h here and there were
those among them in whom germinated the primal seeds of
humanity--reversions to type, these, doubtless; reversions to the
ancient progenitor who took the first step out of ape-hood toward
humanness, when he walked more often upon his hind feet and discovered
other things for idle hands to do.

So now Tarzan led where he could not yet command. He had long since
discovered the apish propensity for mimicry and learned to make use of
it. Having filled his arms with fragments of rotted granite, he
clambered again into a tree, and it pleased him to see that the apes
had followed his example.

During the brief respite while they were gathering their ammunition,
Numa had settled himself to feed; but scarce had he arranged himself
and his kill when a sharp piece of rock hurled by the practiced hand of
the ape-man struck him upon the cheek. His sudden roar of pain and
rage was smothered by a volley from the apes, who had seen Tarzan's
act. Numa shook his massive head and glared upward at his tormentors.
For a half hour they pursued him with rocks and broken branches, and
though he dragged his kill into densest thickets, yet they always found
a way to reach him with their missiles, giving him no opportunity to
feed, and driving him on and on.

The hairless ape-thing with the man scent was worst of all, for he had
even the temerity to advance upon the ground to within a few yards of
the Lord of the Jungle, that he might with greater accuracy and force
hurl the sharp bits of granite and the heavy sticks at him. Time and
again did Numa charge--sudden, vicious charges--but the lithe, active
tormentor always managed to elude him and with such insolent ease that
the lion forgot even his great hunger in the consuming passion of his
rage, leaving his meat for considerable spaces of time in vain efforts
to catch his enemy.

The apes and Tarzan pursued the great beast to a natural clearing,
where Numa evidently determined to make a last stand, taking up his
position in the center of the open space, which was far enough from any
tree to render him practically immune from the rather erratic throwing
of the apes, though Tarzan still found him with most persistent and
aggravating frequency.

This, however, did not suit the ape-man, since Numa now suffered an
occasional missile with no more than a snarl, while he settled himself
to partake of his delayed feast. Tarzan scratched his head, pondering
some more eff