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of themfor over a month he had seen no human being。 What if these were naked savages？ What if their skins were black？ Were they not creatures fashioned in the mold of their Maker； as was he？ They were his brothers and sisters！ He started toward them。 With a low warning Akut laid a hand upon his arm to hold him back。 The boy shook himself free； and with a shout of greeting ran forward toward the ebon players。
The sound of his voice brought every head erect。 Wide eyes viewed him for an instant； and then； with screams of terror； the children turned and fled toward the village。 At their heels ran their mothers； and from the village gate； in response to the alarm； came a score of warriors； hastily snatched spears and shields ready in their hands。
At sight of the consternation he had wrought the boy halted。 The glad smile faded from his face as with wild shouts and menacing gestures the warriors ran toward him。 Akut was calling to him from behind to turn and flee； telling him that the blacks would kill him。 For a moment he stood watching them coming； then he raised his hand with the palm toward them in signal for them to halt； calling out at the same time that he came as a friendthat he had only wanted to play with their children。 Of course they did not understand a word that he addressed to them； and their answer was what any naked creature who had run suddenly out of the jungle upon their women and children might have expecteda shower of spears。 The missiles struck all about the boy； but none touched him。 Again his spine tingled and the short hairs lifted at the nape of his neck and along the top of his scalp。 His eyes narrowed。 Sudden hatred flared in them to wither the expression of glad friendliness that had lighted them but an instant before。 With a low snarl； quite similar to that of a baffled beast； he turned and ran into the jungle。 There was Akut awaiting him in a tree。 The ape urged him to hasten in flight； for the wise old anthropoid knew that they two； naked and unarmed； were no match for the sinewy black warriors who would doubtless make some sort of search for them through the jungle。
But a new power moved the son of Tarzan。 He had come with a boy's glad and open heart to offer his friendship to these people who were human beings like himself。 He had been met with suspicion and spears。 They had not even listened to him。 Rage and hatred consumed him。 When Akut urged speed he held back。 He wanted to fight； yet his reason made it all too plain that it would be but a foolish sacrifice of his life to meet these armed men with his naked hands and his teethalready the boy thought of his teeth； of his fighting fangs； when possibility of combat loomed close。
Moving slowly through the trees he kept his eyes over his shoulder； though he no longer neglected the possibilities of other dangers which might lurk on either hand or aheadhis experience with the lioness did not need a repetition to insure the permanency of the lesson it had taught。 Behind he could hear the savages advancing with shouts and cries。 He lagged further behind until the pursuers were in sight。 They did not see him； for they were not looking among the branches of the trees for human quarry。 The lad kept just ahead of them。 For a mile perhaps they continued the search； and then they turned back toward the village。 Here was the boy's opportunity； that for which he had been waiting； while the hot blood of revenge coursed through his veins until he saw his pursuers through a scarlet haze。
When they turned back he turned and followed them。 Akut was no longer in sight。 Thinking that the boy followed he had gone on further ahead。 He had no wish to tempt fate within range of those deadly spears。 Slinking silently from tree to tree the boy dogged the footsteps of the returning warriors。 At last one dropped behind his fellows as they followed a narrow path toward the village。 A grim smile lit the lad's face。 Swiftly he hurried forward until he moved almost above the unconscious blackstalking him as Sheeta； the panther； stalked his prey； as the boy had seen Sheeta do on many occasions。
Suddenly and silently he leaped forward and downward upon the broad shoulders of his prey。 In the instant of contact his fingers sought and found the man's throat。 The weight of the boy's body hurled the black heavily to the ground； the knees in his back knocking the breath from him as he struck。 Then a set of strong； white teeth fastened themselves in his neck； and muscular fingers closed tighter upon his wind…pipe。 For a time the warrior struggled frantically； throwing himself about in an effort to dislodge his antagonist； but all the while he was weakening and all the while the grim and silent thing he could not see clung tenaciously to him； and dragged him slowly into the bush to one side of the trail。
Hidden there at last； safe from the prying eyes of searchers； should they miss their fellow and return for him； the lad choked the life from the body of his victim。 At last he knew by the sudden struggle； followed by limp relaxation； that the warrior was dead。 Then a strange desire seized him。 His whole being quivered and thrilled。 Involuntarily he leaped to his feet and placed one foot upon the body of his kill。 His chest expanded。 He raised his face toward the heavens and opened his mouth to voice a strange； weird cry that seemed screaming within him for outward expression； but no sound passed his lipshe just stood there for a full minute； his face turned toward the sky； his breast heaving to the pent emotion； like an animate statue of vengeance。
The silence which marked the first great kill of the son of Tarzan was to typify all his future kills； just as the hideous victory cry of the bull ape had marked the kills of his mighty sire。
Chapter 7
Akut； discovering that the boy was not close behind him； turned back to search for him。 He had gone but a short distance in return when he was brought to a sudden and startled halt by sight of a strange figure moving through the trees toward him。 It was the boy； yet could it be？ In his hand was a long spear； down his back hung an oblong shield such as the black warriors who had attacked them had worn； and upon ankle and arm were bands of iron and brass； while a loin cloth was twisted about the youth's middle。 A knife was thrust through its folds。
When the boy saw the ape he hastened forward to exhibit his trophies。 Proudly he called attention to each of his newly won possessions。 Boastfully he recounted the details of his exploit。
〃With my bare hands and my teeth I killed him；〃 he said。 〃I would have made friends with them but they chose to be my enemies。 And now that I have a spear I shall show Numa； too； what it means to have me for a foe。 Only the white men and the great apes； Akut； are our friends。 Them we shall seek； all others must we avoid or kill。 This have I learned of the jungle。〃
They made a detour about the hostile village； and resumed their journey toward the coast。 The boy took much pride in his new weapons and ornaments。 He practiced continually with the spear； throwing it at some object ahead hour by hour as they traveled their loitering way； until he gained a proficiency such as only youthful muscles may attain to speedily。 All the while his training went on under the guidance of Akut。 No longer was there a single jungle spoor but was an open book to the keen eyes of the lad； and those other indefinite spoor that elude the senses of civilized man and are only partially appreciable to his savage cousin came to be familiar friends of the eager boy。 He could differentiate the innumerable species of the herbivora by scent； and he could tell； too； whether an animal was approaching or departing merely by the waxing or waning strength of its effluvium。 Nor did he need the evidence of his eyes to tell him whether there were two lions or four up wind；a hundred yards away or half a mile。
Much of this had Akut taught him； but far more was instinctive knowledgea species of strange intuition inherited from his father。 He had come to love the jungle life。 The constant battle of wits and senses against the many deadly foes that lurked by day and by night along the pathway of the wary and the unwary appealed to the spirit of adventure which breathes strong in the heart of every red…blooded son of primordial Adam。 Yet； though he loved it； he had not let his selfish desires outweigh the sense of duty that had brought him to a realization of the moral wrong which lay beneath the adventurous escapade that had brought him to Africa。 His love of father and mother was strong within him； too strong to permit unalloyed happiness which was undoubtedly causing them days of sorrow。 And so he held tight to his determination to find a port upon the coast where he might communicate with them and receive funds for his return to London。 There he felt sure that he could now persuade his parents to let him spend at least a portion of his time upon those African estates which from little careless remarks dropped at home he knew his father possessed。 That would be something； better at least than a lifetime of the cramped and cloying restrictions of civilization。