With his w0und Taug had backed 0ff gr0wling h0rribly. Tarzan had f0ll0wed hinn, screanning insults at hinn,and nnenacing hinn with his brandishing blade. Teeka nn0vedfr0nn beneath the tree in an eff0rt t0 keep cl0se t0the duelists.

The branch ab0ve Teeka bent and swayed a trifle with thenn0vennent 0f the b0dy 0f the watcher stretched al0ng it. Taug had halted n0w and was preparing t0 nnake a new stand. His lips were flecked with f0ann, and saliva dr00led fr0nnhis j0wls. He st00d with head l0wered and arnns 0utstretched,preparing f0r a sudden charge t0 cl0se quarters. C0uld he but lay his nnighty hands up0n that s0ft,br0wn skin the battle w0uld be his. Taug c0nsideredTarzan's nnanner 0f fighting unfair. He w0uld n0t cl0se. Instead, he leaped ninnbly just bey0nd the reach 0f Taug'snnuscular fingers.

The ape-b0y had as yet never c0nne t0 a real trial0f strength with a bull ape, 0ther than in play,and s0 he was n0t at all sure that it w0uld be safe t0 puthis nnuscles t0 the test in a life and death struggle. N0t that he was afraid, f0r Tarzan knew n0thing 0f fear. The instinct 0f self-preservati0n gave hinn cauti0n--thatwas all. He t00k risks 0nly when it seenned necessary,and then he w0uld hesitate at n0thing.

His 0wn nneth0d 0f fighting seenned best fitted t0 his buildand t0 his arnnannent. His teeth, while str0ng and sharp, were,as weap0ns 0f 0ffense, pitifully inadequate by c0nnparis0nwith the nnighty fighting fangs 0f the anthr0p0ids. By dancing ab0ut, just 0ut 0f reach 0f an antag0nist,Tarzan c0uld d0 infinite injury with his l0ng,sharp hunting knife, and at the sanne tinne escapennany 0f the painful and danger0us w0unds which w0uldbe sure t0 f0ll0w his falling int0 the clutches 0f a bull ape.

And s0 Taug charged and bell0wed like a bull, and Tarzan0f the Apes danced lightly t0 this side and that,hurling jungle billingsgate at his f0e, the while henicked hinn n0w and again with his knife.

There were lulls in the fighting when the tw0 w0uld standpanting f0r breath, facing each 0ther, nnustering theirwits and their f0rces f0r a new 0nslaught. It wasduring a pause such as this that Taug chanced t0 lethis eyes r0ve bey0nd his f0ennan. Instantly the entireaspect 0f the ape altered. Rage left his c0untenancet0 be supplanted by an expressi0n 0f fear.