eave behind sufficient warriors to protect its women and its children
from the neighbors upon either hand. When we want eunuchs for the
temples or servants for the fields or the homes we march forth in great
numbers upon one of your villages. You cannot even flee, for upon
either side of you are enemies and though you fight bravely we come
back with those who will presently be eunuchs in the temples and
servants in our fields and homes. So long as the Waz-don are thus
foolish the Ho-don will dominate and their king will be king of
Pal-ul-don."

"Perhaps you are right," admitted Om-at. "It is because our neighbors
are fools, each thinking that his tribe is the greatest and should rule
among the Waz-don. They will not admit that the warriors of my tribe
are the bravest and our shes the most beautiful."

Ta-den grinned. "Each of the others presents precisely the same
arguments that you present, Om-at," he said, "which, my friend, is the
strongest bulwark of defense possessed by the Ho-don."

"Come!" exclaimed Tarzan; "such discussions often lead to quarrels and
we three must have no quarrels. I, of course, am interested in learning
what I can of the political and economic conditions of your land; I
should like to know something of your religion; but not at the expense
of bitterness between my only friends in Pal-ul-don. Possibly, however,
you hold to the same god?"

"There indeed we do differ," cried Om-at, somewhat bitterly and with a
trace of excitement in his voice.

"Differ!" almost shouted Ta-den; "and why should we not differ? Who
could agree with the preposterous----"

"Stop!" cried Tarzan. "Now, indeed, have I stirred up a hornets' nest.
Let us speak no more of matters political or religious."

"That is wiser," agreed Om-at; "but I might mention, for your
information, that the one and only god has a long tail."

"It is sacrilege," cried Ta-den, laying his hand upon his knife;
"Jad-ben-Otho has no tail!"

"Stop!" shrieked Om-at, springing forward; but instantly Tarzan
interposed himself between them.

"Enough!" he snapped. "Let us be true to our oaths of friendship that
we may be honorable in the sight of God in whatever form we conceive
Him."

"You are right, Tailless One," said Ta-den. "Come, Om-at, let us look
after our friendship and ourselves, secure in the conviction that
Jad-ben-Otho is sufficiently powerful to look after himself."

"Done!" agreed Om-at, "but----"

"No 'buts,' Om-at," admonis