prang forward. Tarzan voiced a peculiar call and
then crouched to meet the assault. Taug crouched, too, and Bulabantu,
assured now that these two were fighting upon his side, couched his
spear and sprang between them to receive the first charge of the enemy.

Simultaneously a huge bulk broke into the clearing from the jungle
behind the charging bulls. The trumpeting of a mad tusker rose shrill
above the cries of the anthropoids, as Tantor, the elephant, dashed
swiftly across the clearing to the aid of his friend.

Gunto never closed upon the ape-man, nor did a fang enter flesh upon
either side. The terrific reverberation of Tantor's challenge sent the
bulls scurrying to the trees, jabbering and scolding. Taug raced off
with them. Only Tarzan and Bulabantu remained. The latter stood his
ground because he saw that the devil-god did not run, and because the
black had the courage to face a certain and horrible death beside one
who had quite evidently dared death for him.

But it was a surprised Gomangani who saw the mighty elephant come to a
sudden halt in front of the ape-man and caress him with his long,
sinuous trunk.

Tarzan turned toward the black man. "Go!" he said in the language of
the apes, and pointed in the direction of the village of Mbonga.
Bulabantu understood the gesture, if not the word, nor did he lose time
in obeying. Tarzan stood watching him until he had disappeared. He
knew that the apes would not follow. Then he said to the elephant:
"Pick me up!" and the tusker swung him lightly to his head.

"Tarzan goes to his lair by the big water," shouted the ape-man to the
apes in the trees. "All of you are more foolish than Manu, except Taug
and Teeka. Taug and Teeka may come to see Tarzan; but the others must
keep away. Tarzan is done with the tribe of Kerchak."

He prodded Tantor with a calloused toe and the big beast swung off
across the clearing, the apes watching them until they were swallowed
up by the jungle.

Before the night fell Taug killed Gunto, picking a quarrel with him
over his attack upon Tarzan.

For a moon the tribe saw nothing of Tarzan of the Apes. Many of them
probably never gave him a thought; but there were those who missed him
more than Tarzan imagined. Taug and Teeka often wished that he was
back, and Taug determined a dozen times to go and visit Tarzan in his
seaside lair; but first one thing and then another interfered.

One night when Taug lay sleepless look