here are the great apes," he said. "They only will be the friends of
Akut's friend. Only the great apes will welcome the son of Tarzan.
You have seen that men want nothing of you. Let us go now and continue
our search for the great apes--our people."

The language of the great apes is a combination of monosyllabic
gutturals, amplified by gestures and signs. It may not be literally
translated into human speech; but as near as may be this is what Akut
said to the boy.

The two proceeded in silence for some time after Akut had spoken. The
boy was immersed in deep thought--bitter thoughts in which hatred and
revenge predominated. Finally he spoke: "Very well, Akut," he said,
"we will find our friends, the great apes."

The anthropoid was overjoyed; but he gave no outward demonstration of
his pleasure. A low grunt was his only response, and a moment later he
had leaped nimbly upon a small and unwary rodent that had been
surprised at a fatal distance from its burrow. Tearing the unhappy
creature in two Akut handed the lion's share to the lad.

Chapter 8

A year had passed since the two Swedes had been driven in terror from
the savage country where The Sheik held sway. Little Meriem still
played with Geeka, lavishing all her childish love upon the now almost
hopeless ruin of what had never, even in its palmiest days, possessed
even a slight degree of loveliness. But to Meriem, Geeka was all that
was sweet and adorable. She carried to the deaf ears of the battered
ivory head all her sorrows all her hopes and all her ambitions, for
even in the face of hopelessness, in the clutches of the dread
authority from which there was 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 where there were no Sheiks, no
Mabunus--where El Adrea could find no entrance, and where she might
play all day surrounded only by flowers and birds and the harmless
little monkeys playing in the tree tops.

The Sheik had been away for a long time, conducting a caravan of ivory,
skins, and rubber far into the north. The interim had been one of
great peace for Meriem. It is true that Mabunu had still been with
her, to 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 strong