet the attack; but leaped crouching, beneath the outstretched arms. At the instant of contact the lad pivoted on one foot, and with all the weight of his body and the strength of his t

retreat now would have been futile, and Akut knew it. To delay even a second in argument would have sealed the death warrants of them both. There was but a single hope and Akut seized it. Grasping the lad around the waist he lifted him bodily from the gro

he jungle night, bearing his burden to safety. For a time the bulls pursued; but presently, as the swifter outdistanced the slower and found themselves separated from their fel

re no longer pursued he stopped and

have taught them! I would have taught them all!

you away you would be dead now and so would I. Do you not know that even Numa sli