ly, preferring to crawl away from the others and lie
huddled in some clump of tall grasses rather than to show his misery
before their eyes.

Kala, alone, he was glad to have with him, but now that he was better
she was gone longer at a time, in search of food; for the devoted
animal had scarcely eaten enough to support her own life while Tarzan
had been so low, and was in consequence, reduced to a mere shadow of
her former self.

Chapter VII

The Light of Knowledge

After what seemed an eternity to the little sufferer he was able to
walk once more, and from then on his recovery was so rapid that in
another month he was as strong and active as ever.

During his convalescence he had gone over in his mind many times the
battle with the gorilla, and his first thought was to recover the
wonderful little weapon which had transformed him from a hopelessly
outclassed weakling to the superior of the mighty terror of the jungle.

Also, he was anxious to return to the cabin and continue his
investigations of its wondrous contents.

So, early one morning, he set forth alone upon his quest. After a
little search he located the clean-picked bones of his late adversary,
and close by, partly buried beneath the fallen leaves, he found the
knife, now red with rust from its exposure to the dampness of the
ground and from the dried blood of the gorilla.

He did not like the change in its former bright and gleaming surface;
but it was still a formidable weapon, and one which he meant to use to
advantage whenever the opportunity presented itself. He had in mind
that no more would he run from the wanton attacks of old Tublat.

In another moment he was at the cabin, and after a short time had again
thrown the latch and entered. His first concern was to learn the
mechanism of the lock, and this he did by examining it closely while
the door was open, so that he could learn precisely what caused it to
hold the door, and by what means it released at his touch.

He found that he could close and lock the door from within, and this he
did so that there would be no chance of his being molested while at his
investigation.

He commenced a systematic search of the cabin; but his attention was
soon riveted by the books which seemed to exert a strange and powerful
influence over him, so that he could scarce attend to aught else for
the lure of the wondrous puzzle which their purpose presented to him.

Among the other books were a