in his neck, and muscular fingers closed tighter upon his
wind-pipe. For a time the warrior struggled frantically, throwing
himself about in an effort to dislodge his antagonist; but all the
while he was weakening and all the while the grim and silent thing he
could not see clung tenaciously to him, and dragged him slowly into the
bush to one side of the trail.

Hidden there at last, safe from the prying eyes of searchers, should
they miss their fellow and return for him, the lad choked the life from
the body of his victim. At last he knew by the sudden struggle,
followed by limp relaxation, that the warrior was dead. Then a strange
desire seized him. His whole being quivered and thrilled.
Involuntarily he leaped to his feet and placed one foot upon the body
of his kill. His chest expanded. He raised his face toward the
heavens and opened his mouth to voice a strange, weird cry that seemed
screaming within him for outward expression, but no sound passed his
lips--he just stood there for a full minute, his face turned toward the
sky, his breast heaving to the pent emotion, like an animate statue of
vengeance.

The silence which marked the first great kill of the son of Tarzan was
to typify all his future kills, just as the hideous victory cry of the
bull ape had marked the kills of his mighty sire.

Chapter 7

Akut, discovering that the boy was not close behind him, turned back to
search for him. He had gone but a short distance in return when he was
brought to a sudden and startled halt by sight of a strange figure
moving through the trees toward him. It was the boy, yet could it be?
In his hand was a long spear, down his back hung an oblong shield such
as the black warriors who had attacked them had worn, and upon ankle
and arm were bands of iron and brass, while a loin cloth was twisted
about the youth's middle. A knife was thrust through its folds.

When the boy saw the ape he hastened forward to exhibit his trophies.
Proudly he called attention to each of his newly won possessions.
Boastfully he recounted the details of his exploit.

"With my bare hands and my teeth I killed him," he said. "I would have
made friends with them but they chose to be my enemies. And now that I
have a spear I shall show Numa, too, what it means to have me for a
foe. Only the white men and the great apes, Akut, are our friends.
Them we shall seek, all others must we avoid or kill. This have I
learned of the jun