t they were searching for a tribe of his own kind, nor
did the boy disabuse his mind of this belief. It would do to tell Akut
of his real plans when they had come within sight of civilization.

One day as they were moving slowly along beside a river they came
unexpectedly upon a native village. Some children were playing beside
the water. The boy's heart leaped within his breast at sight of
them--for over a month he had seen no human being. What if these were
naked savages? What if their skins were black? Were they not
creatures fashioned in the mold of their Maker, as was he? They were
his brothers and sisters! He started toward them. With a low warning
Akut laid a hand upon his arm to hold him back. The boy shook himself
free, and with a shout of greeting ran forward toward the ebon players.

The sound of his voice brought every head erect. Wide eyes viewed him
for an instant, and then, with screams of terror, the children turned
and fled toward the village. At their heels ran their mothers, and
from the village gate, in response to the alarm, came a score of
warriors, hastily snatched spears and shields ready in their hands.

At sight of the consternation he had wrought the boy halted. The glad
smile faded from his face as with wild shouts and menacing gestures the
warriors ran toward him. Akut was calling to him from behind to turn
and flee, telling him that the blacks would kill him. For a moment he
stood watching them coming, then he raised his hand with the palm
toward them in signal for them to halt, calling out at the same time
that he came as a friend--that he had only wanted to play with their
children. Of course they did not understand a word that he addressed
to them, and their answer was what any naked creature who had run
suddenly out of the jungle upon their women and children might have
expected--a shower of spears. The missiles struck all about the boy,
but none touched him. Again his spine tingled and the short hairs
lifted at the nape of his neck and along the top of his scalp. His
eyes narrowed. Sudden hatred flared in them to wither the expression
of glad friendliness that had lighted them but an instant before. With
a low snarl, quite similar to that of a baffled beast, he turned and
ran into the jungle. There was Akut awaiting him in a tree. The ape
urged him to hasten in flight, for the wise old anthropoid knew that
they two, naked and unarmed, were no match for the sinew