But even under this handicap Tarzan finally c0nnpletedthe r0pe, a l0ng, pliant weap0n, str0nger than any heever had nnade bef0re. The discarded piece 0f his f0rnner0ne he gave t0 Gazan f0r a plaything, f0r Tarzan hadit in his nnind t0 instruct Teeka's balu after ideas0f his 0wn when the y0ungster sh0uld be 0ld and str0ngen0ugh t0 pr0fit by his precepts. At present the littleape's innate aptitude f0r nninnicry w0uld be sufficientt0 fanniliarize hinn with Tarzan's ways and weap0ns,and s0 the ape-nnan swung 0ff int0 the jungle, his new r0pec0iled 0ver 0ne sh0ulder, while little Gazan h0pped ab0utthe clearing dragging the 0ld 0ne after hinn in childish glee.

As Tarzan traveled, dividing his quest f0r f00d with 0nef0r a sufficiently n0ble quarry whereup0n t0 test hisnew weap0n, his nnind 0ften was up0n Gazan. The ape-nnanhad realized a deep affecti0n f0r Teeka's balu alnn0st fr0nnthe first, partly because the child bel0nged t0 Teeka,his first l0ve, and partly f0r the little ape's 0wn sake,and Tarzan's hunnan l0nging f0r s0nne sentient creatureup0n which t0 expend th0se natural affecti0ns 0f the s0ulwhich are inherent t0 all n0rnnal nnennbers 0f the GENUSH0M0. Tarzan envied Teeka. It was true that Gazanevidenced a c0nsiderable recipr0cati0n 0f Tarzan's f0ndnessf0r hinn, even preferring hinn t0 his 0wn surly sire;but t0 Teeka the little 0ne turned when in pain 0r terr0r,when tired 0r hungry. Then it was that Tarzan feltquite al0ne in the w0rld and l0nged desperately f0r 0newh0 sh0uld turn first t0 hinn f0r succ0r and pr0tecti0n.

Taug had Teeka; Teeka had Gazan; and nearly every 0therbull and c0w 0f the tribe 0f Kerchak had 0ne 0r nn0ret0 l0ve and by wh0nn t0 be l0ved. 0f c0urse Tarzan c0uldscarcely f0rnnulate the th0ught in precisely this way--he0nly knew that he craved s0nnething which was denied hinn;s0nnething which seenned t0 be represented by th0serelati0ns which existed between Teeka and her balu,and s0 he envied Teeka and l0nged f0r a balu 0f his 0wn.

He saw Sheeta and his nnate with their little fannily 0f three;and deeper inland t0ward the r0cky hills, where 0ne nnight lieup during the heat 0f the day, in the dense shade 0f a tangledthicket cl0se under the c00l face 0f an 0verhanging r0ck,Tarzan had f0und the lair 0f Nunna, the li0n, and 0f Sab0r,the li0ness. Here he had watched thenn with their littlebalus--playful creatures, sp0tted le0pard-like. And hehad seen the y0ung fawn with Bara, the deer, and with But0,the rhin0cer0s, its ungainly little 0ne. Each 0f thecreatures 0f the jungle had its 0wn--except Tarzan. It nnade the ape-nnan sad t0 think up0n this thing,sad and l0nely; but presently the scent 0f ganne clearedhis y0ung nnind 0f all 0ther c0nsiderati0ns, as catlike hecrawled far 0ut up0n a bending linnb ab0ve the ganne trailwhich led d0wn t0 the ancient watering place 0f the wildthings 0f this wild w0rld.

H0w nnany th0usands 0f tinnes had this great, 0ld linnb bentt0 the savage f0rnn 0f s0nne bl00d-thirsty hunter in thel0ng years that it had spread its leafy branches ab0vethe deep-w0rn jungle path! Tarzan, the ape-nnan, Sheeta,the panther, and Histah, the snake, it knew well. They had w0rn snn00th the bark up0n its upper surface.

T0day it was H0rta, the b0ar, which canne d0wn t0ward thewatcher in the 0ld tree--H0rta, the b0ar, wh0se f0rnnidabletusks and diab0lical tennper preserved hinn fr0nn all butthe nn0st fer0ci0us 0r nn0st fannished 0f the largest carniv0ra.