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In happy ignorance the little girl played on； while from above two steady eyes looked down upon herunblinking； unwavering。 There was none other than the little girl in this part of the village； which had been almost deserted since The Sheik had left long months before upon his journey toward the north。
And out in the jungle； an hour's march from the village； The Sheik was leading his returning caravan homeward。
A year had passed since the white men had fired upon the lad and driven him back into the jungle to take up his search for the only remaining creatures to whom he might look for companionshipthe great apes。 For months the two had wandered eastward； deeper and deeper into the jungle。 The year had done much for the boyturning his already mighty muscles to thews of steel； developing his woodcraft to a point where it verged upon the uncanny； perfecting his arboreal instincts； and training him in the use of both natural and artificial weapons。
He had become at last a creature of marvelous physical powers and mental cunning。 He was still but a boy； yet so great was his strength that the powerful 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 there a teacher better fitted to instruct in the savage warfare of primordial man； or a pupil better equipped to profit by the lessons of a master。
As the two searched for a band of the almost extinct species of ape to which Akut belonged they lived upon the best the jungle afforded。 Antelope and zebra fell to the boy's spear； or were dragged down by the two powerful beasts of prey who leaped upon them from some overhanging limb or from the ambush of the undergrowth beside the trail to the water hole or the ford。
The pelt of a leopard covered the nakedness of the youth； but the wearing of it had not been dictated by any prompting of modesty。 With the rifle shots of the white men showering about him he had reverted to the savagery of the beast that is inherent in each of us； but that flamed more strongly in this boy whose father had been raised a beast of prey。 He 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 or tan it was with sorrow and regret that he discarded it。 Later； when he chanced upon a lone； black warrior wearing the counterpart of it； soft and clinging and beautiful from proper curing； it required but an instant to leap from above upon the shoulders of the unsuspecting black； sink a keen blade into his heart and possess the rightly preserved hide。
There were no after…qualms of conscience。 In the jungle might is right； nor does it take long to inculcate this axiom in the mind of a jungle dweller； regardless of what his past training may have been。 That the black would have killed him had he had the chance the boy knew full well。 Neither he nor the black were any more sacred than the lion； or the 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 his way with Akut； searching； always searching for the elusive anthropoids who were to welcome them with open arms。 And at last they found them。 Deep in the jungle； buried far from sight of man； they came upon such another little natural arena as had witnessed the wild ceremony of the Dum…Dum in which the boy's father had taken part long years before。
First； at a great distance； they heard the beating of the drum of the great apes。 They were sleeping in the safety of a huge tree when the booming sound smote upon their ears。 Both awoke at once。 Akut was the first to interpret the strange cadence。
〃The great apes！〃 he growled。 〃They dance the Dum…Dum。 Come； Korak； son of Tarzan； let us go to our people。〃
Months before Akut had given the boy a name of his own choosing； since he could not master the man given name of Jack。 Korak is as near as it may be interpreted into 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 against the stem。 He stretched his lithe young muscles； the moonlight filtering through the foliage from above dappling his brown skin with little patches of light。
The ape； too； stood up； half squatting after the manner of his kind。 Low growls rumbled from the bottom of his deep chest growls of excited anticipation。 The boy growled in harmony with the ape。 Then the anthropoid slid softly to the ground。 Close by； in the direction of the booming drum； lay a clearing which they must cross。 The moon flooded it with silvery light。 Half…erect； the great ape shuffled into the full glare of the moon。 At his side； swinging gracefully 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 home。 As the months had dragged or flown along； retarded or spurred on as privation or adventure predominated； thoughts of his own home； while oft recurring； had become less vivid。 The old life had grown to seem more like a dream than a reality； and the balking of his determination to reach the coast and return to London had finally thrown the hope of realization so remotely into the future that it too now seemed little more than a pleasant but hopeless dream。
Now all thoughts of London and civilization were crowded so far into the background of his brain that they might as well have been non…existent。 Except for form and mental development he was as much an ape as the great； fierce creature at his side。
In the exuberance of his joy he slapped his companion roughly on the side of the head。 Half in anger； half in play the anthropoid turned upon him； his fangs bared and glistening。 Long； hairy arms reached out to seize him； and； as they had done a thousand times 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 at school； and many of these Akut learned to use and to foil。 And from the ape the boy learned the methods that had been handed down to Akut from some common ancestor of them both； who had roamed the teeming earth when ferns were trees and crocodiles were birds。
But there was one art the boy possessed which Akut could not master； though he did achieve fair proficiency in it for an apeboxing。 To have his bull…like charges stopped and crumpled with a suddenly planted fist upon the end of his snout； or a painful jolt in the short ribs； always surprised Akut。 It 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 and rushed madly into close quarters with the boy he discovered that the stinging hail of blows released upon him always found their mark and effectually stopped himeffectually and painfully。 Then he would withdraw growling viciously； backing away with grinning jaws distended； to sulk for an hour or so。
Tonight they did not box。 Just for a moment or two they wrestled playfully； until the scent of Sheeta； the panther； brought them to their feet； alert and wary。 The great cat was passing through the jungle in front of them。 For a moment it paused； listening。 The boy and the ape growled menacingly in chorus and the carnivore moved on。
Then the two took up their journey toward the sound of the Dum…Dum。 Louder and louder came the beating of the drum。 Now； at last； they could hear the growling of the dancing apes； and strong to their nostrils came the scent of their kind。 The lad trembled with excitement。 The hair down Akut's spine stiffenedthe symptoms of happiness and anger are often similar。
Silently they crept through the jungle as they neared the meeting place of the apes。 Now they were in the trees； worming their way forward； alert for sentinels。 Presently through a break in 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 in the moonlight； leaping in an irregular circle