at had gone before was as nothing by
comparison. Why did the great white giant stand there so
unconcernedly? Why did he not flee before these horrid, hairy, tree
men fell upon them both and tore them to pieces? And then there came to
Tibo a numbing recollection. It was none other than the story he had
heard passed from mouth to mouth, fearfully, by the people of Mbonga,
the chief, that this great white demon of the jungle was naught other
than a hairless ape, for had not he been seen in company with these?

Tibo could only stare in wide-eyed horror at the approaching apes. He
saw their beetling brows, their great fangs, their wicked eyes. He
noted their mighty muscles rolling beneath their shaggy hides. Their
every attitude and expression was a menace. Tarzan saw this, too. He
drew Tibo around in front of him.

"This is Tarzan's Go-bu-balu," he said. "Do not harm him, or Tarzan
will kill you," and he bared his own fangs in the teeth of the nearest
ape.

"It is a Gomangani," replied the ape. "Let me kill it. It is a
Gomangani. The Gomangani are our enemies. Let me kill it."

"Go away," snarled Tarzan. "I tell you, Gunto, it is Tarzan's balu.
Go away or Tarzan will kill you," and the ape-man took a step toward
the advancing ape.

The latter sidled off, quite stiff and haughty, after the manner of a
dog which meets another and is too proud to fight and too fearful to
turn his back and run.

Next came Teeka, prompted by curiosity. At her side skipped little
Gazan. They were filled with wonder like the others; but Teeka did not
bare her fangs. Tarzan saw this and motioned that she approach.

"Tarzan has a balu now," he said. "He and Teeka's balu can play
together."

"It is a Gomangani," replied Teeka. "It will kill my balu. Take it
away, Tarzan."

Tarzan laughed. "It could not harm Pamba, the rat," he said. "It is
but a little balu and very frightened. Let Gazan play with it."

Teeka still was fearful, for with all their mighty ferocity the great
anthropoids are timid; but at last, assured by her great confidence in
Tarzan, she pushed Gazan forward toward the little black boy. The
small ape, guided by instinct, drew back toward its mother, baring its
small fangs and screaming in mingled fear and rage.

Tibo, too, showed no signs of desiring a closer acquaintance with
Gazan, so Tarzan gave up his efforts for the time.

During the week which followed, Tarzan found his time much occupied.