trifle nearer! A
quick spring and he would be upon them and away again with his meat
before the bulls could prevent.

The tip of his tawny tail moved in spasmodic little jerks; his lower
jaw hung low, exposing a red tongue and yellow fangs. But all this
Teeka did not see, nor did any other of the apes who were feeding or
resting about her. Nor did Tarzan or the apes in the trees.

Hearing the abuse which the bulls were pouring upon the helpless Taug,
Tarzan clambered quickly among them. One was edging closer and leaning
far out in an effort to reach the dangling ape. He had worked himself
into quite a fury through recollection of the last occasion upon which
Taug had mauled him, and now he was bent upon revenge. Once he had
grasped the swinging ape, he would quickly have drawn him within reach
of his jaws. Tarzan saw and was wroth. He loved a fair fight, but the
thing which this ape contemplated revolted him. Already a hairy hand
had clutched the helpless Taug when, with an angry growl of protest,
Tarzan leaped to the branch at the attacking ape's side, and with a
single mighty cuff, swept him from his perch.

Surprised and enraged, the bull clutched madly for support as he
toppled sidewise, and then with an agile movement succeeded in
projecting himself toward another limb a few feet below. Here he found
a hand-hold, quickly righted himself, and as quickly clambered upward
to be revenged upon Tarzan, but the ape-man was otherwise engaged and
did not wish to be interrupted. He was explaining again to Taug the
depths of the latter's abysmal ignorance, and pointing out how much
greater and mightier was Tarzan of the Apes than Taug or any other ape.

In the end he would release Taug, but not until Taug was fully
acquainted with his own inferiority. And then the maddened bull came
from beneath, and instantly Tarzan was transformed from a good-natured,
teasing youth into a snarling, savage beast. Along his scalp the hair
bristled: his upper lip drew back that his fighting fangs might be
uncovered and ready. He did not wait for the bull to reach him, for
something in the appearance or the voice of the attacker aroused within
the ape-man a feeling of belligerent antagonism that would not be
denied. With a scream that carried no human note, Tarzan leaped
straight at the throat of the attacker.

The impetuosity of this act and the weight and momentum of his body
carried the bull backward, clutching and clawing